Preamble

This Strategic Mandate Agreement between the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Trent University outlines the role the University currently performs in Ontario’s postsecondary education system and how it will build on its current strengths to achieve its vision and help drive system-wide objectives and government priorities.

The Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA):

• Identifies and explains the shared objectives and priorities between the Ontario government and the University
• Outlines current and future areas of program strength
• Supports the current vision, mission, and mandate of the University and established areas of strength within the context of the University’s governing legislation
• Describes the agreed-upon elements of the new university funding model, including:
  • a University’s enrolment plans as well as their projections of their enrolments relative to their corridor midpoint and any desired changes to their corridor during the period of this SMA; and
  • differentiation areas of focus including metrics and targets
• Provides information on the financial sustainability of the institution; and
• Informs Ministry decision-making and enables the Ministry to align its policies and processes to further support the University’s areas of strength

The term of the SMA is from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2020.

The agreement may be amended in the event of substantive policy or program changes that would significantly affect joint commitments made in the SMA (e.g. Major Capacity Expansion, Highly Skilled Workforce, etc.). Any such amendment would be mutually agreed to in writing, dated, and signed by both signatories.

Ontario’s Vision for Postsecondary Education

Ontario’s colleges and universities will drive creativity, innovation, knowledge, skills development and community engagement through teaching and learning, research, and service.

Ontario’s colleges and universities will put students first by providing the best possible learning experience for all qualified learners in an affordable and financially sustainable way, ensuring high quality and globally competitive outcomes for students and Ontario’s economy.

Trent University Vision, Mission and Mandate

Vision

• We create vibrant, engaged and sustainable communities of learning, teaching and research committed to free enquiry and expression
• We encourage the dynamic interplay of research, teaching and learning, which enhance and energize each other in the classroom and beyond
• We strive to make valued and socially responsible contributions to our local communities, to Canada, and to the world
• We support a diversity of faculty, staff and students who share a commitment to the learning experience and are responsive to its challenges
• We foster an environment where Indigenous knowledge is respected and recognized as a valid means by which to understand the world
• We offer an enriched learning environment that encourages a passion for all knowledge, the exploration of the creative links between fields of study and a critical engagement with the world
• We create opportunities for students, staff and faculty to flourish and develop as individuals and as global citizens
• We affirm our commitment to excellence, to innovation and to leadership in research, academic programmes and community partnerships
• We commit to building an inclusive intellectual and social community that values the collaboration of all of its individual members

Mission

Over the next five years, Trent University’s mission is to:

• Prepare students to make significant contributions to an increasingly complex world by providing them with a distinctive liberal arts, science or professionally focused education, which is enhanced by global perspectives, experiential learning and interdisciplinary approaches to personal and professional development
• Encourage and celebrate excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, research and student development
• Remain at the forefront of Indigenous and environmental education and scholarship
• Develop strong partnerships and collaborations with external communities, professions and other institutions, and between our Colleges, departments and programs
• Foster sustainability, in its environmental, social and economic dimensions, on our campuses and in all aspects of our work
• Promote a culture that engages all members of the Trent community, favours dialogue and collegiality and nurtures a sense of belonging

Aspirations

The Ministry recognizes the importance of supporting institutions to evolve and acknowledges the strategic aspirations of its postsecondary education institutions. The SMA is not intended to capture all decisions and issues in the postsecondary education system, as many will be addressed through the Ministry’s policies and standard processes. The Ministry will not be approving any requests for capital funding or new program approvals, for example, through the SMA process.

Institutional Aspirations

Trent University has campuses in Peterborough and Durham Greater Toronto Area (GTA). We aspire to maintain and extend our excellence and reputation in teaching and research. We aim to do this while fostering and enhancing our positive social and economic impacts on the physical and intellectual communities with which we interact — in Peterborough and the Durham GTA region, and in Ontario, Canada and around the world.

Environmental sustainability (creating environmentally friendly solutions to contemporary problems, fighting climate change, etc.) is an overarching goal of Trent and our community. In pursuit of this and other goals, we will pursue the careful development of our Endowment Lands. Current plans include building a research park for green industry and clean tech, and possible residential development.

Our plans for Trent’s Endowment Lands are in keeping with the vision for development of Trent University and the Endowment Lands that was articulated in the 1964 Master Plan. Like other universities, Trent wishes to use its lands to enhance the student experience, foster new research and academic partnerships, create experiential learning and employment opportunities, provide services to local neighbourhoods and generate revenue streams for strategic projects. The Endowment Lands Master Plan (2006) and the Trent Lands Plan (2013) aim to develop the Endowment Lands in a way that benefits the Trent community and the Greater Peterborough region.

As a university, Trent aspires to remain a smaller institution with modest growth. The Board of Governors has suggested 10,000 students as a possible enrolment, with much of the increase coming in Durham GTA, and some of it from the expansion of our international enrolment. During the time covered by this SMA we aim to renew our existing programming and develop new programming that helps Ontario maintain a healthy postsecondary system which is a mix of established disciplines, new programs and integrated and interdisciplinary learning and research.

Shared Objectives and Priorities for Differentiation

Student Experience

This section captures institutional strengths in improving student experience, outcomes and success. This section recognizes institutions for measuring the broader learning environment, such as continuity of learning pathways; retention; student satisfaction; co-curricular activities and records; career preparedness; and student services and supports.

Institutional approach to improving student experience

Key components of Trent’s approach to student experience are:

• Its emphasis on student support and on positive relations with student groups, especially student unions
• A unique college system, which locates students within smaller communities and provides multiple opportunities for student leadership roles
• The continued development of a Centre for Teaching and Learning to promote best practices in this area
• A planned expansion of co-op, experiential learning and career services
• Student involvement in research at the graduate and undergraduate level
• A commitment to international education, both for Trent’s domestic students and for those international students who study at Trent
• Continued connectivity and communications improvements to ensure each student has campus-wide access to the Internet and teaching technology; and
• Extensive relations and partnerships with the communities in which Trent is located

In the latter case, the emphasis is on Peterborough and Durham, but Trent considers itself a gateway to Eastern and Northern Ontario and this is reflected in its community outreach, as are provincial, national and international interests.

