What are universities for? Canadian higher education is at a critical crossroads

The University College building at the University of Toronto. Government budget cuts and the race to attract more students are changing the function and purpose of Canadian universities. (Shutterstock)

In recent years, Canadian provinces such as Ontario and Alberta have been attempting to repurpose and reprogram our universities to more narrowly serve the labour market. They’re doing so by adopting performance-based funding in the most profound changes the sector has witnessed in decades.

These profound changes are encapsulated by the statements of former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, who said his government was “trying to retool the education system.”