Legislation

Post-Secondary Learning Act (PSLA)

The Post-Secondary Learning Act (PSLA) was proclaimed in 2004 and combined and updated four separate Acts that used to govern Alberta's publicly funded post-secondary institutions – the Universities Act, the Colleges Act, the Technical Institutes Act, and the Banff Centre Act - into one complete piece of legislation.

The PSLA is intended to advance the concept of Campus Alberta by taking Alberta's post-secondary system into the future as a system that is accessible, flexible, and responsive regardless of where a student chooses to learn.

Institutions established under the PSLA are governed by autonomous boards whose members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and the Minister. These boards must follow the approved mandate of their institution and have the power and duty to 

  • act in the capacity of a natural person whereby the Lieutenant Governor in Council may prohibit, restrict or provide a right, power or privilege
  • determine general policies respecting the management of the institution 
  • appoint the president, vice-presidents and other officers of the institution 
  • acquire land and intellectual property 
  • invest and manage money and submit a yearly business plan and annual report to the Minister 
  • determine tuition and other fees, in accordance with the Public Post-Secondary Institutions' Tuition Fees Regulation

The PSLA also establishes

and sets out provisions for the establishment and management of student organizations, faculty associations, and bargaining between faculty and the boards.

Learn more about the recent amendments to the PSLA.

Supporting Regulations