Provincial education staff recently visited the Langley and Surrey campuses of Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

"Communications and effective working relationships with the Ministry are always important," said university president John McKendry. "This was a timely and very valuable opportunity for my colleagues and I to familiarize our deputy minister with the ongoing affairs of the university and share some of our important achievements like the revitalization of the Langley campus in order to accommodate the relocation of the faculty of community and health studies this fall, the potential of the institute for sustainable horticulture, and our vision for the Richmond campus and the faculty of design."

On July 12, 2012 Cheryl Wenezenki-Yolland, deputy minister, and Dawn Minty, assistant deputy minister of Advanced Education visited the growing institution.

McKendry, president, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and a deputy minister spent the day touring the Surrey and Langley campuses meeting faculty members and taking part in important discussions around international education, challenges with the university act, and university development.

The visit was also an opportunity for the deputy minister to discuss with Kwantlen her ministry's inquiry into the B.C. Quality Assurance system, and a renewed look at the position of the B.C. system in international education and the protection of the B.C. brand; as well as the discussions that have engaged the ministry and system-wide presidents in a shared narrative on the future of the B.C. post-secondary education system.

General responsibilities of the deputy minister of Advanced Education are to ensure all aspects of BC standards within universities, colleges, post-secondary financing, post-secondary policy and accountability and student financial assistance are met.

Kwantlen has campuses in Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley and provides more than 200 programs to its 17,500 students.