Dear Dal Community,
On Tuesday, we launched Dalhousie University’s new strategic plan for 2021-2026. It is called Third Century Promise – a title with a dual meaning, referring to both the potential Dalhousie’s future holds as well as the commitments we make to one another, our students, our academic mission, and the communities we serve.
While it was wonderful to finally have the opportunity to launch this plan on Tuesday, I am also aware that it can be difficult to look to the future when one is constantly faced with immediate and urgent challenges, as we have been for the last extremely challenging year.
I am thankful to those who attended the virtual launch and submitted thoughtful questions about the plan: it is a testament to how much you care about Dalhousie and the work we do together. As I shared on Tuesday, implementing a strategic plan at a complex institution like Dalhousie requires a careful balancing act of multiple priorities within the university, and it is imperative that finite resources are allocated as effectively as possible to advance the core mission of the institution. At the same time, I have no doubt that we can navigate this balancing act together.
I cannot reinforce strongly enough that this is our plan. The plan was built through a consultative planning process that spanned two years. Just like the plan was developed by all of us, we are now also all responsible for its implementation. As I said at the end of Tuesday’s event, a good strategic plan is not a prescription. Rather, it is a statement of our collective aspirations. I encourage you to read the plan in full and continue thinking about the new and creative ways in which we can further our shared mission together.
If you did not have the chance to attend the launch on Tuesday, I encourage you to view the recording of the event, available above and on the Strategic Planning website. The full plan is also available at dal.ca/strategicplan. Our focus now shifts toward the implementation of our new strategic plan and its action items. Please look for more opportunities to get involved in the weeks ahead.
It appears that the clouds of the pandemic have now started to dissipate, and we can look towards the future with more certainty and optimism. Let’s roll up our collective sleeves and together, live up to and fulfill our Third Century Promise.
Sincerely,
Deep