History, Affiliations, and Rankings
Founded in 1947, Conestoga College started its journey as the Conestoga College of Applied Arts and Technology started by the Ontario Administration to Provide Degrees and Certificates in market required and skill-driven courses in Canada. The college re-established itself in 2012 to expand the institutions’ scope and provide courses in Information Technology. Presently, Conestoga College is the sole provider of Polytechnic education in the region. The engineering courses of Conestoga College are accredited by the Canadian Engineering accreditation board. Conestoga’s Bachelor of Applied Health Information Science is the only Bachelor’s course accredited by the Canadian Health Information Management Association. The College is also affiliated with Universities Canada (AUCC), the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and Polytechnics Canada. Conestoga College further ranks 12th in Canada’s Top 50 Research Institutes.
Infrastructure, Campuses, and Courses
Conestoga College has a total of 9 colleges and teaching centres spread across Ontario city. Conestoga has its main campus in Kitchener, 2 campuses in Cambridge, 1 in Brantford, Guelph, Ingersoll, Stratford and Waterloo. Conestoga also has an additional Skills Training Centre at Ingersoll. Conestoga College has 10 Academic Schools offering a diverse range of 300 academic programs in Business, Engineering, Sciences, Culinary Arts, and more. Ingersoll Training Center is spread over 12,000 square feet and provides training courses in Engineering alongside skilful trades courses. Ranked among the top institutes in Canada, foreign students can now take admission to more than 200 skill-driven courses at Conestoga College.
Accomplishments and Alumni
Conestoga College has about 23,000 students across all its campuses. This institution is a provincial leader in apprenticeship training, with over 50% of the region’s population accessing the college’s courses and training. The co-ops courses at Conestoga allure about 30,000 students each academic year. Conestoga is the only institute to provide polytechnic programs in that region. The College plays the main role in the betterment of the local community - 65% of Conestoga graduates remain in the province after finishing their degree, adding further than $2.3 billion each academic year to the provincial local economy. Two Conestoga graduates, Massi Basiri and Meti Basiri, who are co-founders of ApplyBoard were recently awarded at the 2021 Premier’s Awards, joining the ranks of the most distinguished college graduates in Ontario. Also, Conestoga alumna, Clarice Ward was named among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 in 2021 by the Women’s Executive Network. Other renowned alumni of this institution are the advertising executive, Vic Fedeli, Ontario politician, and Cabinet member Will Ferguson, Canadian sports journalist, Brenda Irving and former Mayor of Waterloo, Ontario, Brenda Halloran.
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
About 2100 international students from more than 70 countries are enrolled at Conestoga College. With the College adding newer programs to its course catalogue each year, students will find increased diversity among their peers on the Conestoga campuses. Student Engagement is dedicated to welcoming all members of the Conestoga community and providing programming that promotes a varied, equitable, and inclusive environment. The college encourages students to form collaborative relationships based on mutual understanding, acceptance, and respect. It involves all Conestoga students, teachers, and staff in raising awareness, encouraging conversation, and promoting the inclusion of all students via education, programmes, and activities. While engaging with and positively influencing our community, the college gives students with chances to build advocacy and leadership abilities. In the daily interactions, students will discover the demographic diversity of the Conestoga College population – professors in college or students in the classes of differing age, maturity, ability, cultural background, gender.
