Released on May 28, 2018
The Ministry of Advanced Education and Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions are collaborating on a new Post-Secondary Education Indicators Project. As a result of this project, government and institutions are able to collect, analyze and report sector-wide post-secondary data, which will help inform future decisions and planning.The first set of data has been released and focuses on enrolment and demographic numbers and types of credentials awarded. For example, the data shows that between 2013 and 2017, there has been a 26 per cent increase in First Nations, Métis and Inuit students enrolled in credentialed programs at Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions, with nearly 5,400 students enrolled in 2017. As well, the number of international students enrolled at Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions topped 5,000 in 2017 and grew by 29 per cent between 2013 and 2017.
“Our government recognizes the importance of post-secondary education,” Advanced Education Minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor said. “I am pleased to see that an increased number of students are choosing to pursue their post-secondary studies in our province.”
In 2017, more than 11,400 credentials were awarded by Saskatchewan’s two universities and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The total number of credentials awarded has increased by 1.6 per cent annually over the past five years.
Similarly, the number of credentials awarded to First Nations, Métis and Inuit students has grown 35 per cent since 2013 with nearly 1,700 such credentials awarded in 2017. The number of credentials awarded to international students has also increased by 37 per cent.
“It is wonderful to see more students are completing their programs, especially the impressive growth in credentials awarded to First Nations, Métis and Inuit students,” Beaudry-Mellor said. “I encourage students to stay in Saskatchewan after they graduate and take advantage of the Graduate Retention Program, which provides income tax credits of up to $20,000 for graduates who live and work in Saskatchewan.”
The data demonstrates that over the past five years, the total number of post-secondary students at Saskatchewan’s three largest institutions has increased by 1.9 per cent annually and in the fall of 2017, there were more than 42,500 students enrolled in credentialed programs.
The project is currently in a pilot phase and includes data from students enrolled in degree, diploma or certificate programs at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, the University of Regina, and the University of Saskatchewan.
The data also includes students taking university or Saskatchewan Polytechnic programming offered at Saskatchewan’s federated and regional colleges, and at Dumont Technical Institute.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Marieka Andrew
Advanced Education
Regina
Phone: 306-798-3170
Email: marieka.andrew@gov.sk.ca