Research, scholarship, and creative activity at the University of Windsor contribute to technological and scientific innovation, social and civic engagement, thought leadership, environmental change, social justice, economic diversification, creative and cultural engagement, and student learning and opportunity. They stimulate the attraction, retention, and development of innovative leaders. The broad range of perspectives, methods, and knowledge traditions represented in this work enrich how we tackle critical disciplinary and global challenges, foster innovation, and seek evidence-based solutions to complex problems. The University’s scholarly footprint is growing: in 2022, University of Windsor scholars produced more peer reviewed publications and acquired more external funding than ever before.

Our strong history of student-engaged research at all levels is a powerful tradition we will build on to ensure our graduates have the skills and ability to make significant contributions to disciplinary knowledge, social change, innovation, and knowledge economies.

Over the next five years, we will continue to build inclusive cultures of inquiry and creation, increasing support for researchers across their careers, and recognizing, valuing and supporting diverse methodologies, approaches, and knowledge traditions. We will streamline and enhance research processes and services to maximize scholars’ ability to focus on their research and creative activities. Approaches to resource and space allocations will be transparent, equitable, and strategically aligned. We will focus on building the infrastructure, opportunities, and collaborative contexts to better support community-engaged and interdisciplinary research. Through these efforts, we will enhance and amplify the impact and reputation of research, scholarship, and creative activity at the University, in local communities, and across Canada.

We are committed to tackling all forms of discrimination as we work toward a meaningfully inclusive, equitable, and just campus. Over the next five years, the University will broaden and deepen its efforts to dismantle systemic barriers to equity, inclusion, and justice. We will advance efforts to be a university that consistently combats and addresses systemic barriers and discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other distinguishing characteristic or trait. This work will commit to decolonization, anti-racism, and anti-oppression, and to deeply and sustainably ingrain these changes in all aspects of campus culture and practice. It will solidify the position of the University of Windsor as a leader in truly inclusive practice.

It is important to acknowledge and honour the strength, courage, and commitment of people from historically marginalized communities who often must take on this work, and to recognize the efforts of those who take on leadership roles in these efforts. We will act on our commitment of equity-focused approaches and create and support opportunities for transformative leadership locally and nationally. We will be accountable for our progress through annual reporting on the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strategic plan.

Every year, more than 16,000 students pursue their educational and personal goals at the University of Windsor. We are committed to our mission as a comprehensive university in the Windsor-Essex region, offering a greater range of undergraduate, graduate, and professionally accredited programs than most comparably sized universities. We continue to develop as a global study destination, with an increasing focus on the holistic international student experience.

We are proud of our strong and growing profile in experiential, work-integrated, and research focused learning. Our students bring varied personal circumstances, past experiences, needs, and strengths to their learning journeys. They differ in where, how, and what they want to learn, in their goals, and in what they value about a university education. An exceptional student experience – in the classroom and beyond, reflecting the rich diversity our students bring to their learning – should always be at the heart of decision making at the University of Windsor.

Over the next five years, we will expand opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to engage as partners and co-leaders in change. Varied student journeys will be supported through more flexible educational offerings in terms of format and credential type. Partners on- and off-campus will inform regionally and globally relevant curriculum development based on a diversity of lenses and approaches including enhanced work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities. We will continue to learn and build the relationships necessary to Indigenize and decolonize the curriculum. Given the disruptive force that COVID has been for many, supporting learners in their educational journeys is more important than ever. We will work to inspire more learners to attend university, and foster students’ wellness, perseverance, and success on their way to graduation and the futures and careers they envision. It is important that we value and recognize the daily work of faculty, staff, and partners in inspiring, supporting, engaging, and challenging learners. Systematic opportunities for staff and faculty to connect, lead, learn, and share knowledge are critical to the sustainable evolution of our educational mission.

Ensuring that people thrive and feel valued in their work, learning, and community leadership efforts is fundamental to establishing the kind of university culture people want. Fostering an engaged, healthy, and sustainable campus will mean making tangible investments in health and wellness, social programming, and equitable leadership development. For employees, it also means the development of strengths-focused performance and career development, and training and support programs that inspire agency, innovation, and mutual respect.

We will develop safe and responsive feedback mechanisms and better support for conflict mediation in support of healthy, compassionate, and respectful learning and work climates. We will encourage opportunities for exchange and collaboration across units and roles within the institution and beyond so that we can learn from and about each other. Increasing and expanding these connections will provide important continuity and lines of sight as we support and engage learners across the depth and breadth of their university experience.

As a new generation of students enter postsecondary education already acting as change agents on climate change, the University will accelerate and embed sustainability measures in research, teaching, and operations while fostering a culture that values the stewardship of natural environments, and social and environmental sustainability. The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals and the Principles for Responsible Investing will provide a strong framework for planning, enabling alignment with campus operations, research and creative activity, teaching, and community engagement, advancing our existing strengths in environmental research. We will establish an institutional goal and timeline for carbon neutrality and develop campus actions to refl ect broader sustainability goals including discontinuing use of single-use plastics, enhancing sustainable infrastructure, evaluating our water footprint, reducing food waste, conscious decision-making around transportation, and procurement.