Bow Valley College
 |
 Bow Valley College | |
Former name | Alberta Vocational Centre |
|---|---|
| Type | Public College (Canada) |
| Established | 1965 |
| President | Dr. Misheck Mwaba[1] |
| Chair, Board of Governors | Shannon Bowen-Smed |
Administrative staff | 500 [citation needed] |
| Students | 8,869 (2023-24 fulltime equivalent) [2] |
| Location | 345 6th Avenue SE , Calgary Alberta , Canada |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colours | Blue |
| Affiliations | CICan, Alberta Association of Colleges & Technical Institutes, CBIE |
| Website | bowvalleycollege |
 | |
Bow Valley College is a Canadian public, board-governed college located in Calgary, Alberta, operating as a comprehensive community institution[3] under the Post-Secondary Learning Act of Alberta.[4] The branch campuses are: Airdrie, Banff, Cochrane, Okotoks, and Strathmore. Bow Valley College is a member of the Alberta Rural Development Network and Colleges and Institutes Canada.
Bow Valley College had 8869 full-time equivalent students in 2024.[5]
Programs
[edit]The college offers academic programs in a variety of areas including career training, university transfer courses, adult upgrading, and English language learning. The college is divided into specialized schools:
- Centre for Entertainment Arts offers training in Visual Effects, 3D Animation and Modeling, Video Game Development, Film Production, Art Foundations, and Entertainment Arts Production Management. Students work with industry professionals throughout this program.[6]
- Chiu School of Business offers training in business and health administration.
- Continuing Learning administers the college's professional development ("continuing education") programming and open studies courses.
- Regional Stewardship offers programming at campuses located in Airdrie, Cochrane, and Okotoks where learners may access services such as classrooms, advising, and invigilation.
- School of Community Studies provides programs in social services, education and early learning, justice, and community services.
- School of Foundational Learning provides adult high school upgrading, basic literacy programs, and workplace training.
- School of Global Access is the college's hub for English language learning, services and programs for newcomers to Canada, and inter-cultural learning.
- School of Health and Wellness offers studies towards careers as a healthcare aide, nurse, pharmacy technician, and more.
- School of Technology offers education in information technology and design.
History
[edit]It was founded as the Alberta Vocational Centre in 1965. Since 1972, it has been located on 3rd Street and 6th Avenue Southeast in Calgary and continues to expand its footprint between downtown Calgary and the city's East Village.
In 1998, the college transitioned from a government-administered model to an autonomous, board-governed public college and adopted the name Bow Valley College to reflect the region (the Bow Valley) which the college serves.
In 2009, the college's Director of International Education was fired after allegedly diverting nearly $200,000 dollars in alleged fraud.[7] From 2013-24 to 2023-24 the college increased their international student headcount from 532 to 3048.[8]
In 2013, the Office of the Information Privacy Commissioner found the college had failed to protect personal information following the leak of 189,300 students and 3,500 employee's information.[9]
In 2024, suspects in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar reportedly obtained student visas within days.[10] Murder suspect Karan Brar was reported to have obtained his visa to Bow Valley College. A college representative confirmed Karan Brar was a registered student.[11]
Facilities
[edit]In May 2013, the college unveiled its new South Campus building on 6th Avenue Southeast. The South Campus building hosts the Calgary operations of Athabasca University, Olds College Fashion Institute, and the University of Lethbridge.[12]
Beyond downtown Calgary, the college operates smaller campuses in the communities of Airdrie, Banff, Cochrane, Okotoks, and Strathmore, and offers academic and career education on a number of the region's Indigenous nations.
Scholarships
[edit]There are more than 300 awards and bursaries available for students through Bow Valley College.[13] Bow Valley College is committed to ensuring that all students are able to access the life-changing possibilities of an education free from financial stress and pressures. Many generous donors make an impact on the lives of students and help them reach their goals.
See also
[edit]- Education in Alberta
- List of universities and colleges in Alberta
- Higher education in Alberta
- Canadian government scientific research organizations
- Canadian university scientific research organizations
- Canadian industrial research and development organizations
References
[edit]- ^ Collyer, Dave. "Bow Valley College's new President and CEO". Bow Valley College. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
- ^ "FLE Enrolment by Institution and Sector for 2018-19 Forward" (PDF). Alberta Government.
- ^ Government of Alberta. "Types of publicly-funded institutions". Alberta.ca. Retrieved 28 March 2019.
- ^ Post-Secondary Learning Act
- ^ "FLE Enrolment by Institution and Sector for 2018-19 Forward" (PDF). Alberta Government.
- ^ https://cea.bowvalleycollege.ca/ [bare URL]
- ^ "College lost $189,000 in alleged fraud, auditor general reports". CBC News. 20 April 2009.
- ^ "International headcount enrolment within the Alberta post-secondary education system". Alberta Government.
- ^ "Failure to properly wipe or destroy computer servers results in unauthorized disclosure of personal information". Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "Suspect in killing of temple leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar got student visa in 'days' | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "Suspect in Nijjar killing alleged to have studied briefly at Bow Valley College in Calgary". Calgary. 8 May 2024. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
- ^ "New South Campus Grand Opening". Archived from the original on 29 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- ^ Bow Valley College Scholarships and Bursaries page
External links
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