Trent aims to provide a student experience that promotes student resilience, understanding and success. This is pursued in an environment where students are encouraged to be mutually supportive, to seek help when needed and to develop their academic and life goals.

All Trent students in Peterborough are members of one of the five colleges (Lady Eaton, Champlain, Otonabee, Gzowski and Traill). Each college combines a unique blend of traditions, events, workshops, places to hang out and support services — all designed to help students experience a sense of belonging. The colleges function as communities that promote learning, embrace diversity and lead to lasting friendships. They provide student services, classrooms, lounges, faculty offices, dining facilities and residences in ways that encourage students to make meaningful connections with each other and with Trent professors and staff.

The success of Trent’s approach to student experience is evident in the results of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). In 2014 (the last Ontario consortium year), Trent achieved similar or higher scores than the Ontario average in eight out of ten first-year engagement indicators and nine out of ten senior engagement indicators. The results of the Canadian Graduate and Professional Student Survey (CGPSS) are similar, with students rating the quality of Trent’s overall experience above the Ontario average.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Student Centre

In partnership with the Trent Central Student Association, Trent University is building a $16 million Student Centre, which will open in the fall of 2017. It is designed to provide more space for student activities of all kinds (social space, study space and space for student groups on campus) and will significantly enhance the student experience at Trent.

The First Peoples House of LearningThe First Peoples House of Learning provides support for Indigenous students attending Trent. In 2015-16, with assistance from Ontario’s Mental Health Innovation Fund, Trent developed the Biishkaa student transition program, which was expanded to Fleming College in the 2016-17 academic year. The program served students from diverse backgrounds, including: mature students; students who lacked high school academic credits; and some graduates of Indigenous-language immersion schools. In both years of the program all successfully continued to year two.

Trent University Native Association (TUNA)

TUNA is a student organization that encourages a good way of life (Mino Bimaadiziwin) through cultural, social, academic and athletic activities. It organizes an annual pow wow and regular potlucks, supports the appropriate use of the Tipi, helps provide fire-keepers, co-organizes the annual Elders’ Gathering and runs events to build community among Indigenous students and educate and raise awareness of Indigenous issues among the Trent community.

Trent Muslim Student Association (TMSA)

TMSA organizes an annual Islam Awareness Week and a series of events (which included, in 2017, a reflection and prayer meeting following the Quebec mosque tragedy). It holds an annual Eid dinner and other social events to bring together Muslim students and all interested members of the Trent community. Its charitable activities include Pink Hijab day to raise money for breast cancer research.

The Trent International Student Association (TISA)

TISA is the second-largest student organization at Trent. Its members bring international student concerns to staff in the Trent International Office and allocate funds to smaller student groups. For almost two decades, TISA has organized Cultural Outreach, a showcase of Trent’s international talent. This event is held in downtown Peterborough and serves to enhance the relationship between international students and the larger Peterborough community. Another initiative is the TISA Choir, an international chorus that sings at events on and off campus.

Trent Market Garden, Trent Vegetable Growers, and Trent Apiary

Trent students are actively involved in a range of sustainable food-producing activities, which take advantage of its 1,500-acre campus and the expertise available at the University, e.g., the Sustainable Agriculture program.

Living-learning Communities

A new living-learning community for Forensics students is being launched in the fall of 2017, joining eight other established living-learning communities. Assessment of the communities concludes that they provide a positive opportunity to be part of a focused community, with the opportunity to connect with faculty outside the classroom environment. In 2016, 100 % of respondents reported being satisfied with their living-learning community experience.

Athletics

Last year, Trent moved all of its varsity athletic teams into Ontario University Athletics to provide its students with access to this level of competition. Trent Durham GTA has provided students with the opportunity to participate in extramural sports, initially in a mixed indoor soccer team.

Peer Support Programs

The program, which is offered by student staff and volunteers, provides peer support to first-generation students, Indigenous students, students struggling academically, students in residence and LGBTQ students. It also offers peer educational programming on such issues as wellness education and sexual assault prevention.

Trent Research and Innovation Park (TRIP)

As an element of the development of its Endowment Lands, the Trent Board of Governors has endorsed a proposal to create a Research and Innovation Park, which would be linked to on-campus research initiatives, including staff and student graduate and undergraduate engagement in research and its practical application.

Residential College at Durham GTA 

Plans are underway to expand the GTA campus (mainly a commuter campus) with a residential college building located just west of the current building on 99 Thornton Road South.

Academic Skills, Durham GTA

At the Durham GTA Campus, half the entering students for 2016-2017 were enrolled in the first-year writing course, and approximately 30 % of new students also took the first-year critical thinking course. Both credit courses are designed to develop students’ ability to perform academically at the university level.

Metrics and targets

Innovation in Teaching and Learning Excellence

This section focuses on innovative efforts including pedagogical approaches, program delivery and student services that contribute to a highly skilled workforce and ensure positive student outcomes.

This section captures institutional strengths in delivering high-quality learning experiences, such as experiential, entrepreneurial, personalized and digital learning, to prepare students for rewarding careers. It includes recognition of student competencies that improve employability.

It begins to identify indicators of quality that are currently available and within an institution’s control.

Institutional approach to innovation in teaching and learning excellence

Trent is a primarily undergraduate, research-intensive institution with well-established graduate programs. Six components of our approach to teaching and learning are of special significance:

• The recent establishment of a Centre for Teaching and Learning;
• Renovations to the Bata Library, which will support best practices and the development of new approaches to teaching and learning;
• New teaching appointments, which focus on teaching and learning;
• The future development of Trent’s Career Services, co-op programs, and experiential learning opportunities, building on some of the unique aspects of the successes in the Trent Centre for Research;
• The melding of traditional knowledge and forms of teaching with western pedagogy as a defining and distinctive value; and
• The melding of teaching and research in undergraduate and graduate teaching, in Peterborough and in Durham. The former will include links to the new Trent Research and Innovation Park

Over the last three years, Trent has conducted a series of external reviews focusing on key components of its operations such as recruitment and admissions, retention and student services, Traill College, and Internationalization. In keeping with the provincial government’s emphasis on experiential learning, Building the Workforce of Tomorrow: A Shared Responsibility, the report of the Premier’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel and a Board of Governors strategic review conducted this year, Trent has recently completed an external review of career services, co-op, and experiential learning. Trent expects the changes that result from this review to transform this aspect of teaching and learning.

