Vancouver Island University’s 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, People Place Potential was approved by VIU’s Board of Governors in April 2021. The plan builds on our university’s deep commitment to learners in all their diversity, draws on our historical connection to the communities and challenges of our region, and articulates our belief in the potential of all learners to benefit from a university education.
Every day, we welcome, support, and inspire all those who study and work at VIU. In our research and through our partnerships, we seek to understand the rich diversity of our region and to encourage the well-being of our communities. We are dedicated to helping our learners and our communities embrace their potential. We believe that everyone matters here.
Three key values
- Understanding. We seek to understand the diversity of thought, identity, and experience of everyone at VIU, and to bring that openness of mind and that curiosity of spirit to all that we do.
- Connection. We believe in the power of personal connection and kindness in building experiences that matter.
- Commitment. We are motivated by a deep commitment and pride in the growth of our learners, our employees, and our communities.
The plan establishes six high-level commitments for VIU for the next five years. Woven throughout are four key considerations:
- Advance VIU’s Indigenous commitments;
- Deepen equity, diversity, and inclusion;
- Broaden cultural competencies in a global world; and
- Support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Six commitments
People
- Welcome a larger and more diverse population of learners. We know that university education transforms learners and their communities, and that access to university opens doors to a better future for all. We remain committed to deepening access and so seek to be home to a greater diversity of learners from our region, our country, and around the world.
- Become a more inclusive and healthier place for work and study. We believe that well-being in all its aspects depends on how we treat each other. We will therefore prioritize our work to advance equity, celebrate diversity, and practice inclusion, and we will do more to promote better mental health and more work, study, and life balance for all our learners and employees.
Place
- Grow to be the region’s hub for research and expertise. Our communities are active in solving the social, economic, and environmental challenges of our region and VIU wants to be the partner of choice in supporting that crucial work. We seek to become the community’s first point of call for research and expertise to address the issues that matter most to them.
- Build stronger partnerships with Indigenous communities. VIU is committed to building on its partnerships with the Indigenous communities of this region. We will do more to honour Indigenous students, employees, and communities; deepen our understanding of Indigenous knowledge; and work with Indigenous people to co-create programming that better serves the priorities of their communities.
Potential
- Become a leader in learning for new generations. VIU has built recognized expertise in building the potential of learners who face myriad obstacles to education. We will therefore become a leader in Canada in the research, development, and sharing of pedagogies for success. Building on that expertise, we will continue to adapt our learning methods – delivery formats, course design, academic support and more – so that all VIU students benefit.
- Expand life-enriching and career-building experiences. We believe that education doesn’t just happen in the classroom; learning comes most powerfully through real-life experiences. We will therefore provide more opportunities for life-enriching and career-building opportunities such as co-ops, work placements, and internships, and will continue to develop our suite of up-skilling and re-skilling programs for learners throughout their careers.