Private universities: a way to increase access to university education in Ontario

Abstract

The citizens of Ontario are requiring increasingly specialized skills. These are needed by the business community so that it will be able to compete effectively in the global economy. A perception exists that the traditional, publicly funded universities in Ontario are ill equipped to provide the necessary training that is required by employers. The reasons cited are the following: (i) inadequately applied science programmes; and (ii) insufficient space to accommodate students pursuing university education. The reduction in funding for Ontario universities makes the expansion of their current infrastructures a rather difficult proposition. Therefore, permitting private universities to operate in Ontario might be a viable option for increasing access to university education.