500 Glenridge Avenue, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2S 3A1 T: 905-688-5550 www.brocku.ca
PRODUCED BY: THE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY: DIVINO MUCCIANTE
Pictured on cover:
Lisa Bahn,
Health Sciences
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
An Academic Plan for Brock University
I N T R O D U C T I O N
In looking toward 2014, the date of the 50th anniversary of Brock University's founding, it is time to take stock, assess our progress, and plan our
movement forward.
In 1999, the University set a very deliberate course. It would move towards comprehensive status, intensifying its Research and Graduate Studies
activities, and would do so without losing the student-centred focus on which Brock University has built its strong reputation.
Almost a decade later, much has been accomplished. The University has more than doubled its research funding and has expanded its graduate
programming almost five-fold to nearly 40 master's and doctoral level programs. It has also maintained its competitive position as a university that
focuses on teaching and learning as a basis for all else that it does. Brock University has made significant gains in the area of internationalization, and
has expanded co-op education, internships and ‘volunteerships’ as a means of broadening students’ educational experience and deepening the ties of
the University to the surrounding community. Extensive faculty renewal has taken place. More research-focused faculty members have been hired across
the professorial ranks, and new academic programs have been developed to optimize the research and teaching capacities of the University.
TWO
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
An Academic Plan for Brock University
M O V I N G
F O R W A R D
In looking to the future, however, much remains to be done. The University must ensure that it maintains its focus on undergraduate education of the
highest quality, while sustaining and consolidating the transformations already underway. It must pursue a course that allows it to enhance its
distinctiveness while preserving its strengths. Increased research productivity and related research grant increases are essential if the University is to
realize its full potential. New graduate programs must continue to be developed and to flourish in response to the multi-dimensional needs of an
increasingly complex surrounding society. At the same time, new teaching and learning modes and strategies must be developed and implemented in
C O M M U N I T Y
O U T R E A C H
Brock University is committed to enhancing and strengthening its engagement and partnerships with its alumni and with the external communities
of the Niagara Region and beyond. Community outreach is mutually beneficial. At the local level, the synergies it creates will enable the University
to play a more active role in the economic, social and cultural development of the Niagara Region and will create opportunities for community
partnerships that will enrich the content and increase the relevance of the University’s research, teaching and learning activities. In a broader sense,
active partnerships with other institutions at provincial, national and international levels will generate mutually beneficial opportunities through
research and development projects of global significance.
Objectives
Community engagement by faculty, staff and students will become a new mode of “knowledge transfer” and an expression of the University’s
commitment to practise and model the duties and responsibilities of an involved and educated citizenry. Brock University will work with regional
organizations and companies to promote economic development and will collaborate with community partners to retain Brock graduates for the
region by creating sustainable and competitive employment. The University will capitalize on its ability to serve as a resource for the cultural,
intellectual and social life of the Niagara Region, as well as the larger communities – provincial, national and international – within which Niagara
resides and prospers. In particular, the University will:
• Create opportunities for a two-way exchange between the University and the community that will contribute to solutions through
knowledge sharing, research and training
• Expand opportunities for community members to be engaged in University programs of all kinds
• Develop mentorship programs with alumni, and with corporate and community partners
• Collaborate in the development of incubators for research and creative projects that will create community-enhancing employment
opportunities both within the region and beyond, at provincial, national and international levels
• Develop national and international partnerships through which Brock researchers, both faculty and students, can strengthen the
communities with which they interact
• Develop further productive collaborations with the colleges where synergies exist
response to the needs of our students as citizens of an increasingly global and interactive world. In this regard, Brock University must look outward to a
greater extent than ever before, pursuing, creating and disseminating knowledge and promoting faculty and student engagement at all levels. The
University’s goal is to contribute in significant ways to the meaningful transformation of individuals, their communities, and society at large.
• Encourage student leadership in local, national and global activities through research, development and social advocacy
Detailed Community Outreach objectives appear in the strategic plans of the seven Faculties and other academic units at www.brocku.ca
ELEVEN
V A L U E S
Our community – and our work with communities beyond ourselves – is built upon specific institutional values:
• integrity as our foundational principle
• freedom of thought and expression
• imaginative enquiry as the source of
new knowledge
• commitment to new multidisciplinary modes
of thought, creativity and productivity
• the centrality of the student experience
• respect for diversity and inclusiveness
• quality in all that we do
These values inform all of the activities undertaken at Brock University and animate its vision for the future.
V I S I O N
Building upon its reputation for student engagement and collaborative academic experience of the first order, Brock University will take its place
on the Canadian and international stage as a leader and innovator in research, teaching and learning.
