As we close out 2025, I want to reflect on a year that has been defined by progress, purpose and the unshakeable commitment of our Humber community as we continue to bring our Building Brilliance vision to life.   

Early in the year, we officially launched our new brand campaign – “The You You Knew Was in You” – in alignment with our bold mission and vision to empower students to thrive in their chosen paths. At the heart of this campaign, is the spirit of our collective identity as Builders of Brilliance. Our faculty and staff embody this every day through their dedication, creativity and mentorship as they help students unleash their potential and discover their edge.  

Humber also proudly ranked 4th on Forbes’ Canada’s Best Employers for Company Culture list, this recognition reflects our commitment to fostering a work culture that champions individuality, diversity and creativity. Guided by our vision and inspired by our community’s passion and purpose, Humber continues to define what it means to be a polytechnic institution.  

Below are some of the key milestones from an extraordinary year: 

REIMAGINING LEARNING:

In our second year as a polytechnic, we sharpened our focus on innovative, career-ready education while expanding pathways for learners and responding to workforce needs across Ontario and beyond.  

• Humber launched its first Master’s program – the Master of Engineering in Advanced Manufacturing Engineering – designed entirely around applied learning and direct industry collaboration to support Canada’s domestic manufacturing capacity.  
• We introduced Ontario’s first Master of Computer Science in Cybersecurity and Operations Management, a program blending advanced technical expertise and strategic leadership skills to meet one of the most urgent workforce needs of our time.  
• Humber’s new School of Clean Energy was officially launched this fall – an academic hub that is designed to power Canada’s clean energy future and reflects the sector’s interdisciplinary nature by bringing together the best of Skilled Trades, Engineering, and Information and Communications Technology.   
• Humber also launched its School of Nursing, building on our leadership in nursing education and in response to Ontario’s healthcare labour shortage, we’re opening dedicated space for excellence in nursing education, research, and innovation.  
• We introduced Biskaabiiyang: Returning to Ourselves, Reimagining the Future, Humber’s new Indigenous Education Plan that acts as a living framework for collective action, inviting our community to carry forward reconciliation through education that provides opportunities for meaningful, relational, and accountable action. 

DEEPER PARTNERSHIPS:

2025 marked a year of transformative partnerships that create new opportunities for learners, accelerate innovation, and solidify Humber’s role as a trusted partner to industry, government, and community.  

• Humber has once again been recognized for its national leadership in applied research and industry collaboration, reflecting the strength of our partnership-driven learning model, Humber ranked first in Canada for “Industry Research Income” and second for “Research Partnerships” – a clear demonstration of the trust that companies, governments, and organizations place in us to help them solve complex, real-world challenges.  
• In alignment with our clean energy strategy and recognizing the pan-Canadian, multi-sector approach needed to power the clean energy transition, Humber announced new partnerships with Ontario Tech University, the Canadian Nuclear Association and joined the CANDU for Canadians campaign as an Ambassador to promote nuclear energy technology and talent development at home and abroad. 
• Humber partnered with the City of Toronto to become an Official Toronto World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter, leading recruitment, training and operations for the FIFA World Cup 26TM Volunteer Centre – Toronto. This collaboration will provide hundreds of once-in-a-lifetime work-integrated learning opportunities for students connected to the world’s largest sporting event.  

DRIVING IMPACT:

This year reflected Humber’s continued leadership in building a more sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready institution that reflects our values and meets the expectations of our community.  

• For a tenth consecutive year, Humber was recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers. We remain on track to be among the first higher education institutions in Canada to achieve Net Zero by 2029, supported by our ambitious Climate Action Plan that embeds sustainability in our organizational culture, academic programming, campus operations, and partnerships.  
• Humber launched a new Sustainability Vision, Shaping a Better Tomorrow, which is anchored in three pillars: 
• Educate: foster sustainable mindsets across programs. 
• Enable: create a sustainable campus experience through innovative learning spaces and operations.  
• Engage: provide hands-on opportunities for students and staff to translate their knowledge into climate action.  
• Humber is expanding access to climate education with the launch of our free, open access Climate Action MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). Designed for anyone, anywhere in the world, this self-paced course offers a comprehensive and engaging introduction to climate action and is developed from a Canadian lens that incorporates Indigenous perspectives. In 3.5 hours, participants will complete the course with a tangible Climate Action Plan, designed to align with their strengths and passions with impactful solutions whether in their personal lives, workplaces, or communities.  

Celebrating Brilliance in our Students:

The achievements of our students this year reflect their talent, determination, and leadership—and the extraordinary faculty and staff who support them. 

• Humber’s ENACTUS team won first place in the Innovation and Impact Challenge for Reshade, which transforms recycled makeup into paint. They went on to win the 2025 Beauty’s Best Tech Award, earning national recognition alongside industry giants. 
• Mia Pearson, a 1992 Public Relations graduate, earned a 2025 Premier’s Award in Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, becoming Humber’s 20th recipient and our ninth consecutive year of alumni recognition.  
• At Skills Ontario, Humber earned six gold, six silver, and three bronze medals. At Skills Canada, Haruka Kawakami won bronze in Aesthetics, and Cole Hunter and Grant Maddock earned back-to-back gold medals in Mechatronics. The duo also won the Hannover Messe international competition in Germany and will represent Canada at WorldSkills 2026 in Shanghai. 
• Winners of Humber’s Map the System competition advanced to the top three nationally and then to the top six globally at Oxford University, distinguishing themselves among 1,750 participants from 50 institutions. 
• At the 2025 Osgoode Cup, Humber sent six teams, competing alongside top universities across Canada. Maria Rausch and Dion Desserre placed fourth overall out of 124 teams, with Maria earning individual recognition for excellence. 
• Humber was named the top Canadian collegiate athletics program of the last 50 years, highlighted by our men’s basketball team winning its eighth national title and Malik Grant becoming our first-ever national MVP. 
• Six Humber Hawk legends were inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame. 
• Our varsity teams celebrated national podium finishes across multiple sports, including Men’s Soccer (Gold), Women’s Volleyball (first-ever Silver), national titles in Women’s Doubles and Men’s Singles in Badminton, and Women’s Softball and Women’s Golf making historic medal runs. 
• For the first time, we recognized six graduating Valedictorians at Spring and Fall Convocations: Nermine Abdallah, Sarah Baptie, Isabella Vergara Bedoya, Carmel Francis, Kaitlyn McLeod, Naisha Suthaharan, Isaiah Brady-Clarke, and Paxton Coghlin. 

As we look ahead to 2026, the momentum we have built this year gives us every reason to be confident in our path forward. Humber is leading in the sector because of our people – our students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners – whose brilliance drives our success and shapes our future.   

Thank you for making 2025 a remarkable year. I hope you have a restful holiday season with connection, joy, and renewal, and I look forward to all that we will build together in the year ahead.  

AMV