Reflections from the President
It is with great pride that I share this year’s progress report on the University of New Brunswick’s Strategic Vision, UNB Toward 2030.
When our community embraced this vision in February 2020, we understood its ambition. We committed to engaging with the world to tackle the greatest challenges of our time and to create and share the knowledge that would build a better New Brunswick. We knew this commitment would require a willingness to embrace change, to make difficult decisions and to lead with courage and conviction. What we could not have predicted was how quickly those qualities would be tested.
Just one month later, we transitioned the entire university to remote learning in response to the global pandemic. Since then, we have witnessed the emergence of generative AI, rising costs of living and significant restrictions on international student mobility. As I reflect on the past six years, it is clear to me that these challenges have been inflection points demanding clarity of purpose and confidence in our direction. Our Strategic Vision has provided that clarity, and the five pillars that anchor it have been the backbone of the choices that keep us moving forward on our goals amid uncertainty.
Our guiding principles have remained constant. We believe in the transformative power of public education to improve lives and strengthen communities. We believe in the capacity of individuals to use their skills and talent to shape the world around them for the better. And we believe that knowledge has the greatest impact when it is shared widely and generously.
We are a university that is woven into the fabric of the communities in which we live. Across our campuses, we have the invaluable opportunity to see firsthand how our teaching, research and partnerships improve lives and support prosperity. This is a privilege – and it positions us to help understand and address some of the defining challenges and opportunities facing New Brunswick and Canada today: housing, health care, artificial intelligence, energy security, cybersecurity and the creation of a more just and equitable society.
This, to me, is the enduring strength of UNB. It is why I was so eager to return in 2019, and why I will always feel a deep connection to this institution – our commitment to building a brighter future for this province and its people. Six years ago, we pledged to live up to our motto “Sapere Aude” and dare to be wise with courage and conviction. Looking back, it is clear we have lived up to that commitment.
My deepest gratitude to every member of the UNB community for your dedication and ingenuity. You are the reason for our every success. Working alongside you has been one of the greatest honours of my life,
Paul J. Mazerolle
President and Vice-Chancellor
