University Recognition and IB: A Canadian Post-Secondary Perspective

Audience: Diploma Programme
Session: Block 6: Saturday 3:45 to 5:00, Room: Pacific L

The presentation will begin with an overview of admissions and IB placement policies at three major Canadian post-secondary schools: Queen's University, University of Alberta, and University of British Columbia. It will then examine simulated applications, in order to demonstrate the consideration given to candidates who have completed the IB Diploma Programme in admissions and awards decisions. The session will conclude with a best practices discussion to identify areas of strength and areas that require further development in Canadian post-secondary IB programming.


Brant Hinkey, Manager, National Recruitment, University of Alberta

Brant Hinkey is the Manager of National Recruitment at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. In this position, he leads the University’s domestic recruitment strategies and is the IB specialist, overseeing IB admission and recognition policies. Through his pedagogical, employment, and volunteer endeavors, he has gained numerous invaluable experiences in the administration of Canadian public and private colleges and universities.


Organization website: http://www.registrar.ualberta.ca/ib

Michael Bluhm, Associate Director, Undergraduate Admissions, University of British Columbia

Upon graduation from the University of Waterloo with a bachelor of science, Michael joined the Registrar's Office, where he worked in the recruitment and admissions unit for five years. In 2004, he accepted a position at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as an Admissions Officer/IB Admissions Coordinator. He is currently the Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at UBC and oversees the university's IB admission and recognition policies.

Allison Tapak, Admission Coordinator, Central Mid-Western North America, Queen's University

Allison has spent the last six years working in post-secondary education in the field of Admissions and Recruitment. Upon graduating from Lakehead University with a B.A. in Psychology, she joined the Office of Admissions and Recruitment as a Liaison Officer. She later moved to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and, while with the Registrar's Office, she contributed to developing the initial set of policies surrounding IB education at UOIT. She is currently the Admission Coordinator for Central Mid-Western North America at Queen's University. Allison is pursuing a M.A. in Education with a focus on Post-Secondary education at Central Michigan University.