Higher education in Yukon is shaped by the

territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

's small population (40,717 people as of Dec. 2018) in a relatively large geographic area. The history of higher education went hand in hand with the establishment of a representative territorial government in 1979.

Yukon University Yukon University (formerly Yukon College) is a public university in the Canadian territory of Yukon. The university main campus is based in Whitehorse, although the institution also operates 12 campuses throughout the territory. The university c ...

is the only higher education institution in Yukon. Yukon University issues certificate, diploma, and degree programs. In December, 2019, the Yukon Legislature passed a bill that would transform Yukon College into Yukon University.

History

Although the

wasn't formally established until 1988 by the College Act, 1988, its predecessor, the Whitehorse Vocational Training School (later to become the Yukon Vocational and Technical Training Centre), opened in 1963 with a focus on teaching

skills A skill is the learned ability to act with determined results with good execution often within a given amount of time, energy, or both. Skills can often be divided into domain-general and domain-specific skills. For example, in the domain of w ...

that enabled adults to gain employment. In 1977 the territorial government made arrangements with the

University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thre ...

to offer a one-time university-level Yukon Teacher Education Program. The birth of Yukon University in 1983 was due to public demand for further education and training opportunities within the territory. In 2007, and as part of Yukon University, the Yukon School of Visual Arts was established to provide the foundational year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) or a Bachelor of Design (BDes). The school is a partnership between Dawson City Arts Society, Yukon University and the Tr’ondek Hwech’in and its credential is conferred by Yukon University. Governance comes from all three partners and funding comes from the Yukon Government. Articulation agreements are in place with ECUAD,

ACAD The Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) is a public art university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The university is a co-educational institution that operates four academic schools. The institution originated from the art departme ...

OCAD Ontario College of Art & Design University, commonly known as OCAD University or OCAD, is a public art university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus is spread throughout several buildings and facilities within do ...

, and

NSCAD NSCAD University, also known as the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design or NSCAD, is a public art university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university is a co-educational institution that offers bachelor's and master's degrees. The un ...

. In December, 2019, the Yukon Legislature passed a bill that would transform Yukon College into Yukon University.

Structure and governance

Yukon University governance

"The board of governors of

holds fiduciary responsibility for the institution and management of the operations, including policies that relate to quality assurance. The Yukon College Act also establishes campus advisory committees to advise the board of governors on the programs and activities of the community campus, with particular reference to the needs of the community. The board of governors is accountable to the minister of education. The minister tables the board's report with the Legislature."

Future directions and challenges

Yukon University is a founding member of the

University of the Arctic The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is an international cooperative network based in the Circumpolar Arctic region, consisting of universities, colleges, and other organizations with an interest in promoting education and research in the Arcti ...

, "a cooperative network of universities, colleges, research institutes and other organizations concerned with education and research in and about the North." Preparations for university transition have been underway since 2012 and more formally since somewhat before 2015 with an anticipated launch date of Spring 2020. This is despite the fact that northern residents and southern academics have been suggesting it since the early 1960s, an attempt was made to establish a university in Yukon and the Northwest Territories in the 1970s, the Science Council of Canada urged its establishment as early as the mid 1970s, and Yukoners have proposed the college become a university in some form or other since 2004.Easton,_Norm._(2004,_February_9)._"Norm_Easton_–_Views_on_a_Yukon_University."_CBC_News._[transcript
Retrieved_April_18,_2018.html" ;"title="ranscript">Easton, Norm. (2004, February 9). "Norm Easton – Views on a Yukon University." CBC News. [transcript
Retrieved April 18, 2018">ranscript">Easton, Norm. (2004, February 9). "Norm Easton – Views on a Yukon University." CBC News. [transcript
Retrieved April 18, 2018br>Querengesser, Tim. (2006, August 24). "Yukon U revisited." Yukon News.
/ref> In December, 2019, the Yukon Legislature passed a bill that would transform Yukon College into Yukon University. The university officially opened in May, 2020, making Yukon University the only public university in the north.

Notes

References

*. *. {{DEFAULTSORT:Higher Education In Yukon Education in Yukon