Academic Plan - Strategies

Shaping Our Future puts forward 25 strategies that will guide the Ryerson community as it pursues the principal priorities of the Academic Plan.

The university’s faculties, schools, departments, and other academic units may interpret and implement the strategies in ways that best suit their unique circumstances. The ability to pursue these strategies will depend on available budgetary resources.

25 Strategies

Academic Programming

Strategy 1: Ryerson’s undergraduate curriculum will continue to evolve so that undergraduate programming and its delivery remain innovative and responsive to students. Courses will be made more accessible, students will be given more choice and transferability will be enhanced.

Strategy 2: Ryerson’s undergraduate programs will offer opportunities to students to develop a broad foundation of knowledge and skills necessary for the changing professions of the 21st century.

Strategy 3: Deans will evaluate the experiential learning opportunities available to students in their faculties, and will pursue improvements and new initiatives based on their evaluations and available resources.

Strategy 4: Subject to appropriate funding, Ryerson will increase the number of its professional- and research-based graduate programs, particularly at the doctoral level.

Strategy 5: Each faculty, in conjunction with the School of Graduate Studies, will identify how services to graduate students may be strengthened, and the University will endeavour to pursue the recommendations with available resources.

Strategy 6: Ryerson will continue to pursue initiatives that offer life-long learning through continuing education programming, as well as a broad range of programs designed to meet the access obligations of a democratic society.

Scholarly, research and creative activity (SRC)

Strategy 7: The university will continue to provide stimulus and support to increase both the quality and quantity of SRC activity.

Strategy 8: The transfer of knowledge to the community, industry and the marketplace will be fostered.

Strategy 9: The university will increasingly pursue partnerships and collaborations that support the overall SRC plan.

Strategy 10: Undergraduate aas well as graduate students will be provided with SRC activity opportunities.

Student engagement, success and retention

Strategy 11: The vice-provost, students will assess the academic support services, and other services for students, and the University will work to sustain its effective programs and make improvements and changes where necessary.

Strategy 12: The director of athletics will lead efforts to enhance facilities and opportunities for intramural sports and recreation.

Strategy 13: The university will make a key priority of its continued explansion of space for formal and informal study, informal gathering, and research and teaching.

Strategy 14: Ryerson will invest in the learning and teaching environment of a 21st-century university; support pedagogical innovation; preserve its studio and lab cultures; and strengthen its experiential learning model.

Strategy 15: All faculties will be encouraged to create a faculty team in partnership with others to support teaching, learning, and student success and retention.

Academic structures and administrative practices

Strategy 16: A report on the academic structure of the University will be developed by the provost through a consultative process.

Strategy 17: The provost, with the vice-provost, university planning and the deans, will review Ryerson’s academic funding models.

Faculty and staff

Strategy 18: Ryerson will compete vigorously to attract and retain highly qualified faculty.

Strategy 19: Opportunities will be enhanced for faculty, instructors, and teaching and graduate assistants to strengthen their teaching practices.

Strategy 20: The university will work to expand the staff complement where possible, recognizing the vital impact of staff support on the educational mission.

Strategy 21: Additional professional and career development opportunities will be designed or supported for staff.

Partnerships and collaborations

University Advancement

Strategy 22: Development activities will be undertaken to support proposals both at the university and faculty levels, consistent with the priorities of the Academic Plan.

Strategy 23: The Office of University Advancement will take the lead in creating new university-level opportunities and pathways for alumni to become even more engaged in the life of the university, and will collaborate with faculties as appropriate.

Strategy 24: Ryerson will foster local, national and international partnerships and collaborations with organizations that share the university’s goals and enhance its mission.

Strategy 25: Ryerson will ensure that it communicates effectively to its many internal constituents and external stakeholders the value and quality of its academic programs, its research and its community. Ryerson will publicly celebrate major achievements, successful initiatives and other signal accomplishments to add to the university’s reputation.

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