Chad London is certainly a familiar face around Mount Royal University.
That’s despite only recently taking on the role of provost at the popular Calgary post-secondary institution in recent months.
“My history with Mount Royal stretches over 20 years,” says the former dean of the Faculty of Health, Community and Education.
Yet for the past five years, London was the head of the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Kinesiology before returning to Mount Royal recently to take over as provost and vice-president, academic.
“The University of Saskatchewan gave me a different experience to help develop my leadership,” he says about the medical doctoral university in Saskatoon.
Returning to Mount Royal, however, was a proposition London had no intention to refuse. After all, Mount Royal is one of Canada’s most innovative post-secondaries, renowned for unsurpassed experiences for learners in bachelor programs across several disciplines, from business and communications to arts, science, technology, education and health.
“It was a unique opportunity to return as provost where I could be part of shaping the academic vision of the university,” London says.
The role of provost is indeed compelling because it involves developing the post-secondary institution’s academic strategy while aligning financial resources to support that vision, he says.
“I’ve come at a perfect time because Mount Royal is developing a new academic plan that will turn some very high aspirations into reality while doubling down on our strengths.”
Among those strengths is Mount Royal’s learning environment.
“Here, students know their instructors well, and their instructors know them well, too,” London adds.
The new strategy will also build on Mount Royal’s focus on experiential learning that includes having students work on projects that take them into the community.
“At Mount Royal, we’re really focused on scholarly projects that elevate our learning experience for students while benefiting the community,” he says, noting the school has been serving Calgary and the surrounding area for more than a century.
Although steeped in tradition, Mount Royal is always forging new frontiers, including launching new programs like bachelor degrees in aviation management — a first of its kind in Western Canada — and data science.
“There is growing demand for post-secondary education,” London says. “And so, we will continue to grow to meet it, building on our key strength, which is offering a great learning experience for our students that ultimately benefits the community and beyond.”
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Calgary Economic Development.