No Boundaries: 2023-24 Annual Report

Five priority areas drove our activities in FY2023-24:

• Embracing our role as a polytechnic to create more entrepreneurship, applied research and experiential learning opportunities for students
• Increasing access to higher education through the creation of pathways within and outside of Seneca, and providing greater flexibility for students to build programs and choose courses
• Improving how students and employees experience Seneca Polytechnic, from on-campus events and activities to accessing services to receiving wellness supports
• Continuing to implement Seneca Au Large initiatives and developing new initiatives under its major pillars of equity, sustainability and more virtual
• Creating and leveraging data to improve our decision-making in enrolment planning and retention efforts

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Expanding the teaching of human skills to prepare graduates for their careers and rapidly evolving workplaces
• Offering seed funding to entrepreneurs through grants at HELIX, Seneca’s business incubator and accelerator
• Providing more work-integrated learning opportunities, employer support and career services
• Establishing the Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences (SCILS) Lab at Seneca@York Campus, providing more applied research opportunities in collaboration with industry partners
• Launching the Seneca Film Institute (SFI), providing students with professional experiences, contacts and partnerships in the screen industry
• Enhancing experiential learning through new labs and cross-disciplinary immersive learning hubs that enable academic schools to connect, share knowledge and work on projects

Year-end outcomes:

• Transferable human skills program underway; 11 programs incorporate the teaching of human skills with an additional 10 programs scheduled to start in May 2024. Incorporating how human skills can be embedded into program curriculum and delivery is included in new program development and summative review processes
• Integration of reconciliation, inclusion and sustainability principles into curricula of 109 programs/course clusters ongoing, with 133 faculty champions involved
• Sixteen grants totalling $71,000 have been distributed through the HELIX Catalyst Fund with one more funding round this fiscal year
• New position of Dean, Seneca Works created and filled
• 2023-2026 Seneca Works Plan launched with more than 300 internal and external stakeholders consulted. Renewed vision provides additional resources for work-integrated learning participants including:
  • systems support, job development resources and communication for employers; data collection, storage and management, reporting and analytics for the academic teams
• SCILS launched in Oct. 2023
• SFI launched in April 2023
• Partnerships established with Pixomondo and the National Film Board of Canada; program advisory committee recruitment underway and five-year program development plan in progress
• Temporary fashion lab at Newnham Campus converted into a permanent learning space
• Third cybersecurity lab at Newnham Campus operational; discussions underway for additional labs to meet growing demand at Markham and Newnham campuses
• Second computer networking lab opened at Newnham Campus to accommodate program growth
• Concept developed for Early Childhood Education lab focused on field work preparation for students

Outstanding graduates recognized with Premier’s Award nominations

Six Seneca Polytechnic alumni were nominated for the 2023 Premier’s Awards for college graduates. This year, the nominees are Joseph Osei Bonsu, Digital Media Arts (2005) and 3D Amination (2007); Carol Jardine, Chemical Engineering Technology (1977); Armand La Barge, Investigative Sciences and Police Studies (1985); Carol Mark, Nursing (1980); Karina Pérez, International Transportation and Customs (2019); and Jude Vethanayagam, Pharmaceutical Chemical Technology (1995).

Back-to-back wins at the Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition

For the second straight year, Seneca Polytechnic School of Marketing students won the 2023 Ontario Colleges Marketing Competition (OCMC). This year’s competition was hosted by Georgian College at the Blue Mountain Village Conference Centre, Collingwood. Along with Seneca winning the overall competition, students Sebastian Davila Escobar and Laxmi Menon placed first in the Retail Case category. At OCMC, students demonstrate their essential, vocational and employability skills before panels of industry professionals.

A bronze at the cross-Canada Vanier National Marketing Case Competition

A team of Seneca Marketing students placed third overall at the 2023 Vanier National Marketing Case Competition, which brings together top marketing students from colleges across Canada to compete and network with peers. The case challenge gave students three hours to review and prepare a strategy to solve a real-world marketing problem and then present to a panel of industry judges.

Re-imagining education for screen-based industries

The Seneca Film Institute has launched with the mandate to become one of the most comprehensive film training institutes in Canada. It will build on Seneca Polytechnic’s successes in film production, including animation, acting, fashion and marketing. This transformative initiative within the Faculty of Communication, Art & Design will provide students in more than 30 programs with state-of-the-art classroom and lab spaces and prepare them with the skills and expertise to thrive in Canada’s booming screen industry.

