Universities in Canada

Universities in Canada are established and operate under provincial government charters. Most schools are members of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). The title "university" is protected under federal regulation.Higher education institutions in Canada are prevented from becoming diploma mills by provincial legislation and regulation.

Each Canadian university is autonomous in academic matters including policies and procedures of quality assurance of its programs, instructors and procedures. Membership in the AUCC, and the university's provincial government charter, are seen as serving in lieu of institutional accreditation, both in Canada and abroad. Eight Canadian provinces have established bodies to provide a second level of quality assurance at Universities. Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador do not have provincial quality assurance agencies.

In addition, graduate programs and professional schools such as law, nursing, medicine and engineering obtain accreditation from accreditation boards, operated by various professional regulatory bodies.

In Canada, universities are distinct from colleges. Universities Canada, an organisation composed of Canadian universities, defines universities as degree-granting institutions, i.e. institutions which provide bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. The organization defines colleges, similar to community colleges in the United States, as institutions that grant diplomas.

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