Open College (Toronto)
Open College was a radio-based university-credit distance education provider based in Toronto, Canada; it primarily served listeners in Ontario. Founded in 1971, the courses were accredited by Toronto Metropolitan University (then known as Ryerson Polytechnic Institute) and York University's Atkinson College and broadcast throughout Toronto and much of southern Ontario on what was then Toronto Metropolitan owned radio station CJRT which produced and administered the courses. The service was conceived of by the Dean of Arts of Ryerson Polytechnic Institute who was inspired by the creation of Open University in the United Kingdom, which  used radio and television to broadcast some of its credit courses. In 1969, CJRT began broadcasting a non-credit education series which led to the development of credit courses two years later. Ryerson sociology professor Margaret Norquay volunteered for the project and produced its first course, Introduction to Sociology, which commenced in January 1971. Norquay went on to become Open College's first director in 1972. In 1974, Toronto Metropolitan University divested itself of CJRT and the radio station became an independent government funded corporation with Open College as one of its departments. The service used the name "Open College