The proposed future research park has the capacity to provide many opportunities for Trent students to participate in co-ops, internships and placements. Trent is in the process of creating increased capacity in this regard. To maximize its ability to achieve the government’s goals, it aims to revitalize existing programs and promote new ones; in a way that would be well served by funding support for these developments.

With the support of a $7 million grant from the federal government’s Strategic Infrastructure Fund, and with Facilities Renewal Program funding from the provincial government, Trent University’s Bata Library is undergoing a major transformation. The budget for the project is $18-$20 million. In keeping with provincial and federal requests for an increased emphasis on experiential learning and entrepreneurship, the library will emerge as a more active space for learning and research. The new library will include centres for research, entrepreneurship and experiential learning in a way that will reaffirm its position as the academic heart of Trent’s Peterborough Campus. Its completion will resolve outstanding deferred maintenance and sustainability issues with the building and re-establish it as one of Canada’s iconic architectural gems and best-known university buildings.

One of the results of the Bata retrofit will be new space for the recently established Trent Centre for Teaching and Learning. The Centre operates as an ideas hub which supports educational improvements; research on pedagogy; the infusion of low and high technologies that enhance student learning experiences; and teaching excellence. The Centre supports collaboration to create engaged and sustainable communities of practice; the development and implementation of shared research projects; and building resources for teaching practices that enhance student learning. One of the Centre’s principal goals is engaging instructors in critical dialogue about teaching. As an institution committed to "Challenge the Way You Think” the Centre encourages and facilitates activities that challenge the way we learn and teach.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Undergraduate Research Publication and Presentation

The Trent commitment to undergraduate research has resulted in co-publishing with professors, conference attendance and conference papers. Biology, for example, had 200 undergraduate theses in the last five years, which have resulted in 70 co-authored peer-reviewed publications.

Teaching Development and Awards

Trent has received 35 external teaching awards (which include ten Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations teaching awards and six 3M Fellows). In the last year, the Centre for Teaching and Learning has hosted over 100 meetings and professional learning sessions. The Centre is leading Trent’s efforts to educate faculty on Universal Instructional Design principles.

Student Involvement in Patent Development

Trent has developed 29 patents, every one of them developed with at least one student co-inventor.

Working Group on Indigenous Knowledges and Pedagogies

Trent is creating a working group on Indigenous knowledges and pedagogies within the Centre for Teaching and Learning to assist faculty design their courses, review and redesign their courses as appropriate, and to create new course offerings. For example, the Indigenous Environmental Studies program combines traditional knowledge and western understanding. Trent has Elders as tenured faculty and offers land-based teaching (e.g., a birch bark canoe was recently built inside the Bata Library building).

eCampusOntario Grant

With $977,180 in funding from eCampusOntario, numerous faculty members at Trent are working to develop new online programs and courses, and are conducting research related to online learning. Each of the awarded projects will support enhanced learning opportunities for students and will involve collaboration within Trent University, the Trent Community Research Centre (TCRC) and ten other Ontario universities or colleges. As part of the funding, Trent Online will support the development of two new innovative programs: a Master of Environmental Monitoring and Assessment degree program and a Circumpolar Studies Specialization diploma. Both programs will be unique in Canada and will be offered almost entirely online. [1] In addition, funding was awarded to develop a series of open access online resources to encourage integrated theory and practice learning through community-based research. This is in addition to research grants that explore the cost effectiveness of using virtual pre-simulation in nursing education and a grant to research tools and approaches for improving accessibility through enhanced online communication.

EditionsTrent

Faculty in this Trent research group are involved in multiple SSHRC-funded projects, and offer digital editing internships to students in the internship stream of the English Master of Arts (MA) degree. The group has produced over a dozen print volumes and developed an innovative interface for digital editions, the Digital Page Reader. The digital editions will be housed on the Canadian Writing Reading Collaboratory (CWRC) site, where the interface will be made available to other projects.

The Trent Centre for Aging and Society (TCAS)

The TCAS collaborates with the TCRC to place students with local agencies interested in age-related research. It is working on an academic program that will include community placements for students. For example, a Trent faculty member is a research lead on a seven-year Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grant (2017-2024) that will involve faculty, undergraduate and graduate students and community partners in research creation and dissemination for meaningful social inclusion of older adults at the intersection of race, class, gender, sexuality and disability.

Internships, Practice, Study Abroad, Clinical Professional and Teaching Placements

Over 13 of Trent’s 26 departments offer experiential learning placements. Its programs in Nursing, Teacher Education, Forensics, Biology (specializations in conservation biology and health sciences) and Business all have well-established programs of placements and internships. Trent’s business internship program has 70 placements with companies in the region. In addition to its professional placements, the School of Education’s literacy tutors program placed 135 teacher candidates in 2016. The students worked with at-risk pupils, benefitting the pupil, the teacher candidate, the school, the community and Trent. Community-based education and service learning opportunities are also available in most departments. Experiential learning opportunities exist at both the graduate and undergraduate levels and internationally.

The Trent Community Research Centre (TCRC)

The TCRC is a globally recognized experiential learning centre that places students with local community organizations to complete research projects.[2] Experiential learning and community-based research involving faculty, students (undergraduate and graduate) and community partners are supporting student development at the same time that they support the building of healthier communities.

