Humber delivered its Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) submission to the Ontario Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities on October 1, 2012. The SMA articulates our institutional mandate, vision and priority objectives and is the first step in an ongoing dialogue with the Ministry about Humber’s unique role as a comprehensive, polytechnic postsecondary institution.
Background:
On June 27, 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities released Strengthening Ontario’s Centres of Creativity, Innovation and Knowledge – a discussion paper on quality, innovation and productivity – as part of its consultation on the future of postsecondary education in the province. Over the summer, the Ministry hosted a series of consultation sessions for postsecondary education stakeholders on the following topics: Quality Teaching and Learning; Experiential Learning; TechnologyEnabled Learning; Expanded Credential Options and Credit Transfer. Humber participated in each of these consultation sessions, and hosted the inaugural consultation on Quality Teaching and Learning Outcomes, on July 19, 2012.
In early August, colleges and universities were asked to prepare an eight-page Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) submission that included a proposed mandate statement, vision and three priority objectives.
SMA Development Process:
Humber’s Executive Team nominated members to a small SMA Task Force in mid-August. The SMA development team then worked with direction from the Executive Team, and input from subject matter experts, to prepare various drafts of the document based on the parameters outlined in a SMA template provided by the Ministry. The draft documents received thoughtful input from Humber’s Academic
Council, the Humber Students’ Federation (HSF), the President’s Executive Committee (PEC), Academic Operations Committee (AOC), and was approved by Humber’s Board of Governors on September 24, 2012.
Next Steps:
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) will establish a peer review panel to evaluate the initial mandate submissions and identify a short list of colleges and universities whose submissions demonstrate the greatest ability to serve as lead institutions – models of advanced education in the 2st century. We await feedback from the HEQCO panel and the Ministry and will keep the Humber
community informed as the dialogue progresses. Summary of Humber’s Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) Submission
Humber’s Proposed Mandate Statement:
Humber leads the Ontario college system in our dedication to a polytechnic model of postsecondary education and training and has demonstrated capacity to move to the next level of differentiation and clarity in our polytechnic status.
Humber offers:
- the most comprehensive range of credentials, programs and services
- seamless pathways and collaborative partnerships to enhance student choice and mobility
- teaching and learning excellence and innovative use of technology
Humber’s Vision:
Humber – excellence in polytechnic education.
Humber’s Priority Objectives:
Each institution was asked to identify its top three priority objectives and how it plans to achieve those objectives. Each priority must relate to the government’s stated principles for postsecondary education, including: Putting Students First; Meeting the Needs of the Creative Economy; and Focusing on Productivity, Innovation and Sustainability.
Priority 1 – Enhance Student Choice: Expanding Degrees and Pathways
- Quality – proven track record in developing and delivering a broad range of high-quality degree programs.
- Demand – rising applicant demand/enrolment in degree programming due to unmet demand for degree-level study in the GTA.
- Outcomes – degree graduate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) statistically significantly higher than the college system average.
- Flexibility and Pathways – Humber degrees specifically designed with clear pathways.
- Partnerships – unique partnership with the University of Guelph through Guelph-Humber.
- Cost Effective for Government and Students – cost-efficient delivery model, providing topquality degree education for less.
Humber will leverage further innovation and productivity gains:
- Continue to develop and implement new industry-focused programs in all credentials, including three-year degrees and Master’s degrees in areas with demonstrated student/employer demand and which meet rigorous quality standards.
- Ensure pathways between credentials.
- Increase flexibility for students through additional online degree course offerings and summer semester degree offerings.
- Offer stand-alone Nursing degree.
Build on/expand the successful collaboration with the University of Guelph-Humber.
Priority 2 – Demonstrating Leadership in Teaching and Learning: Focus on Student Success and Graduate Outcomes
- Leading Centre for Teaching and Learning – commitment to sharing resources and best practices in teaching and learning; offering Teaching Excellence Program, Teaching Effectiveness Certificate, and Teaching Innovation Fund; developed Teaching Excellence Standards.
- Supporting Student Success and Demonstrable Learning Outcomes – lead the system in identifying at-risk students and collaborative targeting of support strategies and services.consistently higher than other GTA colleges on student satisfaction with teaching and learning KPIs; leader in innovative faculty training and student services to improve the postsecondary experience and learning outcomes of international students.
Humber’s demonstrated advances in outcomes-based teaching and learning can be leveraged to achieve system-wide productivity gains through innovation:
- Launch the Ontario Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning Outcomes as the foremost provincial resource for system-wide training and faculty support to influence better student outcomes.
- Expand initiatives to support institutional and faculty understanding of the impact of improved teaching and ‘deep learning’ strategies on student outcomes and success.
- Build on Humber’s position of leadership within the system related to demonstrable learning outcomes.
Priority 3 – Innovation, Mobility and Flexibility through Technology: Supporting Students and Faculty
- Using technology to support students – Humber’s Open Learning Centre is a best-practice model for students studying online.
- Supporting Faculty and Staff – providing instruction and support to faculty developing online courses and programs through the Instructional Support Studio.
- Quality Online Learning – more than 360 online courses, 40 online programs and 16,896 registrants in online programs in 2011-12; Humber’s online courses are developed using a bestpractice model consisting of three-person team of Content Expert, Instructional Designer and Graphics Specialist.
- Demand – 56 per cent increase in online registrations between 2006-07 and 2011-12.
- Flexibility and Choice for Degree Students – PEQAB approval to offer online breadth courses, providing increased flexibility for all Ontario college degree students.
- Technology Enhanced Learning Environment – advanced classrooms and state-of-the-art lab environments to enhance student learning.