“Our goal is to make Concordia a beacon of what a next-generation university should look like,” says Graham Carr, provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs.
“Any progress we make depends on the success of our students and faculty — a vital element for us to move forward under our nine directions.”
If 2016-17, year one of implementing the “first moves” under the university’s Strategic Directions Game Plan, is any indication, Concordia is well-positioned for future success.
“The accomplishments of our first year were quite breathtaking. They reflect a lot of hard work across all faculties, the School of Graduate Studies and the Concordia Library,” Carr said in his update at the October 13 Senate meeting.
The nine directions, developed through consultation across the university, clearly distinguish Concordia and have galvanized the community into action, he added.
“In 2016-17, we saw a remarkable level of engagement. There was no shortage of great projects or ideas. Part of our challenge in year two will be to find focus and harness this energy.”
5 guiding principles
To support the decision-making process in 2017-18, Carr identified five guiding principles: position globally, partner meaningfully, integrate for impact, deliver on innovation and augment the student experience.
Concordia’s reputation worldwide continues to rise, with rankings serving as one indicator.
“We are among the world’s top 1.6 per cent and we are the top-ranked Canadian university under 50 in Canada and tied for top spot in North America,” he said, referring to the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings.
“These are an important driver of our reputation within an increasingly competitive global environment.”
To succeed in the 21st century, Carr also believes you have to partner effectively.
“Our relationship with Hydro-Québec — which has generously supported our students, the Solar Decathlon project, and three Industrial Research Chairs — is a partnership that has matured.”
Integrating activities for maximized impact will also be key in 2017-18, said Carr. He cited the new Science Hub, to be located on the Loyola Campus, as an example.
This state-of-the art facility will encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and research. It will host cross-disciplinary science and engineering research and link to startup opportunities through new wet lab space for Concordia’s District 3 Innovation Center.
“We want to deliver on innovation, a critical element of being a next-generation university,” he added.
“One initiative we plan to launch focuses on nurturing the talent and expertise of our staff members through a new suite of training programs in fields such as project management.”
As a next-generation university, enhancing the student experience also remains an important priority for Concordia.
“There are many ways of doing so — some will happen in the classroom, while others will focus outside our corridors, such as through experiential learning,” said Carr.
Both the renovation project to support a new Student Success Centre and the Webster Library Transformation Project are tangible examples of how the university is making good on its commitment to augment the student experience.
“Undergraduate and graduate students now have access to more than 3,000 study seats and a state-of-the-art technology sandbox.”