MA in English Literature (Public Texts)

The MA in English Literature (Public Texts) focuses on the production, circulation and reception of texts. It is different than many Masters programs in that it does not focus solely on preparing students for doctoral studies in English Literature. It includes internship, thesis, Major Research Paper streams and a research creation stream.

New Co-operative Education Option in Computing Systems

This co-op option is available to students in four degree programs: BSc single-major Honours in Computing Systems; BSc single-major Honours in Computing Systems with a Specialization in Computer Science; BSc single- major Honours in Computing Systems with a Specialization in Data Analytics; and BSc single-major Honours in Computing Systems with a Specialization in Software Engineering. It provides students the opportunity to get a head start on their career. By combining academic instruction and practical experience, students develop key skills, explore career options and graduate with 12 months of relevant experience.

Review of Career Services, Co-op and Experiential Learning

The Experiential Education Coordinator position was created in 2015. The initial focus of the Coordinator was to conduct an inventory of existing experiential learning opportunities at Trent, with a view to promoting those activities within Trent and to the broader community, and to develop best practices and resources to encourage the expansion of these opportunities. The inventory has been completed and some progress made. In the interim, Trent launched a broader, external review of these aspects of its operations. It is hoped that the reviewer’s recommendations will allow Trent to significantly expand activities in this area. A report from the review committee was received in the summer of 2017.

Metrics and targets

Access and Equity

This section recognizes institutions for their efforts in improving postsecondary education equity and access. Institutions play an important role in providing equitable and inclusive environments that make it possible for students from diverse communities to thrive and succeed.

Institutions will also be recognized for creating equitable access opportunities that can include multiple entrance pathways and flexible policies and programming, with the focus on students who, without interventions and support, would not otherwise participate in postsecondary education. Examples include outreach to marginalized youth, transition, bridging and access programs for adults with atypical education histories and who do not meet admission requirements.

Institutional approach to improving access and equity

As described in its Vision Statement (2010), Trent University creates opportunities for students, staff and faculty to flourish and develop as individuals and as global citizens. This commitment is the basis of a deep commitment to diversity, which acknowledges the need to ensure equity in employment, learning and support services. Special attention has been paid to the need to establish a community that welcomes and supports Aboriginal students, faculty and staff; first-generation postsecondary students; women; members of the LGBTQ community; and International students. Trent is also working to attract more men to programs where they have been underrepresented.

Trent embraces an environmental model of disability, as operationalized by the World Health Organization’s definition of disability. This model views disabilities as social and environmental barriers and not as individual deficits. Trent strives to remove social barriers through education and environmental barriers through identification and removal and promotes full participation by all community members, regardless of ability.

In its attempts to improve access and equity, Trent has reached out to colleges, other universities and international institutions. To support its aim of being a transfer-friendly institution, Trent hired a dedicated college recruiter and a full-time articulation coordinator in 2015. The results at Trent’s Durham GTA campus are particularly notable. In September 2016, 60 % of Trent Durham GTA’s students had applied as 105 applications.[3] With the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Centennial College, Trent will continue to develop new partnerships that support seamless student mobility. An international agreement with Centennial and Suzhou Centennial College in Beijing is being discussed. Trent collaborates with other colleges and universities in Ontario, nationally and overseas on pathways in a number of disciplines including: Environmental Science, Biotechnology, Indigenous Education, Practical Nursing, Business Administration, Law, Social Services and General Arts and Sciences.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Transfer Agreements and Flexible Pathways

With more than 60 transfer agreements and flexible pathway options for college and university students, Trent University strives to be the most transfer-friendly institution in Ontario.

Aboriginal Students

In 2016-17, 2.8 % of the full-time student population declared as Aboriginal (253 students), with an additional 31 part-time Aboriginal students. Trent’s First Peoples’ House of Learning has developed extensive programming to increase enrolments and retention of Indigenous students.

First-Generation Postsecondary StudentsIn 2016-17, the total number of full-time first-generation postsecondary students enrolled at Trent was 940 or 10.5 %, with an additional 150 part-time first-generation students. To support these students, Trent has enhanced its New Student Summer Orientation program. The Rebound student peer support program for students who are struggling academically was launched in 2013 with the assistance of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD, formerly called the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities) First-Generation Grant. In the 2016-17 academic year, this program provided support to over 200 students, doubling the number from the previous academic year.

LGBTQ Students

Out on Campus is a confidential weekly group meeting for students who are grappling with LGBTQ identity and coming out issues. The program is now in its second year, with facilitators meeting between five and 10 students at each weekly meeting. In a 2015 Equity and Diversity Survey, 21.5 % of students and 11.4 % of employees self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer or questioning.

Camp fYrefly

Camp fYrefly is Canada’s only national leadership retreat for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirited, intersexed, queer, questioning and allied youth. The Camp is designed to help youth develop the leadership skills and personal resiliency necessary for them to become agents for positive change in their schools, families and communities. The first Ontario camp was held at Trent this year, in co-operation with Trent’s School of Education.

Trent International (TI)

Trent International recruits and provides support services and programming for international students, beginning with an orientation camp to introduce students to Canada, Ontario and Trent. As Trent aims to increase its international enrolment (to 10 and then 12 %), TI will continue to play an important role.

Student Refugee Program (SRP)

World University Service Canada committees take various forms across the country. At Trent, international students have been particularly active in its SRP, supporting refugees who come to Canada and enroll at Trent.

Support for Students with Disabilities and Mental Health Support

Trent has a high %age of students with disabilities (13.4 % of students self-identified as having a disability when completing the 2015 Equity Survey). A number of programs have been designed to help with early identification, peer support and coaching for students in difficulty (including a Disability Peer Coaching program) and to train students, faculty and staff in mental health issues, student accommodations, student support, bystander intervention and suicide prevention.

Metrics and targets

Research Excellence and Impact

This section captures institutional strengths in producing high-quality research on the continuum of fundamental and applied research through activity that further raises Ontario’s profile as a globally recognized research and innovation hub. It also acknowledges that research capacity is strongly linked with graduate education.

