Strategic Mandate Agreement

2020-2025

In Fall 2020, Queen’s concluded discussions with the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities and signed its strategic mandate agreement (SMA) for the five-year period covering 2020-2025. Building on the first two rounds of agreements, SMA3 implements outcomes- and performance-based funding across the postsecondary sector. Institutions will report on a series of 10 metrics - such as graduate employment rates in related fields, experiential learning and graduate earnings - with funding tied to performance against targets, beginning in the 2022-23 academic year.

Strategic Mandate (College and University Strategic Mandate Agreements, 2020-2025 website)

Background

The first cycle of strategic mandate agreements (2014-17) was negotiated with individual institutions in 2014 based on Ontario’s Differentiation Policy Framework for Postsecondary Education (PDF 250 KB). SMA2 (2017-2020) served to further the government's aim of encouraging universities to identify and emphasize areas of institutional prominence, while laying the foundation to implement performance- and outcomes-based funding. SMA3 is a key component of the government's accountability framework for the postsecondary education system - encouraging institutions to focus on programs and initiatives that will result in positive economic and labour market outcomes for students and the people of Ontario.

Learn more: Ministry of Colleges and Universities

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