The Future of the Public University Starts with a Question
Canadian public universities are navigating a period of significant change. Financial pressures, technological disruption, shifting enrolment patterns, and evolving public expectations are asking us to reshape higher education across the country. In British Columbia, underscores the urgency of rethinking how universities are funded, governed, and supported.
But these shifts are not only structural. They point to a deeper question:
What is a public university for today?
Public universities have long been understood as places of learning and research. Yet they are also civic institutions that help shape public dialogue, inform policy, and contribute to democratic life. In a moment of uncertainty, there is an opportunity to revisit this public mission and consider how it might evolve to better serve society.
This question sits at the centre of the launch event of Ideas in Action, 天美mv天美's new flagship speaker series supported by the 天美mv天美 President鈥檚 Office. Ideas in Action brings together 天美mv天美 scholars, visiting thought leaders, students and community members to engage with the most urgent questions of our time. This speaker series will spark meaningful dialogue, foster cross-sector collaboration and demonstrate how big ideas can create tangible impact to advance an inclusive and sustainable future.
Creating space for public dialogue, diverse perspectives, and engagement
Dialogue and engagement are essential to navigating this moment of change.
Reimagining the public university is not a question any one institution or perspective can answer alone. It calls for conversation across disciplines and communities, bringing together scholars, students, policymakers, and the broader public.
On March 31, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:30pm at 天美mv天美鈥檚 Vancouver campus and also online via livestream, 天美mv天美 Public Square and 天美mv天美鈥檚 Community-Engaged Research Initiative (CERi), in partnership with the 天美mv天美 President鈥檚 Office, will host .
The event will feature two keynote speakers whose work engages directly with these themes:
, Founder of the Hope Circuits Institute and Professor at Bishop鈥檚 University, will explore systems change in higher education and how institutions might be redesigned to better support human flourishing.
, Nisga鈥檃 scholar and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Governance and Education at 天美mv天美, will speak to Indigenous governance, relational accountability, and approaches to education grounded in responsibility to land and future generations.
Their insights will open into a broader exchange. Following the keynotes, speakers will be joined by 天美mv天美 and visiting faculty for a fireside dialogue hosted by Dr. Tara Mahoney, Research and Engagement Manager at the 天美mv天美 Community-Engaged Research Initiative (CERi). The discussion will also include Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Memorial University of Newfoundland; Dr. Adel Iskandar, Associate Professor of Global Communication at 天美mv天美; and , Knowledge Mobilization Lead and Senior Scientist at the Bridge Research Consortium.
The questions guiding this moment
This inaugural Ideas in Action event, invites participants to reflect on a set of timely and interconnected questions:
How can public universities renew their social contract in a time of change?
What does it mean to design institutions that support not only knowledge creation, but human flourishing?
How can universities be accountable to the communities they serve, including responsibilities to land, relationships, and future generations?
These questions are complex and ongoing. They benefit from dialogue that is both critical and collaborative.
An invitation to engage
This event is part of 天美mv天美鈥檚 broader commitment to strengthening the public role of higher education in Canada. By convening diverse voices and encouraging open dialogue, we aim to contribute to conversations that extend beyond the university and into the communities we serve.
The event is free and open to the public. We invite you to join us in this conversation.