Overview

Abstract (English)

Research considering transfers between postsecondary institutions has largely focused on the types of transfers that students make across institutions and sectors (e.g., college to university, university to college, college to college, university to university). While some studies have explored regional elements of Ontario postsecondary recruitment efforts,with a focus on local catchment areas and community responsiveness (e.g., Kaufman, Jonker,& Hicks, 2018), there is little information on the regional flows of transfers across or within regions in Ontario: North to South, South to North, South to South, and North to North. Research examining postsecondary education in Canada’s provincial North points to various differences between southern and northern communities which would suggest that we might expect differences in the characteristics of youth who transfer across regions in Ontario (Hango et al., 2019; Pizarro Milian, Seward, & Zarifa, 2020; Zarifa, Hango, & Pizarro Milian, 2018; Zarifa, Seward, & Pizarro Milian, 2019). Moreover, northern economies continually struggle to maintain local human capital levels to promote economic development, and they commonly share high levels of skill and youth out-migration (FCM 2015a, 2015b; Labour Market Group, 2018; Newbold & Brown, 2015; Zarifa et al., 2018). With northern regions facing these significant challenges, with out-migration and ‘brain drain’ in particular—the loss of educated and skilled workers (Dowsley & Southcott, 2017; Hillier et al., 2020; Laflamme& Bagaoui, 2010)—it is important to assess empirically the magnitude and key determinants of student transfer behaviours not only within regions but across regions of Ontario. Key Findings: The prevalence of transfer across regions is much higher among northern students (4.89%) than southern students (0.29%). By contrast, a larger proportion of southern students(7.67%) are transferring within the region compared to northern students (3.47%). Older students have higher probabilities in both regions when it comes to not transferring and for transferring within the same region. However, older students in Southern Ontario show higher probabilities of transferring across the region, while in Northern Ontario, it is younger students who show higher probabilities of transferring across the region. In both regions, compared to university students, college students are significantly more likely to transfer within the region and across the region. In Southern Ontario, compared to full-time students, part-time students are significantly more likely to transfer both within the region and across the region. In Northern Ontario, however, part-time students are only significantly more likely to transfer across the region than their full-time counterparts. For Southern Ontario students, natural sciences majors show the highest probability of taking the non-transfer route; arts and humanities majors show the highest probability of transferring within the region; and health majors show the highest probability of transferring across the region. For Northern Ontario, health majors show the highest probability of not transferring, and arts and humanities and social science majors show the highest probabilities of transferring both within and across regions.

Abstract (French)

Research considering transfers between postsecondary institutions has largely focused on the types of transfers that students make across institutions and sectors (e.g., college to university, university to college, college to college, university to university). While some studies have explored regional elements of Ontario postsecondary recruitment efforts,with a focus on local catchment areas and community responsiveness (e.g., Kaufman, Jonker,& Hicks, 2018), there is little information on the regional flows of transfers across or within regions in Ontario: North to South, South to North, South to South, and North to North. Research examining postsecondary education in Canada’s provincial North points to various differences between southern and northern communities which would suggest that we might expect differences in the characteristics of youth who transfer across regions in Ontario (Hango et al., 2019; Pizarro Milian, Seward, & Zarifa, 2020; Zarifa, Hango, & Pizarro Milian, 2018; Zarifa, Seward, & Pizarro Milian, 2019). Moreover, northern economies continually struggle to maintain local human capital levels to promote economic development, and they commonly share high levels of skill and youth out-migration (FCM 2015a, 2015b; Labour Market Group, 2018; Newbold & Brown, 2015; Zarifa et al., 2018). With northern regions facing these significant challenges, with out-migration and ‘brain drain’ in particular—the loss of educated and skilled workers (Dowsley & Southcott, 2017; Hillier et al., 2020; Laflamme& Bagaoui, 2010)—it is important to assess empirically the magnitude and key determinants of student transfer behaviours not only within regions but across regions of Ontario. Key Findings: The prevalence of transfer across regions is much higher among northern students (4.89%) than southern students (0.29%). By contrast, a larger proportion of southern students(7.67%) are transferring within the region compared to northern students (3.47%). Older students have higher probabilities in both regions when it comes to not transferring and for transferring within the same region. However, older students in Southern Ontario show higher probabilities of transferring across the region, while in Northern Ontario, it is younger students who show higher probabilities of transferring across the region. In both regions, compared to university students, college students are significantly more likely to transfer within the region and across the region. In Southern Ontario, compared to full-time students, part-time students are significantly more likely to transfer both within the region and across the region. In Northern Ontario, however, part-time students are only significantly more likely to transfer across the region than their full-time counterparts. For Southern Ontario students, natural sciences majors show the highest probability of taking the non-transfer route; arts and humanities majors show the highest probability of transferring within the region; and health majors show the highest probability of transferring across the region. For Northern Ontario, health majors show the highest probability of not transferring, and arts and humanities and social science majors show the highest probabilities of transferring both within and across regions.