Post Secondary
Alberta’s first post-secondary
institution, Alberta College, dates back to 1903,
although it was not until 1908 that the first public
university was established: the University of Alberta.
Since then, three more universities and numerous
colleges and technical institutions have been opened in
Alberta. Many of these were established during the
1960s and 70s, when the economy was booming and
post-secondary enrollment was higher than ever seen
before.
Post-secondary institutions are the
foundations of a
knowledge-based economy.
With the increasing emphasis on technology in our
society, it is essential to have institutions that are
at the cutting-edge of new innovations, whether they are
the first to research and develop them, or are the first
to understand and implement the new innovations. The
University of Alberta, after all, bought the province’s
first computer. If there were not institutions in
Alberta that embraced change and new technology, you
might not be looking at a computer screen right now!
Not only research establishments,
post-secondary institutions are also training grounds
for the leaders of tomorrow. Besides learning skills for
a particular career, post-secondary schooling enriches
people’s minds, giving them the tools to approach
problems from various perspectives. Post-secondary
institutions look towards the future, but also value the
essential aspects of society: history, language, and the
arts, to name a few. Their goal is to produce capable,
enlightened and well-rounded citizens.
This section highlights Alberta’s top
post-secondary institutions. Each institution has its
own strengths and areas of excellence, but they all are
renowned for their innovation in education.
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