News Article

Ground-breaking agreement expands


11/8/2007 4:50:30 PM


Seated from left, Norris Eaton, dean of Engineering Technology; Brian Tobin, Senior VP of Academic and Student Services; Dr. H. Oner Yurtseven, dean of the School of Engineering and Technology at IUPUI; and standing left to right, John Oates, campus administrator at Ridge Road; and Richard Pfile, professor and chair of Engineering Technology at IUPUI.

A delegation from Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) was at College of the North Atlantic’s (CNA) Ridge Road campus in St. John’s this week to formally extend an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two institutions.

CNA had successfully negotiated a credit transfer agreement with IUPUI last year, after a thorough review of CNA’s Architectural Engineering Technology (AET) program. The agreement allows graduates of the three-year AET program to transfer their academic credits into a two-year program at the Department of Construction Technology (CNT) at IUPUI. Upon successful completion of that two-year program, students will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering Management Technology and a Master of Science degree in Technology.

The expansion of the agreement will also allow graduates of the three-year Civil Engineering Technology (CET) program at CNA (also available at Corner Brook campus) to transfer their academic credits into the Construction Engineering Management Technology (CEMT) program IUPUI for the same degree designations.

IUPUI is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, particularly within engineering disciplines.

“This is truly a ground-breaking agreement in technical post-secondary education in our province,” says Brian Tobin, Senior VP of Academic and Student Services.

“It speaks to the recognition of our curriculum standards in the international education environment. Having had the pleasure of visiting the main campus of IUPUI last year, we are confident that our graduates will be extremely well-served by this prestigious institution in furthering their academic credentials."

Students must successfully graduate from the AET program at CNA with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on the IUPUI 4.0 points scale and all grades for individual courses must be “C” or better.

The delegation was treated to a tour of Ridge Road campus, where the AET program is offered, as well as a tour of the city of St. John’s. The signing took place at Ridge Road Campus on Tuesday, November 6 at 11 a.m.

Dr. H. Oner Yurtseven is Dean of the School of Engineering at Technology at IUPUI. He sees the agreement as a multi-faceted gain for both institutions.

“Besides the student body, we are also partnering in staff and faculty development. Well-qualified faculty will be able to experience both institutions,” says Yurtseven.

“CNA is a door to open further possibilities for IUPUI with Canadian institutions.”

However, says Yurtseven, CNA will be IUPUI’s primary Canadian partner.

“We want to work on a deeper relationship and the executive of CNA have been very receptive of that.”

-30-

For more information, contact:

Stephen Lee
Marketing and Communications Manager
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7721

Or

Tanya Alexander
Public Information Officer
College of the North Atlantic
(709) 643-7928