Academic Plan - Priorities

Shaping our Future puts forward five priorities. Each one addresses an area of key significance to the university. The following list is a summary. For complete details, download the full text of the Academic Plan (pdf).

1. High quality, societally relevant undergraduate and graduate programs

Ryerson is known for offering high quality programs that combine theoretical and applied knowledge. This mission will continue to be pursued in the future.

The university will seek to balance discipline-based programs and cross-disciplinary programs. The latter will generate original ideas and perhaps even new professions.

Formal partnerships and informal connections will continue to be nurtured between Ryerson and external groups in government, business, industry and community-based agencies in the Greater Toronto Area. These contacts and international links enrich Ryerson’s academic programs and provide opportunities for graduates.

2. Student engagement and success

Students are absolutely central to Ryerson’s mission and identity. In the next five years, the university will persist in engaging students in their own education and development, and in the advancement of the Ryerson community and beyond.

3. Learning and teaching excellence

Ryerson will preserve its commitment to providing a high quality teaching and learning environment. New synergies between teaching and research will be sought. This focus will expand the intellectual engagement of undergraduate and graduate students in research opportunities within the curriculum.

At both curricular and individual levels, support will be provided for faculty and teaching assistants to improve and enhance their teaching effectiveness. In addition, teaching excellence will continue to be honoured at all levels within the institution.

Ryerson will support new and innovative teaching strategies, experiments and initiatives, including growth in the use of instructional technology.

4. Scholarly, research and creative (SRC) intensity

SRC activity – the construction and transmission of new knowledge – is essential to any university. Ryerson will vigorously support the efforts of individual faculty members and larger research groups within the institution. This assistance will also be extended to Ryerson faculty members who conduct collaborative research with other institutions.

The university is committed to promoting SRC as a key part of student engagement at the graduate and undergraduate levels. SRC also plays a vital role in the retention of highly qualified faculty members.

Ryerson will continue to encourage innovation in SRC. In particular, this support will be provided in areas that have direct applications in industry, infrastructure and systems. Endorsement will also be offered to initiatives that contribute to the prosperity, culture and health of society.

To that end, the provost and vice president academic and vice-president, research and innovation have identified the following areas of research activity that present special opportunities:

• Digital Media, Communication and Information Technology
• Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
• Health and Well Being
• Cultural Prosperity
• Technological Innovation
• Management, Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship
• Learning and Teaching Effectiveness

5. Reputation

As the Academic Plan unfolds, it will be important to monitor the university’s reputation. Ryerson’s reputation has sharply increased over time, and it must sustain that momentum.

To that end, it will be crucial to promote and communicate the successes of the university’s academic programs; faculty, students, and alumni; innovations and initiatives; and impact on society from a wide variety of perspectives.

Return to Academic Plan overview