Career Recharge receives funding through to 2027

TD Bank, a supporter of Career Recharge since the job skills training program began in 2019, recently renewed its commitment with a $495,000 grant, through to November 2027. To date, more than 23,300 students, alumni and community members have participated in the free Career Recharge workshop, which helps sharpen professional skills and prepare people for new careers.

Professor’s work receives Oscar nomination

Pranay Nichani, a graduate of Seneca Polytechnic’s Documentary & Non-Fiction Media Production program and now a professor in the School of Creative Arts & Animation, worked on To Kill a Tiger as an assistant editor and post-production supervisor. The film was nominated in the Documentary Feature Film category at this year’s Academy Awards.

Student’s enterprise impresses Association of Chinese Canada Entrepreneurs

Winson Gao received a scholarship from the Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs. The Business Management – Entrepreneurship & Innovation student was recognized for the success of his luxury cat boarding business, Chubby Meows, which he launched with the help of HELIX, Seneca Polytechnic’s incubator and accelerator.

A milestone case competition victory

Students from the Human Resources (HR) Management, Honours Bachelor of Commerce – HR Management and Business Administration – HR programs secured first and third place positions at the 2024 HR Professionals Association provincial case competition. These accomplishments 2023–24 Annual Report 6 marks a milestone for Seneca, which now has the highest number of wins in this case competition among polytechnics, colleges and universities.

Pixomondo takes virtual production training to new heights

The Seneca Film Institute (SFI) is partnering with Pixomondo, an award-winning virtual production and visual effects studio, to deliver world-class training that prepares creative professionals for careers in the fast-growing field of virtual production. This is the first industry partnership for the Seneca Film Institute and builds on Seneca Polytechnic’s expertise in storytelling forms and technologies.

A ground-breaking study on textile waste

School of Fashion Professor Sabine Weber, in partnership with researchers from the University of Waterloo, published the study, “Textile waste in Ontario, Canada: Opportunities for reuse and recycling,” in the academic journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling. Ms. Weber and fellow researchers — including a team of Seneca students —analyzed close to 11,000 items of textile waste weighing nearly 1,800 kilograms collected from 10 Ontario municipalities.

A name (and number) for the student-run marketing agency

The School of Marketing & Media’s student-run marketing agency has a name, thanks to Junweon Suh, a student in the Computer Programming & Analysis program. Ms. Suh won the naming contest with her entry “Studio 67,” which pays tribute to the year Seneca was founded. Studio 67 connects students with clients to work on real-world marketing and media projects that prepare them for successful careers.

Fashion graduate’s collection receives global recognition

Eunice Chow is a graduate of the Fashion Studies certificate program and Fashion Arts advanced diploma program. Her fashion collection, Tied with Denim, landed Eunice a summer internship as a production assistant at Dust of Gods, a luxury streetwear brand. She was also nominated for the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards’ Fashion Design Student Award and was selected to represent Toronto at the Fashion Graduate Italia.

Alumni share expertise and connect with students

Seneca Alumni and Seneca Works co-hosted an aviation panel and networking session at Newnham Campus. The event included 60 students from the Aviation Safety and Aviation Operations programs and a panel of alumni, who talked about their time at Seneca and career journeys, while offering tips on how to succeed in the industry.

Seventh annual Summer Institute prepares entrepreneurs for success

Seneca HELIX, in collaboration with York Region and Boreal Farms, delivered the seventh annual HELIX Summer Institute. The six-day virtual design jam provided 45 participants — including several from international institutions JCDV College (India), Manav Rachna University (India) and Amity University (UAE) — with design thinking skills to help build solutions to address food insecurity.

New opportunities for students with the National Film Board of Canada

Seneca Polytechnic and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) have signed an agreement to strengthen ties and create a formal framework for ongoing collaboration. Seneca students will now have opportunities to work on new NFB projects and learn from NFB-sponsored speaker sessions, workshops and presentations. This partnership is the latest for the new Seneca Film Institute, one of the most comprehensive film training destinations in Canada.

Tim Hortons features hockey legend in new trading cards

Angela James, Team Canada hockey great, and Seneca Polytechnic graduate and retiree, is one of 180 hockey players featured on Tim Horton’s first-ever Legends Trading Cards. The Upper Deck series features some of the most influential hockey players from the NHL and Canada’s national women’s team.

