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An Overview of BC’s Post-Secondary Education Funding

December 8, 2022

An essential overview of sources, models, and mechanisms for funding post-secondary education in BC. Explore the historical investment in universities and the capacity for change.

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Brief 3 Funding Overview

Universities play a key role in driving technological, social, and economic innovation. Yet Canada’s public funding of post-secondary education is lower than most countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) — ranking 28th out of 37 in 2019. University funding in BC has been stagnant for over a decade, despite fiscal capacity for increased investment.

As BC reviews funding for post-secondary education, this paper provides critical evidence and analysis to inform government decision-making. It looks at:

  • Post-secondary funding models, including BC’s block-grant funding scheme
  • Accountability frameworks and performance indicators for universities
  • Legal frameworks and what they mean for financial decision-making at the federal, provincial, and institutional levels
  • Significant post-secondary investments in BC between 2006 and 2022
  • Broader fiscal context and opportunities to increase investment

This is the third brief in a six-part series, Funding for Success: Post-Secondary Education in BC.

“Decisions about how and where allocations are made need a critical eye for how they will interact with already existing post-secondary education elements.”

- Excerpt

Other recommended publications

  • Funding for Success: Post-Secondary Education in BC (Consolidated Brief Series)

    A timely series that aims to inform and guide BC’s review of post-secondary funding. Explore the core principles, evidence, and values that we believe should be prioritized in the review process.

  • Meet BC’s Research Universities

    An eye-opening introduction to five universities in BC and their contributions to social, economic, and technological innovation. See key facts and figures about their history, funding, and research.

  • An Overview of BC’s Post-Secondary Education Funding

    An essential overview of sources, models, and mechanisms for funding post-secondary education in BC. Explore the historical investment in universities and the capacity for change.