Governance
Athabasca University governs itself through a bicameral governance structure, as set out in the Alberta Post-Secondary Learning Act and the Athabasca University Regulations . The Board of Governors is the senior governing body, but shares academic governance with the General Faculties Council (GFC), the academic governing body.
The Office of the Chief Governance Officer and General Counsel provides support for all areas of the Board and GFC, enabling both bodies (and their respective standing committees) to govern the institution in an efficient and effective manner.
Visit the Office of the Chief Governance Officer and General Counsel website.Our vision
Transforming Lives, Transforming Communities
Our mission
Athabasca University, Canada's Open University, is dedicated to the removal of barriers that restrict access to and success in university-level study and to increasing equality of educational opportunities for adult learners worldwide.
Our mandate
This mandate has been developed by Athabasca University in consultation with Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education pursuant to Section 78 of the Post-secondary Learning Act (PSLA).
Committed to open access and digitally enabled lifelong learning, Athabasca University (est. 1970) is Canada's only public and research-intensive university offering fully accredited distributed learning from its headquarters in the town of Athabasca. Athabasca University provides high-quality learning, scholarship and research environments to all Albertans and Canadians and strives to ensure that all Albertans and Canadians have access to a university education.
Originally founded in St. Albert, Athabasca University moved to the Town of Athabasca in 1984 to bring jobs and economic opportunity to the region. Senior executive and administrative functions, based in Athabasca, underscore the important connection of the university to the local community. As a matter of priority the university will seek to expand the number of employees based in the Athabasca region, to bring opportunity and economic growth to the community.
The university's open and digital learning environment coupled with flexible, self-paced and cohort-based enrolments enable learners from all walks and stages of life to transform their own lives and their communities through higher learning. Athabasca University offers credit and non-credit learning experiences that lead to professional, undergraduate, masters, and doctoral credentials across an ever-evolving and comprehensive spectrum of disciplines. As a global leader in digitally enabled and distributed learning, the university's interactive and lifelong connection to learners is continuously innovating in learning models, course design, pedagogy, learner support services, traditional and non-traditional pathways, and educational technology applications.
The university's steadfast commitment to equality and inclusive lifelong learning is demonstrated through its proactive and systemic dismantling of barriers that stand between diverse individuals and their personal learning goals. With a global presence, Athabasca University welcomes people who prefer the university's innovative and digital-learning environment from urban, rural, and remote locations in Alberta and beyond. As a leader in inclusion, Athabasca University enables learners from underserved populations, those from Indigenous ancestry, those who by choice or through life circumstance cannot attend a place-based university, and those attending place-based post-secondaries who crave increased flexibility and control. An inspired and willing partner within Alberta's adult learning system, Athabasca University collaborates with a wide array of stakeholders to amplify the opportunities and success for learners and their communities.
By bringing learning to individuals, Athabasca University's model of access creates a meaningful and personalized sense of place, affinity, and belonging for learners in their community. Learners are encouraged to embrace and leverage their unique background, history, and community while they learn. Comprehensive learner support services further enable them to focus on their learning and facilitate success in the university's distributed learning environment from a position of physical and mental wellness.
Athabasca University's demonstrated excellence in research and scholarship stems from its steadfast commitment to the centrality of research in the creation and mobilization of knowledge, the enhancement of academic programs, the education of learners, and the betterment of communities. Athabasca University's research environment brings together academics, learners, and key stakeholders in a disciplinary and interdisciplinary tapestry of scholarship and research that optimizes the economic, social, and environmental impact on communities. A combination of researcher-, learner-, and community-led research and innovation initiatives in open and traditional scholarship are supported by the university as well as by local, provincial, federal, and international research grants.
Athabasca University's academic and operational team members help to transform the communities through service leadership in numerous public, not-for-profit, social, and professional environments. Members of the university are encouraged to enable mutually supportive communities through active participation in a wide range of organizations at the local, provincial, national, and international levels.
