I am delighted to share with the Humber community that the Board of Governors approved the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan and 2013-14 Business Plan on Monday, June 24. The five-year plan was developed through the most iterative, collaborative and consultative process undertaken at Humber to-date, and reflects the combined expertise, experience and knowledge of the more than 1,600 faculty, staff, students, employers and community partners who participated in the strategic planning consultation process. One of the things we heard from you is that the way we do things is as important as what we do, and the plan indicates a commitment to ongoing opportunities to engage with stakeholder groups as we move through the implementation phase.

The 2013-2018 plan builds upon the extraordinary achievements of the 2008-2013 Strategic Plan, and is rooted in the fundamentals of excellence in teaching and learning that have made Humber so successful. The plan identifies three strategic priorities as areas of focus for the next five years. These priority areas must be supported by excellent “Foundations for Success” that include human, capital and technological resources, without which none of our goals are achievable. Over the next five years, we will concentrate on “Strengthening our Polytechnic Identity,” recognizing that this is a key component of what makes Humber unique. We will continue to insist upon a “Sustained Focus on Teaching and Learning Excellence” to enhance and maintain our well-deserved reputation for excellence. As a third strategic priority, we will focus on our external relationships by “Maximizing the Impact of Partnerships” with employers, industry partners, alumni, other educational institutions and community agencies.

I would like to thank the cross-institutional Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC), who dedicated their time to facilitate consultation sessions, attend planning meetings and repeatedly engage with key college committees and connect with the community throughout the process. Thank you to the faculty, staff and students who attended a Student Success Roundtable or a Town Hall Session, participated in the Virtual Town Hall for Students or submitted comments on the Imagine Humber website. I believe that the plan integrates much of what we heard from you throughout the consultation process.

I encourage you to spend a few minutes familiarizing yourself with the new plan. We will officially launch the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan at the President’s Breakfast in August, and look forward to engaging with all academic and service departments as we begin implementation.