The Issues
Public post-secondary education has never been more important – for individual students and for Canada as a whole. Yet the political threats it faces are just as significant. Learn more about the issues post-secondary education is facing and our priorities.
Affordable for everyone
Everyone deserves access to high-quality, public, post-secondary education and the benefits that come along with it. Financial barriers shouldn’t block young Canadians from unlocking their potential. But tuition fees are significantly more expensive now than they were for the previous generations. They’re contributing to the affordability crisis that many young Canadians are facing. That’s why we want to unlock education and make college and university affordable for everyone, not just those who can afford it.
Freedom to think, teach and learn
Freedom in education is a learning environment where researchers are free to investigate without interference, teachers are free to teach and students are free to learn and invest in their futures. Basic research, free from commercial interference, needs to remain a staple of academic inquiry. Learn more
New and different perspectives
Even if we disagree with the perspective, we must leave space for debate and include new and different ideas. We must let these ideas challenge our own assumptions and understanding. This is a core belief that is taught in post-secondary education. Let’s make sure we have a diversity of voices on campuses by unlocking education for everyone, and making sure that students and academic staff are representative of all communities across our country.
Universities and colleges we can rely on
Colleges and universities are vital for personal and societal growth, offering opportunities for careers, learning, and community. However, reduced government funding has increased student costs and put institutions at risk, threatening program quality and stability. A strong government investment is urgently needed to sustain these essential institutions and the benefits they provide to society.Colleges and universities offer a path for many to get the job they want, to make more money, to grow, to learn, to make lifelong friends, to build a community network, or simply to go from point A to point B in their life. It is undeniable that post-secondary education plays an important role in the quality of life in our country. It is a system we all rely on – our health care, our economy, our infrastructure, things we use and need every day.
Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT)
Unlock Education is a campaign from our partner, CAUT. Founded in 1951, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is the national voice for academic staff representing 72,000 teachers, librarians, researchers, general staff and other academic professionals at some 125 universities and colleges across the country. CAUT is an outspoken defender of academic freedom and works actively in the public interest to improve the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.
Related Issues
Affordability & Funding
Governance & Autonomy
Learning & Innovation
Take Action
Public post-secondary education has never been more important – for individual students and for Canada as a whole. Yet the political threats it faces are just as significant. We believe everyone deserves the freedom associated with post-secondary education. That means:
- Making college and university affordable for everyone
- Freedom to think, teach and learn
- Including new people and new perspectives
- University and colleges we can rely on
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