Our I-CARE values
The students and staff of Athabasca University hold a set of complementary values that are fundamental to Athabasca University's identity and functioning. 1
- Integrity - We are guided by ethics, honesty, and fairness in all our actions, engendering trust within our University community
- Community - We are one University. We achieve more together. We embrace collaboration, and connectivity among our diverse individual community members and their teams
- Adaptability - We are flexible. We respond to the changing needs of our University and its learners with courage and continuous improvement.
- Respect - We foster respect by contributing to an environment in which every individual is valued.
- Excellence - We ask bold questions, provoke new ways of thinking, and focus on those things at which we can excel to enhance the quality of all that we do.
1 The word staff is used throughout the plan to indicate faculty, support staff, professionals, and tutors.
Strategic plan
Annual reports
- 2022 - 2023
- 2021 - 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2017-18
- 2016-17
- 2015-16
- 2014-15
- 2013-14
- 2012-13
- 2011-12
- 2010-11
- 2009-10
- 2008-09
- 2007-08
- 2006-07
- 2005-06
- 2004-05
- 2003-04
- 2002-03
Comprehensive institutional plans
The Athabasca University Policy and Procedures Manual, the official source for AU's policies, is a public document maintained and issued by the Office of the Chief Governance Officer and General Counsel. Unless otherwise noted, policies apply to all units under AU's jurisdiction, whether they are located in Athabasca, Edmonton, Calgary or an off-site location.
The Office of the Chief Governance Officer and General Counsel considers the online, published version of all policies and procedures as part of the Policy and Procedures Manual to be the official records.
Visit the Policy Manual websitePrivacy - brief summary
- The University's website has been created in full conformity with Alberta's freedom of information and protection of privacy legislation.
- Any personal information you provide through our website will be used only for the purposes for which it was collected.
- The University does not use cookies in any manner which could impinge on your privacy (i.e. it does not use “snoop” software).
For more information, see the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy website.
Conditions of use — brief summary
- While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of pages on this website, pages should be treated on an “as is” basis, rather than as official documents, unless they explicitly state “This is an official publication of Athabasca University.”
- Hyperlinks from the Athabasca University website to other sites have been provided in good faith, but do not indicate an endorsement by the University of those sites, which are subject to change over which the University has no control.
- Short extracts from the site may be reproduced for personal and non-commercial services. All other republication requires the explicit consent of the University.
- Trade marks appearing on the University website may not be copied and used without explicit permission from the University.
- Full details on conditions of use are given below.
Privacy: details
Athabasca University's website (www.athabascau.ca) provides information about the University and its programs and services. Athabasca University respects the privacy of its online visitors and does not sell or rent any information obtained from its website to any other organization or third party.
When you visit Athabasca University's website, the server automatically collects a limited amount of information essential for the site's operation and security. This information includes your IP address, the name of your Internet Service Provider, and information concerning your browser and operating system. This information is used to perform statistical analysis of user trends and interests and to help us make this site more useful to visitors. Athabasca University does make limited use of cookies on its Web servers, but not in any manner which could impinge on your privacy. “Cookies” are small text files placed in your personal computer's hard memory that allows it to track your browser's use of the site. Cookies are used for purposes such as ensuring that procedures (such as Library procedures) work properly, or that you are not annoyed by repetitions.
When you use Athabasca University's website for program or services purposes, such as participating in online courses, requesting services, completing a questionnaire, or making payment, the personal information you provide for that program or service will be in compliance with sections 33(a) and 33(c) of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be used only for the purpose it was collected. The information will be disclosed only in accordance with the provisions of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Regulation.
The Athabasca University website has links to outside Web pages. Please be aware that the University is not responsible for site content outside our Web site, or the privacy policies of outside Web sites. We encourage you to read the individual privacy statements on each website you visit.
All Athabasca University web pages should be treated on an “as is” basis unless they contain the phrase “This is an official publication of Athabasca University”. This privacy statement is intended to reflect the sites maintained by Athabasca University and it is subject to change.
Web Services, Office of Advancement
Email: web_services@athabascau.ca
Conditions of use — brief summary
- While every attempt has been made to ensure the accuracy of pages on this website, pages should be treated on an “as is” basis, rather than as official documents, unless they explicitly state “This is an official publication of Athabasca University.”
