The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) is a provincial agency funded by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU). The goal of the agency is to provide recommendations for improving quality, accessibility, inter-institutional transfer, system planning, and effectiveness in higher education in Ontario. The council was founded in 2005 through the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Act.
In 2005, Bob Rae released a comprehensive review of postsecondary education entitled Ontario: A leader in learning, more commonly known as the Rae Report or Rae Review. The report included a recommendation to change the structure of higher education in Ontario by adding an independent and objective Council on Higher Education to monitor the dynamic changes of postsecondary institutions in order to provide advice to government on the overall system. The provincial government acted on this recommendation and created an independent advisory agency to provide assessment and advice to improve higher education in Ontario. In 2005, the provincial government established the Council through the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Act and appointed Frank Iacobucci as its chair. The formation of the council was part of the provincial government's Reaching Higher six-year plan for higher education. In January 2007, the council announced the appointment of James Downey as its first president.
The following people have served as president and CEO of HEQCO:
HEQCO is governed by a board of directors who are responsible for setting the overall strategic direction of the council as well as ensuring that its activities remain aligned with its mandate. Board members are appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council pursuant to the Higher Education Council of Ontario Act, 2005.
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario employs a multifaceted research approach with a view to developing meaningful policy recommendations and publishing reports and other publications that inform the postsecondary education community in Ontario, Canada and around the world. To date, more than 275 research papers and reports have been produced, with new reports continually being published. The council's research publications are available on their website.
HEQCO's current research priorities include:
The council has hosted workshops, conferences, webinars and other events to further its research agenda and contribute to the higher-education sector. HEQCO has hosted ten conferences between 2011 and 2025.