The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development
Invites you to a lunchtime "Synergy Session"

Demystifying the Business of Universities

Wednesday, March 2, 2016, from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm, Newfoundland Time
McCann Centre (ED 2030B), St. John’s Campus of Memorial University

Universities are complex institutions that play a critical role in society. Their primary mission is to educate highly-qualified personnel and, while doing so, they generate new knowledge and new forms of artistic creation. Some of this activity contributes to innovation and to the nation’s economic competitiveness. Some contributes to a deeper understanding of the world around us, and helps shape the future of society.

However, universities are often poorly understood by the public and by decision-makers. Sometimes, this leads to misunderstandings and, worse, to missed opportunities. What are the things that universities do best, and what are those that may lie outside their comfort zone? When they leave their comfort zone, what are the conditions for success? What processes enable knowledge creation and artistic creation to contribute most effectively to the economy and to society? And how may external stakeholders collaborate more effectively with universities? These are some of the questions that will be addressed by Dr. Richard J. Marceau, Vice-President (Research) at Memorial University in his presentation.

Richard was born and grew up in North Bay, Ontario, and graduated from McGill University in December 1977. After spending 12 years in industry, he entered a Ph.D. program in electric energy transmission at McGill University in 1990, successfully obtaining his degree in 1993. The same year, he joined the Electrical Engineering Department at École Polytechnique de Montréal, and was elected Chair in 1998. In 2001, he became Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of the Université de Sherbrooke where he led ground-breaking initiatives in both undergraduate education and graduate research capacity-building. In 2005, he became Provost and Vice-President Academic of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), then Ontario’s newest university, where over a period of eight years he grew its academic operations from 1,800 to nearly 10,000 students. In 2013, he became Vice President (Research) of Memorial University. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the Provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and Quebec. The presentation shares his insights on the business of universities gained from a twenty-five year career trajectory in five Canadian universities and three provinces.

 For his presentation, click here.