Selkirk College has released a road map to the future with the completion of its new strategic plan.
A steering committee representing a cross-section of the college community led the year-long process, which was facilitated by sector expert Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA). The plan—Land, Learning & Legacy: Our Path to 2040—reflects feedback from more than 500 individuals and groups, and provides guidelines for navigating an evolving post-secondary landscape.
It highlights the college’s location, place-based learning opportunities, and commitments to sustainability and community.
“This is excellent timing for a new strategy,” says Margaret Sutherland, chair of the college’s board of governors.
“The board appreciates the tremendous effort put forward by the steering committee who led this work. We are grateful to everybody who took the time to contribute, sharing their feedback and ideas. It’s resulted in a plan that will enhance our resilience and responsiveness in this very fluid and rapidly changing environment.”
The new vision of the college is to become “Canada’s destination for applied learning and inquiry grounded in a sense of land and place.” The mission statement is to “inspire generations of changemakers through relevant, inventive and sustainable education.”
Selkirk College re-affirmed its long-held values of community, access, respect and excellence, and its commitments to sustainability; equity, diversity and inclusion; reconciliation; research and innovation; and wellness.
“We’ve identified a strategy that differentiates Selkirk College from other post-secondaries across the country, helping students understand what they’re getting when they choose Selkirk College,” says Dr. Maggie Matear, the college’s president since 2022.
“Our vision is to become known across the country as the college to come to for learning opportunities that are imbued with hands-on and land-based experiences, sustainable development principles, and an appreciation of rural and regional priorities.”
In a significant shift from previous strategic plans that framed goals in five-year intervals, the new document sets a course to 2040. This extended timeline, coupled with a reimagined format as a set of guidelines for decision-making, will allow the college to remain flexible to external demand and changes while staying true to its long-term goal as a hub for learning grounded in a sense of land and place—a theme that often emerged in feedback from the college community during the plan development process.
“We’re very lucky to have such tremendous support from municipal governments, the province, community organizations, industry and businesses,” says Matear.
“They’re invested in Selkirk College, and this strategic plan process reflects that support. It gives us a good chance to do something very special, and to become recognized leaders in the things we do best.”
Learn more about Land, Learning & Legacy: Our Path to 2040 at: selkirk.ca/strategic-plan.
