OKANAGAN COLLEGE / NIAGARA COLLEGE
Colleges sign agreement to strengthen wine education

Two colleges from Canada's top wine and agricultural regions -- Okanagan College and Niagara College -- have signed a memorandum of understanding that will expand the availability of world-class wine education while also opening the door for further collaboration in food, agriculture and tourism training.

Okanagan College President Dr. Neil Fassina (right) shakes hands with Niagara College Vice President, Global Partnerships and Strategic Enterprises, Sean Coote (left) after a memorandum of understanding was signed on March 18 at NC's Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

As part of the memorandum, the colleges met at Niagara College this week to sign an agreement that will enable Okanagan College to offer Niagara College's Winery and Viticulture curriculum in a format that is customized to the Okanagan region. The curriculum will allow people to train for careers in Canada's burgeoning wine industry, including winemaker, winery or cellar technician, vineyard manager or laboratory or viticulture technician.

"This partnership brings together two colleges with a shared commitment to academic excellence," said Okanagan College Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Dr. Samantha Lenci. "By collaborating with Niagara College, we are strengthening learning opportunities for students and delivering programs that reflect the needs of our communities and local industry. These industries are critical to our region, and we're excited to expand our support of the Okanagan and Shuswap through relevant, applied programming."

Launched in 2000, Niagara College's Winery and Viticulture Technician program was the first program of its kind in Canada, housed in Canada's first and only commercial teaching winery, which produces a broad range of award-winning wines each year. Located at Niagara College's Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, the program is part of Niagara College's School of Wine, Beer and Spirits, which also includes programs in brewing and distilling, supported by an on-campus teaching brewery and teaching distillery.

"At Niagara College, we are proud of our reputation as a pioneer in wine education since we launched our trailblazing Winery and Viticulture Technician program 25 years ago along with Canada's first commercial teaching winery," said Niagara College Vice-President, Academic, Dr. Fay Lim-Lambie. "Sharing our gold-standard curriculum with Okanagan College is a testament to the quality of our programming and entrepreneurial spirit and expands the availability of wine education to Canada's top two wine regions."

The agreement represents an important step in a partnership that also includes other opportunities to work together. Future collaborations may include credit transfer between the two colleges, student and faculty exchanges, joint or collaborative research, events and other academic activities.

"As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, our region is uniquely positioned to lead at the intersection of food, wine and place," said Joe Baker, Dean of the Hall School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Okanagan College. "By offering an established, world-class curriculum, the Hall School of Business and Entrepreneurship -- through our new Centre for Food, Wine and Tourism -- is building an academic foundation that will educate future leaders in viticulture, winemaking and winery management. This partnership ensures the Okanagan Valley not only sustains its global reputation, but also shapes the future of wine, tourism and culinary excellence far beyond our borders."

The new curriculum is anticipated to be available through Okanagan College's new Centre for Food, Wine and Tourism starting in fall 2027. The Centre is currently under construction at Okanagan College's Kelowna campus. It will house food, beverage and tourism programs, a new restaurant, programming delivered under the Hall School of Business and Entrepreneurship, and other Okanagan College programs.

Leaders from Okanagan College and Niagara College hold up an agreement to offer NC's Winery and Viticulture curriculum in a format that is customized to the Okanagan region. From left: NC Vice President Academic, Dr. Fay Lim-Lambie; and NC Vice President, Global Partnerships and Strategic Enterprises, Sean Coote; OC President Dr. Neil Fassina, and OC Provost and VP Academic Dr. Samantha Lenci.

To learn more about food, beverage and tourism studies offered at Okanagan College, visit okanagancollege.ca/food-wine-and-tourism. More information about the School of Wine, Beer and Spirits at Niagara College is available at niagaracollege.ca/winebeerspirits.