ABOUT US
VISION
Alberta post-secondary students have the resources and opportunities necessary to thrive academically and personally during and after their studies.
MISSION
ASEC empowers and unites student leaders to advocate for the best interests of post-secondary students in Alberta, ensuring accessible advanced education and quality of life for students.
VALUES
Student Led - Accountability - Transparency - Respect - Equal Opportunity - Forward Thinking
MEMBERS.
We proudly represent 16 Students' Associations from across Alberta including independent academic institutions, comprehensive community colleges, undergraduate universities, and polytechnics. Follow the links below to learn more about each individual Member and the students they represent!
Northern Alberta
Northern Lakes College Students' Association | Students' Association of Portage College | Students' Association of Keyano College | Northwestern Polytechnic Students' Association
Edmonton
NAIT Students' Association | Students' Association of Norquest College | The Kings University Students' Association | Concordia University Students' Association
Central Alberta
Students' Association of Lakeland College | Students' Association of Red Deer Polytechnic | Students' Association of Olds College
Calgary
AUArts Students' Association | Ambrose University Students' Council
Southern Alberta
Students' Association of Medicine Hat College | Lethbridge College Students' Association
HISTORY.
ASEC began as ACTISEC (Alberta College and Technical Institute Students’ Executive Council), and was created after the disbanding of the Federation of Alberta Students (FAS) in 1981, when a number of colleges and technical institutes withdrew their membership citing domination of FAS by the universities. In 1982 a group of student delegates from colleges and technical institutes (Grant MacEwan College, Lakeland College, Lethbridge College, The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, Medicine Hat College, Mount Royal College and The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) met to form ACTISEC, an organization that would recognize the differences of all non-university post-secondary students.
The inaugural meeting of ACTISEC was held at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology on March 11, 1982. David Whalen from NAITSA was appointed as the initiating Chairperson of the council, and sent a letter to James Horseman, the Minister of Advanced Education at the time, advising him of the formation of the new organization.
In the onset, the group focused mainly on sharing information and resources between its member institutions, as well as the professional development of student leaders. Over time, however, it became apparent that there was also a need for a strong lobby organization that would concentrate mainly on external issues affecting post-secondary education, and on maintaining constant communication with government and other post-secondary institutions and organizations. Learn more about our history here.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Our board of directors is elected annually at our Leadership Conference and has representation from small, medium, and large sized schools as dictated by Alberta's annual FLE count. All members are a part of the creation of advocacy priorities and participation in advocacy activities throughout the year.
