The provincial government has elected to designate the Alberta College of Art + Design (ACAD) as a university, paving the way for the post-secondary institution to become a full-fledged university in the near future.

The designation change, announced Thursday, was a tip of the cap to the degree programs, including a master’s degree in fine arts, that the school currently offers.

“Today’s announcement officially acknowledges that ACAD has been offering degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels for some time,” said Daniel Doz, president and CEO of ACAD, in a statement. “Aligning our title, university, with our programming, demonstrates the government’s commitment to the pivotal role we play in the social, cultural and economic fabric of our province.”

Camille Porcheron, an ACAD student who also serves as director of leadership and governance, says the university designation will likely eliminate common misconceptions regarding ACAD graduates.

“At this point, when you say you’ve got a college education, people will recognize your program as a certificate or a diploma rather than a full bachelor’s degree,” said Porcheron. “What this status will really do for students is emphasize the depth and breadth of our programming and how much work really goes into this program.”

Marlin Schmidt, Alberta's Minister of Education, says it's important to recognize the quality of the education ACAD students receive and says the status change was a long time coming.

“The students, staff and faculty have been working on this for a long time," said Schmidt. "Unfortunately, their cries fell on deaf ears prior to our government being elected but I’m proud to say that our government had heard the need for ACAD to be recognized as a university and taken action.”

Schmidt says a decision on increased funding for the school once it becomes a university has not been made but says the government remains committed to all post-secondary institutions in the province. “Our government has a track record of predictable, stable funding for universities and colleges and we’ll continue to maintain that.”

Officials say the school has yet to select its next moniker but the new name will be announced in the coming months. ACAD will officially become a university once the required amendments to the post-secondary learning act are made and the changes are brought before the Legislature.