In so doing, the University will directly enhance the economic, social, cultural, and intellectual lives of the communities around us: Niagara, Ontario,
Canada and beyond and will thereby demonstrate the vital ways in which universities of the 21st century can contribute to the betterment of society.
P L A N N I N G
F R A M E W O R K
TEN
THREE
The academic framework provided by this document is based on close work with the Deans of each Faculty and Senior Administrators across the
University, and on a number of planning assumptions. These include Brock University’s intention to address its space shortage through additional
construction and its resolve to enhance its resources through increased government support and vigorous fundraising in the private sector.
A C A D E M I C
D I R E C T I O N S
In looking forward to its 50th anniversary in 2014, Brock University will focus on five key directions. The University will:
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
Sarah Lowden, Studies in Arts and Culture
• Develop an institutional culture rooted in pervasive research and creative activity
• Preserve and enhance the quality of undergraduate programs, emphasizing the education of students for leadership, social responsibility
and innovation
• Expand graduate and professional programs reflecting the University's research strengths and capacity for innovation, particularly in
response to areas of emerging need
• Encourage interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches to research and teaching
• Engage with the community to enhance the economic, social, cultural and intellectual lives of the citizens of Niagara and beyond
T E A C H I N G
A N D
L E A R N I N G
Brock University is committed to providing students with an educational experience of the highest quality based on the values and vision
articulated in this academic plan. In the University’s research-intensive environment, student learning will be enriched by strengthened connections
between scholarship and teaching. Brock’s academic programs will, more than ever before, develop students’ intellects, stimulate their imaginations,
and provide them with broad-based knowledge and critical perspectives on global challenges. A Brock University education will engage students
both inside and outside the classroom. It will encourage them to continue learning throughout their lives, and inspire them to become contributing
members of society and leaders in their chosen fields.
Objectives
Brock University will preserve and enhance the quality of its academic programs and promote student leadership, social responsibility and
innovation. It will continue to develop distinctive undergraduate programs with a focus on small-group learning and faculty-student interaction and
an increased emphasis on multidisciplinary course offerings. It will increase accessibility through additional bursaries and scholarships, expand studyabroad and international co-op opportunities, and develop its distance education programming. In particular, the University will:
• Expand the number of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programs and ensure that enrolment in such programs is at least 20 per cent
of the total undergraduate enrolment by 2014
NINE
FOUR
• Increase minimum admission averages to Brock to 80 per cent for certain high-demand programs and to at least 75 per cent for all other
programs by 2014
• Eliminate three-year degree programs in the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Mathematics and Science by 2010
• Review the foundational breadth requirements for all undergraduate degrees by 2010
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
Jameel Khan, BSc, '07 (Biological Sciences)
• Assist new faculty and graduate students in all disciplines to develop strong instructional skills through innovative and diversified teaching
approaches
Detailed Teaching and Learning objectives appear in the strategic plans of the seven Faculties, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Educational
Technologies, Student Services and the University Library at www.brocku.ca
A C A D E M I C
G O A L S
A N D
O B J E C T I V E S
In addressing the five key Academic Directions that have been identified within the context of the overarching themes of Brock University’s
Academic Plan – KNOWLEDGE, ENGAGEMENT, TRANSFORMATION – four broad dimensions or areas of focus emerge: research, graduate studies,
teaching and learning and community outreach.
Specific goals and objectives for each have been set out below, along with links to the strategic plans of the seven Faculties and other units whose
plans reflect and further develop the objectives encapsulated here.
R E S E A R C H
Our collective futures are linked through the knowledge we create and share. Globalization for Canada and for Brock University means more than
trade and business; it also encompasses creative expression, the state of the environment, and the enhancement of health, well-being and social
justice. Brock University’s research will make vital contributions to these areas. Without losing sight of the importance of basic and inquiry-based
research that is of universal interest and significance, Brock University’s faculty and student researchers will be particularly interested in the impact
of their work upon the economic, social and cultural development of the Niagara Region as well as the broader provincial, national and international
community.
EIGHT
Objectives
To develop a culture rooted in pervasive research and creative activity, Brock University will pursue a variety of strategies to provide substantial
and sustained funding for research, to raise the profile of research in all Faculties, to increase linkages with the Faculty of Graduate Studies, to
promote cross-disciplinary research and collaborative research partnerships, and to increase the number of international research and development
projects led by Brock University researchers. In particular, the University will:
• Ensure that external sponsored research funds increase by a minimum of 15 per cent per year, reaching at least $25 million by 2014
• Create at least one Research Chair in each Faculty by 2014, supported by external funding and/or University endowments
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
From left, Katie Toronchuk, Jennifer O’Neill, Jonathan Toth and Mary Gray, members of the SMART Start 2007 team.
