On March 31, Principal and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane hosted Re-imagining Education for Impact, an in-person and virtual event at the Fermenting Cellar in Toronto’s Distillery District.

Approximately 200 people took part in the event attending in-person and online, the first in a five-part series about the vision for the university. Discussions focused on how Queen’s is driving innovation and change inside and outside the classroom and preparing students to make a positive impact on the world.

“We want to share a bold new vision for the future of Queen’s with our alumni,” Principal Deane says. “As the world changes, Queen’s must be poised to build upon its successes while preparing itself to compete in a global environment that brings with it new challenges and exciting opportunities. This vision calls for the development and implementation of a comprehensive, equity-focused, and integrated program of global engagement that includes active, strategic partnerships, enhanced student and faculty mobility, and teaching and learning reform oriented toward a pluralistic and culturally relevant global environment.”

Panelists Wanda Costen, Dean of the Smith School of Business, PhD student Morgan Lehtinen, and alumnus Ushpreet Mehta, elaborated on how the new vision advances learning and better prepares students to have an impact in their chosen careers and throughout their lives.  

“The university’s new strategy is largely about the enormous potential of Queen’s to have a positive impact locally, nationally and globally,” Principal Deane says. “We are doing great things and we aspire to do even more. We accomplish this by cultivating excellence and leadership in our students, supporting groundbreaking research, and ensuring the university respects and fosters meaningful community partnerships. These are all areas where Queen’s alumni can play a valuable role realizing this shared vision.” 

The remaining sessions in the series will be virtual, with panels hosted live from cities across the country to bring the university’s strategic goals to the Queen’s community.