News

ONCAT Transfer Awards of Excellence Recognize Outstanding Leaders in Ontario’s Postsecondary Education System

Toronto - The Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) recently honoured members of the college and university community for their outstanding contributions to building a culture of transfer and mobility within Ontario’s postsecondary sector. The winners of the inaugural 2019 ONCAT Transfer Awards of Excellence were celebrated today at a ceremony held in Toronto.

The awards recognize leaders in Ontario’s postsecondary education system for their work in building partnerships with other institutions, expanding knowledge about transfer, and supporting students so that they can receive the postsecondary credentials needed to contribute to the province’s globally competitive economy.

“On behalf of ONCAT, I’m proud to recognize several outstanding postsecondary leaders for going above and beyond supporting transfer students and helping Ontario’s postsecondary education system become more responsive to the needs of transfer students,” says Yvette Munro, Executive Director of ONCAT. “The work of these stellar individuals, along with the commitment of colleges, universities and Indigenous Institutes across Ontario, and the support of the Government of Ontario, helps students gain their credentials, in time and cost effective ways, while meeting the needs of our changing workforce.”

The Staff Champion Award went to Mat Brown, Admissions Officer, Transfer, at the University of Waterloo (pictured to the left). Mat’s unique ability to work across his own organization, his dedication to bringing partners together and commitment to providing high quality service to transfer students exemplifies the qualities of a transfer champion.

The Research Excellence Award went to the Centre for Research in Student Mobility (CRSM) at Seneca College (top photo) based on its ability to produce original research on student transfer in Ontario, while also providing innovative analyses and discussion of policy issues and implications. The CRSM has played a leading role in generating and analyzing data on student mobility and transfer in Ontario which has been instrumental to informing transfer policy development and analysis across institutions, the province, and national jurisdictions.

The Leadership Award was given to Dr. Henry Decock, Associate Vice-President of Academic Partnerships also at Seneca College (pictured to the left). Over his more than 20 years career at Seneca College, he has built and promoted a culture of mobility and transfer within Ontario’s postsecondary system. Among the many highlights, he was instrumental in creating some of the earliest pathways from Seneca’s Liberal Arts diploma to university degree studies; he led the establishment of the CRSM at Seneca; and has demonstrated strong leadership through his participation on many committees, including serving as Chair of the Pan-Canadian Consortium on Admissions & Transfer (PCCAT).

This year marks ONCAT’s inaugural Transfer Awards of Excellence, chosen from nominations submitted by Ontario’s postsecondary education community. The recipients must demonstrate outstanding achievement related to student mobility and transfer within their institutions, and have made a significant contribution to the postsecondary sector.