Higher Education Policy and Legitimacy Building: the Making of a New Academic Credential in <scp>O</scp>ntario

Abstract

Abstract C anada's province of O ntario introduced a new policy in 2000 allowing community colleges to offer a new type of undergraduate degree. This decision was a significant policy change for the government considering the nature of O ntario's binary system, where a rigid separation has historically prevailed between the university and college sectors. Drawing on multiple sources of data, this study indicates that the decision to create a new type of applied bachelor's degree generated a series of uncertainties and challenges for higher education institutions, students and government agencies. The paper highlights the need for policy makers to consider the socio‐cultural aspects of higher education systems in policy design, particularly the role of legitimacy.