UNews - Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year

U of L maintains top-three Research Infosource ranking

trevor.kenney — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 18:41:49 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has maintained a top-three ranking among Canadian undergraduate universities in the annual Research Infosource’s Top 50 Research Universities list.

The U of L was ranked first in terms of total number of publications and third in publication intensity.

Last year, the U of L was named Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year (Undergraduate Category). Research Infosource indicated that a decline in provincial research funding, as well as reined in corporate funding, contributed to lower scores for all Alberta universities.

“The impact and quality of the research conducted at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to be recognized as among the best in Canada,” says Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks. “This impact is felt in our economy and throughout society as a whole, and is of tremendous benefit to our undergraduate and graduate students who are taught by, and work beside, faculty who are leaders their fields.”

Weeks says one of the priorities of the U of L is to ensure that research conducted at the U of L is impactful to external stakeholders and society as a whole. For example, earlier this year, the U of L launched the Community ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Exchange (CURE) - an initiative that facilitates the interaction and exchange of ideas between the U of L and the external community.

Research Infosource is Canada’s leading provider of research intelligence for business and higher education. Canada’s Top 50 ResearchUniversities List is released each fall. Using Statistics Canada data and the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ R&D Database, the list ranks universities by their research income. Accompanying the Top 50 List each year are Research Universities of the Year rankings based on a balanced scorecard of input, output and impact measures.

Board Chair message, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ budget and letter of expectation

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:06:24 +0000

On Mar. 7, the Government of Alberta introduced the 2013-14 provincial budget. By now, many in our community will have read or heard of the financial impact this budget will have on the two post-secondary institutions in our city – Lethbridge College and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. At the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ alone, this financial impact is a reduction of $11.9 million for this coming year and for every year that follows.

Having served as Chair of the Board of Governors for Lethbridge College and now as Chair of the Board of Governors of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and as a graduate of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, I've been afforded the opportunity to witness the quality teaching and research conducted at these institutions. I have seen and experienced the dedication and commitment of the faculty and staff to students in all programs and their devotion to their respective fields of teaching, research and creative exploration. I, like many thousands in our community, enjoy the fine arts productions, and the continuing education offerings. I cheer for the Kodiak and Pronghorn athletic programs, I use the facilities regularly, I attend the lectures and am grateful for the unique benefits afforded to Lethbridge by having two outstanding post-secondary institutions in our hometown – a rarity in Canada for any city of our size. I am also concerned of the impact these reductions and proposed changes to the post-secondary education system in our province will have on our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College.

The financial constraints being imposed on both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College are significant and given the role both institutions play in our city, they will be felt well beyond the walls of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College. As significant are the concerns raised by the Letters of Expectation presented to each of the 26 post-secondary institutions in Alberta. The Letters are still in draft form and I remain hopeful that they will accomplish what both the Premier and Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education have suggested - that our Universities and Colleges will comprise a world class post-secondary system renowned for its contributions to all elements of our society and a system that prepares students to be the citizens and leaders of tomorrow. While there is always room for improvement and greater efficiency, I would argue that we are already well on our way to accomplishing this vision for our system.

There is much public speculation about the responsiveness of Alberta institutions to the needs of students and the needs of employers. Both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College are leaders in the province when it comes to collaboration and accessibility. It was the vision of successive Lethbridge MLA's John Gogo and Clint Dunford that created the concept of Campus Alberta. In turn, it was the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College that created the standard for easy and seamless transfer for students in programs like Nursing and now in Management. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ shares a campus with Concordia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College in Edmonton and early next month will celebrate a partnership with Bow Valley College, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Olds College in downtown Calgary that truly is expressive of what the Campus Alberta concept can and should be.

As for responsiveness to the needs of employers, I can speak from personal experience that my ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ education prepared me well for my career and it prepared me well to be an active and engaged contributor to my community. Personal passion and curiosity are hallmarks of the most successful people in our society. As such, the education a student receives during their post-secondary experience at times will be targeted specifically to a particular job but should also be reflective and preparatory of the long and varied career the individual has before them. Given this, there is a significant role for both the College and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in the creation of the workforce for our province and there is a significant role for all of the academic programs offered as it is these programs that enable individuals to pursue their personal passions and curiosity.

