Since the start of the pandemic, university enrollments have, overall, registered a slight increase. And despite the Omicron surge, the establishments anticipate that they will continue for the winter term. Which allows them to believe, after two atypical years, that they have escaped the worst.
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Despite the deserted campuses in the wake of the fifth wave, students were generally as numerous to register for the winter term as for the previous ones. Some institutions even expect to see an increase in enrolments, according to preliminary results from six universities compiled by The Press.
“It was very difficult to anticipate [les inscriptions cet hiver]. The fear of Omicron is very real and permeates our entire society. But the light at the end of the tunnel is there. I think that the students are there and are able to see that things will pick up again, ”notes the rector of Université Laval, Sophie D’Amours.
And in fact, his university predicts a 3.9% increase in enrollment, as of mid-January, compared to the number recorded at the same date last year.
PHOTO YAN DOUBLET, LE SOLEIL ARCHIVES
The rector of Laval University, Sophie D’Amours
Polytechnique Montréal registered its highest number of registrations this winter. “We are 2.6% above our best winter, which was last year. We are also on the increase compared to last fall,” underlines Pierre Baptiste, acting director of academic affairs and student experience.
At McGill University, no major changes are expected. Students are “at the rendezvous” this winter, notes the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), which has observed a “relative stability” in registrations since 2019.
It has been two very trying years for everyone, but the university system has finally adapted very well.
Fabrice Labeau, Deputy Executive Vice-Principal for Academics and Student Life at McGill University
For its part, Concordia University expects figures a little weaker than last winter, which were exceptionally up, but not very different from previous years. Furthermore, the majority of the universities contacted by The Press did not report significant fluctuation in dropout rates and failure rates.
The University of Sherbrooke observes for its part a drop in registrations. “These are very preliminary data for the winter of 2022”, specifies the administration.
Fewer undergraduates
The preliminary results for winter 2022 are in line with the trend observed since the start of the pandemic. As of fall 2021, total enrollment was up 0.6% from the previous year’s fall quarter, which itself saw a 1.3% annual gain, preliminary data shows. collected by the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI).
The increase in enrollment is largely explained by the marked growth in the number of part-time and graduate students. Conversely, undergraduate student enrollment decreased by 1%.
Results vary from university to university. And the hypotheses to explain them too. The University of Montreal, which noted a 2.4% drop in the number of students enrolled in undergraduate studies last fall, is exploring several possible explanations.
“One of our hypotheses is that some students have decided to postpone their entry to university for a few months until the situation returns to more normal. The labor shortage we are experiencing at the moment may have motivated some to try their luck in the job market and wait for the pandemic to wane before enrolling in university, ”says the spokesperson for the establishment, Geneviève O’Meara.
PHOTO EDOUARD PLANTE-FRÉCHETTE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
The University of Montreal recorded a drop in undergraduate enrollment in the fall semester.
After dropping 8.3% between 2019 and 2020, the number of full-time first-time undergraduate students rebounded 2.5% in 2021. “Which bodes well for the total number registrations for the next few years”, emphasizes the BCI.
Promote recruitment
UQAM is currently working on an action plan to boost recruitment, after undergraduate enrollment in the fall of 2021 fell by 8%, according to preliminary data reported by the BCI. The decline was greater among part-time and certificate students, but less among new entrants.
“As soon as the labor market stabilizes, grows or diversifies, the impact [sur ces étudiants] has always been more important at UQAM, historically speaking. And that’s what happened again in the fall,” explains the rector, Magda Fusaro.
The past year has also been marked by the return of international students. In the fall of 2021, their enrollment jumped 12.4%, after experiencing an 8.6% drop in 2020. “Our international students have struggled to arrive in Quebec and they are indeed back in person”, rejoices Fabrice Labeau, of McGill University.