- Hyperlinks from the Athabasca University website to other sites have been provided in good faith, but do not indicate an endorsement by the University of those sites, which are subject to change over which the University has no control.
- Short extracts from the site may be reproduced for personal and non-commercial services. All other republication requires the explicit consent of the University.
- Trade marks appearing on the University website may not be copied and used without explicit permission from the University.
- Full details on conditions of use are given below.
Privacy: details
Athabasca University's website (www.athabascau.ca) provides information about the University and its programs and services. Athabasca University respects the privacy of its online visitors and does not sell or rent any information obtained from its website to any other organization or third party.
When you visit Athabasca University's website, the server automatically collects a limited amount of information essential for the site's operation and security. This information includes your IP address, the name of your Internet Service Provider, and information concerning your browser and operating system. This information is used to perform statistical analysis of user trends and interests and to help us make this site more useful to visitors. Athabasca University does make limited use of cookies on its Web servers, but not in any manner which could impinge on your privacy. “Cookies” are small text files placed in your personal computer's hard memory that allows it to track your browser's use of the site. Cookies are used for purposes such as ensuring that procedures (such as Library procedures) work properly, or that you are not annoyed by repetitions.
When you use Athabasca University's website for program or services purposes, such as participating in online courses, requesting services, completing a questionnaire, or making payment, the personal information you provide for that program or service will be in compliance with sections 33(a) and 33(c) of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be used only for the purpose it was collected. The information will be disclosed only in accordance with the provisions of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Regulation.
The Athabasca University website has links to outside Web pages. Please be aware that the University is not responsible for site content outside our Web site, or the privacy policies of outside Web sites. We encourage you to read the individual privacy statements on each website you visit.
All Athabasca University web pages should be treated on an “as is” basis unless they contain the phrase “This is an official publication of Athabasca University”. This privacy statement is intended to reflect the sites maintained by Athabasca University and it is subject to change.
Web Services, Office of Advancement
Email: web_services@athabascau.ca
Conditions: formal details
The Athabasca University (“AU”) website consists of information made accessible at the athabascau.ca domain (“this Site”). This Site is subject to the terms of use below. If upon reviewing the terms of use below, you do not agree with these terms of use, you should leave this Site now.
Terms of use
The terms of use that follow may change without prior notice and it is the user's responsibility to review for such updates.
General
The information provided on this Site is meant for educational and reference purposes only and should not be used in replacement of official documents provided by AU, unless clearly provided for. Also, the information provided on this Site is not intended to be a replacement for professional advice of any kind and the user should not act or rely on any information at this Site without first seeking the advice of a professional.
As a user of this Site, you are granted a limited licence to use (display or print) the information for your own personal, non-commercial use and you are responsible for any outcome resulting from such use. Except for short extracts, used for personal and non-commercial purposes, none of the information provided at this Site may be altered, republished or re-distributed in any way, shape or form without the explicit prior consent of AU.
Intellectual property rights
AU owns the intellectual property rights, including copyright, in and to this Site, or has obtained the necessary licenses. Therefore, AU will take any appropriate legal action to enforce its rights. A number of words, phrases, names, designs or logos used on this Site may be trademarks, service marks or trade names of AU or of other bodies. AU's trademarked designs or logos may not be used by other parties without prior explicit consent.
No warranties
Although the information provided on this Site is thought to be correct when communicated, there is no obligation on AU to update this information or advise on further changes. There may be misprints or other errors on this Site, and AU does not guarantee the quality, correctness, completeness or timeliness of the information provided on this Site. AU makes no warranties, representations and conditions regarding use of this Site or the information provided, including any implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, whether express or implied, or arising from a course of dealing, usage or trade practice. AU is not responsible for any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages or any other damages, however caused, arising out of your use of this website or from the information provided, including the loss of use, lost data, lost business profits, business interruption, personal injury, or any other personal or pecuniary loss, whether the action is in contract, tort (including negligence) or any other tort action.