The Board of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is incredibly diligent and committed to the fiduciary responsibilities assigned to it and the members take seriously the stewardship role that is imparted to them when they accept the volunteer role of Board member. I know from experience that the College Board has the same level of commitment. Any suggestion that there is wastefulness or "fat" at either school is false. I know the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ operates very cost-effectively because our Board demands it of the administration. The resources of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are specifically targeted to the areas that are of greatest importance – the students and the programs. National recognition bestowed on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ speaks to this. Maclean's consistently ranks the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge very high and most recently placed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ 3rd nationally. Research Infosource recognized the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as Canada's Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year – Undergraduate Category this year. These are significant accomplishments and illustrate clearly the quality of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ we have in our community. They also display a momentum that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has created and it is this momentum that I am hopeful will not be lost as a result of our current challenge. This is a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ we should be proud of not only for its accomplishments but because it is our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ - born of our community and fought for diligently by our civic, business and community leaders in the 1960's.

I am hopeful that the outcome of the current provincial dialogue will not diminish the quality or reputations of our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College. We owe that to those who helped create these institutions and more importantly, we owe that to those who have yet to experience these great institutions.

Sincerely,

Gord Jong
Chair, Board of Governors
The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Open Mike - December 2012, Defining success at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:56:20 +0000

I am really pleased to be back on campus and feeling well again, and I thank everyone for their well wishes over the past six weeks.

During my time away and recently as I have been transitioning back into the workplace, I have been thinking about what facilitates success at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

In recent months we have seen national organizations such as RE$EARCH Infosource award the U of L with the distinction of being Canada's Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year 2012 (Undergraduate category), achieved our highest-ever ranking in Maclean's magazine's annual university rankings and been lauded by the Globe and Mail in their annual ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Rankings Report.

While recognition is nice, accolades do not facilitate the success of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, rather it is our people. The faculty, staff and students of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge are our success and they drive the institution.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's success is rooted in its people, and the ability of the institution to continually support their talents.

In recent days, I have been taking part in Strategic Planning Workshops, and as I listen to the presentations from throughout campus, I am constantly reminded that we can only achieve success as an institution if our people feel as though they are a part of the vision of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and can see their role in pushing our strategic priorities forward.

We can achieve this by continuing to support our people in every way that we can and allowing their talents to shine.

I think of the Health Check for You program that is currently offered by the Wellness Committee, free of charge, to our campus community. After listening to a presentation on the program and its benefits, it struck me that as much as this initiative might seem small in relation to the big picture, these are the very things we have to continue to support as we cultivate an environment for our people to be successful.

I look to the recent addition of David Hill to the Office of Research and Innovation Services as another example of creating an environment for success.

By bringing David to campus, we have added an advocate who will continue to build capacity from a research centres and institutes perspective, who will help us look ahead at what are the next opportunities for our institution, and where the next successes lie that will allow us to build as a comprehensive university.

By putting the right people in the right environment and providing them with the tools they need to be successful, whether it is in terms of equipment and infrastructure or a healthy supportive workplace, we can't help but achieve success as an institution.

Going forward, our challenge is to continue that support while also identifying the next group of people who can help us move forward strategically.

Our Strategic Plan must reflect this culture of support, through small programs such as Health Check for You to larger scale initiatives such as the quest for a new science building, the further expansion of residence and the reshaping of food services. All these individual pieces must come together to form a basis of support for our faculty, staff and students.

Maureen and I wish you the very best this holiday season, and look forward to reconnecting with everyone in the New Year.

This story first appeared in the December 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Open Mike - November 2012, Putting rankings into perspective

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:42:15 +0000

These are heady times for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as we celebrate a number of very positive results from national ranking agencies.

The good news began with Research Infosource naming the U of L its Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year 2012 (undergraduate category), was followed by our strong showing in the annual Globe and Mail Report Card and concluded with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's highest ever ranking by Maclean's Magazine, a third overall standing in the primarily undergraduate classification.

Dr. Mike Mahon says that chasing rankings will not define the direction of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

We are always pleased to do well from a rankings perspective and we should celebrate these results enthusiastically because they affirm many of the positive aspects of our institution, the comprehensive manner in which we are evolving and the commitment we continue to have to enhancing the student experience.

While it is important to receive such external validation, we must remember that these ranking instruments do not define us and cannot play a role in setting the priorities of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

It is essential that we accept these rankings for what they are, a snapshot of the activities we are engaged in, and that we continue to focus on the priorities and aspirations set out in our Strategic Plan.

As part of the Strategic Planning exercise that we are just now engaged in, November is a very important month in terms of the consultation aspect of that process.

Our current Strategic Plan is very strong in that it describes our principles as a university very well and sets a number of solid directives. As we move through the new Strategic Planning cycle, our current plan will serve as a solid foundation from which we will build.

