UPEI Vision Document provides foundation for future direction

Over the past four months, UPEI has engaged its campus and community in a consultation exercise to help develop the University's vision. The exercise, known as the UPEI Reflections and Future Directions initiative, has focused on determining the University's core strengths and how these can be used to shape the future of UPEI, its people, and communities.

'The level of engagement and consultation within this initiative has been tremendous,' says Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President of UPEI and Chair of the UPEI Reflections and Future Directions Steering Committee. 'More than 200 people from our campus and communities have been involved in helping UPEI rediscover its strengths and determine the vision of our university. This is a huge success that we are eager to build upon.'

The result of UPEI's consultative discussions is the UPEI Vision Document which outlines UPEI's vision of being 'a leader in delivering outstanding experiential learning opportunities that encourage students to develop to their full potential in both the classroom and community' and 'the development of tomorrow's leaders who will emerge from their studies ready to excel and contribute to the betterment of our local and global communities.'

Although the document is forward looking and focused, the UPEI Vision Document is not a strategic plan or business plan, explains Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. 'The document is a compass that will help guide UPEI's institutional direction, decision making, and broader planning in the months and years ahead. The strategic plans we put in place and the direction we chose to pursue will need to uphold the vision outlined in the UPEI Vision Document.'

Dr. Abd-El-Aziz has asked Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Vice-Chair of UPEI's Reflections and Future Directions Steering Committee, to lead the next phase of the initiative which includes the development of a Strategy Incubation Team. The development of strategic action plans to build upon the document will begin in the coming weeks and continue into the fall.

'The input we've received throughout our consultative process is invaluable,' says Dr. Abd-El-Aziz.' We are ready to take on the challenge of planning to support our vision, build our relevancy, and ensure the growth of higher education in PEI.'

The UPEI Vision Document received endorsement by both the UPEI Senate and Board of Governors in early May. Click here to view the full document.