Members
Olds College
Skip section navigation.
Olds College
Established
1913
Main campus
4500 - 50th Street
Olds, AB, Canada T4H 1R6
» Visit Olds College
Founded in 1913, Olds College’s vision is to be the premier Canadian integrated learning and applied research community specializing in agriculture, horticulture, land and environmental management. Located 45 minutes north of Calgary, Olds College prepares students to contribute provincially, nationally and internationally through careers in agriculture, horticulture, environmental land management, agribusiness, fashion and rural entrepreneurship. Olds College provides certificate, diploma and applied degree programs, and participates with other institutions in offering post-diploma degrees. Olds College is further dedicated to nurturing innovation, learning, applied research and commercialization for agribusiness through the School of Innovation
Campus locations:
- Main Campus (Olds)
- Calgary Campus (Calgary)
Students
| Full-time | 1,350 |
|---|---|
| Part-time and Continuing Education | 6,000 |
| Apprenticeship | 350 |
| International | 50 |
| Total students | 7,350 |
New Student Intake
| 2008 | 643 |
|---|---|
| 2007 | 671 |
| 2006 | 666 |
Faculty
| Full-time Instructors | 76 |
|---|---|
| Part-time Instructors | 10 |
Academics
| Bachelor’s Degrees | 4 |
|---|---|
| Diploma Programs | 10 |
| Certificate Programs | 6 |
| Apprenticeship Programs | 6 |
Graduation Data
| Average annual number of Graduates (last 5 years) | 400 |
|---|---|
| Work placement in field after graduation | 85% |
Research & Development
The Olds College school of Innovation (OCSI) is a state of the art applied research facility within Olds College. The core objective of OCSI is to advance research, commercialization and innovation for agribusiness. OCSI offers services and expertise in the areas of waste management, bioenergy, environmental monitoring, bioremediation, wetlands management, and microprocessing. The applied research priority for Olds College and OCSI is to address bioindustry needs and to maximize the value of renewable products and by-products with the goal to increase the competitiveness and sustainability of industry partners, clients and stakeholders. Key activities include product development, technology verification and expert consultation for industry problem solving. Research facilities include analytical laboratories, seed cleaning and bioprocessing facilities, technology incubator, research greenhouses, biodiesel and compost technology centres, biofuel quality lab and pilot fermentation facility.
The use of alternative energy is part of our overall plan for sustainability. OCSI has launched a Community Biodiesel Project involving institutions and municipalities, industry partners, farmers, and individuals which will increase public awareness and reduce the use of petroleum diesel in favour of cleaner burning, high quality biodiesel produced from vegetable oil. OCSI has worked with several community members including the Town of Olds, County of Mountain View, Mountain View Regional Waste Management Commission, and Chinooks Edge School Division. Federal and Provincial governments such as AE & T, Alberta Energy, CFI, and NSERC have played a key role in the advancement of OCSI while assisting in the integration of innovation throughout Olds College and its industry partnerships. Community and industry partners have invested in R&D related to biodiesel and have participated in using biodiesel in their fleets. Six local school busses are currently running on biodiesel produced at OCSI.
Newcomer Integration
Olds College offers a five-day College Success Skills course to help students prepare for their college experience. This three credit course to helps students in areas such as effective reading and note taking, time management and goal setting, studying for and writing exams and improving memory to name a few.
Students also experience two full days of orientation each September prior to classes beginning. These days are full of arranging arrival details, move-in to dorms, meetings with Program Coordinators and lots of recreation time to get to know other students.
International Activities and International Educational Partnerships
For over 20 years, Olds College has worked with international partners to deliver programming, develop agricultural extension, provide consultant services and customize programming for international students. As an institution, Olds College has been involved in projects in India, China, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Mexico and Bangladesh. Our international connections have allowed both faculty and students to be involved in research, instruction and networking on a global scale.
An area of note would be the success of our programs in Mexico. Teachers from across Mexico have attended Olds College to receive top notch training in instructing English as a Foreign Language, providing them with both instructional strategies as well as language skills. Over 300 teachers have been trained over the past four years. A partnership with three Mexican agricultural universities has allowed students in the third or fourth year of their Horticulture or Agriculture degrees to attend Olds College, enrolling in a Post Graduate certificate involving English as a Second Language, specific courses in their discipline and a four month paid work placement. Any given year we see 20-40 students take part in this program.
Olds College students have also taken part in international study. Through a relationship with a partner institution in the Dominican Republic, we are now involved in research and have provided a number of our students the opportunity to take part in a study tour. Instructors have traveled to numerous countries, learning about agricultural techniques and research in their travels. Olds College is now attracting more international students to campus which provides a diverse student population where the sharing of ideas and practices can take place.
Olds College is renowned for their expertise in:
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Animal Sciences
- Fashion
Olds College offers Bachelor's Degrees in:
-
Bachelor of Applied Science
Olds College's Close Industry partners
Top 5 countries of origin of International Students:
- Mexico
- Japan
- USA
- Costa Rica
- U.K.
Contact Information
Dr. H. J. (Tom) Thompson
President
(403)556-8300
tthompson@oldscollege.ca
Jordan Cleland
Vice President, Advancement
(403)507-7720
jcleland@oldscollege.ca
Stewart MacNabb, CMA
Vice President, Student & Support Services
(403)556-8303
smacnabb@oldscollege.ca
Robert J. Wilson Ph.D., P.Ag.
Vice President, Academic & Research
(403)556-8303
rwilson@oldscollege.ca
Research
Abimbola Abiola Ph.D., P.Ag.
Chair, Olds College School of Innovation
(403)556-4798
aabiola@oldscollege.ca
International
Pat Bidart
Associate Vice President, Academic & Research
(403)556-8365
pbidart@oldscollege.ca
Communications
Shannon Northey
Manager, Development & Corporate Communications
(403)507-7710
snorthey@oldscollege.ca
Page last updated: