Collaboration Is Our Currency

For the last decade, the notion of major changes coming to post-secondary has been forecasted but has yet to truly materialize. The Post-Secondary sector continues to function predominantly in the same traditional models put in place from inception. However, forces such as enrollment challenges, caps on international student numbers, entry of new nimble education providers, pandemics, insolvency of PSIs (Laurentian U), Cybersecurity and AI are all crashing together to create catalysts for unprecedented changes. Major transformative changes across the Post-Secondary sector in Canada and BC are starting to occur now with the slope of transformation and associated disruption increasing dramatically. Sectoral reform is coming. PSIs either need to prepare for these changes or these changes will wash over the sector like a rogue wave.

One of the key factors of successfully navigating these transformational forces is the notion of collaboration amongst the PSI sector. Viewing ourselves as partners versus competitors is a key psychological shift required in the new Post-Secondary world. BCNET has created a vehicle for collaboration and there are numerous examples of PSIs, who traditionally viewed each other as competitor that are now collaborating to help build a more resilient and vibrant PSI sector.

Collaboration requires leadership traits of humility, trust, empathy, embracing diversity, and celebrating the success of others.

This session will examine some the disruptive forces influencing the Canadian Post-Secondary sector. The panel will discuss examples of collaboration that helps to strengthen the sector and the required leadership traits and characteristics required to foster increased collaboration.

Dave Lampron

CIO, College of New Caledonia

Dave is the CIO at College of New Caledonia (CNC). He's worked in academia for over 25 years. Dave is a student of empathetic leadership. He strives to create the organizational conditions that allow for an 'Idea Meritocracy' culture. An Idea Meritocracy is designed to produce the best possible decision under the circumstances by enabling the best thinking by all team members. Dave also has a passion for assisting rural and remote communities in augmenting access to essential services.

Garry Sagert

Senior Director, UVic Online, University of Victoria

Garry is the director of UVic Online Systems at the University of Victoria. Over the past 20 years, Garry has successfully led the delivery of more than $30M in strategic information systems and organizational change initiatives at the University of Victoria and throughout the B.C. higher education sector. Garry holds an MSc in Computer Science and has also made significant contributions to the field of dynamic graph algorithms.

Trevor Fuson

CIO, University of Northern British Columbia

Katie Tuck

CIO, University of the Fraser Valley

Katie Tuck has more than 20 years’ experience working in information technology in a variety of technical and supervisory roles. In her role as chief information officer at University of the Fraser Valley, Katie is responsible for leading enterprise-level technology services including infrastructure, applications, networking, classroom technology, telecommunications, and security. Katie has a bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Hull, UK, and during the course of her career she has worked in the UK, Canada and the USA.

Session Recording

Technology Track

Leadership
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Session Format

Multi-campus Viewpoint Panel Discussion (45 mins)