Academic Agreements Policy

Approver:: Academic Coordinating Committee
Policy Owner:: Vice-President, Academic
Policy Lead(s):: Director, Program Planning and Pathways
Effective date:: 2020-01-13
Date of last approval:: 2024-11-06

Policy Statement

Conestoga College’s Strategic Plan Objectives provide direction for the institution to pursue academic agreements with Canadian and International post-secondary institutions and partner organizations. Academic agreements align with our ongoing commitment to support increased access to education through pathways.

Academic Administration oversees the creation and maintenance of academic agreements between Conestoga and other recognized post-secondary institutions and professional accrediting, licencing, certification, and regulatory bodies in Canada and around the world. Pathways are one of the components of Conestoga’s polytechnic advantage and provide Conestoga students and graduates with opportunities to achieve their academic and professional goals.

Scope

This policy applies to formally signed, binding, academic agreements between Conestoga and other recognized post-secondary institutions or designated organizations. Academic agreements with other institutions are created through the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). Academic agreements arising from MOUs may include, but are not limited to:

Articulation Agreements
Curriculum Sharing Agreements
Exchange Agreements
Linkage Agreements

Definitions

Conestoga College maintains a glossary of terms specific to the institution. The terms in use for this document are defined below.

Articulation Agreement

Official agreement between post-secondary institutions that allow students who have completed specified curriculum to apply to another program and enroll with advanced standing. They define the terms and conditions enabling students to transfer between specific programs and may also outline which courses or programs taken at the sending institution will apply to graduation requirements at the receiving institution.

Curriculum Sharing Agreement

An agreement whereby Conestoga agrees to allow another recognized post-secondary institution to provide a Conestoga program(s) to their students, consistent with Conestoga’s curriculum content, and internal and external policies, procedures, standards and/or regulations applicable to the program(s).

Exchange Agreement

A written agreement providing guidelines for students, faculty, or staff to attend and experience other recognized post-secondary institutions for creative, academic, professional, and cultural development.

Linkage Agreement

A collaborative academic agreement designed to facilitate the admission of qualified students who graduate from English language training at another recognized post-secondary institution into an academic study program at Conestoga.

Memorandum of Understanding

A document that describes the general principles of an agreement between parties with the objective of governing the relationship and will not be structured as a legally binding agreement.

Program/Program of Study

An academic program that leads to issuance of a post-secondary credential or certificate for a particular area of study.

Recognized Postsecondary Institution

Conestoga considers the following as “recognized” for the purposes of evaluating Credit Transfer and awarding Block Credit Transfer:

Member institutions of the Ontario Council on Admission and Transfer Credit (ONCAT)
Canadian public postsecondary institutions
University Canada member institutions
Canadian degree-granting institutions that are primarily faith-based and approved as a private postsecondary institution in Canada
International institutions considered accredited or recognized in their country, as determined by the Office of the Registrar through accreditation reference materials or the Ministries of Education of that country.

The Office of the Vice President, Academic, may approve credits obtained from any institution or organization that does not meet the above criteria upon consultation with the Registrar and at the request of the appropriate Dean or designate.

Policy

Conestoga identifies academic agreements with partner institutions to create opportunities for:
1. Students and graduates to pursue further education beyond their Program of Study.
2. Employees of the college to pursue specialized opportunities related to their role at the college, and in alignment with Conestoga’s strategic plan.
3. Academic agreements may also be developed to support internationalization. These may include but are not limited to student and faculty mobility, applied research, and other global engagement initiatives.
Conestoga may explore academic agreements with educational institutions which are recognized or accredited by a public or private act of the appropriate territorial legislature or through a recognized quality assurance mechanism or regulatory body.

All academic agreements will be executed in accordance with the Signing Authority Policy.

Academic Administration is responsible for the creation, review and monitoring of all college academic agreements. Academic Administration will consult with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that academic agreements align with college and Ministry requirements. Whenever possible, the college will utilize agreement templates. All agreements will have a defined start, end and review dates.

Conestoga initiated academic agreements require the support of an academic leader (e.g. Chair, Executive Dean or other senior administrators).

Relevant Legislation and Related Documents

Revision Log

Date	Description
2019-12-11	Academic Forum
2020-01-13	Academic Coordinating Committee
2024-10-30	Academic Forum
2024-11-06	Academic Coordinating Committee