Helping Ontario Students Succeed: ONCAT Funds Innovative Project at University of Guelph School of Continuing Studies to Support Postsecondary Learner Mobility

Posted on June 4, 2025

TORONTO – Dr. Adrienne Galway, President and CEO of the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT), announced funding to support projects that help students access postsecondary opportunities across Ontario’s public colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes. From April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, ONCAT awarded $2.04 million in funding for 29 institutional projects.

“ONCAT’s funding for institutional projects will reduce barriers and smooth transitions for learners,” says Dr. Galway. “We prioritize innovative initiatives with the potential to scale or be adopted across institutions, that help learners successfully navigate their academic journey and receive appropriate recognition for previous academic and work experience. Our mission is to ensure that learners complete their postsecondary credentials and transition successfully into the workforce.”

“Our province’s postsecondary education programs are building Ontario’s workforce of today and tomorrow,” says Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Our government is proud to support ONCAT and their critical efforts to reduce barriers for students looking to get the training they need to begin successful careers that meet our province’s labour market needs.”

"We are thrilled to be working on this project that will provide a more seamless and comprehensive recognition of prior learning experience for our lifelong learners,” shares Dianne Tyers, Assistant Vice-President of the University of Guelph School of Continuing Studies. “Not only will this improve our own team’s efficiency, but it will also help us to more easily recognize the previous accomplishments of students and support their learning journeys by accelerating their achievement of personal and professional goals.”

ONCAT-funded projects showcase innovative approaches to enhancing learner mobility across Ontario’s postsecondary sector. At the University of Guelph School of Continuing Studies, this funding supports the project “Continuing Studies: Transfer Credits and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition”. This project will respond to the growing demand of students looking to transfer non-degree credits from other institutions or companies and apply them to their certificates or diplomas through the School of Continuing Studies. It will help to develop new policies and tools to consider continuing studies programs for transfer credits and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition. By improving the transparency and speed of evaluation processes, the School of Continuing Studies will be able to better understand where students are coming from and support their future goals.

Visit the ONCAT website for a complete overview of 2024-25 ONCAT-funded institutional projects.

About ONCAT

Established in 2011, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) plays a pivotal role in supporting learner mobility, working to support students seeking to move between the province’s public colleges, universities, and Indigenous Institutes. ONCAT partners with postsecondary institutions to help establish academic pathways, facilitate recognition of prior learning, and support learners’ transition into the labour market. ONCAT is funded by the Government of Ontario. To learn more, visit oncat.ca.