Canadian Excellence

Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies

Presentation to the Board of GovernorsApril 28, 2011

Canadian Excellence

Why Graduate Programs are Important:

The External Context

[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)

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The Need for HQP

· 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

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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)

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Laurier Context for Graduate Expansion

· 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%

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Slides on programs

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Graduate Programs: 1999--2011

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After Expansion:Differentiation?

• 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)

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What do we need to do?

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 Multi-campus Governance).

Globalization & Governance

Health & Well-being

Social WorkMusic Therapy

KinesiologyPsychology

Sociology: Health, Families & Well-Being

Theology(Music in the Community)

Education

Business, Economics & Quantitative

Analysis

Environmental Studies

Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies: Strategic Clusters

Global GovernanceInternational Public PolicyPolitical Science

Business AdministrationFinanceManagementMathematicsEconomics

BiologyChemistryGeographyPsychology

Globalization & Governance

Health & Well-Being

Business, Economics & Quantitative

Analysis

Environmental Studies

Social Analysis & Social JusticeLaurier Centre for the

Advancement of Music in the Community

Laurier Centre for Economic Policy

The Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies

Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy

Viessmann European Research Centre

Research Centres

Institute for the Study of Public Opinion & PolicyCentre for Global RelationsInternational Migration CentreTshepo Institute for the Study of Contemporary Africa

Laurier Centre for Music Therapy ResearchLaurier Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation CentreLaurier Centre for Cognitive NeuroscienceManulife Centre for Healthy Living

Centre for Strategic LeadershipCentre for Supply Chain ManagementCentre for the Study of Nascent Entrepreneurship & the eXploitation of TechnologyCMA Centre for Responsible OrganizationsFinancial Services Research CentreCMA Canada Centre of Excellence in Management Accounting for SMEsCentre for Economic PolicySouthwestern Ontario Research Data Centre Centre for Community Research, Learning & Action

Cold Regions Research CentreLaurier Institute for Water ScienceWilfrid Laurier Herbarium

Health & Well-being

Governance

Business, Economics & Quantitative

Analysis

Environmental Studies

Social Analysis & Social Justice Professio

nal programs

Health & Well-Being

Governance

Social Analysis &

Culture

Cultural & Artistic

Production

Academic Plan domains mapped on Graduate Studies/Research Clusters

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Differentiation through Integration

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

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Integration in a Laurier Context

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.

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How would it look in FGPS?

· 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

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Collaborative Program in Environmental Studies

Psychology

Business

Biology

International Public

Policy

Chemistry

Geography

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Collaborative Program in Health & Well-Being

Psychology

Social Work

Biology

Kinesiology

Psychotherapy

(Seminary)

Music Therapy

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Collaborative Program in Social Justice

Political Science

Social Work

Religion & Culture

Anthropology

Theology

Sociology

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Interdisciplinary Program in Professional Science

Management

Environmental

Science

Mathematics

Physics

Biology

Chemistry

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Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Program in Cognitive/Behavioural Neuroscience

Years 1-3 Research Specialist undergrad

courses

Professional Skills

Master’s courses +

thesis

Laboratory group

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Priorities

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)