{"id":9397,"date":"2018-05-07T10:17:18","date_gmt":"2018-05-07T14:17:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=9397"},"modified":"2025-10-18T16:33:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-18T20:33:35","slug":"carleton-offers-great-student-experiences","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/carleton-offers-great-student-experiences\/","title":{"rendered":"Carleton Strategy Focuses on Great Student Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Carleton Strategy Focuses on Great Student Experiences\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Last summer, Carleton student Kayley Lenders spent a couple days each week giving legal advice to inmates on remand inside sprawling Luzira Prison<\/a> in Kampala, Uganda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first alongside pro bono lawyers and later on her own, Lenders helped prisoners figure out whether to ask for bail, what to say in trial, and how to defend themselves against charges ranging from stealing chickens to feed their families to possession of contraband ivory and manslaughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lenders, who is in the Global Law and Social Justice<\/a> stream in Carleton\u2019s Bachelor of Global and International Studies (BGInS<\/a>) program, minoring in Human Rights, was in Kampala for three months to intern at the Uganda Law Society<\/a> and take two courses at Makerere University<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThe experience changed my perspective and changed my life,\u201d says the third-year student who had never been to Africa before and plans to work for an NGO eventually.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt gave me a new sense of confidence and opened my horizons to consider career opportunities abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carleton
Lenders with fellow students during her international placement.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lenders knows that the advice she could offer prisoners as a visiting student paled in comparison to support from hard-working Ugandan lawyers, but she tried to help as much as possible, and at the same time gained incredible insight into the country\u2019s complex justice system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also learned from local professors in a sociology course on African social movements and a political science class on African international relations, and was able to travel within Uganda as well as take side trips to Rwanda and Kenya.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cEverything was overwhelming and exciting at first,\u201d says Lenders.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cBut then it became normal. It was my life for three months, and when I got home, Canada seemed boring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPositive social change is an uphill battle,\u201d she continues, noting that while she earned university credits overseas and can put the internship on her resum\u00e9, it was the value of learning outside the classroom that she found truly inspiring. \u201cI want to do what I can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Carleton<\/figure>\n\n\n

Experiential Learning at Home and Abroad<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Lenders\u2019s summer in Africa embodies one of the overarching goals of Carleton, which, as expressed in the university\u2019s Strategic Mandate Agreement<\/a> (SMA) with the Government of Ontario, is to empower graduates to become \u201chighly qualified participants in a constantly evolving economy and society,\u201d with \u201cexperiential learning at home and abroad\u201d helping students along this path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SMA, which was approved late last year by the province\u2019s Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development<\/a>, will guide Carleton\u2019s evolution until 2020. It is essentially a way for the university to explain \u201cwhat we\u2019re all about,\u201d says Interim President Alastair Summerlee<\/a>, \u201cand how we are improving both the student experience and our impact in the world\u201d though research, education and community collaborations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new agreement marks the second of three stages in Ontario\u2019s SMA process, an incremental mechanism for the province to explain the role of universities to the public in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first SMA covered the period from 2014 to 2017. The next SMA, in 2020, will link a percentage of provincial funding to a university\u2019s ability to meet performance objectives that it develops internally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carleton
Interim President Alastair Summerlee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Initially, says Summerlee, there were misperceptions that the SMA process \u2014 which did not exist previously \u2014 would see the government telling universities what to do and pushing universities to further differentiate from one another. Neither concern is valid.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cYou only have to step onto a campus to know that each university is different,\u201d says Summerlee.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cAll Ontario universities pride themselves on being independent. However, in reality, we\u2019re all funded by the public purse, and there\u2019s a delicate balance between being responsive to the public and academic independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the first SMA, universities were asked to describe ourselves and our aspirations. The second iteration is really all about the ways that we will measure our successes. And the third SMA will describe the commitments that we will make to demonstrate improvement. This last version of the SMA will have targets that will be tied to funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut really,\u201d he says, \u201cI am confident that Carleton can perform well in the metrics, and we should be able to capture 100 per cent of the funding that is available.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Carleton<\/figure>\n\n\n

