New Partnership with University of New Brunswick to Expand Student Enrolment Through Online Programs

The University of New Brunswick and Boreal Education today announced a transformative partnership that will accelerate the development of online programming at UNB. The partnership will enhance UNB’s capacity to deliver quality online programming to students across Canada and beyond by leveraging Boreal Education’s expertise in creating and marketing online programs, and supporting Canadian post-secondary institutions in diversifying and expanding their enrolment.

The launch of this partnership aligns with a key milestone in UNB’s Toward 2030 strategic plan, which prioritizes enrolment growth and digital transformation and will provide the flexibility that working professionals require to balance educational, career and personal commitments.

“When we were planning our expansion, we knew we needed a partner who would help us rethink our online program design and delivery while maintaining the exceptional learning experience that UNB is known for,” said UNB’s Dr. Petra Hauf, Provost and Vice President Academic “The Boreal team brings their expertise to the Canadian student experience, providing insights into online learning strategies and a model that creates the added capacity we need to launch programs more efficiently and effectively. Together, we are taking important steps to reimagine how we meet the needs of the students and communities we serve.”

Boreal Education, is uniquely focused on serving the Canadian post-secondary sector. Its Online Program Management (OPM) partnership model provides universities with end-to-end support, including program design, course development, marketing, admissions and student support. While OPM is a relatively new concept in Canada, Boreal’s approach is tailored to meet the specific needs of Canadian institutions to expand their reach, modernize their offerings and deliver exceptional student outcomes. As a Canadian company, Boreal understands the complexities of the Canadian market and the importance of balancing institutional priorities with the demands of learners who seek accessible, flexible and career-aligned education.

“We started Boreal Education to create an expert team and operating framework that was from Canada, for Canada, helping our post-secondary institutions navigate the funding, capacity and resource constraints brought on by the current fiscal challenges facing our sector,” said Graeme Owens, CEO of Boreal Education. “The launch of our partnership with the University of New Brunswick provides an exciting opportunity to combine our expertise and experience in engaging new students, and complement UNB’s faculty and teams to deliver online learning experiences that are innovative, accessible, and student-centric. Our growing team is proud to work with a forward-thinking partner like UNB to help expand access to education to all students across Canada.”

The first programs supported by this partnership, an online Master of Business Administration (MBA) and an online Bachelor of Applied Management (BAM), will launch in Fall 2025. These programs mark the beginning of a broader expansion that will solidify UNB’s position as a leader in online learning in Canada.