CAUBO has developed a series of financial landscapes, focusing on critical areas within Canadian universities. Financial trends in higher education have been explored at the national, provincial, and institutional level.
The provincial landscapes provide insight into the significant differences in the university funding models between provinces, as identified and explored through CAUBO’s data-rich analytical tools and resources, and support a data-driven approach to assessing institutional finances.
A new landscape providing an overview of the unique financial situation of universities in Nova Scotia has been added to the series, and the Ontario landscape has been updated and expanded upon with new insights into key financial trends. Both are now available for members.
Overall, the landscapes demonstrate how university priorities have shifted to respond to changing societal expectations, impacting cost pressures and leading to significant differences in spending patterns between provinces. Universities face a further challenge due to increased income volatility, necessitating a review of the university business model to assess how institutions can become more cost-efficient. The analyses feature trends observed over the last decade while highlighting any significant year-over-year financial shifts that occurred due to the impact of the pandemic, which has been considerable and will no doubt continue to influence revenue and expense trends in the coming years.
Financial landscapes for Quebec and British Colombia were previously released and are also available for institutional members. Upcoming additions to the series include an update to the Quebec landscape, to be released in the fall.