An Intellectual Hub for Technological, Social and Cultural Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The introductory section of the SMA spells out Carleton\u2019s vision and aspirations, which includes a reference to the university\u2019s Strategic Integrated Plan<\/a> and its focus on sustainable communities as a foundation for global prosperity, as well as Carleton\u2019s goal to become \u201can intellectual hub for technological, social and cultural innovation\u201d within the National Capital Region and Eastern Ontario. Then things get more specific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of research excellence and impact \u2014 a major focus for the university in general and throughout the SMA process \u2014 the document discusses Carleton\u2019s partnerships with community organizations, industry and government, and its expertise in areas such as a water, physics, intelligent systems, migration and diaspora studies, sustainable energy and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three system-wide metrics will evaluate the research performance of all Ontario universities: the amount of funding and share of total funding received from Tri-Council agencies (the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council); the number of publications per faculty member; and the number of citations per paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carleton
Vice-President (Research and International) Rafik Goubran<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tri-Council funding is especially significant because it also plays a role in securing support from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and from the federal government\u2019s Canada Research Chairs program, as well as boosting scholarships available to Carleton students and the university\u2019s performance in international rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carleton has also developed a pair of internal research metrics for the SMA: research funding received over and above Tri-Council support; and formal research partnerships signed with government, industry, community groups, NGOs and other external organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to do impactful research that makes significant contributions to our society and helps with economic development, health, sustainability and more,\u201d says Vice-President (Research and International), Rafik Goubran, noting that to improve its research performance, Carleton must be strategic when exploring funding opportunities and must ensure that all research activities are accounted for when the SMA metrics are being assessed.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThe SMA will help us develop our areas of strength as a research-intensive university and will help us do more trans-disciplinary research,\u201d says Goubran.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cIt will also augment our efforts to further internationalize the work that we do.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

\"Carleton<\/figure>\n\n\n

Shared Objectives and Priorities for Differentiation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Section two of the SMA, entitled \u201cShared Objectives and Priorities for Differentiation,\u201d covers areas such as student experience, teaching innovation, access and equity, and economic development and community engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under student experience, it notes that Carleton \u201chas been very successful in launching new academic programs that reflect its distinctive research and multidisciplinary strengths.\u201d There are also examples of institutional initiatives, such as the university\u2019s mental health framework, a mentorship network and the intent to establish experiential learning as an expectation in all degree programs.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cCarleton\u2019s overall objective is to help prepare its undergraduate students for the future, whether that is continuing their studies in a graduate program or going into the workforce,\u201d says Vice-President (Students and Enrolment) and University Registrar Suzanne Blanchard<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cGiving our students experiential learning opportunities helps to expand their knowledge outside of theory and gain hands-on experience. This helps them to excel and innovate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carleton
Vice-President (Students and Enrolment) and University Registrar, Suzanne Blanchard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At a time when enrolment at most Ontario universities had remained stationary, the number of students attending Carleton continues to increase. This means that under Ontario\u2019s \u201ccorridor funding\u201d model, the university can expect stable support from the province during the current SMA, and possibility additional funding with the next SMA if enrolment keeps climbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Corridor funding stipulates that while the total number of students is always in flux, as long as a university remains within three per cent of its enrolment objective, government funding will not change. If an institution is consistently more than three percent below, its corridor could be lowered in the next SMA \u2014 and if it\u2019s consistently more than three per cent above, funding could increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve continually improved and adapted Carleton\u2019s strategic enrolment management strategy to attract the best students,\u201d says Blanchard. \u201cCarleton is known to be a very supportive campus and, as a result, we are seeing more students choose Carleton. This, combined with our new interdisciplinary programs \u2014 which are very popular with prospective students \u2014 positions us very well in the new corridor funding framework.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Carleton<\/figure>\n\n\n

