Vision 2010 reaches faculties and services

Daniel Morin

The strategic academic planning process launched by the University a year ago passed an important milestone in early January when the Senate approved the Vision 2010 corporate direction document.

Its main points are not much different from those contained in the working document issued last October, said Vice-President Academic and Provost, Robert Major, who is spearheading the project.

“It’s a very important commitment on the part of the Senate. This document will guide our decisions for the next five years. Upon reading Vision 2010, faculties and services are receiving mandates.”

Major saluted the many people who helped in crafting the document by taking part in the “largest consultation ever held at the University.” It involved more than 30 public meetings in faculties and services, as well as 12 roundtables that produced white papers on specific themes.

The next step in the process is for faculties and services to present their strategic plans by March 31. In developing their own plans, units will be guided by the policy directions and objectives outlined in the document approved by Senate.

“Once the plans from the faculties and services are submitted, discussed by the Committe on Academic Planning, and approved, we will have an integrated plan for the University of Ottawa,” Major said. The process is expected to be completed in the spring.

In highlighting the mission, vision and values of the University, the corporate direction document “upholds and reinforces” certain commitments that were previously taken, Major said.

“The number of major directions were reduced from four to three,” he added. These directions are:

Strengthening our competitive edge;
Creating knowledge, inventing and discovering;
Caring for our community.

There are eight objectives attached to these directions:

To play a leadership role in promoting Canada's official languages;
To be an integral part of Canada's capital;
To move onto the international stage;
To create knowledge through research;
To focus on learning that is driven by innovation and excellence;
To offer students an unparalleled university experience;
To highlight our human potential;
To embrace a modern governance model.

Under each of these objectives, the document outline a series of proposed actions by the University. The development and implementation of these actions in detail will be largely the responsibility of academic and administrative units in their own strategic plans.

Some of these proposals are rather specific in nature. For example:

Open a one-stop service point providing better services for adult learners;
Create an Institute of Official Languages and Bilingualism;
Renovate the University Centre so that it becomes a more effective service center and a meeting point;
Introduce an evaluation process for senior executives.

Other proposals are more general. For example:

Develop a comprehensive scorecard measuring the extent to which the University’s goals have been reached;
Make study programs international in scope;
Recognize the social and community work by students and staff members;
Define learning objectives for each program
Implement all necessary measures to promote service excellence.