uOttawa News

OTTAWA, February 18, 2014  —  Since 2011, the University of Ottawa has embarked on a plan that includes making uOttawa one of the top five research-intensive universities in Canada. This objective, which is outlined in the University’s Destination 2020 strategic plan, is steadily propelling the University towards ambitious goals.

To maintain this momentum, the University has initiated a major dialogue entitled Roadmap@Destination2020, which seeks to involve the entire university community in finding the best way forward. This dialogue will need to take into account two new factors that have arisen since the adoption of Destination 2020, namely the provincial requirement for universities to differentiate themselves and the financial pressures that all Ontario universities currently face.

“We have been called upon to meet a new provincial requirement which states that each university must determine the strengths that differentiate it from other universities and implement a plan to build on those strengths,” said University of Ottawa President and Vice-Chancellor Allan Rock. “We must also consider our financial viability. Although this will be a challenge, it also represents an extraordinary opportunity to shape our university’s future and bring about the vision outlined in Destination 2020.”

The targets set in Destination 2020 aim to make the University of Ottawa a premier post-secondary institution, renowned for the enriching and stimulating experiences it offers its students, both inside and outside the classroom. From now until 2020, the University also intends to strengthen its commitment to bilingualism and the Francophonie, to welcome more international students, and to maintain strong ties with the best universities around the world.

Allan Rock concluded by saying, “It’s an inspiring vision, one that reflects the aspirations that our university community expressed during the consultations that led to the creation of the Destination 2020 strategic plan. We must now find a way to turn our vision into reality, while managing our finances and responding to the province’s challenge to specialize.”

University of Ottawa students, professors and staff members are invited to visit the Destination 2020 Web page for more information on the upcoming dialogue.
 

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Information for media

Caroline Milliard
Manager, Media Relations
University of Ottawa
Cell: 613-240-0275
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca