Preamble

This Strategic Mandate Agreement between the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development and University of Ottawa 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.

University of Ottawa Vision, Mission and Mandate

Mandate

The University of Ottawa Act 1965 confers a unique mandate to "further bilingualism and biculturalism and to preserve and develop French culture in Ontario” upon the University of Ottawa. This mandate is strengthened by the designation of the university under the French Language Service Act of Ontario, guaranteeing the continuation of services and programs in French for future generations. These two initiatives create a flagship role for the University of Ottawa in all aspects (academic, economic, social and cultural) of the development of strong resilient and diverse francophone communities across Ontario.

Vision

The University of Ottawa will offer an unparalleled university experience and, through outstanding teaching and research, play a vital role in defining the world of tomorrow. We will instill in each of our graduates an ethic of service, a culture of engagement and an awareness of shared responsibility that will prepare them for global citizenship. Through our education and our research, we transfer knowledge and learning that improves and transforms lives, communities and nations.

Mission

We are unique because of our location in the heart of the nation’s capital, our bilingualism and commitment to the promotion of French culture in Ontario and the excellence of our scholarship. As a research-intensive university, we provide our students with an outstanding education and enrich the intellectual, economic and cultural life of Ontario.

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

The University of Ottawa drives creativity, innovation, knowledge, skills development and community engagement. It has created high-impact knowledge and research through its solid foundation in the broad areas of humanities, natural and social sciences and professional disciplines. As it evolves within the next three years, the University of Ottawa will further support the needs of a highly skilled-workforce and Ontario’s economy by offering creative and relevant programs that cut across traditional faculty lines in:

• Health: through university-wide, cross-cutting programs and initiatives, e.g., health economics and health administration
• Public and International Affairs: by building upon existing expertise
• Science and Technology: by bringing together science and technology, entrepreneurship and non-traditional technology disciplines, such as

In the fall of 2015, the University of Ottawa was officially designated under the French Language Services Act of Ontario. This designation guarantees that undergraduate programs (with the exception of certain programs in science and engineering) can be completed entirely in French. We aspire to expand our offering so that science and engineering programs can be entirely completed in French, to support Ontario’s francophone population fully in all fields, including science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The University of Ottawa offers a large number of real-world learning opportunities, including work-integrated learning, to help students gain employer-ready skills. New systems to track these crucial experiential opportunities and to match students and employers will be implemented. Over the next three years, we will create more opportunities for students to further develop their talents, knowledge and skills to help them transition to careers in an evolving economy.

The University of Ottawa has also identified its capital needs through development of a Campus Master Plan, as well as the 2015 Major Capital Inventory process. The Master Plan informs and directs campus development as part of Destination 2020, the University of Ottawa’s strategic plan, including renewal requirements to address serious deferred maintenance issues (in facilities and in technology) as well as lack of space to meet our current requirements.

The major immediate areas of need are in health, engineering/technology, law, education and training, student activities, heritage building preservation, regulatory, safety and security requirements and student housing. In addition to compliance requirements, our facilities and technology systems no longer adequately support contemporary pedagogy and learning practices to contribute to the development of a highly skilled workforce. In addition, as highlighted in our program development priorities, the development of French- language programs in STEM fields and fostering innovation in the francophone community will also require enhanced and expanded facilities. Future major capital investments will align with institutional strategies and needs. Availability of government and third-party funding may require an adjustment of capital priorities.

The University of Ottawa remains committed to the expansion and integration of a strong international dimension in all core areas of activity, particularly with respect to la Francophonie, as envisaged in its Strategic Plan

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

The University of Ottawa is a fully bilingual urban institution of higher learning in the heart of Canada’s capital. In recent years, uOttawa has experienced rapid and dramatic growth in its student population, which now stands at 41,800. Growth has recently been curtailed as the university has taken steps to improve student readiness (e.g., by increasing incoming admission averages) and the quality of the student experience. Despite its unwavering commitment to this foundational aspect of our institutional culture, uOttawa also remains firmly committed to a full range of cultural diversities found on its campuses, because this diversity strengthens us and is fully reflective of our society.

As a student-centered, bilingual, research-intensive university, uOttawa continually strives to improve the student experience. With this in mind, many of its initiatives, such as French immersion, are designed to facilitate the development of second-language competence and to ensuring that students are able to complete almost all undergraduate programs in the official language of their choice. As a research-intense university, uOttawa also offers a wide variety of opportunities for students to take part in hands-on research in a wide variety of fields, ranging from sciences to humanities.

Many students are enrolled in programs leading to professional designation such as Medicine, Psychology, Nursing and other health professions, Management, Education, Social Work, Engineering and Law. These programs must meet the requirements of external accreditation authorities, which oversee the curriculum to ensure development of the competencies and skills required to deal with complex professional tasks.

Over the past several years, the University of Ottawa has implemented a number of measures to improve student experience and student satisfaction. Student experience has been improved in the recent years thanks to a variety of services. The Student Academic Success Service (SASS) offers counselling services and fulfills accessibility and accommodation needs. Faculties are now more active in academic advising and mentorship. Faculty members now have more opportunities to train in teaching strategies supporting active learning, thanks to the faculty development programs offered by the Teaching and Learning Support Service (TLSS).

Student residence space has been expanded to accommodate all first-year residence applicants and an increased variety of space types (i.e., apartments, suites and houses). In addition, the quality and availability of food services have been greatly improved.

A year ago, the Provost’s office launched the development of a Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) Plan. It focuses on student retention initiatives, recruitment strategies (international and domestic, undergraduate and graduate) and curriculum alignment on student and job market needs. Working groups have been created and a first version of the plan will soon be provided to the Board of Governors for discussion.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Institutional policies and structure

• Creation and implementation of service standards designed to improve the quality of services offered to students
• Creation and promulgation of an institutional policy on sexual violence and harassment
• Creation of an Aboriginal Resource Centre that organizes social activities and support indigenous students coping with academic challenges
• Creation of a standing institutional retention working group within the framework of the SEM plan
• Increased offerings of spring/summer courses to offer more flexibility in course choice to students
• Improvement of the teacher-student ratio by hiring 60 new tenured or tenure-track full-time faculty members
• Merger of the Career Development Centre with the Co-operative Education Plan for better synergy in preparing students for the labour market
• Co-op learning at international and domestic

Administrative support

• The workflow within the undergraduate student advisory offices has been reviewed and a staff training program is currently in development to improve access to academic advisors and increase retention
• The Faculty of Graduate and Post-Doctorate studies has been dissolved; most transactional operations and student advising have been transferred under the responsibility of the academic faculties, thereby increasing the proximity of graduate students to faculty and programs as to improve cohort spirit and academic progression
• A central Quality Assurance Office was created to harmonize undergraduate and graduate cyclical review processes and stimulate an institutional culture of continuous improvement of programs
• The University of Ottawa provides regional student mentors to help their peers integrate into the university
• uOttawa has implemented a new Student Information System to increase student autonomy (through better self-service) and to facilitate a wide variety of operations, from admission through progression toward graduation

Infrastructure

• New student spaces were created, including a dining room open round the clock, seven days a week and four new residences, which increased student housing space on campus by 33 %
• A Learning Centre, to open in 2018, will provide significant additional innovative space for students to study and socialize; the Learning Centre will enable the offering of modern active learning classes and case-based approaches to enhance the student learning experience
• A STEM building will be opened in 2018 with teaching and research labs for students in science, engineering, and innovation. The design includes dedicated entrepreneurship space, which will support the development of an entrepreneurial culture and provide resources for students from any faculty who are interested in entrepreneurship

Pedagogy

• Increase in hybrid education and distance learning opportunities
• Improved access to research experiences for third- and fourth-year undergraduate students, with the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), as a high-impact initiative that fosters interest in graduate studies and directly involves undergraduate students in real-world research
• Expansion of co-op programs: uOttawa now has the second-largest offering in Ontario; however, to continue to expand co-op offerings within and across programs, the co-op office requires additional financial support to engage additional employers and administer co-op placements
• Capstone projects are now available in many programs (e.g., Engineering, Management, Public and International Affairs)
• Simulation labs, combined with real-life community-based applied learning, the inter-professional clinic and testing centre in Health Sciences and the INSPIRE Lab at the Faculty of Social Sciences, enable students to train in real-world situations without leaving the In addition, the Finance Research and Learning lab and the Capital Market Development Program, train uOttawa students in portfolio management and allows them to manage a real fund
• The Writing Centre helps students to develop their writing skills
• The University of Ottawa offers sheltered academic courses for students for whom English is their second language
• The University of Ottawa offers a French immersion program for English-speaking students wanting to study and learn in an immersion setting
• The University of Ottawa has implemented a new learning management system (LMS) that will improve learning monitoring, encourage independent learning and support portfolio development; it will also ease the transition to competency-based programs and learning outcomes measurement
• The University of Ottawa implemented a new tool (uoSyllabus) in 2016 to foster the development, implementation and communication of course and program learning outcomes; it is already in use for almost a thousand courses

Community-based activities

• Internationalization efforts to facilitate student mobility and create an open and globalized learning environment are a pillar of uOttawa’s strategic plan and are actively One example, is the Telfer School of Management, which sends over 150 students annually to 51 elite postsecondary business schools in 24 countries and facilitates international internships and international field trips at the graduate level. In addition, 150-200 students in the Faculty of Social Sciences annually participate in classes abroad, field trip courses, student exchanges or United Nations simulations
• The residence life experience has been enhanced with the launch, in 2016-2017, of a series of Living Learning Communities (LLCs), where over 200 students have been presented with opportunities for connection and development beyond the An LLC is a dedicated space in the university residence where residents are grouped according to their interest in a particular area. Programming for

LLCs focuses on these areas of interest, and offers enhanced opportunities for connection and development beyond the classroom. Various LLCs have been organized on the campus, offering a variety of opportunities for students, including:

• Students in STEM can join a STEM community
• Canadian and international students who are interested in developing intercultural communication skills, while having an enriching student experience in residence, can be part of a community dedicated to these interests
• One LLC offers volunteer opportunities, (e.g., working with children in an elementary school, helping promote health initiatives at a local Community Health Centre

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

The University of Ottawa is a comprehensive university offering many professional programs with embedded traditional experiential learning in the curriculum, such as: an unpaid practicum (e.g., Education, Nursing and Psychology); an internship (e.g., Medicine, Criminology and Social Work) or a paid co-op activity for those who chose this option. Experiential learning can also encompass work in a community organization, a student association, or a department or service. Students can take advantage of community-based experiential learning opportunities through Community Service Learning (CSL), which is a form of experiential learning whereby students contribute to their community by participating in professor-approved community service placements related to course learning objectives. The University of Ottawa also partners with the federal government and national institutions around the nation’s capital to offer students experiential learning opportunities. Many students are exposed in very practical ways to a pan-Canadian perspective, to public administration and to national government. Students in graduate research programs may work in a research lab; students in a modern language program or international studies may spend some time abroad.

The University of Ottawa seeks to offer every student real and enriching opportunities for experiential learning, resulting in a significant impact on the student’s readiness for the evolving needs of tomorrow’s labour market.

Experiential learning is often defined as a hands-on activity in relation to the learning outcomes of a particular

program, with the objective of providing practical skills that can subsequently be used in a professional environment. The University of Ottawa advocates for a broad definition that could cover different contextualized activities that result in academic credit or are eligible for inclusion in the student’s co-curricular record.

Teaching quality is also a key factor in the student experience. The Teaching and Learning Support Service (TLSS) promotes continued professional development for all professors (including part-time faculty) and teaching assistants through a series of face-to-face or online workshops to improve their pedagogical skills and inclusion of technology in the classroom. Approaches that promote active learning are promoted, including case-based learning, team learning and self-directed learning.

Examples of institutional initiatives

• Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP): UROP provides undergraduate students with unique and exciting opportunities to explore cutting-edge research at the University of Ottawa while they define their professional By participating in UROP, a student receives a $1,000 award and devotes, during one academic year, at least 50 hours to the research project conducted by the faculty sponsor they have chosen. Each faculty sponsor receives $500 in research funds to support their involvement in the program
• Learning management system (LMS): The University of Ottawa is adopting a Created for the digital learner, the cloud-based platform runs on mobile devices and offers rich multimedia support to increase engagement and improve productivity and knowledge retention. The platform makes it easy to design courses, create content and grade assignments, giving instructors more time to focus on improved teaching and learning. At the same time, analytics enable tracking of outcomes and deliver insights into the performance levels of departments, courses, or individuals
• Learning Outcome mapping: The uoSyllabus tool brings together the best practices in course design currently available in university teaching. The tool also offers a range of teaching strategies and evaluation methods that encourage professors to examine the learning activities best suited to the learning outcomes for their Since uoSyllabus can include learning outcomes for program curriculum, coherence analyses can be conducted either for self-evaluation or accreditation purposes
• Chairs in University Teaching: The Chairs lead a three-year research program, with implications for the broader university teaching community, which relates to significant transformation of teaching and learning practices in their They conduct scholarly development and research in the field of university teaching. All Chairs join the research unit in teaching and learning in higher education housed within TLSS
• Co-op: The University of Ottawa organizes the second-largest CO-OP program in Ontario, the fourth-largest program in Canada, with more than 75 programs of study in seven The option is an extension of a regular program that allows applying concepts learned in class during paid work terms. The co-op program was launched 35 years ago. In 2016, 3,111 placements were made
• Simulation: Simulation labs are available to better prepare students for real-life situations in for Health Sciences and
• Technology-enabled learning –  uOttawa:
  • Offers 302 courses online; 45 via audio conference; 113 via videoconference
  • Adopted blended learning on a large scale in 2013 to produce better learning outcomes, increase productivity and reduce In 2016, 159 blended learning courses were already developed, 360 professors were trained to design and teach blended courses and in 2015- 2016, 6,000 students attended blended learning classes
  • Uses advanced simulation scenarios in English and French and is the leader in developing this expertise in French
  • Is equipped both technologically and pedagogically to contribute to the store of French-language and bilingual content available online; for example, online course delivery for such programs as the Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Master of Education (MEd) is a way to reach francophone students across Ontario
• Global and Community Engagement: Through the Michaëlle Jean Centre for Global and Community Engagement, students have participated in 4,463 volunteer placements with 391 community partners; in addition, the Centre operates the Community Service Learning initiative.
• International Student Mobility: The University of Ottawa has a dedicated International Office, which facilitates international These efforts are complemented by faculty-level initiatives. For example:
  • The Faculty of Social Sciences offers four programs for international mobility: international internships, field study courses, international student exchange and simulation activities (the National Model United Nations Simulation at the United Nations and the SPECQUE, the international French-speaking model of the European Parliament)
  • The Faculty of Medicine offers structured summer programs at the Ottawa Shanghai Joint School of Medicine in Shanghai
  • The Faculty of Engineering has created the International Student Experience Scholarship, which is funded through its Teacher Training Program; in the 2016-2017 academic year, 58 undergraduate and  graduate students have benefited from this scholarship, which provides up to $6,000 for conducting research at universities or research institutions abroad
• MakerSpace: Three MakerSpace labs have been implemented on uOttawa’s main campus; of these, the Richard L’Abbé Makerspace is the first invent-build-play space at the University of It is a student-run space that enables all interested students to collaborate and build their dream projects
• Start-up Garage: Now beginning its eighth year, Start-up Garage is a cohort-based student entrepreneurship and experiential learning program that, since 2010, has created 57 Originating as a three-team pilot program, the program has grown and expanded to become a regional program, integrated into the entrepreneurship community and located at Invest Ottawa as part of the Campus-linked Accelerator (CLA) program. Another 13 student teams/firms have been invited to participate in the summer 2017 cohort
• Measuring innovative practices and spaces- Given the importance of innovation in teaching and learning, over the course of SMA2 uOttawa plans to implement a measurement system to track student participation in innovative learning opportunities that contribute to a highly skilled workforce and ensure positive student It expects to include the number of students participating in courses with innovative teaching components and additional quantification of experiential learning. In addition, uOttawa will develop systems to identify and monitor space set aside for innovative purposes (e.g., Advanced Research Complex (ARC) labs; health simulation labs; and mock trial court space for law). uOttawa also expects to track student satisfaction with its new innovative learning spaces

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

 In addition to its education and research mission, uOttawa is the only Ontario university with a legislated mandate to "further bilingualism and biculturalism and to preserve and develop French culture in Ontario.” This mandate springs from its close historic ties to the Franco-Ontarian community, particularly in Eastern Ontario. For over a century and a half, the University of Ottawa has fostered the development and education of the local Franco-Ontarian community, helping to create economic opportunities and community resiliency. The University of Ottawa takes very seriously its responsibility to uphold the bilingual character of the institution, as well as its mandate to develop la Francophonie across the province. The University of Ottawa has worked closely with the Franco-Ontarian community to develop needed programs, such as Social Work or Occupational Therapy, and has delivered local versions of the BEd program in Toronto and Windsor to strengthen these communities and meet their needs. Academically, bilingualism at the University of Ottawa means the simultaneous offering of programs in either official language. Efforts are made to ensure an appropriate linguistic balance on campus to facilitate the completion of academic programs in either official language. This commitment has recently been reaffirmed with a revised version of uOttawa’s policy on bilingualism.

