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Athabasca University (AU) is a Canadian public university that primarily operates through online distance education. Founded in 1970, it is one of four comprehensive academic and research universities in Alberta, and was the first Canadian university to specialize in distance education.

History

In 1967, the Manning government announced its intention to establish a fourth public university, but this would be delayed by three years as the government considered different proposals. The U of A wanted to expand rather than see another university open in Edmonton to compete with it. One proposal favoured establishing a Christian university instead of a secular one. Another early suggestion was an "Alberta academy" that would take credits students had earned at multiple universities, evaluate them for transfer, and perhaps award degrees. A Department of Education ad hoc group favoured the establishment of a fourth public university.

Athabasca University was created by the Alberta government in 1970 as part of an expansion of higher education to cope with rising enrolment at the time. A group of U of A graduates including Preston Manning influenced the development. In 1970, Grant MacEwan, then the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, established AU by an Order in Council. The name for the new university was a challenge, as it was not desired to associate the new university with a city (Edmonton) that already had a university (the U of A). Athabasca Hall, a student residence at the U of A, was scheduled for demolition, so the name was appropriated for the new Athabasca University.

The initial mandate for Athabasca University dictated that AU be primarily undergraduate in scope. Creating new procedures for curriculum development was also part of the mandate.

First president and early years

In April 1971, Timothy C. Byrne was appointed the first president of Athabasca University, and he assumed office in June that year.

The initial governing authority of the university had eight members as well as a broad range of powers to set up the new university. On 2–3 July 1970, they met for the first time, and Carl W. Clement was the first chair. It was expected by the government of the day that AU would have 10,000 students by 1979. 1 September 1973, was set as the target date to open.

The AU administration chose the University of California, Santa Cruz, as its model, deciding that individual colleges should serve as the basic planning units for the new university, which would be organized as a federation of colleges. Each of the colleges was to have 650 students with corresponding lecture and office space. The learning approach would have students in small tutorials instead of large lectures. Research within the new university was to be limited to a specified region around the city of Edmonton. One criticism was that the university was trying to do too much.

Education delivery models

The majority of Athabasca University's courses are taught through online distance education, but some courses or components of courses are taught in-person, face to face. The major education delivery models at AU are as follows:

Individual study: Students are provided with the textbooks, computer software, and video material required. A preset recommended schedule comes with each course. Each course has a professor, as with any university course. This person publishes a series of learning activities, readings and assessments. That publication becomes additional reading and activity for the student. Assignments are submitted to the professor via email or more commonly via the Moodle assignment drop box. The final exam is administered at Athabasca's learning centres or a partner university, college or accredited individual. Students have up to six months to finish their course, unless they have received a student loan, in which case, they have up to four months. Courses start at the beginning of each month. Most courses are now augmented with additional resources and activities using the Moodle LMS

Collaborative, online: Courses in the graduate programs are paced, usually beginning three times a year. The primary delivery platform is the Moodle Learning Management System, that is augmented by web conferencing using Adobe Connect and social networking using elgg-based Athabasca Landing

Grouped study: Offered primarily to students physically in Alberta, this method allows students to get together with other students in the same course, and study in a manner similar to that of a regular university. Students studying in this method have up to four months to complete their course. Courses start in September and January.

Centre for Distance Education

In addition to delivering courses and programs primarily through online distance education, Athabasca University has a Centre for Distance Education (CDE). Since 2019, the CDE has existed in name only, and its staff and programs are now part of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences (FHSS). The former CDE, led by a core faculty and supported by additional sessional instructors, offered graduate-level courses and programs that taught other educators how to develop, design and deliver online education. The CDE was home to North America's first online Doctor of Education in Distance Education, and it also offered a Master of Education in Distance Education and post-baccalaureate certificates and diplomas in distance education technology, instructional design, and technology-based learning. These programs and associated teaching methods continue to thrive in the FHSS.

Accreditation

Athabasca University reports to the government through the Minister of Advanced Education and is publicly funded through the Province of Alberta. The university's governing council is authorized to grant degrees through the Post-Secondary Learning Act along with governing its own affairs. Members of the governing council are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in council.

Under the Post-Secondary Learning Act, Athabasca University is considered a "Comprehensive Academic and Research University" (CARUs). CARUs offer a range of academic and professional programs, which generally lead to undergraduate and graduate level credentials and have a strong research focus.

