The long game

Economic, geopolitical and technological shifts are accelerating and Canada faces challenges that call for a bold response.

In moments like these, people look for certainty, stability and solutions.

Enter universities.

They are able to turn innovative ideas into action. Think how quickly scientists mobilized during the pandemic.

Or how, at Western, we’re repurposing meteor-tracking technology to monitor satellites in the Arctic—with a big impact to Canada’s sovereignty, as well as global security.

But universities are also expert at the long game. Pursuing work that unfolds over years, building partnerships and addressing issues that don’t have quick fixes.

At Western, that includes improving access to health care around the world through the Frugal Biomedical Innovations Program and shaping the future of hearing health at the National Centre for Audiology—stories you’ll read in this issue.

In a world where things are changing quickly, you need to choose what to keep, what to transform and which new ideas will carry us forward.

Canada’s universities provide a rich environment to do that. To think strategically and plan thoughtfully about where the nation is going and what it needs.

That brings us to the other major play in the long game: talent.

Universities are graduating leaders equipped for a 40- or 50-year work life. They may have multiple careers, work in jobs we haven’t even thought of yet or move around the world.

It’s impossible to prepare them for every twist and turn, especially with rapidly changing technology.

But a university education equips them with fundamental knowledge and skills. Gives them resilience, confidence, respect for democracy—and ideally cultivates a sense of humanity along the way.

That’s one of the reasons Western offers every undergraduate experiential learning opportunities, through research, internships, study abroad, entrepreneurship and more.

These extraordinary experiences help students hone creative and critical thinking skills and better prepare them to deal with unpredictability. It’s where they build the adaptability, perspective and human sensibility that will serve them well in their careers.

The world’s unpredictability is not going to subside.

By staying ahead of change and nurturing great talent, universities are not only helping Canada meet the challenges at hand, we’re shaping the future that lies ahead.