Our Institution's Future Takes Shape
UPDATE (May 4, 2021): RDC's Future as a Polytechnic Institution
It was a historic day for our institution, as The Honourable Demetrios Nicolaides, Alberta's Minister of Advanced Education, joined Red Deer Polytechnic's senior leaders, dignitaries and special guests to officially designate our post-secondary institution as a polytechnic.
Watch the video above for highlights from this celebratory virtual announcement. You can also watch the full announcement.
As a future polytechnic institution, RDP will continue to offer the same breadth of programs in various subject areas and credentials we offer now, plus more of our own degrees. The Polytechnic's programs will continue to include apprenticeship training, certificates, diplomas, micro-credentials, degrees and programs in collaboration with partner post-secondary institutions.
Learn more about this special announcement by reading the media release.
At Red Deer Polytechnic, we remain steadfast and clear of what our future goals are, ensuring that we champion and encapsulate the needs of our students, businesses, and surrounding communities. These goals include:
- expanding our breadth of programs and credentials by offering our own degrees, while continuing to offer our current mix of programming (including trades, certificates, diplomas, applied degrees and programs in collaboration with partner post-secondary institutions)
- growing our programs, providing more students with practical learning opportunities to remain in their home communities in central Alberta to complete their studies, creating successful careers and lives after graduation (simply put, reducing ‘brain drain’ in our region)
- focusing on applied and work-integrated learning opportunities and applied research to ensure that we provide solutions to real-world problems. We will continue to create meaningful opportunities for students and faculty to collaborate with industry partners to contribute to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of our region
- ensuring that education remains accessible for students locally as a priority, and increasing participation from international students, as planned
- demonstrating good stewardship through ensuring sustainable funding and a strong operating model as articulated by our Board Ends
Our community is always important to us. We’re grateful for the passion and strong commitment we receive from our community members as we work collaboratively to build a strong foundation for our future as an institution.
Our future is bright! We are proud of our role in central Alberta. We have great confidence that as we meet the opportunities that are presented to us in the future, we will be well- positioned - and stronger than ever before - to serve our students and contribute to the strength and vibrancy of our region through our diverse programming, applied research, and entrepreneurial spirit.