Institutional approach to research excellence and impact

In its rankings of 19 small universities, Research InfoSource ranks Trent second in Canada and first in Ontario for research productivities. In its rankings of 48 universities of all sizes across Canada, Trent placed 24^th in publication impact, 22^nd in publication intensity, and 21^st in total research impact. The total research impact score is the second-highest in Canada for a university that does not have an engineering and/or medical program. In research dollars, Trent attracts more research dollars per faculty member than a number of much larger comprehensive universities in Ontario.[4]

In the Maclean’s ratings of 19 primarily undergraduate universities, Trent ranked third in research awards per full-time faculty, fifth in medical/science grants and second in social sciences and humanities grants. In the wake of a 2012 research survey, Alex Usher of the Higher Education Strategy Association wrote that Trent has "by far the best publication record” across disciplines in both science and arts in academic research among smaller universities in Canada.

At the undergraduate and graduate levels, Trent highlights research in its teaching. Research undertaken at the University includes studies in traditional disciplines and interdisciplinary research that combines the sciences, social sciences, professional programs and/or the humanities. The quality of Trent research is widely known in International Development, Nursing, Indigenous Studies, the Environmental Sciences, Aging, History and Philosophy. Research in the humanities includes creative writing, filmmaking, music composition, visual art, theatre and game design. We expect research in most areas to be enhanced by the transformation of the Bata Library.

One unique component of Trent’s research agenda is the creation of a new 85-acre Trent Research and Innovation Park (TRIP) on Trent land. Building on Trent’s research strengths in Environmental Studies, Biology and Biomaterials, TRIP aims to become Canada’s premier park for the development of clean technology and green industry. It will host a cluster of companies and start-up enterprises in environmentally focused fields, including water purification, environmental services, advanced material sciences, biotechnology, agri-food and agri-business. TRIP will provide work-integrated learning opportunities in related areas, creating hands-on research opportunities for students and supporting further research at Trent.

Examples of institutional initiatives

The Trent Water Quality Centre

Trent’s Water Quality Centre is the most comprehensive mass spectrometry facility in Canada.[5] It specializes in the application of new and innovative techniques for measuring isotopes and trace amounts of organic and inorganic contaminants in water and other environmental compartments. It has received nine major Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) awards.

Wastewater Treatment

A five-year Leadership Grant from the RBC Blue Water Project (2009-2014) supported Trent’s Institute for Watershed Science, which partnered with Trent’s Indigenous Environmental Studies program and the Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment at Fleming College, to develop strategies for source water protection and municipal wastewater management in remote communities in Canada’s northern territories. The institute recently received a $478,800 grant from the federal government for a project aimed at providing cost-effective wastewater treatment in Indigenous communities. Partners in the project are McGill University, the Department of Environment, Aclarus Ozone Water Systems (a Peterborough company) and the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation.

School for the Study of Canada

The School for the Study of Canada fosters research on a broad range of themes in Canadian and Indigenous Studies and in collaboration with the humanities, social sciences and other interdisciplinary fields at Trent. The School is home to over 40 scholars who study Canada, many of them national and international experts in their field. A Tier I Canada Research Chair in the study of the North is being hired to support the School. Well-established BA, MA and PhD programs have earned the School a national reputation for teaching and research.

Research on Aboriginal Communities in the Arctic

Faculty in the Departments of Indigenous Studies and Environmental Resource Studies and Sciences are key contributors to national and international science assessments on Arctic environmental health issues, including the human dimensions of climate change and environmental contaminants. One of these faculty was lead author with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment, which received the 2007 Nobel Prize for raising awareness of global climate change.

Gender and Women’s Studies

Trent offers a BA in Gender and Women’s Studies and a Graduate Specialization in Feminist and Gender Studies. The department’s Canada Research Chair works with almost 30 faculty members undertaking related research. Her work includes a five-year study of why and how older women across North America are mobilizing and building alliances around a number of crucial social issues, including climate justice, violence against Indigenous women and global health inequalities.

Expressive Arts and Aging

One of the professors in the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing has developed an innovative program designed to address social isolation among rural senior citizens. It has been found that connecting socially isolated older rural adults with older volunteers through expressive arts, with art as the mediator, has many positive benefits for the socially isolated, including improved mental health outcomes.

Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research

The Director of the Centre is the former Ontario Research Chair in Green Chemistry and Engineering and is currently the Grain Farmers of Ontario NSERC Senior Industrial Research Chair in Lipid Derived Biomaterials. Under his leadership, the Centre has signed collaborative research agreements with the Mahatma Ghandi University in Kerala, India, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of the West Indies in Cave Hill, Barbados and the Universidade Estadual Paulista in Botucatu, Brazil. The relationships with Guyana, Israel, India, Barbados and Brazil also allow for cross-fertilization among undergraduate and graduate students in multi-country, multi-disciplinary research projects supported by an industrial partner consortium and various levels of government in the respective countries.

The Natural Resources DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre (NRDPFC)

The NRDPFC is a Trent Research centre and analytical services facility serving global clients in the wildlife conservation, food security and agricultural sectors. A cornerstone partnership in wildlife management has been established with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (which has offices located at Trent University). The Centre is equipped with instrumentation for robotic, high throughput, long-term genetic monitoring of natural populations. The infrastructure also includes an environmentally controlled Aurora Greenhouse, a Bio-containment Level III facility, an Ancient DNA Laboratory, a Wildlife Disease Laboratory, small and large animal necropsy facilities and Genomics and Automation Laboratories. The NRDPFC is currently involved in collaborations to produce DNA proofing databases on a number of Ontario species, including caribou, moose, white-tailed deer, wolves, black bears and elk. Agri-food databases include dairy goats, broiler chickens and laying hens. The facility also stores DNA samples and maintains databases for several international species at risk, including the North Atlantic Right Whale. The Wildlife DNA Forensic Laboratory provides training programs and services for a number of national and international agencies.

