Ontario’s oldest college and newest university have forged a partnership that provides students with an opportunity to combine a college diploma and a university degree. Centennial College and International Business University (IBU) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that takes advantage of Ontario’s recognition of prior learning and credit transfer system to optimize pathways for students’ learning.
“This exciting partnership provides a unique opportunity for Centennial College students and alumni who are looking to build their business skills through an innovative degree program at IBU,” said Dr. Glen Lowry, Associate Vice-President, Research, Hyflex Learning and Academic Partnerships at Centennial College. “The agreement provides the best of both worlds. Centennial students and alumni will be able to have their prior learning recognized and credits transferred to minimize unnecessary duplication.”
The MOU sets out transfer credit pathways from Centennial’s two-year Business Diploma and three-year Business Administration – Leadership and Management Advanced Diploma to IBU’s Honours Bachelor of Commerce Degree in International Management and Technology. Centennial graduates who meet IBU admission requirements are eligible for block transfer credit recognition towards IBU’s degree program.
“IBU values greatly this partnership with Centennial College that will provide graduating students and alumni with innovative professional development pathways to fuel their career trajectory,” said IBU Dean Artie Ng. “IBU’s focus on accessible, flexible and personalized learning is core to its vision of becoming a global centre of excellence aligned closely with industry in North America’s second-largest financial centre.”
Two-year college diploma graduates can enter the fourth semester of the IBU program and will have to complete five semesters to achieve the Honours BCom degree. Three-year advanced diploma graduates will enter the fifth semester of the IBU program and will be required to complete four semesters to achieve the Honours BCom degree. IBU courses are offered on a continuous basis. Centennial graduates entering the program in semesters 4 or 5 may enroll in any courses required for degree completion at any time.
These pathways into the Honours BCom degree are the first of a number of anticipated collaborations between Centennial and IBU. Established in 2020, Toronto’s IBU is a student-focused, not-for-profit university that offers a growing set of undergraduate and graduate academic and professional degree programs that are career-relevant and can be completed in an accelerated timeframe.
About International Business University
International Business University began with a vision to create an independent teaching-oriented and student-centred university in Canada, combining academic excellence with a curriculum geared to the needs of the future. After extensive consultations with educational experts and business representatives, IBU was established to specialize in business education with a global perspective. Ontario’s Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) approved the application for a university title and the first of its programs. Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities granted final consent on December 4, 2020, opening IBU’s campus at 80 Bloor St. West and virtual classrooms to learners seeking accessible, flexible and personalized education and launching its vision to be a world-class centre of business education.