The university was accredited with the United States by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education from 2002 - 2025. It surrendered its accreditation on 31 March 2025.

Select memberships

• Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
• Association of Commonwealth Universities
• Canadian Association for Graduate Studies
• Canadian Virtual University
• International Council for Open and Distance Education
• International Association of Universities
• University of the Arctic

Organization of American States (OAS) Consortium of Universities.

Academics

AU is Canada's only exclusively open university, and Maclean's Magazine called it Canada's fastest growing university. 50% of AU's students are between the ages of 25 and 44, and admissions are year-round. AU hosts four Canada Research Chairs, with an additional one allocated in 2019.

Research

AU has five faculties: College of Business, College of Health Disciplines, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science and Technology and College of Graduate Studies. AU spends over $2 million per year on research. The university has four Canada Research Chairs, one NSERC/Xerox/Markin/ICORE Research Chair and one of three UNESCO/COL Chairs. The Athabasca University Research Centre is the primary centre at the university, along with the Technology Enhanced Knowledge Research Institute and the Centre for World Indigenous Knowledge and Research. AU is also a participating member of the WestGrid Research Network.

Notable faculty

Martin Connors, Canada Research Chair, space science, discovered Trojan asteroid associated with planet Earth (2011)

Joseph Pivato, professor of Comparative Literature who published eleven books on Canadian authors and ethnic minority writing.

Tracey Lindberg, Canada Research Chair, indigenous knowledge and law, many publications on social and legal questions

George Siemens, adjunct professor, distance education, theorist in distance education, creator of theory of Connectivism, leader in learning analytics

Terry Anderson, Emeritus Professor and former Canada Research Chair, distance education, theorist in distance education, author of six books and hundreds of articles in the field, well known for his work on the Community of Inquiry model, social media and education, and his Interaction Equivalency Theorem.

Scholarships and bursaries

The Government of Canada sponsors an Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool that lists over 680 scholarships, bursaries, and other incentives offered by governments, universities, and industry to support Aboriginal post-secondary participation. Athabasca University bursaries for Aboriginal, First Nations and Métis students include: Alberta Historical Resources Foundation; Syncrude Canada Ltd./Athabasca University Aboriginal Scholarship; Frank and Agnes Cardinal Neheyiwak Bursary; Harold Cardinal Essay Prize for Aboriginal Students; Canative Scholarship for Métis Students; AU President's Scholarship for a Blue Quills Student; First Peoples Technology Bursary In addition, people with disabilities and International students have access to these bursaries and scholarships.

Notable people

Some notable people have studied through Athabasca University, including Alberta politician Debby Carlson, Olympic bobsleigh racer Christian Farstad, former Alberta Premier Ralph Klein, professional hockey player Alyn McCauley, and cross-country skier Milaine Thériault. AU serves over 38,000 students (over 7,900 full-load equivalents) and offers over 900 courses in more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs in a range of arts, science and professional disciplines.

Controversy

In 2012, it was revealed that Athabasca University was among institutions of higher education involved in illegal donations to the provincial Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta. The university spent $10,675 on Conservative fundraising events, including golf tournaments and dinners. The university president retired early, and an interim president, Peter MacKinnon, was appointed by the university governing council.

Student representation

Undergraduate students

Undergraduate students at Athabasca University are represented by the Athabasca University Students' Union. The AUSU head office is in AU Edmonton, though the students' council may have elected members from any area where AU students reside.

AUSU was officially incorporated as of 16 July 1992, and was formalized as a registered Alberta society until students' unions in Alberta were granted recognition under the Post-Secondary Learning Act. On 13 September 2004 the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta approved an order in council establishing "The Students' Association of Athabasca University".

AUSU offers services to its members including but not limited to: an optional health & dental plan student awards, a free subscription to LinkedIn Learning, student advocacy, and Athabasca University course evaluations. Student media at Athabasca University is provided by the official publication The Voice Magazine. Previously published on paper, the magazine since 2001 is published exclusively online in HTML and PDF format.

Graduate students

Visiting and program students at the graduate level are represented by the Athabasca University Graduate Students' Association. The organization was founded in 2010, and approved by the Alberta Advanced Education.

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