RDC’s bold future as a university
Fifty-four years serving learners and our communities.
One hundred programs — and growing — in a variety of disciplines.
More than 60,000 alumni.
One decision, years in the making.
You, our current students, are witness to an exciting decision by the Alberta Government that allows RDC to transition to a university and grant our own degrees. We’re grateful for the support of our Government. This includes Premier Rachel Notley, Minister of Advanced Education, Marlin Schmidt, and our local MLAs, who shared the momentous decision about our institution’s future as a university with an enthusiastic crowd in the Arts Centre last week.
The announcement acknowledges the growth, and evolution, of RDC as a mature academic institution. It provides us with a starting point from which to foster new future opportunities.
We will continue to offer everything we do now, plus grant our own degrees. This includes trades, certificates, diplomas, graduate certificates, applied degrees and degrees in collaboration with our partners at the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and Mount Royal University.
As a comprehensive regional teaching institution, we can now offer opportunities that will allow more students to complete their education closer to home and choose to stay in our region after graduation. The impact on families and communities cannot be overstated.
What our future as a university looks like is still unknown. It won’t happen overnight. But the potential is vast.
Our institution will continue to measure our success by who we let in, not who we keep out. We will fail if our students are not challenged by programs that stretch them, empower them, and prepare them for the ever-changing nature of work. Applied learning, and applied research that connects students with leaders in business, industry and the not-for-profit sectors, solving real world problems, will be the centrepiece of what we continue to do.
We appreciate, and want to acknowledge, current and past Students’ Association executive members who have worked diligently with us to represent you, our students, in achieving this milestone. We’re excited to continue this work with them, and all of you, to help define our future as a comprehensive regional teaching university.
Our journey starts now to become a university. The significance of this announcement will resonate for generations to come. We will not let you down. We have been given a once in a lifetime opportunity, and together we will imagine and create an institution of which we can all be proud.
We hope that Red Deer College will always have a special place in your heart, and that you’ll always feel welcome here.
As always, if you have any suggestions or questions, please email me at or call my office at 403-342-3233. – Joel Ward, RDC President