Failing Universities 101

The Backbench

Canadian universities are barely scraping by. Queen’s is in a whole lot of debt, Laurentian declared insolvency in 2021, Alberta universities are slashing budgets, and McGill and Concordia are in danger over an out-of-province tuition battle. On top of it all, the international student visa cap will limit revenues for cash-strapped universities. Combined, it could have huge implications for our knowledge-based economy.

How did this happen? Where do we go from here? To find out, Mattea Roach asked Simona Chiose, the former higher education reporter at the Globe and Mail, and Alex Usher, the president of Higher Education Strategy Associates.

Host: Mattea Roach

Credits: Aviva Lessard (Producer), Sam Konnert (Producer), Caleb Thompson (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), André Proulx (Production in Coordinator) Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Guests: Alex Usher, Simona Chiose

Background reading:

• Ford government to provide $1 billion in funding to universities, colleges: sources - Toronto Star
• He had 99.5% but still couldn't get in. How Ontario's most competitive university programs decide who makes the cut - Toronto Star
• McGill, Concordia launch legal action against Quebec’s tuition hike for out-of-province students - The Globe and Mail
• Two post-secondary organizations express 'significant concern' over international student cap - CBC News

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