Dr. Digvir Jayas has an ambitious vision for the University of Lethbridge, though the university’s new president and vice-chancellor notes that there is already a great foundation on which to build.
“What attracted me to the University of Lethbridge was the post-secondary institution’s commitment to the student experience and liberal education,” says Jayas, who assumed the new roles on July 1.
“To me, liberal education involves not just giving our students foundational courses and education, but offering the opportunity to be exposed to the surrounding community, work-integrated learning, Indigenous perspectives and the international environment, too,” adds Jayas, who came to Canada from India to complete his PhD in agricultural engineering.
Jayas’ vision for the University of Lethbridge is to deepen its impact in the local community and beyond. That includes Calgary.
“Calgarians actually make up about a third of enrolment at the University of Lethbridge,” he notes.
“Many Calgary students choose a destination university experience at our Lethbridge campus, while other choose the institution’s trailblazing Calgary campus which offers career-targeted, innovative programs.”
For nearly 30 years, the Dhillon School of Business (and others) have offered programs in Calgary in accounting, business, computing, finance, health, human resources, management, marketing and supply chain management. The Calgary campus is renowned for helping learners acquire skills they need to advance their careers and make a difference in their communities.
At both campuses, Jayas is determined to expand program offerings at the university, but plans to do so in a way that is consistent with the student-focused approach the University of Lethbridge is known for.
To that point, the university is receiving significant investments for student support and student experience initiatives as the university recently approved a $10 million fund to match philanthropic gifts in this area.
Consistent with this support from the external community, faculty and staff are also focused on the student experience, says Jayas.
“Here, professors get to know the students much better, and the students also get a greater appreciation of the communities in which they learn and work in than at much larger institutions.”
Undergraduate students receive opportunities to work on real-world research alongside their professors. That is an essential differentiator at University of Lethbridge that Jayas plans to build upon in the years to come.
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Calgary Economic Development.