Teaching and Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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In the \u201cteaching innovation\u201d sub-section of the SMA, Carleton\u2019s emphasis on field work for undergraduate science students and hands-on design projects for engineering students is highlighted. The value of case study competitions<\/a> for business students, and the Bachelor of Computer Science\u2019s unique internship program<\/a> with industry partner Shopify, are also cited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under \u201caccess and equity,\u201d the work of Carleton\u2019s Paul Menton Centre<\/a> (PMC) to support students with physical and mental disabilities, and the university\u2019s efforts to Indigenize<\/a> through new programs, services and facilities, stand out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Carleton
The TIM Impact awards, which recognize five of the best master\u2019s projects from Carleton\u2019s Technology Innovation Management program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As for economic development and community engagement, the SMA mentions programs such as the Technology Innovation Management<\/a> (TIM) master\u2019s degree and the Lead To Win<\/a> business start-up incubator, as well as the multi-stakeholder Advanced Research and Innovation in Smart Environments (ARISE<\/a>) building under construction, and Carleton\u2019s collaboration<\/a> with high-tech clusters and municipalities around workforce development in the Eastern Ontario Regional Economic Development Task Force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of the above are followed by a \u201cMetrics and Targets\u201d table that sets goals for 2019-\u201820, the last academic year of the current SMA. Examples include having at least 100 professional development opportunities for graduate students, ensuring that 80 per cent of all programs have three or more experiential learning opportunities, signing at least 375 formal research partnerships, and achieving an employment rate of 92.7 percent for graduates two years after they finish at Carleton.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Carleton<\/figure>\n\n\n

Education City<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The SMA also explores institutional collaborations and partnerships, which is a strength for Carleton and a realm in which the university would like to increase and expand its connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond working with industry, government, community organization and non-profits, Carleton collaborates with other colleges and universities, including a joint Bachelor of Information Technology program with Algonquin College and several joint graduate programs with the University of Ottawa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These local efforts will grow in the coming years through the new \u201cOttawa: The Education City\u201d initiative, which will see Carleton work with other local post-secondary institutions to turn Ottawa into a living lab for \u201cflexible, personalized post-secondary education program delivery and career pathways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s new, different and collaborative,\u201d Summerlee says about the initiative, \u201cand creates an opportunity to be experimental and put something on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Ontario government has provided two years of seed funding for \u201cOttawa: The Education City\u201d to allow for experimentation around teaching, research and community engagement that institutions would otherwise have to \u201cborrow\u201d money from other parts of their budget to develop. This collaborative showcase could set a national example for other universities and colleges to emulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbove all, Carleton\u2019s SMA helps the institution focus on improving the experiences of all of our students,\u201d says acting Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Jerry Tomberlin<\/a>. \u201cIt will help them be better qualified to enter the world of work, and be engaged global citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last summer, Carleton student Kayley Lenders spent a couple days each week giving legal advice to inmates on remand inside sprawling Luzira Prison in Kampala, Uganda. At first alongside pro bono lawyers and later on her own, Lenders helped prisoners figure out whether to ask for bail, what to say in trial, and how to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":410,"featured_media":9409,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_story_type":[1931,25,1592,19],"cu_story_tag":[1930,1921,1926,1929],"class_list":["post-9397","cu_story","type-cu_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cu_story_type-social-innovation","cu_story_type-student-experience","cu_story_type-teaching-learning","cu_story_type-technology-innovation","cu_story_tag-equity-diversity-and-inclusion","cu_story_tag-faculty-of-public-and-global-affairs","cu_story_tag-international","cu_story_tag-president"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":"blueprint"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/9397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cu_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/410"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/9397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98447,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story\/9397\/revisions\/98447"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_story_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_type?post=9397"},{"taxonomy":"cu_story_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_story_tag?post=9397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}