• Increase University support for research by providing startup funds for all new faculty at levels that are competitive in Canada
• Ensure adequate resources for the Library to support expanded scholarly activities
• Ensure adequate resources for information technology to support expanded scholarly activities
• Support expanded commercialization opportunities through the development of appropriate intellectual property agreements
• Detailed Research objectives appear in the strategic plans of the Office of Research Services, the seven Faculties, and the University Library
at www. brocku.ca
FIVE
G R A D U A T E
S T U D I E S
The continued expansion and diversification of graduate programming at Brock University is critical to Brock’s recognition as a research-intensive
university offering master’s and doctoral training of the highest calibre.
Objectives
Graduate Studies will play a vital role in the creation of a pervasive research culture, and will support the development of new and dynamic
graduate programs at the master’s and doctoral level, increased interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary programming, new collaborative programs
within the University and with external partners, and the provision of opportunities for graduate students in the areas of leadership skill development,
innovation, and community outreach. In particular, the University will:
• Expand graduate programming commensurate with the University’s areas of research strength, particularly at the PhD level
• Expand the number of applied programs at the graduate level in response to University research strengths and demonstrated social need
• Increase the proportion of graduate students to 10 per cent of the full-time equivalent (FTE) student population by 2014
• Diversify international recruitment and increase the proportion of international students to 30 per cent of the FTE graduate population
SIX
by 2014
• Increase graduate endowments to support both entrance fellowships and “top-up” scholarships, in order to attract and retain excellent
graduate students
• Extend minimum guaranteed graduate funding to full-time graduate students in all Faculties at competitive levels
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
Professor Vincenzo De Lu c a , B i o l o g i c a l S c i e n ces, a n d g ra d u ate st u d e nt J o n at h a n Ro e p ke
• Expand professional development opportunities for graduate students through professional training, internships and related community
engagement activities
Detailed Graduate Studies objectives appear in the strategic plans of the seven Faculties, at www.brocku.ca
SEVEN
G R A D U A T E
S T U D I E S
The continued expansion and diversification of graduate programming at Brock University is critical to Brock’s recognition as a research-intensive
university offering master’s and doctoral training of the highest calibre.
Objectives
Graduate Studies will play a vital role in the creation of a pervasive research culture, and will support the development of new and dynamic
graduate programs at the master’s and doctoral level, increased interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary programming, new collaborative programs
within the University and with external partners, and the provision of opportunities for graduate students in the areas of leadership skill development,
innovation, and community outreach. In particular, the University will:
• Expand graduate programming commensurate with the University’s areas of research strength, particularly at the PhD level
• Expand the number of applied programs at the graduate level in response to University research strengths and demonstrated social need
• Increase the proportion of graduate students to 10 per cent of the full-time equivalent (FTE) student population by 2014
• Diversify international recruitment and increase the proportion of international students to 30 per cent of the FTE graduate population
SIX
by 2014
• Increase graduate endowments to support both entrance fellowships and “top-up” scholarships, in order to attract and retain excellent
graduate students
• Extend minimum guaranteed graduate funding to full-time graduate students in all Faculties at competitive levels
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
Professor Vincenzo De Lu c a , B i o l o g i c a l S c i e n ces, a n d g ra d u ate st u d e nt J o n at h a n Ro e p ke
• Expand professional development opportunities for graduate students through professional training, internships and related community
engagement activities
Detailed Graduate Studies objectives appear in the strategic plans of the seven Faculties, at www.brocku.ca
SEVEN
A C A D E M I C
G O A L S
A N D
O B J E C T I V E S
In addressing the five key Academic Directions that have been identified within the context of the overarching themes of Brock University’s
Academic Plan – KNOWLEDGE, ENGAGEMENT, TRANSFORMATION – four broad dimensions or areas of focus emerge: research, graduate studies,
teaching and learning and community outreach.
Specific goals and objectives for each have been set out below, along with links to the strategic plans of the seven Faculties and other units whose
plans reflect and further develop the objectives encapsulated here.
R E S E A R C H
Our collective futures are linked through the knowledge we create and share. Globalization for Canada and for Brock University means more than
trade and business; it also encompasses creative expression, the state of the environment, and the enhancement of health, well-being and social
justice. Brock University’s research will make vital contributions to these areas. Without losing sight of the importance of basic and inquiry-based
research that is of universal interest and significance, Brock University’s faculty and student researchers will be particularly interested in the impact
of their work upon the economic, social and cultural development of the Niagara Region as well as the broader provincial, national and international
community.