Newcomers gain skills to be career ready

The first cohort of the Career Ready Future Ready initiative has graduated. The program, delivered by Seneca HELIX, is the result of a partnership between Seneca Polytechnic and Balmoral Aid and Support Services. This three-week session equips newcomers with the skills to navigate the professional landscape in Canada, including communication, networking, leadership and design thinking.

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Advancing Seneca’s reputation, domestically and internationally, by positioning Seneca more boldly as a polytechnic
• Offering new pre-professional and diploma-to-degree completion pathways
• Expanding prior learning assessment and recognition to provide a superior student experience
• Improving use of data to create more accessible admission-based financial aid options for incoming pathway students
• Launching an engagement strategy for Seneca’s global alumni community
• Planning and launching a comprehensive campaign to transform advancement and alumni relations to achieve current and future revenue and engagement goals
• Supporting the five-year program development plan and establishing new credential types, including applied master’s degrees, three-year degrees and executive certificates
• Expanding use of academic data for institutional reporting, planning and decision making
• Creating a student quality assurance council to support program ideation, development and renewal activities
• Expanding and upgrading flexible learning classrooms and labs

Year-end outcomes:

• Phase one of rebrand is complete across all external channels, logos, credentials, subbrands, department identifiers, and email domains with integration into advertising, institutional events and recruitment messaging
• Phase two of rebrand underway; inventory review and rebrand of stakeholder applications expected to be complete by spring 2024
• Partnership established with St. George's University that will offer qualified Seneca students fast-track status and expedited entry into the five- or six-year physician training programs at St. George's School of Medicine
• MOU established with Balmoral Aid and Support Services to provide access to essential skills and experiential learning opportunities for newcomers
• Policy review committee launched and project plan established to revise and implement Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition process change management
• Financial Aid Awards online application page launched to increase access for all students
• Expanded alumni services and programs
• Launched three certificates, nine graduate certificates, three four-year honours degrees, three three-year degrees, one diploma, one executive certificate and 16 microcredentials
• Submission made in fall 2023 for inaugural applied master’s degree program in Artificial Intelligence
• Data strategy, metrics and program health dashboard established
• Transition to WiFi-5 more than 90 per cent complete to ensure students and employees have reliable and high-quality network access
• Audio-visual programming now standardized for classrooms to enable remote classroom support and reduce interruption. Implementation on target for completion for March 31, 2024

Rolling out who we are, what we do

The 2023-25 Strategic Plan — The Next includes the rebranding of Seneca as Seneca Polytechnic, a name that best describes our amazing community and how we combine the best of the academic rigour of a university education with the applied learning of a college to offer our students a seamless transition from education to employment. Seneca Polytechnic is now proudly displayed on campus, in the community, on the web and across our various social media channels.

The Prime Minister and Premier visit to make a historic announcement

Seneca Polytechnic welcomed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford to King Campus for the announcement of a $3.1 billion funding agreement between the federal and provincial governments to improve health care for Ontarians. The visiting dignitaries met students from the Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing and toured the Patient Care Simulation Lab.

A new academic pathway to Queen’s University

Students in the Civil Engineering Technology advanced diploma program now have a direct pathway to engineering degrees from Queen’s University. A new agreement between the two institutions allows for three-year advanced diploma students and graduates to transition into Queen’s degree programs in Civil Engineering and Mining Engineering.

A new academic pathway to medical degrees

Seneca Polytechnic has launched a new partnership with St. George’s University, Grenada, that will offer qualified graduates fast-track status and expedited entry into the five- or six-year physician training programs at its School of Medicine. The first track allows graduates of Seneca’s Arts and Science – University Transfer program to proceed to the five-year program, while the second track allows graduates of the Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas & Degrees program to enter the six-year program.

Leaders in law enforcement and intelligence converge at King Campus

Seneca Polytechnic welcomed more than 110 law enforcement and intelligence professionals to King Campus for a symposium called Future Crime Analysis: Technologies for Community Safety. Students from the Crime and Intelligence Analysis degree program heard from bestselling author Andrew Kirsch, who spoke about his career in national security, documented 2023–24 Annual Report 10 in his book, I Was Never Here: My True Canadian Spy Story of Coffees, Code Names, and Covert Operations in the Age of Terrorism.

