U of L lays out new strategic plan for future

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on March 26, 2025.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Digvir Jayas, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Lethbridge talks about their new Strategic Plan during a launch event Tuesday at the Science Commons atrium.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

The University of Lethbridge unveiled its new strategic plan, a shared vision that addresses the changing landscape of post-secondary education provincially, nationally and globally.

Digvir Jayas, president and vice-chancellor of the university, says the strategic plan is the reflection of the university’s community coming together to provide input that will set the course for the next 10 years.

“We received over 1,800 input from people and the document we are releasing today is their collective vision of where they want the university to go,” says Jayas.

Because it’s everyone’s plan, they are all taking responsibility in delivering the goals and objectives, he adds.

“The university’s focus has always been to create outstanding experiences for students and this plan is no different, it is focused on student’s success. But for students’ success, it requires the input of everyone who works at the university and all of our friends and alumni that supports our university.”

He says the process of creating the strategic plan took about 18 months as they had so much input from so many individuals.

“The plan is setting the framework and the path for the future and the commitment of the community in helping the university to succeed,” says Jayas.

The plan defines four strategic directions:

• Challenge Boundaries and Inspire Curiosity

• Be a Place Where People Aspire to Learn, Work and Contribute

• Shape the Future

• Engage Communities

The values, as laid out in the plan, inform what the University does and supports the strategic directions, including: Relationships, Belonging, Respect, Courage, Quality, Access and Sustainability.

Dean Gallimore, chair of the U of L’s board of directors, says the strategic plan is a powerful and guiding document that needed to be done.

“We had a plan in place that got extended a little bit and it was definitely time, especially with our new president who has been here for almost two years, to come up with a real strategic plan of where we want to go,” says Gallimore.

One of the key highlights to him is the ability to access different groups that may have an impact.

“As a board of directors, we might need to make decisions on specific operational items, and the strategic plan helps us make decisions,” says Gallimore. “It’s an overall guide of where we go from here in terms of the operation of the university and the culture of the university.”

When talking about the next five to 10 years, Gallimore says growing the student population and making a big economic impact in the community is important, but some of the programs are just as important.

“The one I am most excited about at the moment is the medical training program,” he says.

Maleeka Thomas, president of the Students Union, says the strategic plan puts an emphasis on ensuring the student population is at the forefront by consulting with them.

“The emphasis on teaching, learning and research is a key part of the strategic plan,” says Thomas. “One of the big things for me as a representative of undergraduate students is seeing how many are engaged in research across campus.”

She says the strategic plan is focusing on providing opportunities for students to become involved in research, and to be able to publish their research, which is something other universities do not offer as an option.

Trevor Lewington, CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge, says the strategic plan is like a roadmap for the institution, which is important for the community as the second largest employer in Lethbridge.

“We are attracting thousands of students to Lethbridge every year, and they are renting apartments, they are buying school supplies, and meals. That has an immediate economic impact,” says Lewington.

He says that for employers, when an industry is looking to locate to Lethbridge, when someone wants to invest and start a new business here, they look for the ability to find talent.

“The fact that we have these two very significant post-secondary institutions, with the university being the biggest, it is a very important consideration when companies are looking to our community to make investments,” says Lewington.