Council of Ontario Universities COU

Overview

The Council of Ontario Universities (COU), also branded as Ontario’s Universities, is the umbrella association representing the publicly supported university sector in the Canadian province of Ontario. According to uniRank, COU was founded in 1962 and represents 21 universities across the province, including an associate member. COU acts as a consensus-building policy and advocacy body, supporting collaboration, data sharing, sector-wide initiatives and public affairs for its member institutions.

History and Legal Framework

COU was originally formed on December 3, 1962 as the “Committee of Presidents of Provincially Assisted Universities and Colleges of Ontario”. A formal constitution was adopted in 1966 and after amendments it adopted the name Council of Ontario Universities in 1971. Its legal structure is that of a not‑for‑profit, Ontario‑incorporated membership organization. Over the decades, COU’s mandate has expanded to include data collection, higher education policy coordination and the creation of arm’s‑length mechanisms such as quality assurance and application services.

Mission, Vision and Objectives

Mission: To champion and advance the role of Ontario’s universities in promoting student success, research and innovation, economic development and the public good.

Vision: A diverse and vibrant university system that contributes to individual and societal prosperity through academic excellence, innovation and equity.

Key Objectives:

• Advocate collectively to provincial and federal governments on funding, policy and regulatory matters.
• Support statistical analysis and transparency via tools like the Common University Data Ontario (CUDO) and open data platforms.
• Deliver shared sector-wide services such as the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC).
• Coordinate research and innovation policy discussions across institutions.
• Enhance sector efficacy through efficiency studies, sustainability and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Together, these objectives position COU as a central voice and strategic partner in Ontario’s higher education landscape.

Governance, Structure and Independence

COU is governed by its membership, comprising two delegates from each institution: the president (or equivalent executive head) and an academic colleague appointed by the institution’s senate or faculty council. The membership meets at least twice annually to approve policies and elect officers. COU’s Secretariat is headquartered in Toronto and is led by the President & CEO, a position held by Steve Orsini since 14 September 2020. The Secretariat includes senior leadership units in Public Affairs, Policy, Member Relations, Corporate Services and Health Sciences.

COU maintains its independence from government control. While it works in partnership with government and industry, it takes a non‑partisan stance and serves as an organization governed by its member universities.

Accreditation and Quality Evaluation

COU itself is not an accrediting agency. However, in 2010 it established the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance (Quality Council) as an arm’s‑length body responsible for overseeing program quality in Ontario’s publicly assisted universities. Operating under the province‑wide Quality Assurance Framework, the Quality Council:

• Reviews and approves all new undergraduate and graduate program proposals.
• Conducts cyclical audits of universities’ Institutional Quality Assurance Processes (IQAP).
• Reports results publicly and maintains compliance with policy principles and Degree Level Expectations.
• Undergoes an independent comprehensive review at least every eight years.

This structure ensures rigorous oversight while preserving institutional autonomy.

International Cooperation and Network Memberships

COU participates in international higher education networks such as Universities Canada and the International Association of Universities (IAU), serving as the Ontario sector’s portal to global higher education forums. Through such affiliations and partnerships, COU supports:

• Canadian and international collaboration on research grants and cross‑border academic initiatives.
• Sector engagement in global policy dialogues and benchmarking exercises.
• Student mobility and joint programming initiatives in alignment with national and provincial international education strategies.

Current or Future Impact on Higher Education

Throughout recent years, including the post‑pandemic period and into the 2025 provincial budget cycle, COU has intensified its advocacy for student access, research funding and institutional resilience. It plays a central role in:

• Influencing provincial funding models, including negotiations on tuition and capital grants.
• Facilitating sector‑wide efficiency initiatives (e.g. administrative consolidation, open data use).
• Responding to demographic challenges and increasing demand—Ontario is projected to require over 200,000 new university spaces by 2046.
• Supporting initiatives in sustainability, DEI, experiential learning and digital transformation.

Looking ahead, COU is poised to advance Ontario’s universities as global competitors in education, research and innovation.

Summary

The Council of Ontario Universities plays a pivotal role in uniting Ontario’s publicly supported universities under a common policy, advocacy and coordination framework. Established in 1962 and encompassing 21 member institutions according to uniRank, COU provides leadership in areas including academic quality, open data, public policy and international engagement. Its creation of independent quality assurance frameworks and sector services like OUAC highlights its capacity to strengthen institutional autonomy while advancing the public interest. As the higher education ecosystem evolves, COU remains central to shaping the future of university education and research in Ontario.

FAQs

• What is the Council of Ontario Universities?
  COU is the member-driven provincial organization for Ontario’s publicly assisted universities, responsible for policy advocacy, data coordination and shared services.
• Who are the members of COU?
  COU includes 20 publicly funded universities and one associate member (the Royal Military College of Canada), each represented by their president and an academic colleague.
• Does the COU accredit universities?
  No. While COU oversees sector-wide quality assurance structures, accreditation remains the responsibility of each institution and recognized external bodies. COU’s Quality Council approves program proposals and audits IQAPs but does not issue institutional accreditation.
• How is COU governed?
  Governance is by institutional representatives (presidents and academic colleagues), who elect COU officers and set strategic direction. COU’s Secretariat, led by the President & CEO, executes operations independently.
• What is the Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance?
  This is an arm’s‑length body created in 2010 by COU to oversee program-level quality assurance across all member universities, under a publicly accessible Quality Assurance Framework.
• What is OUAC and how is it related to COU?
  The Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) is a centralized service administered by COU that processes applications for undergraduate and graduate admissions to Ontario universities, facilitating inter‑university coordination and efficiency.

Organization Name

Council of Ontario Universities

Acronym

COU

Year of Establishment

1/01/1962

Control Type

Private

Entity Type

Non-Profit

Geo Focus and Coverage

Local or Regional

Recognized by

n.a.

Affiliations or Memberships

n.a.

Number of Member Universities or Accredited Institutions

21

Address

180 Dundas Street West, Suite 1100
Toronto
M5G 1Z8 Ontario Canada

Phone

+1 (416) 979 2165 ext. 221

Fax

+1 (416) 979 8635

Ontario

• Algoma University
• Brock University
• Carleton University
• Lakehead University
• Laurentian University
• McMaster University
• Nipissing University
• OCAD University
• Ontario Tech University
• Queen's University
• Toronto Metropolitan University
• Trent University
• University of Guelph
• University of Ottawa
• University of Toronto
• University of Waterloo
• Wilfrid Laurier University
• Western University
• University of Windsor
• York University

Official Social Media Channels

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Wikipedia Article

Council of Ontario Universities's Wikipedia article

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