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Planning new on-campus events and activities to engage students, celebrate diversity and build community
• Exploring fee payment options to help students in financial need
• Providing a seamless experience for prospective and current students exploring full- or part-time study options through information sharing, registration processes and service delivery
• Increasing fundraising efforts to support additional financial aid for students
• Integrating additional departments to The Service Hub, expanding digital and self-serve options and adding an onsite Seneca Smart Bar
• Providing students with exceptional wellness, recreational, fitness and athletic programming
• Implementing an innovative data-driven advising module for early identification of students at risk

Year-end outcomes:

• Workshops and essential services, such as legal aid clinics, provided in partnership with the Seneca Student Federation
• Student Ambassadors increased at each campus to enhance the student and employee experience
• Semester Startup reimagined with additional services, activities and resources to meet the needs of the growing on-campus population, while also supporting students learning online
• A full return to on-campus activities and events for students and employees, as well as in-person visits from industry representatives, international dignitaries, and elected officials, including visits from both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford
• Seneca-specific data analysis and sector scan completed as part of an investigation about payment plan feasibility and options; cross-institutional working group struck to identify an approach that supports student success
• The Service Hub expanded in-person support to King, Markham and Seneca@York campuses and increased virtual services to evenings and weekends
• Digital and self-serve options expanded with a topic-based student adviser form to address student questions faster
• Knowledge-based article inventory expanded to 1,355, with an additional 200 articles available during Orientation and Semester Startup
• Onsite Seneca Smart Bar added to the new on-campus service hubs, which include cameras for flexible learning and interactive screens
• Data collection and module complete to identify students at risk and engage technology to create prompts for advisors or program coordinators to intervene

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Redesigning the administrative compensation and job architecture to attract, motivate, engage and retain high-performing employees
• Implementing a new HR operating and service delivery model to provide ease of access for employees and new recruits
• Adding to the resources and supports for faculty development and teaching innovation
• Providing laptops to part-time faculty to support remote teaching and learning
• Advancing Seneca’s brand and reputation internally and externally through engagement and enhanced experiences

Year-end outcomes:

• Job architecture catalogue created to better define functions, career tracks and titles
• Redefinition of job descriptions to more clearly articulate roles and responsibilities and inform expectations
• Compensation philosophy statement finalized and guiding organizational pay practices
  Salary structure has been updated to align with the new philosophy
• Professional development leave allotment expanded from five to nine weeks
• Phase one of new HR operating model (HR 2.0) launched, with new processes and services, revised team structures and updated core services
• ServiceNow identified as the technology solution for phase two of HR 2.0, the creation of a central self-serve employee portal to search knowledge articles and begin HR queries
• Refinement of current approach to flexible work to align with HR 2.0 and ServiceNow implementation to enable quicker access to employee support through a streamlined virtual service hub
• Vendors secured to provide coaching and career transition services and support learning and leadership development programs
• Faculty mentorship program launched, with seven schools, 14 faculty mentors and 22 mentees
• Collaborative learning sessions established for all academic chairs, with a focus on best practices in flexible teaching, course assessment surveys, advisement, labour relations and faculty development; one session completed, including a full-day retreat
• Seven Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects have been approved for funding with one completed
• 700 laptops purchased
• Ongoing enhancement of marketing strategy and brand infusion to increase engagement with students and employees, while strengthening marketing positioning with key audiences: prospective students, influencers, industry partners, government and media
• Employee value proposition strategy to attract and retain top talent developed
• Phase one of audit to email communications to employees completed, with enhancements made to processes for stakeholder communications

 In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Designing and developing the Health and Wellness Centre at Newnham Campus and the new Garriock Hall at King Campus
• Building a nursing laboratory at Newnham Campus for programs in the Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing
• Maximizing service spaces at Seneca@York to ensure students have convenient access to supports they need to be successful in their studies
• Renovating the garden level at the Seneca International Academy at Markham Campus to accommodate a growing international student population
• Renewing the Enterprise Data Storage System to ensure necessary capacity and data security
• Continuing to upgrade video surveillance across all campuses to ensure community safety

 Year-end outcomes:

• Demolition of existing facilities will commence spring 2024 with relocations of affected departments underway for Health and Wellness Centre
• Garriock Hall renewal rescheduled due to the IRCC announcement on student permit cuts
• Nursing lab at Newham Campus completed Dec. 2023, now accommodating classes starting from the winter 2024 term
• New computer labs at Seneca@York complete
• Renovations to the Markham Campus garden level and seating area completed
• Replacement of Enterprise Data Storage System completed
• New Security Operations Centre open at Newnham Campus with digital wall added for better monitoring
• Multi-year video monitoring project ongoing, with King and Peterborough campuses complete; Markham, Newnham and Seneca@York campuses rescheduled to FY2025-26
• Access control project install complete at King, Newnham, Peterborough and Seneca@York campuses, with Markham Campus scheduled to be completed in FY2024-25; system integration to be completed by March 2024

15th time and counting a Greater Toronto Top Employer

For the 15th year, Seneca Polytechnic has been named a Greater Toronto Top Employer. Considered the benchmark for workplace best practices in Toronto and surrounding areas, the Greater Toronto Top Employers initiative honours organizations that excel in human resources and workplace policy. Factors used in the evaluation include work atmosphere, health benefits, employee communications, skills development and community involvement.

