Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan

Laurier’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan

Laurier is embarking on a consultative process to develop the university’s first Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan.

The plan aspires to cover innovation programming, university-industry/community collaborations, social innovation, entrepreneurship and research.

This is our opportunity to lay out a bold vision and further enable positive engagement and impact within the communities we serve.

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Every day, Laurier’s faculty, staff and students are engaging in work that addresses pressing social, economic and environmental challenges. A cohesive vision for how this work can span disciplines and connect with sectors outside the university will enhance the competitive landscape of our communities and Canada.

Shape the Future of Laurier

As we develop our Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan, your input is vital.

The following opportunities are available for students, staff, and faculty to help shape our Innovation and Entrepreneurship strategy.

Focus Groups

Thank you to everyone who participated in the focus groups. We are pleased to hear your feedback and we will continue to keep it in mind as we draft Laurier’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Plan.

If you have further thoughts about innovation and entrepreneurship in Laurier, please feel free to send them in the form below.

Survey

We will release a survey, open to staff, students, faculty, and members of our multi-campus communities.

Share Your Thoughts

Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Committee

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee is made up of leaders from across the institution and represents diverse areas of focus.

Over the next year, they will lead the development of a central innovation and entrepreneurship plan to align Laurier’s research strengths, outlined in Laurier’s Research Strategy 2020-2025, and the entrepreneurial strengths of the institution, with the needs of Laurier’s multi-campus communities, government and industry.

The group meets monthly to discuss priorities, planning and actions required.

Questions? Comments?

Get in touch by emailing ealmeida@wlu.ca.

Laurier Innovation and Entrepreneurship Advisory Committee

  • Alicia Sliwinski, Associate Professor and Chair of Global Studies and Social Entrepreneurship Option
  • Edmund Pries, Coordinator, Community Engagement Option; Academic Director, C3 Innovation Labs; Associate Professor, Global Studies, Social Entrepreneurship, Religion and Culture, Community Engagement
  • Eric Meliton, Manager, Sustainability Office 
  • Gavin Brockett, Associate Professor, History and Religion and Culture
  • Ginette Lafrenière, Associate Dean, MSW Programs, Associate Professor; Director Social Innovation Research Group; Director, Manulife Centre for Community Health Research
  • Gohar Ashoughian, University Librarian
  • Heena Mistry, Manager, EDI Training, Planning and Strategic Initiatives
  • Heidi Northwood, Senior Executive Officer of Laurier’s Brantford campus; Senior Executive Officer, Global Strategy
  • Jan Basso, Assistant Vice-President, Experiential Learning and Career Development
  • Josephine McMurray, Associate Professor, Business Technology Management/Community Health; Faculty Advisor, case@BTM
  • Kevin Stevens, Associate Professor, Faculty of Science
  • Laura Allan, Assistant Professor, Policy, Lazaridis School of Business and Economics; AshokaU Change Leader; Faculty Advisor, Enactus Laurier 
  • Lee Willingham, Professor, Music Education; Director, Laurier Centre for Music in the Community; Coordinator, Music Education; Coordinator, Master of Arts in Community Music
  • Lindsay Tayler, Director, Office of Continuing Education
  • Nicole Coviello, Lazaridis Chair of International Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Sara Bingham, Associate Director, Women’s Entrepreneurship Centre 
  • Stephanie  DeWitte-Orr, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science
  • Zach Weston, Contract Faculty, Science

Working Group

  • Jonathan Newman, Vice-President, Research, Executive Sponsor
  • Charity Parr-Vasquez, Assistant Vice-President, Research
  • Erin Whalen, Special Projects Officer, Support Staff
  • Agnes Bantigue, Industrial Liaison, Support Staff