People, Place, Potential

VIU's New Strategic Plan

Sophia Wasylinko
| 11.09.21

November 2021

VIU has developed a new strategic plan. People, Place, Potential will be implemented between 2021 and 2026 to guide the University’s activities. The University made the announcement on Wednesday, November 3, 2021. In a press release, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Deborah Saucier stated, “The Strategic Plan will help us chart the course to become […]

The cover image for People, Place, Potential / Image via viu.ca

“The Strategic Plan will help us chart the course to become the University we want to be."

VIU has developed a new strategic plan. People, Place, Potential will be implemented between 2021 and 2026 to guide the University’s activities.

The University made the announcement on Wednesday, November 3, 2021. In a press release, VIU President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Deborah Saucier stated, “The Strategic Plan will help us chart the course to become the University we want to be … Building on our strengths, VIU envisions a unique educational experience that is more accessible, more inclusive and more deeply rooted in community.”

There are three core values in the Strategic Plan—People, Place, and Potential—and six commitments. They are to:

  • Welcome a bigger and more diverse student population;
  • Become a healthier and more inclusive environment for work and study;
  • Develop into the region’s hub for expertise and research;
  • Form stronger relationships with Indigenous communities;
  • Become a trailblazer in education for later generations; and
  • Expand career-building and life-enriching experiences.

The plan grew out of a March 2020 consultation with over 2,000 people connected to VIU. Students, alumni, employees, and community members shared their views on what makes the university unique and what they wanted for its future. VIU collected feedback through emails, surveys, Zoom sessions, face-to-face meetings, and an online engagement platform.

Saucier said, “The plan wouldn’t have been possible without that participation. The ideas and stories from our communities allowed us to focus on what matters most to VIU. The result is a strategic decision that will guide us into the future.”

The draft plan, and additional information, is available on the VIU website and in this video.

"The ideas and stories from our communities allowed us to focus on what matters most to VIU. The result is a strategic decision that will guide us into the future.”
“The Strategic Plan will help us chart the course to become the University we want to be."
"The ideas and stories from our communities allowed us to focus on what matters most to VIU. The result is a strategic decision that will guide us into the future.”
Headshot of Sophia Wasylinko

Sophia Wasylinko is a Creative Writing and Journalism graduate and a former Navigator and Portaler. Her writing endeavours haven't stopped since her move back to Kamloops: besides working freelance as a content writer for ICHIGO, she edited and appeared in GOOEY Magazine's Fall 2024 issue, and she'll be editing for them again this year. You can find her shelving books at the downtown library and follow her bookish shenanigans on Instagram. Her future plans: return to Vancouver Island and publish that first novel!

Sophia Wasylinko is a Creative Writing and Journalism graduate and a former Navigator and Portaler. Her writing endeavours haven’t stopped since her move back to Kamloops: besides working freelance as a content writer for ICHIGO, she edited and appeared in GOOEY Magazine‘s Fall 2024 issue, and she’ll be editing for them again this year. You can find her shelving books at the downtown library and follow her bookish shenanigans on Instagram. Her future plans: return to Vancouver Island and publish that first novel!