Student leaders honoured

For the first time since 2019, the Student Leadership Awards took place in-person. Twenty-seven students were recognized for their leadership skills on campus, in the classroom and in their communities. Highlights included Bernardo Morais being awarded the W.T. Newnham Leadership Award for his outstanding leadership in creating a safe space for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, on and off campus.

Congratulations, graduates!

For the first time in many years, Seneca hosted winter convocation ceremonies. Five ceremonies took place at Meridian Hall, with more than 2,300 December 2023 graduates, 7,700 guests and thousands more watching online. Thanks to the outstanding commitment of hundreds of Seneca faculty, support staff and administrators, the ceremonies were a warm and welcoming celebration of our graduates’ academic successes.

Stinging the competition at the provincial championships

Seneca Sting varsity teams brought home all kinds of hardware from the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) championships. The women’s indoor soccer team won their second gold medal in three years and the women’s volleyball team won silver. In badminton, Moti Shams (Fitness & Health Promotion) captured gold in women’s singles, Hedieh Abbasbeiglou (Business Management) and Tanya Sharma (Business) won silver in women’s doubles, while Eric Peng (Supply Chain Management – Global Logistics) and Anthony Tso (Child & Youth Care) won bronze in men’s doubles.

Six Sting inducted into the OCAA Hall of Fame

The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) welcomed six Seneca Sting into the Hall of Fame. In the athletes category, inductees included Yan Zhou (badminton), Felix Adjei (men’s basketball), Hilda Chmait (women’s soccer) and Jason Hernandez (men’s volleyball). Nouri Ghazi (badminton) was inducted in the coaches category, while Angela James entered as a builder.

The final buzzer sounds at the Newnham Sports Centre

After 51 years, the Newnham Sports Centre will be closing in preparation for the construction of the Health & Wellness Centre. The Seneca community was invited to say farewell to the past and toast to the future during the final varsity home games on Dec. 1, featuring the women’s and men’s Seneca Sting basketball teams in competition with the George Brown Huskies. Indoor varsity games have been relocated to the King Campus.

New lab anchors Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences

Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities, visited Seneca Polytechnic to officially open a dedicated hub for the Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences (SCILS). This will be a hub for industry-focused applied research in biotechnology, cosmetic science formulations and life sciences diagnostics located at Seneca@York.

Asian Heritage Month

Throughout the month of May, Seneca Polytechnic hosted a number of events to mark the rich heritage and ongoing contributions of people of Asian origin in Canada. These included a Dragon Dance and Bollywood Dance demonstration, a virtual Seneca Student Panel and a speaker series featuring Jenny Jay, storyteller and creator, Hannah Sung, television producer and former Much Music VJ, and Domee Shi, director of Disney-Pixar’s Turning Red.

Addressing the mental health implications of the climate crisis

The Office of Sustainability, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Personal Counselling & Accessible Learning Services hosted Seneca’s first-ever Climate Café. This initiative provides an inclusive space for the Seneca community to talk to peers about anxieties caused by the climate crisis and participate in a guided meditation.

All-employee survey shines a light on well-being

The Seneca Polytechnic annual employee survey turned the focus to employee well-being. Questions were designed to explore emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health. The goal of the survey was to gain insights that can be used to support employees in their work life. Conducted by CCI Research, it also included Seneca’s employee engagement question about whether employees would recommend Seneca to their family and friends as an employer.