Just as Dr. Andy Hakin challenged the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community in his Fiat Lux address to reexamine liberal education, what it means to us now and what it could be in the future, we must do the same in terms of the Strategic Plan and its directives. We will not stray from the principles set out in our current plan, rather we will think about core issues such as internationalization, liberal education and our First Nations, Métis and Inuit programming and how we can evolve these directives for the next 45 years of the institution.

I encourage you to take advantage of the upcoming consultation sessions (Nov. 23, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Nov. 27, 1 to 3 p.m.; Dec. 5, 2 to 4:30 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms) so that you can provide your thoughts and help set the future direction of your university.

On a personal note, I want to highlight the annual Movember campaign and its goal to raise awareness and support for male mental health and the fight against prostate cancer.

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer this past summer and have just recently undergone surgery to treat the cancer. My hope is for a speedy recovery, and I plan to be back on campus in a few weeks, as I am eager to continue the momentum our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has gained over the recent months.

I want to be open about this challenge I face because I know that there are many more people in our lives who are facing similar health challenges. It's important that we can feel free to talk about the difficulties we face and draw on the strength of our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community.

I thank those who have already wished me well in this journey and I urge everyone to think of your co-workers, your friends and family, and to continue to foster that atmosphere of openness, support and acceptance that makes our community so unique and such a pleasure to be a part of.

This story first appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

U of L is Canada's top undergraduate research university

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:40:14 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to evolve as one of the country's leading research-intensive universities, earning recognition Wednesday as the 2012 Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year (undergraduate category) from Research Infosource.

The U of L increased its research income by an astounding 38.7 percent over the past year, and combined with other indicators such as research intensity, publication intensity and publication impact, moved from 9th to 1st place in the 22-member undergraduate classification.

"There is no easy path to achieving the status of Canada's Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year (2012 undergraduate category)," says Dr. Dan Weeks, Vice-President (Research). "A research portfolio must be built strategically, over time, and with support throughout the university. It is also dependent on the hard work of faculty members who consistently demonstrate that they are among the very best researchers in Canada. They not only excel in research, but actively engage students in research opportunities that foster the next generation of researchers and innovators."

Research Infosource has ranked the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as the number one undergraduate research university in the country.

Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education Minister Stephen Khan says the recognition is testament to the province's commitment to research and innovation.

"The U of L's accomplishment of being named Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year in its category speaks to the quality of Alberta's post-secondary system," says Khan. "The U of L's research strength, combined with its traditional excellence in teaching, provides Alberta students with tremendous opportunities, and helps to build Alberta's knowledge-based economy."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ also ranked third in Research Infosource's top 10 overall ranking for growth and moved from 35^th to 32^nd place in overall research funding.

"There is a real breadth to the research activities that are taking place across campus," says Weeks. "With the establishment of a number of internal funding mechanisms in recent years, it has served as the impetus for new research initiatives that are now being recognized by external agencies. Couple that with the many faculty who already have well established research portfolios and it creates an even more vibrant research environment."

U of L President Mike Mahon says the university's research maturation is positioning the institution to make an even larger difference in people's lives.

"The problems being addressed by U of L researchers are helping to create a better quality of life for local and global communities," says Mahon. "While many factors have contributed to building this capacity, the exceptional work by current and former faculty has played a significant role in attracting additional world-leading researchers."

As a comprehensive university with a focus on both undergraduate and graduate education, the U of L's unique approach creates research opportunities for students early in their undergraduate studies. By investing in the establishment of nine research centres and institutes, and a clear objective outlined in the 2012-2017 Research and Academic Plan, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is focused on continuing to grow as one of Canada's most influential universities.

"The education I received from the U of L was second to none," says Jennifer Arthur (BA '07, MSc '12), who recently completed her master's studies at the U of L. "My undergraduate research experience gave me an opportunity to work with great faculty who encouraged me to pursue graduate education."

Research Infosource is Canada's leading provider of research intelligence for business and higher education. Canada's Top 50 Research Universities List is released each fall. Using Statistics Canada data and the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ R&D Database, the list ranks universities by their research income. Accompanying the Top 50 List each year are Research Universities of the Year rankings based on a balanced scorecard of input, output and impact measures.

To view the complete rankings list, visit www.researchinfosource.com

UNews - Research ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of the Year

U of L maintains top-three Research Infosource ranking

Related Topics

Board Chair message, ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ budget and letter of expectation

Related Topics

Open Mike - December 2012, Defining success at the ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Related Topics

Open Mike - November 2012, Putting rankings into perspective

Related Topics

U of L is Canada's top undergraduate research university

Related Topics

UNews - Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year

Board Chair message, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ budget and letter of expectation

Open Mike - December 2012, Defining success at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge