Study to be Launched Among Maritime University Students

The Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission announced today, March 8, that it will launch an online study among undergraduate students in the Maritimes to gather information on student trends and attitudes.

In total, 10,000 undergrads from 16 universities who are enrolled in their final year of a bachelors program will be asked to take part in the online study that will begin March 12.

"This is an opportunity for students to give feedback on their undergraduate experiences," said Mireille Duguay, CEO of the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission. "We are hoping that every student will take part. The findings will help us understand the needs of students in the region and make sure that our universities and governments are designing programs that offer students the best possible educational services and opportunities."

The study will run until March 30. E-mail invitations will be sent to eligible students before the launch.

The survey, which will take about 15 minutes to complete, will cover a range of topics related to students' undergraduate experiences and plans for the future. As an incentive, students who participate can sign up for a draw to win one of 10 $500 prizes.

The research is sponsored by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission, with the ministers of education in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia and the Canada Council on Learning.

All institutions in the Maritimes that offer bachelor's degrees are participating.

The Strategic Counsel, a third-party national market research firm, is conducting the research on behalf of the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission.

Findings from the study will be used by provincial governments and universities in the Maritimes to evaluate and design policies for students and graduates.