Exploring the connections between economic development and post-secondary education in Newfoundland and Labrador : a case study

Research suggests there is a natural connection between economic development and post-secondary education. Post-secondary educational institutions are viewed as sources of highly skilled graduates ready to work in a global economy, places of research and development for the benefit of society, and as meaningful contributors to the community. This thesis explores the nature of the relationship between public post-secondary education and economic development in Newfoundland and Labrador using a case study method. The primary research question is: What role does economic development play in the implementation of the mandates of Memorial University of Newfoundland and College of the North Atlantic? -- By using a case study method, the two public post-secondary institutions in the province - College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University of Newfoundland - and the sole federal agency responsible for economic development in the Atlantic region, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), were used as the subjects. Interviews were conducted with 12 senior administrators within the institutions and affiliated arms-length organizations and institutes involved in economic development and/or research and development as well as a representative from the provincial Corporate Services Branch for the Departments of Education and Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education. Government of Canada documents, such as policy and discussion papers, and literature pertaining to the topic were also analyzed as part of the research. -- While the secondary research was used to create a composite overview of the current issues related to economic development and post-secondary education in Canada, the interviews allowed the researcher to probe the nature of the relationship between the two and the issues pertaining to that relationship as it related to the institutions being studied, and to explore possibilities to enhance the relationships. -- This case study found that there are real and meaningful connections between economic development and post-secondary education and that the relationships between Memorial University of Newfoundland and College of the North Atlantic with ACOA is a necessary and positive one; However, many of the interviewees noted areas where the relationships could be improved, the result being a more systematic approach to economic development within the two post-secondary institutions