Metrics and targets

* Given its strengths and size, Trent’s main focus is on total Tri-Council funding and total number of papers

Innovation, Economic Development and Community Engagement

This section recognizes the unique role institutions play in contributing to their communities and to economic development, as well as to building dynamic partnerships with business, industry, community members and other colleges and universities. It focuses on regional clusters, customized training, entrepreneurial activities, jobs, community revitalization efforts, international collaborations, students, partnerships with Aboriginal Institutes and a program mix that meets needs locally, regionally and beyond.

Institutional approach to innovation, economic development and community engagement

Trent University continues to play a key role in the development of the communities in which it resides. Its role is especially prominent in Peterborough, where it is recognized as a pillar of the community. In Durham GTA it plays a growing role, providing education in a way that is a key catalyst for community development (economic, social and cultural). Recent economic impact studies have concluded that Trent’s economic impact in Durham is $47 million annually, and almost $500 million annually in Peterborough.^[6]

Perhaps the greatest contribution Trent makes to both Durham GTA region and Peterborough area is its students — from their study and work, their professional placements and from the many who choose to remain in the community after they graduate. But Trent graduates have a positive impact on the economy across Ontario. Six months after graduation 87 % of our graduates are employed. In 2015-16, the employment rate for Trent graduates two years after graduation (95.41 %) was the second-highest of all universities in Ontario.

Trent Durham GTA is an active member in the Durham community and participates as a member and sponsor in local Chambers of Commerce, including Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax-Pickering and Clarington. Campus staff are involved in committees and working groups, including: the Durham Regional Council Composition Review Committee; the Whitby Chamber Education and Community Committee; the City of Oshawa Cultural Leadership Council; the Durham Chinese Canadian Centre; and the City of Oshawa Town and Gown committee. Student placements in the local community include placements in Social Work, Business, Psychology and Child and Youth Studies. Campus programs provide retraining opportunities for Durham residents looking for new employment in an evolving economy.

In Peterborough, Trent is deeply embedded in the life of the community. Last year it hosted numerous community events, including 59 sporting events, 36 Indigenous events and 35 arts events. Students, staff and faculty conducted 241 community research projects, volunteered, hosted conferences and lectures, held summer camps and provided continuing education to the community. Trent is the third-largest employer in  Peterborough, with 1,163 employees.^[7]

Currently, Trent Peterborough is focused on the development of its Endowment Lands. The Board of Governors has affirmed this priority in a recent strategic review. Developments will include recreational initiatives that will serve the broader community as well as Trent students, staff and faculty; a Trent Research and Innovation Park; and possible residential developments, which could include the building of a sustainable village as a leading-edge, sustainable community developed in close proximity to Trent’s core campus.

Currently Trent’s major innovation and economic development project is its Trent Research and Innovation Park, an 85-acre development on the East Bank of the Peterborough campus that would focus on the development of clean tech and green industry. It would enhance and expand Trent’s leading-edge research agenda and provide new opportunities for students and faculty. It would also transform the region’s economy, support startups and attract new businesses, providing jobs for future generations of students and residents. Key partners in the project include local businesses, Fleming College, and the City of Peterborough. The City of Peterborough is contributing approximately $10 million to provide the basic infrastructure for the park.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Co-operative Municipal Alliances

Trent has partnered with the City of Peterborough on a number of progressive infrastructure and community service projects. Currently, a service extension/road improvements agreement will create substantial joint benefits on the Trent campus in the form of recreational facilities, playing fields, a twin pad recreational complex. It also includes the development of subdivided land for an industrial park tenanted by environmentally progressive firms selected on criteria established by Trent in conjunction with community leaders. Additional alliances to achieve mutual strategic objectives are underway in Durham and its area municipalities.

Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement

The Trent Community Research Centre, faculty and students have been involved in a seven-year SSHRC Partnership Grant (2012-2019) that strengthened the capacity of community partners (GreenUP, Stewart St. residents, Abbey Gardens and Haliburton Highlands Land Trust) to reach specific environmental sustainability program goals and influence city planning processes. The grant funding has successfully leveraged other funding. In years five to seven, the focus will be developing student pathways for community-based research from high school through to doctoral study.

Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies

The creation and support of the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies will strengthen Trent’s ability to work with local Indigenous communities; to respond to community education, research and training needs; and develop and offer short-term programs and certificate programming.

Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science (TRACKS)

TRACKS is a youth outreach program run through Trent University in association with the Indigenous Environmental Studies Program and the Kawartha World Issues Centre. TRACKS offers classroom and after-school workshops, outreach programming and summer camp experiences for kids ages 8-15, with a focus on blending Indigenous cultural knowledge with math and science curriculum.

Business Partnerships

Trent’s partnerships with multinational, national and local companies include research partnerships in biomaterials, water sciences, sustainable agriculture and genetics, which have contributed to job creation and economic development in Ontario. The dollar value of triple helix partnership (company/government/philanthropic) research investments per faculty researcher is high at Trent in comparison with other universities.^[8]

The Peterborough Region Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

Trent has a strong core partnership with the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster (GPIC), Peterborough Economic Development, the City of Peterborough and Fleming College. Together, they are developing a regional Clean Technology and Ag-Technology cluster. Part of the cluster is Start-Up Peterborough, which Trent helped establish. Trent’s youth entrepreneurship program, funded in part by Ontario Centres of Excellence under the FastStart umbrella and incubator (run by GPIC), has supported the startup of over 20 enterprises established by graduating Trent students and alumni. FastStart at Trent has two significant partnerships to drive student engagement in entrepreneurial activities. One is with the Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society (a Trent student club). The other is with the local Bear’s Lair organization (modeled after Dragon’s Den) to run a Cub’s Den competition for young entrepreneurs. The winners are guaranteed entry to the Bear’s Lair short list of finalists. A new Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre is planned to open in the Bata Research and Innovation Cluster in June 2018.

Noblegen

One of Trent’s key industrial partners is Noblegen, a young company whose genesis is from research done at Trent and the entrepreneurship of its founding partners. Noblegen will be the inaugural tenant in the research park. In the last two years, the company has grown from three to 47 employees, many of them Trent graduates. It has the potential to become a major employer in the region.