The University of Ottawa is also committed to actively improving access and equity with respect to underrepresented groups, such as first-generation students, students with disabilities (with particular attention to mental health issues), Indigenous students, new Canadians, refugees and students receiving support from the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).

In 2016-17, the University of Ottawa established a Presidential working group to examine diversity and inclusion on campus. The recommendations flowing from this group will form the basis of an action plan to address identified needs. Links are currently being developed between this group and the working group on retention.

The University of Ottawa is also increasing its efforts to develop an institutional Indigenous culture on the campus and to develop an Indigenous agenda for the years covered by SMA2. The university considers this to be of particular importance, given its location in the national capital and with a large Indigenous student population. The existing program in Aboriginal Studies and the Institute of Canadian and Indigenous Studies provides a base on which uOttawa plans to build.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Francophone students

• Since 2015, international students who enroll in a program in French pay domestic tuition fees This measure helps to ensure a proper balance of courses offered in English and in French.
• The University of Ottawa is a founding institution and very active member of the Consortium francophone national en santé (CNFS). Funded by Health Canada, the CNFS supports the training of health practitioners who work with French-speaking minorities and the funding of research projects on health issues in language-minority settings
• The University of Ottawa is the only university in Canada that offers French immersion This enables the many graduates of French immersion secondary schools from across Canada (and North America) to continue their studies in their second language, thereby leveraging provincial investments in kindergarten to grade 12 immersion programs. The University of Ottawa’s French immersion students generally enter with academic averages that are higher than the mean and have a second-year retention rate of over 90 %

Indigenous students

• The University of Ottawa receives funding from the Ontario Postsecondary Fund for Aboriginal Learners, which supports the Aboriginal Education Council and the Aboriginal Resource Centre (ARC). ARC organizes social activities and supports Indigenous students who are coping with academic Its work helps to reduce attrition among Indigenous students
• Further to the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a new structure will be created for Indigenous affairs at the The structure will integrate the existing Aboriginal Education Council and a Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs
• Students from First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities have access to the full suite of academic programs across all disciplines, including specific programs with indigenous components in the curriculum, such as: Honours with Major in Aboriginal Studies (Faculty of Arts); Aboriginal Teacher

Education Program (Faculty of Education); the Mini Medical School Program (Faculty of Medicine); and Aboriginal Economics.

Other underrepresented groups

• The University of Ottawa is working to meet its commitments to accessibility, while facing significant increases in self-reported accessibility This includes accessibility supports for individuals with a sensory deficit (e.g., visual impairment). The University of Ottawa is also reviewing its policies on accommodation and access
• Student accommodation needs are met via In 2015-16, SASS administered more than 7,000 deferred exams
• Mental Health services are provided by SASS (7,800 appointments in counselling in 2015-2016). In addition, the University Health Service connects students to specialized counselling services or psychiatric care (more than 5,000 appointments with students in 2016)
• The mandate of the joint Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee with the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) has been broadened so that its discussions are no longer limited to gender representation on the campus but also include the representation of persons from Indigenous communities, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and persons from other equity groups

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

The University of Ottawa is a research-intensive university supporting research excellence in a broad range of scientific and scholarly endeavours. Independent national and International rankings (such as Research Infosource, QS World University and the Times Higher Education) consistently place uOttawa among the top three Ontario universities, among Canada’s top 10 research universities and among the top two % of the world’s universities. According to these international rankings, uOttawa ranks even more prominently in several subject areas. They include Nursing, Geography, Linguistics and Development, Political and International Studies, in which the university features in the top 100. In Chemistry, Law, Medicine and Photonics, uOttawa ranks among the top 150 universities worldwide.

As a bilingual institution, the uOttawa takes great pride in offering a bilingual French and English research environment. Among the many advantages, this bilingual character opens unique avenues for collaboration regionally and internationally that benefit students and researchers. In addition, University of Ottawa researchers are encouraged to publish discoveries in either official language, thereby broadening its global research reach.

Over the past years, the uOttawa intensified its research activities across all fields, significantly upgraded its research infrastructure and developed extensive local, national and international collaborations. These efforts have resulted in an enhanced environment for learning, scholarship and discovery that greatly contribute to both research and teaching excellence.

The University of Ottawa’s research strategy is rooted in the fundamental view that research and teaching are inseparable, mutually reinforcing activities. In addition to advancing knowledge and contributing to such societal priorities as health, environmental sustainability and jobs, research directly contributes to innovative teaching and job preparedness. That’s why uOttawa continues to create multiple opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in research. For example, in addition to the numerous programs featuring a research project or rotation, an innovative, research-intensive undergraduate program in biomedical sciences will be rolled out next year. After the first two years, the students will complete their degree through various lab-based rotations and hands-on learning practices.

The University of Ottawa also strongly values interdisciplinarity, which is at the core of the best efforts to resolve the most important societal questions of our times. To that end, and in accordance with its commitment in SMA1, the uOttawa has brought together, around specific themes, groups of researchers from various disciplines and faculties. Such clusters have contributed to enhanced visibility and international connectivity, further attracting the best minds and offering exceptional learning space for students. Specifically, uOttawa created:

• Multidisciplinary and interfaculty/inter-institutional research centres and institutes in its designated priority areas. This includes the Brain and Mind Institute, the Institute of the Environment, the Institute for Science, Society and Policy and the Centres for Advanced Photonics, Advanced Materials and Health Law, Ethics and These new centres add to existing ones in areas ranging from Systems Biology (Ottawa Institute of System Biology) to green chemistry (Catalysis Centre), to education to culture. They also include the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Citizenship and Minorities, the Centre on Human Rights, and the Centre for Research on Educational and Community Services. These entities provide unique opportunities for multidisciplinary capacity building, research discoveries, international collaborations and multi-sector partnerships
• Multiple opportunities for learning through research, especially at the undergraduate These include the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, the summer internship bursaries and the summer international research initiative. Over the past three years, more than 1,000 undergraduate students have benefited from these hands-on experiential learning programs and provided exceptionally positive feedback on their experiences. In addition, numerous discipline-specific research opportunities were developed, such as the Integrated System on Participation in Research at the School of Psychology
• Critical mass in several of the designated research clusters through the recruitment of professors with outstanding research credentials, converging interests and complementary This provides a superb teaching and training environment and enhanced outreach ability to various socio-economic sectors. These clusters include environmental policy and economics, health law, economics and management, material sciences, artificial intelligence, brain and mental health and chronic diseases