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Devoting resources to support and implement Seneca’s EDI Plan: A Shared Commitment with Responsibilities
• Ensuring equitable access to resources and inclusive experiences through innovative and expanded student services
• Improving timely access to essential accessible learning supports and technologies
• Training on reconciliation and inclusion for board members and employees
• Securing new art that features Indigenous and equity-deserving artists to display on campuses

Year-end outcomes:

• Seneca’s Reconciliation and Inclusion Plan launched
• Positions dedicated to curriculum integration, reconciliation and inclusion programs and accessibility
• Construction underway for Path to Reconciliation, scheduled for completion in winter 2025. Indigenous artist and musician Isaac Murdoc will be the voice guide on The Path
• The first disbursement of full scholarships from The Jane Fund awarded to students in the Behavioural Sciences, Child & Youth Care and Accounting programs. Plan in progress to interview and feature a recipient
• Seneca Soup campaign launched with more than 3,100 students participating to receive soup at no cost. More than 10,000 soups served a month
• A working group is being re-established to continue the development of a campus wellness and mental health strategy for students and employees to align with programs and services that will be part of the Health and Wellness Centre
• Accessible Learning Services offerings expanded to include self-directed tools, automated appointment booking and streamlined intake processes
• Additional assistive technologist hired to meet growing demand; alternative format options in development for those who require paper-based documents; new accessible resources made available for work-integrated learning placements
• E-text initiative launched in select programs, in collaboration with academic publishers, making textbooks virtual, more affordable and sustainable
• Comprehensive review of student programming underway, with a focus on skill based, psychoeducational programming and parental transitional support. Student advisory committee is being recruited to review, advise on and enhance support services
• Training consultant secured. First phase of training to be provided spring 2024 for administrators
• Various pieces of art acquired from Indigenous and equity-deserving artists; online searchable database of the Seneca Art Collection launched
• New accessibility resources for the art collection in development, including a self-guided tour that promotes the artists and encourages well-being through movement on campus

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Introducing an energy and emissions plan to reduce environmental impact
• Continuing to track and rate sustainability initiatives using the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS)
• Reducing carbon footprint from transportation and commuting
• Establishing an indoor research farm to support sustainable food production in the Canadian North
• Installing wind and solar turbines to conduct ongoing energy experiments
• Beginning phase three of the Newnham Campus landscape master plan, creating a King Campus landscape master plan and completing the Seneca@York courtyard revitalization

Year-end outcomes:

• Sustainability course inventory and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) mapping complete for 3,000 full-time courses and 400 part-time courses
• Energy audit and Green House Gas study completed. Action plan, including recommended projects, cost estimates and short-term milestone reduction targets set to publish in 2024-25
• Waste and recycling plan complete. Deliverables related to diversion, capture rates, overall waste volume reduction and engagement through to 2030 established. Annual action plans ongoing
• Received Gold STARS status
• SDG training modules developed in partnership with Foundation for Environmental Stewardship are now available to students
• Sustainable Transportation Supervisor position created to lead initiatives to reduce Seneca’s carbon footprint from transportation and commuting
• Micro mobility (e.g., bikes, scooters, e-bikes and hoverboard) solutions and technologies being explored and promoted to students and employees. Charging, storage and use study underway to determine best applications
• Renovations to the Newnham Campus vertical farm completed and resulting produce made available to First Peoples@Seneca and the Seneca Student Federation food bank; in collaboration with Aramark, produce now served in cafeterias
• Wind and Solar turbines rescoped; replaced with HVAC training units
• Seneca@York courtyard revitalization completed
• Newnham Campus landscape initiatives complete
• King Campus landscape plan postponed due to the IRCC study permit cap

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Developing a VR/XR strategy to complement in-class learning and support skill development
• Digitizing paper-based and downloadable forms to provide a better, more sustainable student experience with more efficient processes for sharing essential information
• Optimizing digital technologies and channels to support student recruitment and conversion
• Exploring artificial intelligence technologies to enhance student/faculty experience and to develop a digital workforce
• Introducing digital technologies for student assessments and establishing a comprehensive learner record

Year-end outcomes:

• Seneca Libraries digital database expanded to include new eResources, eBooks, journals, virtual collections, print resources and database licences
• All paper-based documents are now digitized
• Digital strategies and tactics implemented, including the creation of the digital asset management system, a transition from physical collateral to digital, including viewbooks and web hubs domestically and internationally; enhanced digital recruitment tactics (e.g., webinars, virtual and in-person events) underway, as well as robust digital advertising campaigns
• Established partnership with Microsoft Azure AI to bring AI technology into our classrooms for students and faculty to learn how to deploy it responsibly for their work. AI Emerging Technologies Institutional Academic Statement and resources developed to assist students and employees
• Partnership established with HELIX-incubated start up InStage to provide career preparation resources and virtual experiences for students and recent graduates
• Implementing Microsoft CoPilot, Office 365 CoPilot and Windows CoPilot to offer Seneca employees with a safe and secure environment to harness the power of generative artificial intelligence
• Interactive tutor program piloted in select Seneca Business programs; future evolution of this service to be merged with other institutional AI initiatives

National recognition x 3

Seneca Polytechnic was honoured during the Colleges & Institutes Canada annual conference with three awards of excellence. The awards celebrate leadership, individual and institutional accomplishments among the more than 135 member colleges, institutes, cégeps and polytechnics. Seneca won gold for excellence in equity, diversity and inclusion, bronze for excellence in applied research and innovation and bronze in leadership excellence for faculty.

