Looking Down the Road by the Numbers: Challenges to Universities in the Next 10 Years. Canada?s universities face a host of daunting challenges over the next decade, from growth spurts in enrolment to replacing retiring faculty, from global competitiveness in R&D to the ever present issues of financing and infrastructure. The numbers in every area speak eloquently of the challenges confronting Canada?s university network, writes the president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Enrolment will increase by 30 percent over the next decade to nearly 1 million undergraduate, graduate and full time equivalent (FTE) students. In the face of growing enrolment, the university system must hire 40,000 new faculty ? more than the entire current university teaching staff ? to replace retiring academics and maintain student-teacher ratios at current levels. And while universities conduct one-third of the country?s R&D, Ottawa?s goal of becoming fifth in the world is a long way from Canada?s current 14th place standing in the OECD. Finally, universities will need billions more dollars to meet their capital and operational requirements in this context of growth. (For a collection of other articles on Canadian Higher Education click here). By Robert J. Giroux for the Institute for Research on Public Policy.

By Institute for Research on Public Policy, Canada.

Education Policy Resource.