Web pages and links
The staff and the students of AU may create and maintain pages contained on, or linked to, from this Site. The creation, maintenance and responsibility for these pages is entirely the responsibility of the parties who create and maintain such pages. AU shall have no responsibility for such pages and is not responsible for any content or information that you may find distasteful or offensive.
Also, this Site has links to other websites. This does not mean AU is associated with, or is legally allowed, to use any trademark, trade name, logo or copyrighted symbol that may be shown in the link (or in its description). These other sites were independently created and AU does not assume responsibility for the content of these other websites. By providing links to these other websites, AU does not endorse, act as a publisher or distributor of the content on those other websites.
Computer viruses
Most material available from the AU website is in a “text-file” form which cannot contain or transmit computer viruses. Some pages, however, such as Word files, are in “binary” form, which can, like downloadable executable files, transmit viruses. Although AU makes every effort to exclude computer viruses from its materials, you should take measures to check for computer viruses, execute due caution when downloading executable files, and make certain you have a comprehensive and recent backup of the information stored on your computer.
Governing law
The laws of the Province of Alberta and the laws of Canada applicable shall govern any dispute or action regarding this Site or any content present on the Site. You hereby consent and submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Alberta in any action or proceeding established under or related to your use of this Site or document.
Please address comments and questions regarding this site to Rachel Conroy, Copyright Officer, Athabasca University.
Expect the best
Athabasca University recognizes that students need efficient academic and administrative service. To ensure that students receive the attention needed to succeed academically, we have developed a comprehensive set of service standards.
These standards are provided by Athabasca University to:
- determine if the service standard is being met;
- determine who to contact for follow-up; and
- determine when to involve the Ombuds office.
Contact us
If you have any questions or concerns about our level of service, don’t hesitate to contact the appropriate service unit listed on this page. For general questions, contact the Information Centre or an AU office near you. If you leave voice mail, please provide an email address for response.
General information service standards
- Response to voice mail: 1 business day
- Response to e-mail: 1 business day
- Telephone response time: 1 minute during working hours
- Materials processing (brochures, etc.) *: 2 business days
- General inquiry processing: 2 business days
- Resolution or referral of problem/query: Immediately during working hours
* Does not include electronic submission or postal service processing time.
Canada/U.S: 1-800-788-9041
International: 780-675-6100
Information Centre Coordinator 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6588
780-675-6588
auinfo_admin@athabascau.ca
Administrative service standards
- Response to voice mail: 1 business day
- Response to e-mail: 1 business day
- Query – transfer credit: 1 business day
| Service | Paper submitted | Web submitted |
|---|---|---|
| Admission - New | 5 business days | Immediate |
| Admission ‚ Change | 5 business days | Immediate |
| Admission ‚ Program Change | 5 business days | Immediate |
| Appeal - general | 5 business days | n/a |
| Appeal to Student Appeals Committee | Up to 30 days | n/a |
| Transfer Credit Evaluation | 8 weeks from receipt of all documents | n/a |
| Course Registration | 5 business days | Immediate |
| Challenge for Credit Registration | 5 business days | 5 business days |
| Letter of permission | 5 business days | n/a |
| Exam Request | 5 business days | 5 business days |
| Course Extension | 5 business days | Immediate |
| Course Withdrawal | 5 business days | Immediate |
| Student Financial Aid processing | 5 business days | n/a |
| Transcript Request | 5 business days | 1 business day |
| Letter of certification | 5 business days | n/a |
| Course outline / syllabus | Available on website; 5 business days otherwise |
Canada/U.S: 1-800-788-9041
International: 780-675-6100
Please ask to speak with the coordinator responsible for the service.
Library services standards
- Response to voice mail: 1 business day
- Response to e-mail: 1 business day
- Information desk response: 1 business day
- Library materials *: 1 business day
- Borrowing period: 4 weeks
- Information search: 2 business days
- Process interlibrary loan (ILL): 3 business days
- Redistribution of ILL material to student: Varies with lender
* Does not include electronic submission or postal service processing time.
