As we move into the final week of exams and start to look forward to the holidays, I would like to thank all of you for your efforts over the last term. The University of Alberta depends on the energy and dedication of its people to consistently provide excellence in teaching, research, support, and service — it is a collective effort and I want to thank each of you for your contributions.
India update
Last week, I returned from a busy two weeks in India. This trip provided an interesting contrast to my trip to China earlier this fall. According to the Canadian High Commission, the U of A is responsible for more than 10 per cent of all academic agreements signed between Canadian and Indian institutions. We have partnerships with many of India’s top institutions, but there is more to be done to reach the depth and breadth of our interactions in China. We made important progress on this trip.
The focus of our efforts is currently on facilitating student and faculty mobility. To that end, we signed several agreements of note. Significantly, we are the first international university to sign with the Indian Science and Engineering Research Board, a major research organization in India. Through the agreement, we will bring graduate students to the U of A using a similar approach to China Scholarship Council. Another MOU signed during my trip was with Infosys, India’s leading global IT company. This MOU opens the door to joint research projects in energy, machine learning, and climate change, and provides an important new avenue to high-quality international internships for U of A undergraduate and graduate students.
In addition to meeting a variety of academic partners and government officials in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore, I spoke about U of A research leadership in future energy systems research at the 2016 Petrotech Conference, and very much enjoyed meeting a group of more than 100 students interested in pursuing studies in the area. I was also able to open an IC-IMPACTS workshop organized by the U of A and IIT Bombay that was attended by 50 Canadian and Indian researchers and graduate students involved in water research. It is clear from the reception we received that the U of A is held in the highest regard and there are exciting opportunities ahead.
Board of Governors update
Upon my return to Edmonton, my attention was focused on last Friday’s Board of Governors’ meeting. A number of important motions were on the agenda, including increases to international student tuition. As you know, domestic tuition rates and fees have been frozen by the provincial government for 2017–18; this freeze does not apply to international tuition. As a result, three motions were brought to the board, all of which have been detailed in UAlberta news reports in the last week. All three were approved at the meeting on Friday after significant debate.
In addition to the motions relating to international student tuition, a motion proposing a change in the meal plan for students living in Lister Hall, from the existing declining balance plan to an all-you-care-to-eat plan, was also seriously considered at the board meeting. The motion was defeated to allow time to fine-tune some of the accessibility features of the plan. The board committed to calling a special meeting to consider a revised motion early in the new year so that incoming students will have full and accurate information about the meal plan when they are making acceptance decisions.
I would like to acknowledge the dedicated efforts and engagement of both GSA President Sarah Ficko and SU President Fahim Rahman on these tough issues. Our collegial governance system is founded on the exchange of well-prepared and articulated proposals and positions, and even when consensus is not reached on an issue, we remain committed to working together to make the best decisions possible for the U of A.
Search for Vice-President (Research)
After the board meeting, the VPR search committee had a very productive first meeting. We would like to ask you to consider a few questions over the break. What challenges and opportunities will the next VPR face? What characteristics and quality will s/he need to lead our research enterprise? Are there individuals you would like to bring to the attention of the committee? We will formally invite your input and ideas early in January. Please watch your inbox for that call for consultation. In the meantime, you can find information about the position on the President’s website to help spark your thinking.
Reappointment of Dean of Science
I’d like to conclude my message today by sending my congratulations to Jonathan Schaeffer. His reappointment as dean of science was approved by the board on Friday, effective July 1, 2017. I look forward to working with Jonathan in the coming five years.
I hope that all of you will have a chance to relax and enjoy the break and returned refreshed in the new year. Happy Holidays!
David H. Turpin
President and Vice-Chancellor