In SMA1, the uOttawa identified specific priority areas that align with government priorities and in which uOttawa enjoys recognized strengths and a competitive advantage. These priorities, which remain at the forefront through SMA2, are university-wide, meaning they span the entire spectrum of disciplines and methodological approaches. They are:

• Health, from clinical and biomedical to policy and economics: Within this area of strength, uOttawa has identified the following research priorities: healthy aging, brain and mind, cardiovascular health, regenerative medicine, novel therapeutics and practice-changing research
• Science and Technology: with world leaders in several fields, notably photonics and quantum optics, enabling technologies for e-society (e.g., artificial intelligence and the Internet of things) and sustainable/clean technologies and processes (including catalysis and materials science)
• Administration and public policy: uOttawa enjoys broad strengths and significant depth in this important area, including conflict studies and human rights, security, technology and environmental law and policy and comparative and international law and

Through individual as well as institutional collaborations, the University of Ottawa has forged many important local, national and international research partnerships in these strategic areas.

At the local level, it enjoys strong partnerships with its five affiliated academic hospitals and their research institutes. A common affiliation agreement has been co-signed by all partners, ensuring a harmonized research and training strategic plan for the Health Sector. The partners have joined efforts on numerous initiatives, resulting in the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, the recruitment of top talent and the attraction of out-of-province funds and investments.

The University of Ottawa’s location in the nation’s capital provides unique opportunities for engagement with government institutions (including labs and departments) and with local businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). These research collaborations offer countless opportunities to students for experiential learning, on-the-job training and entrepreneurship development. They also serve to facilitate knowledge translation and create well-paying jobs. The University of Ottawa is especially proud of its strong partnerships with federal labs and departments, exemplified by the high-profile joint uOttawa-National Research Council (NRC) lab in attosecond science and by its close interactions with Ottawa’s strong tech sector.

At the national level, uOttawa is a member of multiple National Networks of Centres of Excellence and other cross-country partnerships. Its professors also lead several national initiatives, including the Stem Cell Network, the Biotherapeutics for Cancer Treatment Network, the Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery and the National Parkinson Consortium.

The University of Ottawa has also forged significant international partnerships in its key priority areas. Additional details are provided in Section 7.2.

Examples of institutional initiatives

Addressing the continuum of brain health

The University of Ottawa has over 150 leading researchers across several faculties and hospitals whose research directly addresses brain and mental health. The Brain and Mind Institute was created to foster multidisciplinary research and training in health areas of great clinical and societal needs. Anchored in the Faculty of Medicine, the Institute includes researchers from five faculties and five hospitals. With leadership in stroke, neuromuscular and movement disorders and degenerative diseases, the Institute galvanized the entire community, developed academic and public outreach programs and succeeded at attracting major operating and infrastructure funding. By bridging basic, clinical, behavioural and socio-ethic research, the Institute is already having an impact on health practice and the community. Over the past three years, uOttawa also recruited a dozen professors in this area, building an impressive critical mass and bringing further visibility and prestige. As a result, it attracted international attention and collaborations, culminating in the development of a joint neuromuscular centre with the Institut Myogene in Lyon, France.

The science and applications of photonics and quantum optics

The University of Ottawa is a leader in the field of photonics and quantum optics and their application. The university continues building on its excellence and substantial international and private sector connections in this area, attracting out-of-province resources and top talent. Its vision has been to bring all research in this area under one roof, develop interdisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs and facilitate knowledge exchange and translation. Several noteworthy developments occurred under SMA1: through Canadian Foundation for Innovation and Ontario Research Fund support, uOttawa successfully completed the building and moved all engineering and physics researchers and their groups into it. Interfaculty programs in engineering physics and photonics were developed. Applications areas ranging from solar energy to medical diagnostics, microscopy and sensors attracted significant private-sector investments, enabling students to work on real-world problems. Examples of significant partnerships with the private sector includes a first of its kind partnership with the optics giant Zeiss. As testimony to the outstanding stature of the Center, a prestigious joint uOttawa-Max Planck Center for Extreme and Quantum Photonics was established with the German Max Planck society, the only one in Ontario. Among other activities, the Center provides unparalleled learning experience to students and interactions with exceptional academics and private sector leaders.

The Environmental Sustainability Institute

This Institute focuses on environmental economy and policy. With a strong group of legal and economics scholars, working alongside biologists, chemists and engineers, the Institute has championed impressive public initiatives and outreach, in addition to developing a highly successful, interdisciplinary Masters program and, soon, a PhD program. Students enjoy working with leading researchers on real-world issues, whether through the Ecojustice Clinic or with individual and group researchers funded through Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Partnership Grants. High-level engagement includes convening the National Round Table on the Environment, which brings together company CEOs, NGOs, senior public servants and leading researchers from across the country. The Institute faculty have been active and engaged with provincial and federal governments. They exemplify the impact that academics can have on training, social innovation and public policy.

Metrics and targets

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

Innovation

The University of Ottawa has an active engagement strategy with its community, alumni and regional eco-system. For example, uOttawa has been a founding board member of Invest Ottawa (and of several predecessor organizations, e.g., Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation) and an active stakeholder in the Innovation Centre at Bayview Yards. Its researchers collaborate with, and our students are employed by, established and burgeoning entrepreneurs and companies (both regionally and internationally) in the knowledge-intensive sectors of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomous vehicles, photonics, advanced manufacturing, nanotechnology, biotechnology, natural resources, the bio-economy and the environment.