Library Information Desk
library@athabascau.ca1-800-788-9041 ext. 6254
Interlibrary Loans Supervisor
1-800-788-9041 ext. 6251
* International students should expect to use library materials which are already in digital format, i.e. online journals, databases and web resources.
Ombuds services standards
- Ombuds initial response: 1 business day
- Ombuds issue resolution: Variable according to research required
1-800-788-9041 ext. 6199
780-675-6199
Learning resources service standards
General
- Response to voice mail: 1 business day
- Response to e-mail: 1 business day
- Learning resources inquiry: 1 business day
- Learning resources replacement:
- North America: 5 Business days
- International: up to 2 months
- Process return:
- North America: 5 business days
- International: 1 month
Learning resources *
- Walk in: Immediate
- Alberta: 2 weeks
- Canada: 3 weeks
- North America: 2 weeks
- International: up to 2 months
* Assumes normal postal delivery time. Learning resources packages are not available in the Edmonton and Calgary offices.
Distributor / Warehouse Supervisor
1-800-788-9041 ext. 6362
780-675-6362
Undergraduate academic support standards
- Initial contact by individualized study tutor or Academic Expert: Within 2 weeks of start date
- Response to voice mail by individualized study tutor or Academic Expert: 2 business days
- Response to e-mail by individualized study tutor or Academic Expert: 2 business days
- Acknowledgement of receipt of emailed assignment: 2 business days
- Acknowledgement of receipt of assignment via regular mail: 2 business days from receipt
- Marking of electronically submitted assignment (when single sent): 7-8 business days from date assignment uploaded to course website or sent by email
Note: Additional assignments submitted during the initial marking period will be considered to be multiple assignments and the multiple assignment service standard shall apply.
- Marking of electronically submitted assignments (when multiple sent): 5 additional business days for each remaining assignments
- Marking of assignments mailed by post: 5 business days from receipt by marker, this does not include the time it takes assignment to arrive by post mail/courier.
- Electronically submitted exams for marking: 7-10 business days from write date
- Exam marking for paper based exams: 5 business days from receipt by marker, this does not include the time it takes exam to arrive by postal mail/courier
- Assignment/exam remarked by different tutor: 10 business days
- Academic appeal (in writing):
- North America: 1 month
- International: 2 month
Learning Services Tutorial
Tel: 780-675-6196
Toll Free: 1-800-788-9041 ext. 6196
Do not send assignments by any method that requires a signature of acceptance by a tutor (e.g. courier), as this will delay response time.
Please Note: although the University is open 12 months of the year, tutors and academic experts/markers are entitled to vacation time. Should your academic expert/marker be away, an alternate academic expert/marker will available to support you. Tutors, on the other hand, may be away and not available to provide tutorial support for up to 9 business days. For any tutor leave of 10 or more business days, an alternate tutor will be available to support you. Please be advised that Service Standards may be extended by 5 business days for some leaves.
Advising
- Acknowledge voice and e-mail: 1 business day
- Appointment
Program planning tools : Within 1 business week
Counselling
- Acknowledge voice and e-mail: 1 business day
- Counselling appointment (urgent): Immediate on a business day
- Counselling appointment (general): Within 1 business week
Coordinator Advising Services
1-800-788-9041 ext. 2908
403-298-2908
Accessibility Services
- Response to voice mail: 2 business days
- Response to email: 3 business days
- Response to general inquiries: 35 business days
Professional Services Coordinator, Accessibility Services
1-800-788-9041 ext. 2054
780-428-2054
Examination Services (only for those writing exams at our AU Edmonton or AU Calgary location)
- Acknowledge voicemail: 2 business days
- Acknowledge email: 2 business days
Exam Services Supervisor, 1.800.788.9041, ext 3419
Faculty of Business Online Student Support - acknowledge/ resolve/ refer query: 1 business days
Manager Student Support Services, Faculty of Business 1-800-788-9041
ext. 6464
780-675-6464
- Response from Webmaster: 2 business days
Coordinator, Web Services, University Relations
1-800-788-9041 ext. 7321
Updated December 16, 2024 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)