A collaborative agreement has been signed by both Mount Royal University and Keyano College, so that students have an easier time earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science without having to leave Fort McMurray to do this. The new program will focus on the environmental problems and issues, and the solutions to these problems and issues, that are associated with natural resources and the natural resource industry. The program is one that has been demanded by industry groups, various levels of government, and environmental groups. Mount Royal University dean of science and technology Jeff Goldberg explained “People can continue to live in Fort McMurray for family or work reasons while earning a four-year degree from us. There’s a lot of demand for people with this kind of training. Graduates will improve the expertise level of the workforce. For us, the networks already existed between Mount Royal and Keyano College people. It’s a win-win for everyone and a huge win for Keyano College.”

This is not the first collaboration with another school for Keyano College or Mount Royal University, but it is the first collaborative agreement between the two schools. Keyano College already has similar agreements for other programs with Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and the University of Alberta. Students of the new collaborative program will attend lectures through the use of a high definition camera system, Connected North, and this system offers two way communication. Keyano College vice president of academics Catherine Koch provided a statement that included this memorandum “This Memorandum of Understanding provides added academic options for our students in an ever growing field and continues our commitment to high-quality education in our community.”