Oct. 8, 2025
Ontario universities play an essential role in supporting student learning and engagement, fostering economic and social development, and driving research and innovation. Yet they are being called to adapt as technological changes and geopolitical shifts, among other developments, reshape our world. How can universities align with the needs of tomorrow’s workforce and society?
In Laurier’s Faculty of Arts – home to over 20 programs in the humanities and social sciences – this is a particularly compelling question. Our students are future leaders, changemakers, and problem-solvers. To prepare them to thrive, we need a deeper understanding of the world they are entering.
This event aims to bring together educators, policymakers, industry leaders, and community partners for a timely conversation about the evolving role of higher education in a rapidly changing world.
Balsillie School of International Affairs
67 Erb Street West, Waterloo, Ontario
Friday, Nov. 21, 2025
8:45 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
8:45 a.m.
9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
David Coletto, Founder, Chair and CEO of Abacus Data, will present recent data to help frame our discussions, sharing his research on public opinion about the current moment and its implications for universities.
10:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Moderated by Sofie Lachapelle (Dean, Faculty of Arts, Wilfrid Laurier University)
Three distinguished Ontario university presidents share their unique perspectives on the challenges facing Canadian universities in 2025, and the key priorities focused on innovation in support of student success and economic and social growth.
12:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Moderated by Patricia Goff (Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts, Wilfrid Laurier University)
The panel will discuss the specific challenges and opportunities that emerging technologies create for universities, including the role that artificial intelligence plays in higher education, the skills that graduates will need to thrive in the 21st century workplace, and visions for the learning environment of the future.
3 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Named one of Canada’s top 100 most influential people in Canadian politics by The Hill Times, David Coletto is one of Canada’s most recognizable pollsters and commentators on politics, consumer behaviour, and the workplace.
He is Chair, CEO and founder of Abacus Data, a full-service market research and strategy firm based in Ottawa and Toronto. With almost two decades of experience in the industry, David and his partners founded Abacus 15 years ago and since then it has grown into one of Canada's most respected market research firms.
Robert Gordon is President Emeritus of the University of Windsor, having served as President and Vice-Chancellor from 2019 through 2025. During his tenure, he significantly advanced the university’s global rankings, championed sustainability through the development of a Carbon Neutrality Master Plan and oversaw major campus expansions. He also prioritized student mental health, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, Indigeneity and played a key role in strengthening Windsor’s reputation for academic excellence and community engagement.
Dr. Gordon’s career reflects a breadth of leadership across Canadian higher education. Before joining the University of Windsor, he held senior roles at Wilfrid Laurier University, including Vice-President Academic and Provost, and Vice-President Research. Earlier, he served as Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph. Throughout his leadership journey, he has also been directly engaged in faculty labour relations, including experience co-chairing collective bargaining.
With a background in environmental sciences and agricultural engineering, Dr. Gordon has held a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Resource Management. His diverse contributions include maintaining an active research and outreach profile for more than 30 years, including publishing more than 190 refereed journal articles and supervising nearly 60 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. He also administered the Nova Scotia Environmental Farm Plan Program.
Rhonda Lenton is the eighth President and Vice-Chancellor of York University.
A sociologist by training, her areas of teaching and research expertise include gender, family conflict, research methods and more recently, higher education. Her vision for positive change has guided the University’s success and leadership, particularly within the areas of 21st century learning, research and innovation, sustainability, global health and social justice.
She serves on multiple boards, professional organizations, and committees, including Universities Canada's Standing Advisory International Committee, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Hemispheric University Consortium, and the Business and Higher Education Roundtable. She is currently the Chair of the Council of Ontario Universities.
Deborah MacLatchy was appointed president and vice-chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University on July 1, 2017. In this role, she is responsible for the university's overall academic and administrative operation and strategic direction.
As president of Laurier, she spearheaded the development of the Laurier Strategy, 2019-2024 and the subsequent Laurier Strategic Action Plan, 2024-2028, focusing the university’s direction on two interconnected themes: thriving community and future readiness. During her tenure at Laurier as president and previously as provost, she has championed academic program innovation and excellence, multi-campus governance, student experience and success, research growth, and Indigeneity and inclusion initiatives. During her leadership, Laurier’s Milton campus opened its doors to students in fall 2024.
MacLatchy serves on the boards of Universities Canada, the Council of Ontario Universities, and Ontario University Athletics, among others. She has an honours BSc from Acadia University and a PhD from the University of Manitoba.
Ann Fitz-Gerald became the Director of the Balsillie School of International Affairs in August 2019 and has led the School’s “Technology Governance Initiative” since 2023. She has degrees in both commerce and political science from Queen’s University and was the first civilian female to graduate from the Royal Military College of Canada. Before completing a PhD in the UK, she worked at the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre, NATO headquarters, and the North Atlantic Assembly.
Ann is widely published on issues concerning the governance of national security and has helped facilitate national security policies and strategies in a number of conflict-affected countries including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Sudan, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, Nepal, Serbia, Nigeria and others. She has also supported internationally-sponsored peace talks, including the Sudan-South Sudan peace talks led by former South African President Thabo Mbeki – efforts for which the Government of Canada awarded Ann with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In December 2024, Ann was recognized for her leadership of the Balsillie School of International Affairs and awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal. She is the co-editor of Foundational Principles of AI Governance and Policy, forthcoming from Springer in 2026.