EIGHT
Objectives
To develop a culture rooted in pervasive research and creative activity, Brock University will pursue a variety of strategies to provide substantial
and sustained funding for research, to raise the profile of research in all Faculties, to increase linkages with the Faculty of Graduate Studies, to
promote cross-disciplinary research and collaborative research partnerships, and to increase the number of international research and development
projects led by Brock University researchers. In particular, the University will:
• Ensure that external sponsored research funds increase by a minimum of 15 per cent per year, reaching at least $25 million by 2014
• Create at least one Research Chair in each Faculty by 2014, supported by external funding and/or University endowments
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
From left, Katie Toronchuk, Jennifer O’Neill, Jonathan Toth and Mary Gray, members of the SMART Start 2007 team.
• Increase University support for research by providing startup funds for all new faculty at levels that are competitive in Canada
• Ensure adequate resources for the Library to support expanded scholarly activities
• Ensure adequate resources for information technology to support expanded scholarly activities
• Support expanded commercialization opportunities through the development of appropriate intellectual property agreements
• Detailed Research objectives appear in the strategic plans of the Office of Research Services, the seven Faculties, and the University Library
at www. brocku.ca
FIVE
T E A C H I N G
A N D
L E A R N I N G
Brock University is committed to providing students with an educational experience of the highest quality based on the values and vision
articulated in this academic plan. In the University’s research-intensive environment, student learning will be enriched by strengthened connections
between scholarship and teaching. Brock’s academic programs will, more than ever before, develop students’ intellects, stimulate their imaginations,
and provide them with broad-based knowledge and critical perspectives on global challenges. A Brock University education will engage students
both inside and outside the classroom. It will encourage them to continue learning throughout their lives, and inspire them to become contributing
members of society and leaders in their chosen fields.
Objectives
Brock University will preserve and enhance the quality of its academic programs and promote student leadership, social responsibility and
innovation. It will continue to develop distinctive undergraduate programs with a focus on small-group learning and faculty-student interaction and
an increased emphasis on multidisciplinary course offerings. It will increase accessibility through additional bursaries and scholarships, expand studyabroad and international co-op opportunities, and develop its distance education programming. In particular, the University will:
• Expand the number of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programs and ensure that enrolment in such programs is at least 20 per cent
of the total undergraduate enrolment by 2014
NINE
FOUR
• Increase minimum admission averages to Brock to 80 per cent for certain high-demand programs and to at least 75 per cent for all other
programs by 2014
• Eliminate three-year degree programs in the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Mathematics and Science by 2010
• Review the foundational breadth requirements for all undergraduate degrees by 2010
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
Jameel Khan, BSc, '07 (Biological Sciences)
• Assist new faculty and graduate students in all disciplines to develop strong instructional skills through innovative and diversified teaching
approaches
Detailed Teaching and Learning objectives appear in the strategic plans of the seven Faculties, the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Educational
Technologies, Student Services and the University Library at www.brocku.ca
V A L U E S
Our community – and our work with communities beyond ourselves – is built upon specific institutional values:
• integrity as our foundational principle
• freedom of thought and expression
• imaginative enquiry as the source of
new knowledge
• commitment to new multidisciplinary modes
of thought, creativity and productivity
• the centrality of the student experience
• respect for diversity and inclusiveness
• quality in all that we do
These values inform all of the activities undertaken at Brock University and animate its vision for the future.
V I S I O N
Building upon its reputation for student engagement and collaborative academic experience of the first order, Brock University will take its place
on the Canadian and international stage as a leader and innovator in research, teaching and learning.
In so doing, the University will directly enhance the economic, social, cultural, and intellectual lives of the communities around us: Niagara, Ontario,
Canada and beyond and will thereby demonstrate the vital ways in which universities of the 21st century can contribute to the betterment of society.
P L A N N I N G
F R A M E W O R K
TEN
THREE
The academic framework provided by this document is based on close work with the Deans of each Faculty and Senior Administrators across the
University, and on a number of planning assumptions. These include Brock University’s intention to address its space shortage through additional
construction and its resolve to enhance its resources through increased government support and vigorous fundraising in the private sector.