Durham GTA Community Advisory Committee

The Community Advisory Committee provides advice and support to Trent in enabling its vision to be an engine for cultural, recreational and economic development in the Durham Region. The Committee also provides feedback and advice on the ways in which Trent can further contribute to the community and to raise its profile. Membership includes leaders from across sectors and geographies within the Durham Region.

Unemployed Youth

In Durham GTA, a Trent Sociology professor is working with a social enterprise (Community ILab) to address the community’s youth unemployment problems by developing entrepreneurship opportunities for youth who are unemployed or underemployed.

Metrics and targets

6.0 Enrolment Strategy and Program Direction

Enrolment plan and corridor midpoints

This section also establishes the agreed-upon corridor midpoint that will form the basis of enrolment-related funding over the course of the SMA period.

Corridor midpoint

For funding purposes 14,847.82 Weighted Grant Units (WGU) will be the corridor midpoint value for Trent University. This value was determined using the institution’s actual enrolment (expressed as WGUs) from the 2016-17 academic year. Trent University will receive funding consistent with this level of enrolment and subject to the policies contained within the Ontario University Funding Model Technical Manual, May 2017, Version 1.0.

Projected funding-eligible undergraduate enrolments

Below is the institutions projected enrolment of funding-eligible undergraduate enrolments for Trent University

Note – for this table, Full-time Headcount should be reported for Fall term only.

Graduate allocation – SMA 2017-2020

Below are the allocation of funding eligible graduate and PhD spaces for Trent University

Note – allocation shown in FTEs

Projected international enrolment

Below is the institution’s projected enrolment of funding-eligible undergraduate enrolments for Trent University

Note:  International enrolments include all funding ineligible international students.

International enrolment strategy and collaboration

Trent understands internationalization as "the joining of all of the components of international education that provide domestic students with an international enriching experience at home and abroad, at the same time providing international students with an invigorating knowing experience through the learning process of culture and values from the host country. Proper integration of these components promotes invaluable learning experiences that prepare all students to live, work and succeed in a globalized world.”^[9]

Trent conducted a major external review of its international program in the spring of 2016. In keeping with its recommendation, a search for an Associate Vice-President (AVP) International was conducted in the 2016-17 academic year. This will ensure a senior leader who will be a highly visible champion of internationalization and who will be responsible and accountable for the creation and execution of the vision and operations of the international file. In keeping with other recommendations in the external review, the new AVP will launch a broad internationalization effort titled Trent International. The first task will be the development of a revitalized approach to internationalization at Trent. The approach will include an advisory board of faculty and students. Depending on their content, particular recommendations will make their way to academic Departments, Senate, the Board of Governors, and the senior administration for discussion and possible implementation.

Trent’s aim for international enrolment is for modest increases that will enhance its internationalization efforts. An initial target is 10 % of overall enrolment, with a possible subsequent target of 12 %. These are relatively modest increases over our current 7 %, and Trent does not anticipate major risks in pursuing these goals. To ensure that any risks that are emerged are dealt with, Trent will monitor changes annually.

 strategic areas of program strength and expansion

Program areas of strength

1. Humanities
2. Social Science
3. Science
4. Nursing
5. Education
6. Study of the Environment
7. Study of Canada
8. Indigenous Studies
9. Business

The proposed areas of program strength are intended to inform program approval processes.

Program areas of expansion

1. The Environment
2. Interdisciplinary Sciences, Humanities & Social Sciences
3. Indigenous Studies & The Study of Canada
4. Social Justice and Global Development
5. Health, Culture and Society

Financial sustainability

The Ministry and the University recognize that financial sustainability and accountability are critical to achieving institutional mandates and realizing Ontario’s vision for the postsecondary education system. To this end, it is agreed that:

It is the responsibility of the governing board and senior administrators of the University to identify, track, and address financial pressures and sustainability issues. At the same time, the Ministry has a financial stewardship role. The Ministry and the University agree to work collaboratively to achieve the common goal of financial sustainability and to ensure that Ontarians have access to a full range of affordable, high-quality postsecondary education options, now and in the future.

The University remains accountable to the Ministry with respect to effective and efficient use of provincial government resources and student resources covered by policy directives of the Ministry, or decisions impacting upon these, to maximize the value and impact of investments made in the postsecondary education system.

Institutional Collaborations and Partnerships

Durham GTA campus

Trent Durham has a well-established relationship with Durham College with a significant number of articulations that welcome students who wish to complete degrees at Trent.

In August 2016 Trent University signed an MOU with Centennial College to expand student pathways and joint programming. The focus includes: Creating new and innovative student pathways; assessing opportunities for development of an integrated joint diploma/degree program; and data sharing related to pathways and potential joint programs with a particular focus on the Durham GTA campus.

Trent University Durham GTA continues to provide humanities and social sciences electives to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT). Discussions continue on joint projects and joint degrees, such as Kinesiology and Joint Professional Practice Masters in Nursing Leadership. The senior academic leadership from Trent University and UOIT continues to meet bi-annually to discuss innovative approaches to teaching and research and how the two universities might work together. One result was the Trent-UOIT-Durham College proposal for major capital expansion in Oshawa.

Other program run jointly with UOIT is the Material Science Graduate program made possible by offering all courses by video link to students at both campuses. The two institutions’ experience with the logistics and technology involved place them in a unique position to contribute to related efforts. In particular, a successful eCampus Ontario proposal from Windsor aims at building a network for sharing graduate physics course instruction among smaller Ontario universities. Research and graduate training are central to the University community at all levels, from attracting the best faculty to giving undergraduates direct exposure to the process of knowledge creation. However, small universities don’t have the benefits of the economies of scale that larger institutions have. There is strong potential in using technology to overcome these barriers and Trent’s experience, supported by excellent IT staff, puts it in a position to be a leader in this area. Trent also continues to collaborate with UOIT and York in an ONCAT-funded data-sharing project with community college partners, tracking transfer students as they progress to degree completion.

