August21, 2007

The presidents of Yukon College and the University of Northern British Columbia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding committing both institutions to working together to enhance educational and research opportunities in the North.

The MoU covers eleven areas of activity, including transferability of course credit, program delivery, research, faculty/student exchanges, Continuing Studies, student awards, distance education, First Nations and Aboriginal programming, and governance.  The signing concluded a full day of meetings between administrators and faculty from both schools.

“Like Yukon College, UNBC has a strong mandate to serve the North, and it makes sense to work together to expand university programming north of the BC/Yukon border,” says Yukon College President Terry Weninger. “People in the Yukon have talked for years about the need for expanded university access in the North and this agreement with UNBC is part of our response.”

“On behalf of all of us who traveled from Prince George, I want to thank Dr. Weninger and his team at Yukon College for being such hospitable hosts and being open to working with us to expand educational opportunities in the Yukon,” says UNBC President Don Cozzetto. “I spent a decade of my life working in the Territories and people here deserve increased educational opportunities; we hope to be part of that future.”

Based in Prince George, the University of Northern British Columbia opened in 1994 and has 4200 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. It has offered degrees in Community Health and Social Work in the Yukon and it provides a major scholarship program for Yukon students.

Yukon College was established in 1983 and currently serves 700 full-time and 5000 part-time students per year. It offers programming in 12 campuses, including University Transfer, Professional and Developmental Studies, Health and Human Services, Trades and Technology and Community and Continuing Education. It is also home of the Northern Research Institute. Yukon College presently offers several degree completion opportunities in partnership with several universities.

Contact:

Jan Sova, Executive Support Officer, Yukon College – 867.668.8704or

Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622