News Release

January 26, 2010

NorQuest College joins Alberta-North to increase access to education in Northern communities

EDMONTON – NorQuest College is the newest post-secondary institution to join Alberta-North. Alberta-North is a group of post-secondary institutions that collaborate to provide access to post-secondary education to communities in northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

“Students pursuing distance education in the North will be able to access more courses and services,” says NorQuest President and CEO Dr. Wayne Shillington. “For NorQuest, the partnership means we will be better positioned to ensure access to post-secondary education in the Edmonton region.”

NorQuest will benefit from the knowledge, infrastructure and shared resources that Alberta-North offers its partners for providing distance delivery and services to rural learners. NorQuest College is the government-designated educational steward for the Edmonton region from Camrose to Jasper and Drayton Valley to Whitecourt.

Alberta-North believes adult learners in the North have a right to access affordable, equitable education and training opportunities. Don Gnatiuk, Chair of the Alberta-North Board of Directors and President of Grande Prairie Regional College, is pleased to welcome NorQuest College to the partnership.

“The addition of NorQuest College enhances our ability to bring comprehensive programs and services to the North. Collaboration is essential to Alberta-North’s success and we are eager to work together with our colleagues at NorQuest to continue to provide effective solutions for the North.”

About Alberta-North
Alberta-North supports and maintains a network of over 85 learning centres called Community Access Points throughout northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. These centres make it possible for northern learners to participate in post-secondary education in their community while still balancing work and family life. Alberta-North partners include Athabasca University, Grande Prairie Regional College, Keyano College, NorQuest College, Northern Lakes College, Portage College and Aurora College. For more information please visit: www.alberta-north.ca

About NorQuest College
The largest community college in Alberta, NorQuest College serves about 10,000 full- and part-time students each year. NorQuest has campuses in Edmonton, Wetaskiwin and Stony Plain, community learning centres in seven other Alberta communities and provides online distance learning to more than 200 communities in Canada. NorQuest delivers post-secondary diploma and certificate programs in a variety of health, human services, business and industry careers and has expertise in adult literacy, academic upgrading, English as a Second Language, Aboriginal education, and learner supports for students with disabilities. For more information, visit www.norquest.ca.

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