Kwantlen College is graduating to university status.
The post-secondary institution will be known as Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced yesterday.
“With a new university serving the South Fraser region, students will be able to access degree programs closer to home,” Coell said.
Stuart Chase, a Kwantlen graduate and junior public relations officer for the Ministry of the Attorney General, said the new designation adds more weight to his journalism diploma.
“I think it adds credibility to the people who already left that school,” Chase said.
Heidi Chik, who graduated in 2006, said the new designation will help future students when they apply for jobs outside of Canada.
“In Asia they value the name, ‘university,’” she said. “They don’t know Kwantlen in Hong Kong. Now you can bring your degree and they’ll see ‘university’ on it and recognize it.”
Kwantlen president Skip Triplett said students can look forward to enhanced programs.
Kwantlen College was established in 1981 and became Kwantlen University College in 1995. It has campuses in Surrey, Cloverdale and Surrey Newton, as well as in Richmond and Langley.
-fernando.carneiro@metronews.ca