The University of Ottawa interacts with the public, not-for-profit and private sectors of the community, including: federal, provincial and municipal government agencies (collaborative research, consulting, policy development); other educational institutions; First Nations communities; the international community (through consulates and embassies); startups, investors and entrepreneurs; and multi-national technology firms. The University of Ottawa’s first priority in this, and in all its activities, is the quality of each student’s experience.

Economic Development

A January 2016 Economic Impact Study conducted by the Conference Board of Canada found that the University of Ottawa has a significant economic footprint and delivers substantial social, cultural and community benefits. The report concluded that:

• The University of Ottawa’s total economic impact is $6.8-$7.4 billion annually
• uOttawa’s activities contribute over $1.5 billion annually to Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and generate and support over 29,500 jobs across Canada
• As a result of their degrees, University of Ottawa graduates living in the Ottawa–Gatineau census metropolitan area earn a wage premium of $2.3 billion each year and pay an additional $591 million in federal and provincial personal income taxes
• The cumulative impact of annual research spending by uOttawa between 1971 and 2013 contributed nearly $2.6 billion to Ontario’s GDP in 2013
• The social returns on uOttawa’s research spending were estimated to yield $479-$958 million in 2015
• The University of Ottawa plays a major role in delivering bilingual higher education in Ottawa-Gatineau and beyond, with an estimated annual investment of $61.3 million — including $30.3 million provided by the provincial and federal governments

Community engagement

The University of Ottawa engages with its communities locally, provincially, internationally and within la francophonie.

It is an urban university engaged in activities that strengthen the city’s socio-economic fabric and make Ottawa a better place to live. For example, in partnership with the Ottawa Mission and First Baptist Church, the University of Ottawa offers Discovery University, which allows people who are homeless or living on low incomes the opportunity to participate in non-credit, university-level humanities and social science courses at no cost. The courses are taught on campus by university professors and all textbooks and course materials are also provided at no cost. Building on established outreach activities, such as free legal clinics, the University of Ottawa is working to develop a Community Outreach House to consolidate and expand its offerings to meet the specific needs of the downtown population.

The University of Ottawa has enjoyed a special relationship with Ontario’s French-speaking community for over 150 years, supporting the development and expansion of resilient French-language communities across the province. It continues to play a significant role in sustaining Ontario’s diverse francophone communities.   For example, it has delivered the BEd in French only in Windsor and Toronto for over 25 years, to ensure the local francophone school boards and students had access to French-speaking teachers. It responded to the needs identified by the community to offer a Social Work program in French only. Ontario’s francophonie has also been strengthened by uOttawa graduates in many other fields, such as business, health, law, medicine and the arts. The University of Ottawa has had a positive impact on all aspects of today’s vibrant Ontario francophonie. It also houses and maintains the Centre de Recherche en Civilisation Canadienne-Française (CRCCF), the largest collection of Franco-Ontarian archives.

Examples of institutional initiatives

• Start-up Garage: Now beginning its eighth year, Start-up Garage is a cohort-based student entrepreneurship and experiential learning program that, since 2010, has created 57 Originating as a three-team pilot program, the program has grown and expanded to become a regional program, integrated into the entrepreneurship community and located at Invest Ottawa as part of the Campus-Linked-Accelerator (CLA) program. Another 13 student teams/firms have been invited to participate in the summer 2017 cohort
• NSERC Chair in Entrepreneurial Engineering Design (CEED): Awarded in 2015, to Dr. Hanan Anis, CEED is the first NSERC Chair in Engineering Design to be held by a woman, and to be devoted to Entrepreneurship Supported by several local firms (both startups and multinational enterprises) the Chair promotes student design engineering interactions on projects of interest to entrepreneurs, while promoting enhanced skill development and community interactions from the Richard L’Abbe MakerSpace and the MakerMobile
• Entrepreneurship Bridges: Established in 2008, Entrepreneurship Bridges is a lecture and outreach program to link the Faculty of Engineering and Telfer School of Management students and alumni with serial entrepreneurs, innovators and investors from the community in a series of events throughout the
• Entrepreneurship Hub: Established in 2014, the Entrepreneurship Hub (EHub) provides resources, programs and networks to support students at any point in their entrepreneurial The EHub opens doors to a world of opportunities for students, whether they are just starting to dream about launching their own venture, pursuing the application of a new idea, or motivated to acquire entrepreneurial and innovation skills for their future career. The EHub cultivates in students an entrepreneurial mindset that translates into seeing change not as a source of risk, growing uncertainty, stress and anxiety, but as a source of opportunity, optimism, personal growth and successful development
• STEM Building: Announced in December 2016, the STEM building is under construction, with a planned completion date of April At the intersection of science and engineering on campus, and as the new core of the uOttawa Discovery District, the STEM complex will house open-concept super labs, 3D-printing Makerspaces and the new locations for the CEED program, Start-up Garage and the EHub. The STEM complex will strengthen innovation as a core uOttawa value by creating an environment and culture for open innovation and the collision of ideas, key ingredients in the quest for excellence, the advancement of knowledge and a resilient economy. This one-stop centre for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship will be the core of uOttawa’s innovation activity for decades to come
• Maker Mobile: The uOttawa Maker Mobile is a Makerspace on Travelling from location to location on a full-time basis, it carries equipment such as 3D printers and scanners, laser cutters, and Arduino microcontrollers. Using the latest technologies, the Maker Mobile delivers fun hands-on learning activities to schools, libraries and community centres across the region, complementing the school curriculum. The Maker Mobile has provided hands-on STEM learning experiences in French to francophone school boards in Central and Southwestern Ontario.
• The Michaëlle Jean Centre for Global and Community Engagement: This Centre at uOttawa promotes lifelong community engagement and social responsibility among students. Integrating academic work with meaningful volunteer service through community and faculty partnerships, the Centre supports students in contributing to stronger communities, positive social change and a more active university locally, nationally and internationally

Metrics and targets

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 85,300.83 Weighted Grant Units (WGU) will be the corridor midpoint value for the University of Ottawa. This value was determined using the institution’s actual enrolment (expressed as WGUs) from the 2016-17 academic year. The University of Ottawa 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 the University of Ottawa

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 the University of Ottawa

Note – Allocation shown in FTEs

Projected international enrolment

Note:  International enrolments include all funding ineligible international students.

