Universities and Colleges in Canada
The tertiary-education system consists mainly of public institutions. Public universities are largely autonomous, with flexibility in managing their finances and admissions policies. The government has limited involvement in funding and the introduction of academic programmes. Post-secondary education expanded rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s; women have shown the faster increase, and now outnumber men. The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada represents 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities and university-degree level colleges (2011). There is virtually no illiteracy among people aged 15–24. There are more than 1,000 public libraries, containing more than 70 million volumes Canada has about 330 recognised public colleges and universities, almost half of which are degree-granting institutions. Around 60% of people of relevant age attended tertiary institutions in 2000/2001, and in 2009, 20% of people over 15 had university degrees.