Transforming postsecondary learning with Microsoft Azure AI

Seneca Polytechnic announced it is bringing the power of Microsoft Azure AI technology to students and employees through several new initiatives. In addition to enhancing InStage, a platform created at HELIX, Seneca will integrate Azure OpenAI to develop an AI tutor that supports enhanced learning of course material and simulated, personalized job interviews. Seneca students will be among the first in Canada to experience this type of innovation.

Indigenous mural adorns Seneca@York’s new courtyard

The recently renovated courtyard at Seneca@York Campus features Indigenous artist Isaac Murdoch’s mural The Petition to the Water Spirits. Green space in the courtyard, partially funded by the City of Toronto, includes Indigenous plants, trees and furniture. Mr. Murdoch was on hand to deliver a moving recollection of his family’s experience with residential schools, which inspired the design of the mural.

A gold “STARS” for sustainability

Seneca Polytechnic has earned a gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements as part of the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). This gold rating is a first for Seneca and is thanks to our commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.

Introducing our artificial intelligence experts

Professors Panos Panagiotakopoulos (School of Human Resources & Global Business) and Kent Peel, (School of Legal & Public Administration) have been appointed as Seneca Polytechnic’s first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) Thought Leaders. Bringing a combined 30 years of teaching, the two are developing learning opportunities for faculty and collaborating on AI projects across Seneca’s faculties and with external stakeholders.

Commemorating Black History Month with art

Ghanaian-Canadian artist Ekow Nimako revealed his sculpture during a Black History Month event at Seneca@York. The sculpture, crafted entirely from black LEGO®, draws inspiration from Afro-futurism and West African mask-making traditions, while forgoing a connection between the familiar spacecrafts in science fiction and diverse African cultures.

Celebrating diversity and inclusion

Pride Month at Seneca Polytechnic included the raising of the pride flag, a student panel with drag star Jada Shada Hudson, an In Conversation event with CTV News Anchor Todd van der Heyden and a Rainbow Hangout to discuss Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz.

Farming goes vertical

Brandon Hebor, a graduate from the Sustainable Business Management program, and founder of Boreal Greens, recently partnered with the Seneca Centre for Health and Social Innovation on a project to identify best practices for running an effective vertical farm in Canada. This applied research identified marketable crops and how new technology can help with profitability.

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Evolving the Start at Seneca, Stay at Seneca and Return to Seneca strategies with a continued focus on lead generation, in-funnel conversions, retention and re-enrolment
• Implementing a program optimization model that assesses enrolment on various factors, including corridor funding, weighted funding units, SMA3, program demand and space utilization
• Developing an enrolment management plan based on the ongoing work of the Enrolment Management Committee and subcommittees
• Expanding the use of data systems and predictive analytics to assess student performance and incorporating in-term information to identify students who are at-risk of not completing their programs to support student retention and graduation rates

Year-end outcomes:

• Start at Seneca: web hub created to target prospective students; next phase of the Challenge Accepted and Driven by Ambition campaign successfully launched targeting future students and their supporters
• Stay at Seneca: robust pathway communication strategies established with targeted pathway opportunities such as the Niagara University partnership
• Return to Seneca: enhanced communications and web support for graduates now includes celebratory convocation messaging; ongoing engagement with graduates underway, in collaboration with Seneca Alumni
• Program health metrics dashboard established to provide program-specific quantitative data on performance and demand, considering student satisfaction, contribution margin, on-time graduation rates, retention and first-choice applications
• Implemented program health metrics to support program analysis and decision-making in:
  • program health assessment
  • enrolment planning
  • five-year new program planning
  • program review
• Cross-institutional space assessment committee struck to assess utilization and capital requests
• Enrolment management plan established focusing on enrolment analysis monitoring and reporting, new student enrolment, response to IRCC cap on international study permits, removing barriers to admissions, retention, enrolment and program planning and program health; implementation in FY2024-25
• Associate Registrar, Registration and Retention position created and filled with a focus on implementing short- and long-term systems and procedural enhancements for student retention

