Strategic Plan 2025-2030

Cambrian is already a significant hub for education in the region, and draws students and partners from across Canada and around the world.  How do we deepen our role as an educational “magnet” in a way that lets us continue to provide transformative education for our region while developing a competitive edge for learners across the world?

Some of the ideas we will explore in this session will include:

• How do we deepen our relationships with regional communities and industry partners to support targeted professional development, stronger transitions to education, community-driven programming, cutting edge industry knowledge and workforce readiness?
• How can our Northern and regional strengths give us a competitive edge for learners beyond our region?  How could we lean into teaching people from other parts of Canada and across the world about the unique knowledge of northern communities?  How can we use our unique relationship to the landscape to integrate environmental sustainability across our programs?

Throughout pollination, we heard about many strengths of Cambrian’s teaching and programming, including how much people value faculty expertise and care for student success. As we look forward, how can Cambrian continue to shape forward-thinking teaching, learning and programming?

In this session, we will explore questions such as:

• What is the program balance that will generate both transformative education and financial sustainability – local, regional, global? How will we make decisions about which programs to prioritize?
• How could we evolve our programs and teaching to fully embrace the changing landscape of technology, artificial intelligence and the world of work? What are the arenas where we can hone a competitive edge?
• How we do we support faculty and staff to be leaders in their spheres?

Throughout the earlier engagement, we hear overwhelmingly how much people value the “special sauce” of the supportive Cambrian community – and how important it is to continue fostering student support and accessibility in a sustainable way.  In this session, we will explore how to deepen and sustain the community warmth that is already the foundation of Cambrian.

Some of the questions we will explore include…

• How do we make Cambrian even more accessible and inclusive for students across our regions and around the world, from practical life needs and academic support to all the elements of a transformative education and career preparation?
• How do we sustain our “secret sauce” of warmth and personal connection in a sustainable way?
• How do we deepen our commitment to Indigeneity across programs, curriculum and community?

One of the central strands of Cambrian College’s strategic planning is defining the next generation for partnerships and innovation, in Northern Ontario and across the globe. On November 27 from 12 to 1:30 p.m., we are hosting a short, “express” version of our interactive strategy “hive” process to engage our partners and stakeholders in exploring potential priorities for the next era for Cambrian College.

Please join us for a 90-minute, interactive session via Zoom to explore key questions that matter to all of us:

• How should Cambrian be building on our existing regional and global partnerships? Where should we be focusing our energy around technology, innovation and shared goals in ways that benefit our learners, our research, our communities and our partners’ priorities?
• What are the trends in technology and innovation we need to get ahead of? What are the innovation zones that will define the next decade or beyond for Cambrian?
• What do partners need from Cambrian? What do good partnerships look like?
• How do we build sustainable capacity to seize and grow innovative opportunities?

Throughout the pollination process, we heard many ideas for day-to-day improvements in processes, use of space, systems and ways of working that could improve student experience and faculty and staff work flow. Building on all of the ideas in the first four Hives, in this session we will explore opportunities for improvements that will maximize the time we spend meeting student, graduate and partner needs and supporting their success? How do we evolve our way of working together to sustain our warm and connected culture while maximizing wellbeing for everyone?