International enrolment strategy and collaboration

According to the Times Higher Education ranking, uOttawa is sixth among Ontario universities in terms of international outlook. There are currently more than 5,000 international students registered at the University of Ottawa, representing about 12 % of the student population. It has also established many international partnerships and collaborations, including:

• Joint laboratories with several Institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Joint Ottawa-Shanghai Medical School with academic and research programs
• Joint Ottawa-Lyon Institute for neuromuscular health
• The Ottawa-Max Planck Centre in quantum optics and photonics
• Numerous partnerships in the public policy area with leading international institutions, including the Paris School of International Affairs of the Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)

The University of Ottawa sees several non-monetary benefits to attracting international students, including:

• Exposing students to different cultures and different ways of thinking to prepare them better to compete in the global economy
• Helping to build international research networks
• Helping to maintain its bilingual character
• Improving the international reputation of the university
• Sensitizing uOttawa students to the advantages of outward mobility

International goals

The University of Ottawa expects that the number of international students registered will increase to about 6,700 (including full-time and part-time students) by 2019-20, which will represent approximately 15 % of the student population.

Risk factors considered in managing international enrolment

The University of Ottawa’s Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) plan has identified a number of risk factors on the path towards greater internationalization:

• Retention rate: The retention rate of international undergraduate students is lower than that of Canadian students
• Academic diversity: Almost 80 % of all international students at uOttawa are concentrated in engineering, management and social sciences
• Cultural diversity: More than a third of uOttawa’s international students come from China, which makes it vulnerable to socio-economic changes that could occur in that country
• Tuition fees: Although fees are competitive with comparable institutions, the cost poses challenges in attracting students from developing countries

The SEM plan is monitoring these risk factors and will include risk-mitigation strategies.

International strategy approval process

The University of Ottawa’s international recruitment strategy is grounded in its SEM plan, which is being developed under the leadership of our Provost and of the University Administrative Committee. This helps to ensure that the plan’s primary focus is on academic priorities, including student success.

Strategic areas of program strength and expansion

Program areas of strength

1. Medicine
2. Health Sciences
3. Sciences
4. Technology
5. Law
6. Humanities
7. Government and Management
8. Education

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

Program areas of expansion

1. Health
2. Technology
3. Sciences
4. Public and International Affairs
5. Education

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

 Affiliation with Saint Paul University

When the University of Ottawa became a public institution in 1965, Saint Paul University (SPU) was created as an affiliated bilingual institution holding a pontifical charter. SPU offers 13 programs. As an affiliated institution, it has its own Senate and the programs are also approved by the University of Ottawa Senate to meet common quality requirements and ensure that programs are complementary. The agreement allows SPU to share services such as teaching evaluation, registration, library access and student support services.

Partnerships with other Ottawa postsecondary education institutions

The University of Ottawa has collaborations and partnerships with various stakeholders in the Ottawa region. It runs more than 40 collaborative programs with other postsecondary education institutions in the region in a wide variety of disciplines, including business, communications, economics, engineering, neuroscience, nursing and law. In total, 1775 undergraduate and 1,630 graduate students participate in these programs.

Ottawa: The Education City

Algonquin College, Carleton University, La Cité Collégiale and the University of Ottawa will work on a pilot for the next three years to develop a unique learner‐driven partnership focusing on flexible, personalized delivery and career pathways. Stackable, non‐degree credentialed offerings will focus on developing the skills required to meet the highly skilled workforce needs of business and industry in Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley.

We intend to be innovative and conceive of ways of sharing our location and unique strengths to achieve common goals of excellence in academic pursuits, increase transferability opportunities and the management and operations that underpin them while pursuing partnerships with eCampus Ontario and ONCAT. Students will be connected more than ever to work‐integrated learning, pathways to employment and labour market information through a unique partnership with Magnet, LinkedIn and the Ottawa Local Employment Planning

Council.

One of the results of these partnerships and collaborations will be short, outcomes‐based delivery providing stackable badges and certificates. Our faculty members will be brought together to explore better understanding of the curriculums of each of our institutions. We are proposing new ways of teaching and joint programming.

All four postsecondary education institutions in the City of Ottawa have demonstrated a commitment toward working with Indigenous communities on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action. This partnership will work to embed Indigenous ways of knowing in its framework for the benefit of all students.

This will be the first umbrella partnership between four institutions in one city, offering college and university courses in the Canada’s two official languages. It will turn Ontario’s second‐largest city into a living lab for flexible, personalized postsecondary education program delivery and career pathways. We would be pleased to work with government on this pilot in order to inform postsecondary education policy for the benefit of students and to meet the current and future needs of industry.