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Continuing to expand revenue-generating opportunities internationally
• Providing more support for post-graduate work opportunities for international students
• Streamlining the registration process for international students through automated document management and evaluations of credentials and English language scores
• Continuing to diversify the international student population
• Developing intercultural competencies for students and employees throughout international travel experiences and teaching and learning activities

Year-end outcomes:

• Various academic partnerships in development in Egypt, India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Philippines. Institutional partnership with Amity University Dubai in United Arab Emirates established which allows Amity students to have a semester abroad at Seneca
• New International Settlement fair held to connect international students with community agencies, newcomer services and international alumni; sessions focused on working in Canada and immigration pathways
• Solution and verification process for letters of attestation provided by OCAS and now being leveraged by Seneca
• In 2023-24, 127 students participated in learning opportunities to destinations that include Belgium, Costa Rica, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Scotland, South Korea and Thailand

In FY2023-24, goals included:

• Updating the cyber incident prevention management system
• Moving the i3 information and budgeting system to the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
• Digitizing OneCard top-up capabilities

 Year-end outcomes:

• Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) system in development, with select capabilities established; automation capabilities in progress with potential security vendors identified, scheduled for completion in March 2024
• Disaster recovery site for student information and payroll systems are now mirrored on the cloud for development and testing
• Technology solution to replace existing budget planning system identified; implementation will start in March 2024
• Apple Wallet testing to begin in April with full release planned for July 2025
• Seneca OneCard connected to Flywire, a global payment system, enabling international students to load Canadian currency from abroad

Preparing the much-needed next generation of cybersecurity professionals

Seneca Polytechnic, Microsoft Canada and Sobeys Inc. have partnered to offer an affordable series of short-term cybersecurity courses available across Canada. The Cybersecurity Analyst (Stack) of microcredentials will give participants the skills to pursue entry-level positions in cybersecurity, helping address the shortage of 25,000 cybersecurity professionals in Canada.

Opening our doors for future students

Prospective and incoming students, their families and friends visited Seneca Polytechnic campuses for Fall 2023 Open House. Guests connected with Seneca experts (in person and online) and took part in campus tours and contests. This followed another successful Ontario College Fair at the Enercare Centre, where thousands of prospective students connected with Seneca students, employees and alumni. Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities, visited the Seneca display and participated in the popular Hologram Capture Experience.

Bringing Seneca Polytechnic to the Philippines

A partnership has been formalized between Seneca Polytechnic and World Citi Colleges to provide students in the Philippines with world-class education and opportunities in the fields of tourism, hospitality, nursing and aviation. The partnership will facilitate faculty and student exchanges, research and cultural immersion programs.

A new international partnership in Dubai

Seneca Polytechnic and Amity University Dubai have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on a variety of cross-institutional opportunities, including student and faculty exchanges, applied research, corporate and executive training, microcredentials and pathways to new careers.

Seneca expertise on tour

Seneca Polytechnic Global Learning and Engagement activities are in full swing. Recently, Camie Condon, Program Coordinator for the Bachelor of Crime & Intelligence Analysis degree program, led a visit to discuss research partnerships at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice – University of Portsmouth. As well, Evangelo Boutsis, Coordinator, Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology (BBP) degree program, visited Oslo Metropolitan University to discuss research and professional collaborations. Currently, two BBP students are on a semesterlong exchange at Oslo Met.

Helping international students with settlement services

Seneca Polytechnic hosted its first-ever International Settlement Fair at Newnham Campus. This day-long event was designed to help international students experience a seamless transition from education to employment in Canada. They were connected with various community agencies, as well as immigration specialists and international alumni to help build their networks.

Max funding received to prepare students for international travel

Global Learning and Engagement (GLE) has been awarded $40,000 — the maximum funding available for a single institution — from Colleges and Institutes Canada’s Innovation Fund 2023. The funding will be used to ensure GLE’s pre-departure materials support students of all backgrounds and abilities throughout their global learning abroad journey.

An MOU to open campuses in Cairo

Seneca and Cairo-based Al-Ahly CIRA Company for Educational Services are moving forward on a plan to bring a Seneca education to thousands of students in Egypt. The partnership would establish two Seneca campuses in Greater Cairo — one in 6th of October City and one in Badr City.