Transcript Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies Presentation to the Board of Governors April 28, 2011 Canadian Excellence.

Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
Presentation to the Board of Governors
April 28, 2011
Canadian Excellence
Why Graduate Programs are Important:
The External Context
Canadian Excellence
[The] creation of highly‐qualified personnel, in the form of
graduates with an advanced understanding of research
methods and the capacity to undertake research and apply
it, is an integral part of a university research program.
(Academic Transformations, Clark et al., 2009: 61)
The Need for HQP
Canadian Excellence
 Reaching Higher: “investments in graduate education to develop
the top talent to conduct cutting-edge research and translate
innovative ideas into solutions.”
– 15,000 new spaces were planned by the end of the Reaching
Higher expansion in 2011-12
 Coalition for Action on Innovation in Canada, 2010: increase per
capita graduation rates at the Master’s and Ph.D. levels
 Ontario’s Task Force on Competitiveness, Productivity and
Economic Progress, 2010 : increase the number of master’s
degrees attained, esp. in business and management
 Federal Funding Agencies (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR): emphasis on
training HQP as an important criterion for success in grant
competitions
Results of Reaching Higher:
Number of New Programs Approved to Commence by
Institution 2000-2010 (Expanding Opportunities for Graduate Studies:
The Recent Experience of Ontario, HEQCO, April 12, 2011)
Canadian Excellence
Laurier Context for Graduate Expansion
Canadian Excellence
 Century Plan called for “crossing the Rubicon” into
– more research intensiveness, new graduate programs, and increased
capacity in existing programs
– Result was addition of programs as recommended by Faculty
strategic plans
 Plan was to increase the percentage of graduate student enrolments to
total enrolments:
–
–
–
–
2000: 7.5% of enrolments
2005: 5.8%
2010: 6.7%
projected 2011: 7.4%
Slides on programs
Canadian Excellence
Graduate Programs: 1999--2011
Canadian Excellence
After Expansion:
Differentiation?
Canadian Excellence
• Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario: Transformations (Clark
et al., 2009)
– Recommend: “an evolution toward substantial differentiation,
the employment of more predominantly teaching full-time
faculty, and greater innovation in pedagogy…” (p. 194)
• COU:
• universities are “already highly differentiated across many
dimensions, including the composition of their student bodies,
approaches to teaching, program mixes, research breadth and
focus, and external partnerships “ (News release, 2010)
What do we need to do?
Canadian Excellence
Find a way to define and support differentiation
 Laurier’s graduate programs already differentiated into five
strategic clusters
 Differentiation is consistent with the Academic Plan and
mission of the university to excel in “limited number of
focused, nationally and internationally recognized areas of
research excellence” (Premise #4, Presidential Task Force on Multicampus Governance).
Social Analysis &
Social Justice
Globalization & Governance
English & Film Studies
Communication Studies
Cultural Analysis & Social
Theory
Sociology
History
Ancient Med. Cultures
Religion & Culture/Religious
Studies
Philosophy
Criminology
(Journalism)
Global Governance
International Public Policy
Political Science
Environmental Studies
Biology
Chemistry
Geography
Psychology
Faculty of Graduate &
Postdoctoral Studies:
Strategic Clusters
Health & Well-being
Social Work
Music Therapy
Kinesiology
Psychology
Sociology: Health, Families & WellBeing
Theology
(Music in the Community)
Education
Business, Economics &
Quantitative Analysis
Business Administration
Finance
Management
Mathematics
Economics
Social Analysis & Globalization & Governance
Social Justice
Laurier Centre for the
Health & Well-Being
Advancement of Music in the Institute for the Study of Public
Community
Opinion & Policy
Laurier Centre for Economic Centre for Global Relations
Policy
The Laurier Centre for MilitaryInternational Migration Centre
Strategic and Disarmament Tshepo Institute for the Study of
Studies
Contemporary Africa
Laurier Institute for the Study of
Public Opinion and Policy
Viessmann European Research
Centre
Laurier Centre for Music Therapy Research
Laurier Movement Disorders Research &
Rehabilitation Centre
Laurier Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience
Manulife Centre for Healthy Living
Research Centres
Environmental Studies
Cold Regions Research Centre
Laurier Institute for Water Science
Wilfrid Laurier Herbarium
Business, Economics &
Quantitative Analysis
Centre for Strategic Leadership
Centre for Supply Chain Management
Centre for the Study of Nascent Entrepreneurship & the
eXploitation of Technology
CMA Centre for Responsible Organizations
Financial Services Research Centre
CMA Canada Centre of Excellence in Management
Accounting for SMEs
Centre for Economic Policy
Southwestern Ontario Research Data Centre Centre for
Community Research, Learning & Action
Academic Plan domains mapped on Graduate Studies/Research Clusters
Health & Well-being
Social Analysis &
Social Justice
Cultural &
Artistic
Production
Health & WellBeing
Governance
Social Analysis &
Culture
Professional
programs
Environmental Studies
Governance
Business, Economics &
Quantitative Analysis
Environment
Differentiation through Integration
Canadian Excellence
Laurier’s strengths:
– Teaching and learning
– Fostering of community
– Enhancement of the student experience
– Research interdisciplinarity
– Movement along the “Purposeful Pathway” to high impact practices
We are poised to:
integrate undergraduate, graduate education, and research in a
number of strategic areas
Integration in a Laurier Context
Canadian Excellence
Purpose of Integration (a Core Principle from the Academic Plan)

Move beyond the generation and transmission of knowledge in a particular
discipline to various modes of synthesis as found in multi- and interdisciplinary
programs and research centres;

Apply both theory and practice in academic and professional programs; hybrid
forms of pedagogy including interdisciplinary courses; and community, practicum,
volunteer and work placements;

Develop curriculum and assessment practices to enable interdisciplinary teaching;
the connection of work and learning; and the connection of social, personal and
community responsibilities with intellectual life.
How would it look in FGPS?
Canadian Excellence
 Collaborative programs
– Registration in home degree program + courses/research experience
in one or more other disciplines
 Interdisciplinary programs
– Degree program composed of elements from several base
disciplines
 Combined programs
– Two degree programs completed together: graduate and/or
undergraduate
Collaborative Program in Environmental Studies
Canadian Excellence
Psychology
Geography
Business
Chemistry
Biology
International
Public Policy
Collaborative Program in Health & Well-Being
Canadian Excellence
Psychology
Music Therapy
Social Work
Psychotherapy
(Seminary)
Biology
Kinesiology
Collaborative Program in Social Justice
Canadian Excellence
Political
Science
Sociology
Social Work
Theology
Religion &
Culture
Anthropology
Interdisciplinary Program in Professional Science
Canadian Excellence
Management
Chemistry
Environmental
Science
Biology
Mathematics
Physics
Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Program in
Cognitive/Behavioural Neuroscience
Canadian Excellence
Years 1-3
Research
Specialist
undergrad
courses
Laboratory
group
Professional
Skills
Master’s
courses +
thesis
Priorities
Canadian Excellence
Strategic plan for FGPS: with Faculty deans and GFC, determine local
needs, capacity and available resources:
• Focus on integration opportunities
• Special concerns:
• sustainable mix of research-intensive and professional programs
• low doctoral enrolments and revenue implications
• increasing numbers of master’s programs (enrolment beyond
targets)
• graduate programs in science (especially doctoral)
• TA needs
• recruiting and funding international students
• new program models (Rethink Committee)
The graduate student and PDF experience:
•
training opportunities inside and outside the classroom (HEQCO,
OCGS, CAGS priorities)