Program - Day One
Program
Day One – Scanning the horizon
Tuesday, February 3
A vibrant program of panels, presentations and keynotes will highlight recent trends and insights related to learner mobility, as well as identify future opportunities to implement promising practices and scale innovative solutions.
By connecting perspectives across the postsecondary sector — including registrar and transfer offices, student support services, senior administrators, policymakers and more — the day will provide an overview of strategic priorities and practical considerations for enhancing learner mobility in Ontario. The February 3 sessions are designed to spark conversations that will shape institutional planning, inspire new activities and foster sector-wide partnerships.
Keynote speaker
Gorick Ng, Career Advisor at Harvard College and Faculty at University of California, Berkeley’s Sutardja Centre for Entrepreneurship & Technology
As a career advisor and faculty member, Gorick specializes in coaching first-generation, low-income students and teaching the unspoken rules of career navigation. He has worked in management consulting at Boston Consulting Group, investment banking at Credit Suisse, and research, with the Managing the Future of Work project at Harvard Business School.
Gorick’s book, The Unspoken Rules: Secrets to Starting Your Career Off Right, (Harvard Business Review Press) was named one of the top 10 management books of 2022 by Thinkers50. His ideas have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, New York Post, Fast Company, Fortune Magazine and CNBC.
The first in his family to finish high school — from Marc Garneau Collegiate in Toronto — Gorick went on to graduate from Harvard College and Harvard Business School. Gorick’s address will highlight the powerful impact that postsecondary leaders have on learners’ educational and career journeys.
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Welcome and opening remarks
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.
Plenary panel
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Break
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Concurrent sessions
Attracting Transfer Students: Why Institutional Characteristics Matter
Emerson LaCroix and Jeffrey Napierala, ONCAT
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
In this presentation, we examine the characteristics of postsecondary institutions that influence transfer decisions among mobile learners. Drawing on both surveys and interviews from ONCAT’s Longitudinal Study of Transfer Students, we find that mobile students tend to select institutions based on practical considerations such as program availability, proximity to home and academic reputation. Additional factors — advanced standing, program flexibility and work-integrated learning opportunities — also play a significant role in shaping learners’ transfer decisions.
Mapping the Way: Strengthening Transfer Pathways
Liam O'Dwyer and Mark Dorsey, Georgian College
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Explore how our institution improved transfer and mobility through an audit that streamlined processes, aligned programs and strengthened partnerships. Learn how data integration with ONTransfer.ca and AI-driven curriculum mapping improved transfer supports, boosted student mobility and enhanced resources for credit for prior learning.
Recognizing Training and Experiences for Military-Connected Learners
Canadian Military, Veteran and Family Connected Campus Consortium (CMVF3C) and Nick Hanson, ONCAT
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Despite possessing extensive training and experiences, many military-connected learners struggle to have their skills and competencies appropriately recognized by postsecondary institutions. This session highlights pan-Canadian initiatives that improve the recognition of military training, expanding access to postsecondary opportunities for a group of learners who enrich classrooms and campuses with their insightful perspectives, diverse experiences and tremendous work ethic.
11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions
Transfer Myth-busting: Countering Misconceptions About Student Mobility with British Columbia Learner Data
Anna Tikina and Elle Ting, BC Council on Admissions & Transfer
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Over several decades, the BC Transfer System has grown into a system of diverse pathways that meets the continuously evolving needs of mobile students. This session will share results of several BC research projects that challenge common misconceptions about transfer and student mobility. The discussion will reveal opportunities to expand system supports for post-secondary institutions and learners in all provinces.
Cool Tools: Introducing PathwAI and the Ontario Transfer Credit System
Leah Bernardo-Ciddio, Sienna Stock and Andrew Wilson, ONCAT
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
This session will explore ONCAT technologies and services, highlighting the potential of PathwAI and the Ontario Transfer Credit System (ONTCS) to support institutions in faster, easier transfer processes. Attendees will discover how these innovative tools streamline academic pathways and make credit transfers easier for Ontario learners. The presentation will equip educators and administrators with insights to better support learner mobility using ONCAT resources.
From Experience to Entry: Building Inclusive Admissions Through PLAR
Jackie Crawford and Pauline Dawson, Brock University
11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Discover how Brock University is transforming access to university education through Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). This session explores policy creation, pathway development, competency-based assessment for admissions, applicant and faculty resources, and how we work with departments to operationalize inclusive PLAR practices.
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Keynote address: Gorick Ng, Harvard College
2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Break
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions
The Transfer Student Perspective: Key Insights from Academica’s 2025 Applicant Research
Academica Group
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
In 2025, Academica surveyed tens of thousands of applicants to Canadian postsecondary institutions as part of our University/College Applicant Study. In this session, we’ll dive into a special cut of the results that illuminates the realities of transfer applicants in Ontario: their unique perspectives, experiences and needs. Use this intel to support your recruitment and enrolment efforts.
Empowering Transfer Students: Tailored Tools and Peer Supports
Brian Poser and Mona Frial-Brown, York University
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Recent York University projects support transfer students’ successful transition to studies. We will share insights from our Transfer Student Hub and our dedicated course, University Literacies & Belonging. Finally, we will introduce our 2025 project focused on cultivating a transfer-receptive culture. Participants will identify practices that support transfer students’ transition and apply learnings to inform transfer student support at their institutions.
Building Bridges: Partnering with Universities to Support Indigenous Learners
Rachel Hill and Kaitlyn Adams, Six Nations Polytechnic
2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Six Nations Polytechnic (SNP) is strengthening partnerships with strengthening partnerships with six universities, enhancing student tracking and developing transition resources for students in their first year. Through this “university consortium” initiative, students can complete their first level in university at SNP and enter at a partner university at the second-year level. Kaitlyn Adams, former graduate of the program, will share how it impacted her and how we can support Indigenous learners through these transitions.
3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Break
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Concurrent sessions
(Re)Defining Transfer: Key Learner Mobility Terminology in Ontario
Jeffrey Napierala and Emerson LaCroix, ONCAT
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
To address long-standing ambiguities surrounding learner mobility terminology, ONCAT presents a set of recommended definitions for key learner mobility concepts and associated terms. The research team at ONCAT analyzed over 150 publications and websites from academic, policy and institutional sources and consulted with sector stakeholders to offer Ontario's postsecondary sector a shared framework designed to improve communication.
Creating a Self-Assessment Tool to Support Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)
Alena Shah and Laura Facciolo, Humber Polytechnic
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
Discover how Humber Polytechnic built a digital self-assessment tool to help learners map prior knowledge, skills and attitudes to course learning outcomes. We’ll unpack the design process, share must-have features and pitfalls and invite discussion on adapting the tool to your context to boost Prior Learning Assessment engagement.
On the Move: What ONTransfer.ca Tells Us About Learners
Leah Bernardo-Ciddio, Sienna Stock and Andrew Wilson, ONCAT
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
This session will harness insights gained from ONTransfer.ca’s data on learner mobility across Ontario’s postsecondary institutions, drawing from both institutional data submissions and how users interact with the website. Participants will learn how this combined data can be transformed into compelling narratives that illustrate student journeys and patterns. This discussion will highlight practical ways institutions can leverage these stories to improve learner supports and inform decision-making.