Partnerships with Canadian higher education institutions

• There are collaborative agreements with Algonquin (three programs) and La Cité collégiale (three programs) for joint programs in health
• The University of Ottawa jointly offers graduate programs in science, engineering, and economics with Carleton University. It also launched the Ottawa-Carleton Graduate School of Economics with Carleton. In all, 20 programs are offered through this The two institutions intend to develop new joint graduate programs
• uOttawa also collaborates with other universities in the area of It is involved with the Ontario University Procurement Management Association, which promotes strategic supply, co-operative procurement and the ethical exchange of information between its members and affiliates. Through connections and other collaborative initiatives, uOttawa also participates in exchange of information with other universities on many initiatives such as procure to pay. These collaborations enable the university to optimize its strategic procurement through discussion of best practices and at times allows for better economies of scale
• The University of Ottawa also participates in University Credit Transfer Consortium, a credit Transfer Pathways The uOttawa admits almost 2,000 students annually through student mobility and credit transfer agreements with other postsecondary institutions in Ontario, Canada and around the world. The University of Ottawa is working closely with other partner institutions offering French-language programs to expand offerings through joint programs and credit transfer
• The University of Ottawa is member of the Association des universités et collèges francophones du Canada which is mainly administering the Consortium national francophone en santé. The University of Ottawa is a leader in this group, which that promotes research and training for health practitioners who deal with language minorities across
• The University of Ottawa is a member of the U15 group, which represents the 15 most research- intensive universities in
• The University of Ottawa is very active in the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), which facilitates access to library resources in different institutions, including the Canadian Archives
• The University of Ottawa has agreed to assist in establishing a French-language university in Toronto to better serve the French-speaking community

Partnerships with public organizations

• The faculties of Health Science, Management, Medicine and Social Sciences have signed agreements with the Ottawa Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Montfort, Elizabeth-Bruyère, Royal Hospital and the Heart These agreements facilitate internships for health practitioners. The network is also a key asset for research initiatives, e.g., the Centre of Excellence in Stroke Recovery Collaboration, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Brain and Mind Institute
• As a result of a collaboration between OC Transpo and the higher education institutions in Ottawa- Carleton region, full-time students are offered U-Pass, a card that allows them to use public transportation free of
• There is a close relationship between the School of Music in the Faculty of Arts and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, as well as the National Arts Centre Many faculty members in Music play in these orchestras
• There is also a collaboration with the Museum of Joint hires have been made in the context of this agreement
• A partnership between Statistics Canada, uOttawa, Carleton University and the Université du Québec en Outaouais has led to the creation of the Carleton, Ottawa, Outaouais Local Research Data Centre, located on the uOttawa This facility is essential for students and professors who want to access detailed data offered by Statistics Canada. The nurturing of this strategic relationship, over time, will lead to big data research initiatives for health and socio-economic research within uOttawa

The Joint Attosecond Science Laboratory (JASLab) secures Ottawa as the Attosecond Science Capital of the World. The JASLab, housed at the NRC (Sussex) is a unique addition to uOttawa’s suite of photonics tools, in which Dr. Paul Corkum (Department of Physics), his team and students can continue to intensify the research program in a field that has tremendous strategic potential.

• The Faculties of Social Sciences and Arts have developed a partnership with the Canadian Science and Technology Museum to create Ontario’s first interactive living lab aimed at understanding bilingual

Partnerships with universities across the world

• The University of Ottawa has developed partnerships with many international institutions to support research Most of these agreements also include graduate student and faculty mobility
• A strong and enduring partnership with Jiao Tong University in Shanghai has been established, with the creation of the first Sino-Canadian school in the world (Ottawa Shanghai Joint School of Medicine). The first cohort of 30 Chinese students entered this program in September In addition, The University of Ottawa and the Université Paris-Descartes entered in a partnership in 2008 for medical student exchanges
• The first and only International Longevity Centre in Canada (ILC Canada), hosted in the Faculty of Health Sciences, joined a worldwide network (ILC Global Alliance) in May 2015. This is a multinational consortium that focuses on the potential of societies to live longer and healthier
• Since 2012, uOttawa and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light have been cultivating strong research collaboration through student and staff exchanges, international workshops and collaborative research projects. The success of this collaboration has convinced the Max Planck Society of the value in establishing a Max Planck Centre to expand on this solid
• In 2014, the University of Ottawa, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 and the Hospices Civils de Lyon laid the groundwork for a new partnership in the life sciences, health sciences and Internships and research initiatives have started
• The Faculty of Social Sciences’ Department of Criminology recently created a dual Masters degree option with the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium

Partnership with international organizations

• The University of Ottawa is a founding member of CALDO, a consortium of five of Canada’s leading research universities that develops strategic partnerships with foreign governments, sponsoring agencies and groups of universities to enable students and researchers from Latin America to gain privileged access to the wide range of programs and research facilities of its member
• The University of Ottawa is an active member of the Agence universitaire de la francophonie (AUF)
• The University of Ottawa is a founding member of the Inter-American Organization for Higher Education (OUI-IOHE), which was created in 1980 to help develop international relations, improve the quality of academic information and promote academic collaboration among higher education institutions in the The current president of the University of Ottawa represents Canadian universities who are members of IOHE and its board

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] Learning Space per FTEs: Ratio of net assignable square meters of learning space to the number of FTEs every fall

[2] Number of co-op work term placements: Number of work term placements of undergraduate and graduate students in a temporary job related to their field of study. The length of each co-op work term is between 13 and 17 weeks.

[3] The total number of visits made by students to the different innovative learning spaces at uOttawa during the academic year. Innovative learning spaces at the university include MakerSpace, the Learning Centre, Simulation Labs and the BrightSpace (online). Use of physical space will be reported separately from use of virtual space. This is a new approach to monitoring use of innovative learning spaces. With this in mind, uOttawa will progress on developing a baseline in 2017-18.

[4] The number of undergraduate programs offered at the University of Ottawa where it is possible to earn all of the credits needed to complete the program in French, (as the language of instruction) in the normal time required to complete the program on a full-time basis.

[5] ** Percentage of undergraduate courses offered in both French and English relative to the total unique undergraduate courses offered at the University of Ottawa..

[6] Number of students involved in currently identified entrepreneurship courses: The total number of students enrolled during the Fall, Winter and Spring/Summer sessions in one of the following courses offered at the  University: ADM3313, ADM4903, ADM4313, ADM4314, ADX6262, ADX6271, GNG 4120, GNG 4520MBA6262. (Note that this is an exemplary list as opposed to an exhaustive list.)

[7] Economic Impact: Direct and indirect economic and social contribution of the University to the local, regional and Canadian economy.

2014-2017 Strategic Mandate Agreement, University of Ottawa