Peterborough Campus

Building on a long-standing partnership and mutual commitment to environmental research and teaching, Trent University and Fleming College signed an MOU in April 2016, creating a formal relationship to support collaboration in academic programming and research in areas related to environmental and natural resource studies.

The Trent School of the Environment/Fleming School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences partnership provides students with opportunities for applied learning through community-based projects, co-op opportunities, field camps and workshops. It facilitates shared resources, including faculty and staff expertise, collaboration on relevant environmental events, conferences, guest speakers and the creation of new and innovative student pathways for students to easily transfer between institutions.

As long-time partners, Trent University and Fleming College have developed a range of collaborative efforts in programming and research. They include the well-known joint Ecological Restoration BSc program, where students connect theory and principles with hands-on practical application. There are close to 20 articulation agreements that offer a smooth transition for Fleming graduates into Trent degree programs. Our many joint research projects include significant collaboration in water quality research, through Fleming’s Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment and Trent’s Institute for Watershed Science.

Another example of collaboration is Trent/Fleming support for the successful application to the United Nations (UNESCO) to designate Peterborough-Kawarthas-Haliburton a Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development. The RCE designation further serves the development of the Peterborough region as a leader in Green Technology. In keeping with this vision, the Trent Research and Innovation Park will aim to be Canada’s premier Green Technology research and innovation site, hosting a cluster of small to medium sized companies and start-up enterprises. We expect Fleming to be a key part of these developments.

Trent University and Fleming College work together to shape the economic, cultural and social well-being of the community. We believe that partnerships between municipalities and post-secondary institutions are vital to driving economic growth, building vibrant communities, preparing students for the future and enhancing the quality of life. Trent’s partnership with the City of Peterborough and Fleming College is a vital example that demonstrates their importance.

Other Partnerships:

Trent is a Leader in Transfer Credits

With over 100 transfer agreements and flexible pathway options, Trent University is a leader in helping students achieve degree completion goals.

International Partnerships

On a visit to China in November 2016 Trent University renewed its commitment to international university-to-university collaboration with visits to Jiangnan University (Environmental Sciences), and the School of Nursing, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (a center for Traditional Chinese Medicine and Nursing). Trent continues to have active partnerships with Nanjing University International Environment Institute, Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar in Quito and the University of Cape Coast.

A partnership between Trent University and the School of Law at Swansea University in the UK, allows Trent students to complete a dual degree – an honours Bachelor of Arts and an LLB in just six years. The new Law and Arts: Trent/Swansea Dual Degree (LLB and BA) is the first dual degree program to be offered at Trent University in partnership with another university.

Ministry/Government Commitments

• The SMA2 process has focused on implementing the first stages of the new funding model and demonstrating the ongoing commitment by all colleges and universities to student success. Future growth will only be funded through negotiated changes to an institution’s funded enrolment corridor . Through the SMA2 cycle, the ministry will continue to work closely with institutions to ensure all dimensions of the funding model are implemented.
• In a memo to colleges and universities dated March 7, 2017, the ministry committed to using the SMA2 (2017-20) process as a transitional phase to commence the collaborative and joint development of performance metrics and targets, tied to funding, for SMA3 (2020-23). The ministry reiterates this commitment and reaffirms that metrics and targets included in SMA2 are not tied to funding at this time and are a beginning point for further discussions with the sector prior to their application in SMA3. Colleges and universities will have the opportunity to reset and realign metrics prior to the application of metrics in SMA3. The ministry will also engage other stakeholders as part of discussions on a broad metrics strategy
  • The ministry commits to establishing a joint working group with each of the sectors and to begin detailed discussions in fall 2017 on metrics/targets and to seek input on the performance measurement methodology for SMA3.
• Colleges, universities and the ministry all benefit from processes that are transparent and non-duplicative. The ministry commits to work with colleges and universities to continue to streamline processes and seek opportunities to further reduce red tape (in part through increased access to other tools) , including reducing or eliminating duplicated reporting requirements.
• Through SMA2 discussions, the ministry has heard concerns about the challenges of delivering breadth in programming for Francophone and Francophile students, including the cost and funding of such delivery. Starting in fall 2017, the ministry commits to consulting institutions who have a formal mandate for bilingual and/or French-language delivery to review the delivery of French-Language programming and consider these concerns
• In 2016, an extension of the existing tuition policy framework was announced to support a major reform in OSAP. The ministry will engage with both the college and university sectors around the next tuition policy framework, including examining the issue of tuition anomalies in certain professional programs as a result of past changes to tuition policy, and, for colleges, examining tuition levels relative to competitive college tuition frameworks in Canada.
• In recent years and during the SMA process, there has been an increased interest in the creation of a new polytechnic designation in the Ontario postsecondary education system. Starting in fall 2017, the ministry commits to undertake a review that examines whether improved benefits for students and employers are sufficient to make such a change. The ministry commits to working collaboratively with institutions across the sectors on this review.
• The ministry commits to continue to work collaboratively with universities to assess the anticipated need for additional graduate spaces related to programs that are currently under development.
• Starting in fall 2017, the ministry commits to undertake a review of the university Northern Grant working collaboratively with universities to examine whether the criteria for access and allocations of the Northern Grant represent an equitable approach.

[1] Survey done by Trent’s Institutional Research Department

[2] http://www.trentcentre.ca/about/partners

[3] 105 applications include anyone not coming directly from an Ontario high school.

[4] https://www.researchinfosource.com/pdf/CIL%20Top%2050%20research%20universities%202016.pdf

[5] http://www.trentu.ca/newsevents/newsDetail.php?newsId=14875

[6] Thomas F. Phillips Ph.D. (February 2016),The Economic Impact of Trent University.

[7] https://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/6412481-meet-the-top-144-employers-in-peterborough/

[8] Research InfoSource

[9] https://www.trentu.ca/president/sites/trentu.ca.president/files/InternationalizationReview_final.pdf

2014-2017 Strategic Mandate Agreement, Trent University