A C A D E M I C
D I R E C T I O N S
In looking forward to its 50th anniversary in 2014, Brock University will focus on five key directions. The University will:
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
Sarah Lowden, Studies in Arts and Culture
• Develop an institutional culture rooted in pervasive research and creative activity
• Preserve and enhance the quality of undergraduate programs, emphasizing the education of students for leadership, social responsibility
and innovation
• Expand graduate and professional programs reflecting the University's research strengths and capacity for innovation, particularly in
response to areas of emerging need
• Encourage interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches to research and teaching
• Engage with the community to enhance the economic, social, cultural and intellectual lives of the citizens of Niagara and beyond
I N T R O D U C T I O N
In looking toward 2014, the date of the 50th anniversary of Brock University's founding, it is time to take stock, assess our progress, and plan our
movement forward.
In 1999, the University set a very deliberate course. It would move towards comprehensive status, intensifying its Research and Graduate Studies
activities, and would do so without losing the student-centred focus on which Brock University has built its strong reputation.
Almost a decade later, much has been accomplished. The University has more than doubled its research funding and has expanded its graduate
programming almost five-fold to nearly 40 master's and doctoral level programs. It has also maintained its competitive position as a university that
focuses on teaching and learning as a basis for all else that it does. Brock University has made significant gains in the area of internationalization, and
has expanded co-op education, internships and ‘volunteerships’ as a means of broadening students’ educational experience and deepening the ties of
the University to the surrounding community. Extensive faculty renewal has taken place. More research-focused faculty members have been hired across
the professorial ranks, and new academic programs have been developed to optimize the research and teaching capacities of the University.
TWO
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
An Academic Plan for Brock University
M O V I N G
F O R W A R D
In looking to the future, however, much remains to be done. The University must ensure that it maintains its focus on undergraduate education of the
highest quality, while sustaining and consolidating the transformations already underway. It must pursue a course that allows it to enhance its
distinctiveness while preserving its strengths. Increased research productivity and related research grant increases are essential if the University is to
realize its full potential. New graduate programs must continue to be developed and to flourish in response to the multi-dimensional needs of an
increasingly complex surrounding society. At the same time, new teaching and learning modes and strategies must be developed and implemented in
C O M M U N I T Y
O U T R E A C H
Brock University is committed to enhancing and strengthening its engagement and partnerships with its alumni and with the external communities
of the Niagara Region and beyond. Community outreach is mutually beneficial. At the local level, the synergies it creates will enable the University
to play a more active role in the economic, social and cultural development of the Niagara Region and will create opportunities for community
partnerships that will enrich the content and increase the relevance of the University’s research, teaching and learning activities. In a broader sense,
active partnerships with other institutions at provincial, national and international levels will generate mutually beneficial opportunities through
research and development projects of global significance.
Objectives
Community engagement by faculty, staff and students will become a new mode of “knowledge transfer” and an expression of the University’s
commitment to practise and model the duties and responsibilities of an involved and educated citizenry. Brock University will work with regional
organizations and companies to promote economic development and will collaborate with community partners to retain Brock graduates for the
region by creating sustainable and competitive employment. The University will capitalize on its ability to serve as a resource for the cultural,
intellectual and social life of the Niagara Region, as well as the larger communities – provincial, national and international – within which Niagara
resides and prospers. In particular, the University will:
• Create opportunities for a two-way exchange between the University and the community that will contribute to solutions through
knowledge sharing, research and training
• Expand opportunities for community members to be engaged in University programs of all kinds
• Develop mentorship programs with alumni, and with corporate and community partners
• Collaborate in the development of incubators for research and creative projects that will create community-enhancing employment
opportunities both within the region and beyond, at provincial, national and international levels
• Develop national and international partnerships through which Brock researchers, both faculty and students, can strengthen the
communities with which they interact
• Develop further productive collaborations with the colleges where synergies exist
response to the needs of our students as citizens of an increasingly global and interactive world. In this regard, Brock University must look outward to a
greater extent than ever before, pursuing, creating and disseminating knowledge and promoting faculty and student engagement at all levels. The
University’s goal is to contribute in significant ways to the meaningful transformation of individuals, their communities, and society at large.
• Encourage student leadership in local, national and global activities through research, development and social advocacy
Detailed Community Outreach objectives appear in the strategic plans of the seven Faculties and other academic units at www.brocku.ca
ELEVEN
500 Glenridge Avenue, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, L2S 3A1 T: 905-688-5550 www.brocku.ca
PRODUCED BY: THE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY: DIVINO MUCCIANTE
Pictured on cover:
Lisa Bahn,
Health Sciences
Brock 2014 knowledge, engagement, transformation
An Academic Plan for Brock University