Algoma University anticipates enrolment increase

Algoma University is projecting an 8.7 per cent increase in student enrolment from last year.

In a press release issued Friday, the university stated that it initially forecasted a 2.7 per cent decline in enrolment for the 2018-2019 school year back in April – a decline that the university expected would last for another two years.

“We let the internal community know at a town hall meeting last Friday, and the response was cheers,” director of enrolment management and international operations Brent Krmpotich told SooToday. “Cheers and whistling.”

The university attributes the anticipated increase in enrolment to a number of factors, including a 30 per cent rise in Ontario secondary school students choosing Algoma University as a potential post-secondary destination.  

“The increase in enrolment can be attributed to three main strategies: Local recruitment initiatives, new and emerging international markets and increased interest in the School of Business and Economics,” said Algoma University president and vice-chancellor Asima Vezina in a press release. “This was a shared effort amongst our entire university community. We are developing further strategies to maintain this positive enrolment growth.”

The university says that another factor driving projected enrolment increases is the school’s Brampton campus, which offers programming through its new School of Business and Economics.

University officials say enrolment at the Brampton campus has doubled since last year.

“This is an exciting time for us,” stated School of Business and Economics director Cathy Denomme via press release. “We have experienced a tremendous response to our programming in Brampton.”

“Enrolment is healthy and the large intake has created a buzz on campus.”

It’s also expected that the number of international students will increase by the time second semester rolls around.  

“We’ll certainly see an increase in the total number of international students at the university this year,” Krmpotic told SooToday. “We expect to have over 400 international students by January.”

The school began its student recruitment campaign during the Ontario Universities Fair (OUF) in Toronto last month, where Algoma University saw its number of potential student contacts increase from 870 last year to 1,500 this year.

Admission advisors from the university will be meeting with a number of prospective students both nationally and internationally over the next three months as part of Algoma University’s student recruitment campaign.