Reflections and Future Directions is a visioning exercise focused on identifying UPEI’s core strengths and the ways we will build upon these strengths to position UPEI, its people and partners for unprecedented success. Reflections and Future Directions is not a strategic planning process. Rather it is visioning exercise that will enable us to determine the strengths, opportunities and ideas that will guide UPEI into a thriving, sustainable future.

At the request of UPEI President Alaa S. Abd-El-Aziz, and on behalf of the University, the Reflections and Future Directions 24-member steering committee and 11 subcommittees have been working collaboratively to engage UPEI colleagues and community in this process. Dr. Abd-El-Aziz will serve as Chair of Reflections and Future Directions and Dr. Tim Ogilvie, former Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College, will serve as Vice-Chair. Sub-committees will report to the steering committee through the Vice-Chair.

The Sub-Committees have been meeting regularly to discuss their assigned themes using a strengths-based and highly consultative process. The Sub-Committees and Steering Committee are also in the process of further defining UPEI strengths (as determined by our working groups at a retreat in January 2012) in the context of overarching opportunities on which we want to build.

What are the next steps?

Since the Sub-Committees and Steering Committee were formed in November 2011, we have succeeded in generating a great deal of positive, valuable discussion. Currently the Sub-Committees and Steering Committee are working on some ‘homework’ resulting from our January 2012 retreat. A meeting of Sub-Committee Chairs will take place early in February and the Steering Committee will meet the following week. The outcomes of these meetings will be a further developed vision and key priorities on which UPEI will focus to achieve its vision.

The first draft of the vision document will be developed for mid-March.

UPEI is committed to Reflections and Future Directions being a highly consultative process. Approximately 145 UPEI colleagues and community members are currently engaged in active dialogue. With the creation of the preliminary draft document, we will be engaging further community and campus partners in a variety of ways to provide input as the process continues to evolve. Stay tuned for more information on how you can provide input!

The final document will be completed and presented to UPEI’s Senate and Board of Governors in May 2012.

How can I get more information?

If you have questions or would like more information on Reflections and Future Directions, please email reflect@upei.ca.

Thank you for your interest in this exciting initiative. We look forward to working together for the successful future of UPEI!