Financial Information of Universities Survey (FINUNI)

Detailed information for 2024/2025

The purpose of the survey is to collect financial information (income and expenditures) concerning all universities and degree-granting colleges across the country.

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

The Financial Information of Universities Survey was developed to provide financial information (income and expenditures) on all universities and degree-granting colleges in Canada.

This information provides for a better understanding of the financial position for that level of education. The survey classifies the type of income received (grants, fees, donations and investments), by funds such as: general operating, sponsored research and capital.

Expenditures include general operating, special purpose and trust, sponsored research, ancillary, and capital. Operating expenditures include salaries and benefits, materials and supplies, utilities, externally contracted services, as well as scholarships, bursaries and prizes. These expenses can be further classified by function (instruction and non-sponsored research, library, physical plant and student services).

Reference period: Fiscal year

Collection period: Between September and March of the following year

Subjects

• Education finance
• Education, training and learning

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population is all degree-granting institutions (universities and colleges) in Canada.

Instrument design

The collection process is made up of two separate questionnaires:
a) Survey done in conjunction with the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO):
This questionnaire was designed and implemented by the CAUBO Finance Committee which is made up of financial administrators from six universities. They meet twice a year and any proposed changes to the questionnaire and guidelines are discussed and implemented by the Committee.

b) Non-CAUBO questionnaire:
This questionnaire is a carbon copy of the CAUBO questionnaire. Any change / modification to the CAUBO questionnaire and guidelines is applied to the non-CAUBO questionnaire.

These questionnaires were last revised for the 2003-04 cycle year when a new column ("External relations") was added on Table 4.

Sampling

This survey is a census with a cross-sectional design.

Data are collected for all units of the target population, therefore, no sampling is done.

Data sources

Responding to this survey is voluntary.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents and extracted from administrative files.

All universities except for Ontario CAUBO universities report via questionnaire. The Financial Information of Universities (FINUNI) uses an electronic (Excel) questionnaire, in both CAUBO and non-CAUBO formats.

Ontario CAUBO universities report to its own collection authorities (Council of Finance Officers -- Universities of Ontario (COFO)). This information is sent to Statistics Canada (STC) as a one large flat file. A mapping and integration process is then done to convert the COFO data into the CAUBO format database.

All material is mailed out by the education finance unit (EFU) of STC. CAUBO questionnaires are returned to CAUBO headquarters where they are copied and then sent on to EFU for processing. Non-CAUBO and COFO data are sent directly to STC. EFU conducts telephone follow-up of all non-CAUBO institutions.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s).