In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.
Benoit-Antoine Bacon holds a PhD in neuropsychology, and has 14 years of experience in university administration at Bishop’s University (2004-2013), Concordia University Montreal (2013-16), and Queen’s University (2016-18). After this interview, he was appointed President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University, effective July 1 2018.
Ken had a wide-ranging, hour-long discussion with Benoit, which has been edited down to just 11 minutes in this special bonus episode, to focus on 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.
Innovations at Queen’s?
Benoit starts with Queen’s new $100-million Innovation & Wellness Centre, which will combine centralized student health and wellness supports, and custom-designed entrepreneurship and innovation space. He also points to a brand new mental health initiative to “embed” counselors in faculty and residence offices. Queen’s has also been investing $1 million+ every year in new active learning classrooms, like those in Ellis Hall, and is finding them in great demand and having significant impact on student learning. There is also international attention on Queen’s “Major Maps,” which outline extracurricular and experiential opportunities to enhance every undergraduate degree, and potential career outcomes.
The Decade Ahead?
Benoit emphasizes that the convergence of geopolitical, technological and societal pressures will make the next ten years absolutely critical, and identifies 4 things that will be key. In an increasingly global and diverse world, universities have a central role in fostering inclusion and helping people live together. Curricula, hiring, and even university symbols need to be reconsidered in a diverse and inclusive environment – not just to be nice, but because institutional success depends on attracting and retaining the world’s best talent. Universities also have to decide whether they will be local or global in their focus. The NYU “transnational” model is impressive but likely unique. Universities also need to take a fully-integrated, strategic approach to digital technologies, often appointing an academic CIO or a Vice-Provost Digital Planning. Research will continue to become more and more interdisciplinary in order to address the world’s big challenges and issues. But Benoit believes the biggest disruption over the next 10 years will be a shift toward measuring student learning outcomes and skills instead of traditional inputs.
Culture of Innovation?
Benoit believes senior leaders need to avoid blocking innovation, instead creating a culture of “saying yes.” In fact, risk-aversion might be the greatest risk that universities run today, so leaders need to shift to a culture of intelligent, measured risk-taking. Benoit says that “everything starts with hiring” for innovation instead of the status quo, from the top on down. Benoit concludes that there are many things you can do to shift institutional culture quicker than people might think.
Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/
In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.
Sara Diamond has worked in higher education for 3 decades, at BC’s Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Alberta’s Banff Centre, and Ontario’s OCAD University, where she has been President since 2005. In this special bonus episode, edited to 10 minutes, Ken asks Sara 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.
Innovations at OCAD?
Sara proudly points to OCADU’s new Academic Plan, which brings together STEAM+D – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (or Medicine) with Art and Design in a powerful interdisciplinary combination. All OCAD students will be provided with basic programming skills so they can be “digital citizens.” OCADU also has a strong focus on Indigenous knowledge, culture and creativity, and “decolonization” is OCAD’s first guiding principle. OCAD has diversified its curriculum and built a cosmopolitan campus, with international students from around the world. And OCAD is opening several new buildings, including the waterfront Campus for the Connected World, and the Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers, both of which will focus on new experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities for students. OCAD’s business incubator for recent graduates, the Imagination Catalyst, has a very high success rate launching new ventures. And OCAD is partnering with UOIT to bring together design and hard science for STEAM+D.
The Decade Ahead?
Over the next decade, Sara predicts a world of continuous learning in which universities offer increasingly flexible degrees, badges and stackable microcredentials, as well as flexible timetables for working and entrepreneurial students. Digital delivery will intensify, but the “sociality” of learning will continue to bring students together in one place to learn. She also anticipates some really dynamic “international aggregates of institutions” offering students trans-national learning experiences and credentials. And Sara projects ongoing and increasing investment in “blue-sky” investigator-driven research, and the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in the “expressive economy.”
Culture of Innovation?
Sara emphasizes that university leaders must support the integration of research and teaching, and maintain curricular openness to new learning. They must be “militant proponents of diversity”, be highly collaborative across campus, and also reinforce the “porosity” of the university, building partnerships with industry and external organizations to help build their communities. Ultimately, Sara observes, university research can help solve the world’s big problems, so long as we stay “at the coal face” of the real world.
Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/
In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities’ Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.
Pierre Zundel has served as a university leader for almost a decade, first as President of the University of Sudbury (2009-2016), then as Provost and VP Academic at Laurentian University (2016-17), and since August 2017 as Laurentian’s Interim President. In this special bonus episode, edited to 8 minutes, Ken asks Pierre 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.
Innovations at Laurentian?
First and foremost, Laurentian has been a leader in introducing Indigenous content across the curriculum, has more than 25 indigenous faculty members, and a spectacular new Indigenous Sharing & Learning Centre. Laurentian has recently completed an ambitious renovation of more than 60 classrooms and labs, and created a new Welcome Centre to integrate student services. Laurentian excels at developing college pathways and partnerships, particularly with Cambrian College and Collège Boréal in Sudbury.
The Decade Ahead?
Over the next decade, Pierre predicts that all Canadian universities will be working to figure out the part they can play in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Moreover, universities will become more “porous,” with more community and industry connections, more work-integrated learning and co-op education – particularly in programs like the Arts, where co-op has been uncommon in the past. Pierre anticipates growth in student mental health programs, open textbooks, blended delivery, just-in-time tutoring, and predictive analytics based on “big data” to launch early interventions and student supports.
Culture of Innovation?
Pierre identifies 3 things campus leaders can do to foster a culture of innovation. 1) Firstly, leaders can showcase good innovative ideas or good attempts, whether successful or not. 2) Secondly, they can run interference, helping to create space for innovation by preventing resistance from shutting it down early. 3) And thirdly, leaders have to make it possible to fail, so that we learn from failed attempts instead of focusing on laying blame.
Pierre emphasizes that universities may be “as conservative as cats” but they are also hugely creative places!
Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don’t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/