Stronger Together: 2022-23 Annual Report

Three priority areas drove our activities in FY2022-23:

• Continuing to implement Seneca Au Large initiatives and developing new initiatives under its major pillars of equity, sustainability and more virtual 
• Focusing a strategic lens on enrolment targets to consider appropriate domestic/international balances and credential mix 
• Transitioning to a post-pandemic Seneca for both students and employees

Supporting the major Au Large pillars are the digital strategy and capital planning, both indispensable to achieving our ambitious goals.

And it is all possible because the Seneca community, working together, makes us stronger and makes it happen.

In FY2022-23, goals included:

• Starting the distribution of proceeds from The Jane Fund to support EDI-focused student initiatives 
• Developing and implementing plans to embed EDI principles across all schools in their 
  curriculum, decision-making and stakeholder relations 
• Building EDI practices into Seneca Innovation by identifying barriers to equity-deserving groups in HELIX and applied research enterprise and initiating practices to remove such barriers 
• Creating a physical symbol of the path to reconciliation by building a walking path at King Campus around Lake Seneca, using technology to engage participants with education vignettes on Indigenous and broader EDI issues

• Launching a new student support called Student Navigator that focuses on helping students from equity-deserving groups succeed at Seneca by navigating them through academic and non-academic resources at Seneca and in the community

Year-end outcomes:

• Phase 1 funding of $250,000 from The Jane Fund distributed to several initiatives supporting students from equity-deserving groups, including navigators in Student Services, full-tuition bursaries, emergency funds and projects recommended by the Seneca community 
• Review of policies and procedures for students and employees continues 
• Curriculum-integration framework developed and piloted; expanding framework to include other priorities, such as EDI, with a plan to launch in FY2023-24; program development and review processes now include EDI criteria 
• Phase 2 of HELIX’s Gender-Smart Entrepreneurship Education and Training Plus initiative launched 
• The HELIX RISE Summit, designed to help women at all stages in their careers, was delivered to more than 250 participants  
• A Women’s Initiatives subcommittee was struck to advise on how to make entrepreneurship more equitable 
• All NSERC funding applications now include EDI best practices; Seneca Social Innovation Research Fund requires applicants to describe EDI implications in their research projects  
• Surveys provided to more than 300 faculty who have worked with Seneca Innovation to gain insight on barriers faced by equity-deserving groups 
• Plans for the construction and refurbishment of the reconciliation path are complete and include considerations for accessibility, educational resources, and various look-out points for reflection; construction will commence in FY2023-24 
• Student Navigators hired and trained, supporting hundreds of students by: 
  • Providing complex case management and support, human skills development and navigation of Seneca resources and supports 
  • Supporting students experiencing emergencies, homelessness and financial instability 
  • Assisting Ukrainian and Iranian students with no access to funding and experiencing family trauma 

Highlights of 2022-23

Transformative gift in support of nursing students

The Nanji Foundation committed to a multi-million-dollar donation to the School of Nursing to support financial aid, simulation technology and community engagement. The gift is the largest donation in Seneca’s history, and the school has been renamed the Seneca Nanji Foundation School of Nursing.

Good things come in three

Seneca earned three 2023 Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Awards of Excellence: gold in the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion category and bronze in the Applied Research and Innovation and the Faculty Leadership categories. These awards were distributed at the annual CICan conference in Montréal.

SSF making a difference in the community and on campus

The Seneca Student Federation (SSF) donated $10,000 to the Food Bank of York Region to help battle food insecurity in the community. On campus, the SSF Food Bank served 950 students a month, and their breakfast program supported 2,700 students weekly across three campuses.

Transgender athlete inspires teammates and policy changes

Practical Nursing student CL Viloria was the first Seneca varsity athlete to identify herself as transgender. Seneca’s Sport & Recreation, Student Services and the Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion appealed on her behalf to the CCAA and OCAA to update their transgender policies, which allowed Ms. Viloria to compete on Seneca’s volleyball team.

Bringing eyecare to those who need it

A pilot project between Seneca and Essilor Canada took place in fall 2022 at Yorkgate Campus and helped to improve the vision of more than 100 students. The I-Care project was designed to prioritize vision health by making screening and eye exams accessible to Seneca students, while educating the community on how to prevent sight loss.

Researchers enhance tax filing system for low-income residents

An applied research project has evaluated ways to make Canada’s tax filing system more accessible for vulnerable populations. The project saw research assistants from the schools of Human Resources & Global Business and Management & Entrepreneurship collaborate with the City of Toronto and Prosper Canada, a national charity that helps Canadians living in poverty. 

After fire, Indigenous flight school students soaring in Seneca planes

A fire in spring 2022 destroyed all 13 planes used by a unique Indigenous aviation program at the First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI), located in the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, ON. Seneca’s School of Aviation answered the call to help FNTI students continue their flight training by leasing the institute two Cessna 172s. The loan of the aircraft allowed the students to complete their flight training.

Free career support and training designed for women

Women looking to advance their career, start their own business or return to the workforce were provided with a new way to obtain skills and support through Seneca’s HERizons program. HERizons offers programs and services tailored to help women make achievable plans for the future they want.

#WomenFreedomLife

Dr. Haideh Moghissi, Canada’s leading scholar in gender and Islam, delivered a virtual talk to the Seneca community on the ongoing uprising in Iran. Dr. Moghissi is a Professor Emerita at York University and a founder of the Iranian National Union of Women. Several graduates at the November convocation ceremonies paid tribute to the protesters in Iran as they walked across the stage with a gesture that indicated they were cutting their hair – a symbol of protest and mourning that has become a sign of solidarity since the death of Mahsa Amini.

Honouring Black history

The Seneca community welcomed award-winning journalist Garvia Bailey on campus for an Ask Me Anything event. Ms. Bailey is the host of Historica Canada’s Strong and Free podcast, which tells stories of Black Canadians throughout history. Seneca employees also took part in Strong and Free discussion groups leading up to Ms. Bailey’s visit.

Paving the way for equity-deserving youth in Edmonton

Andrel Wisdom, a graduate of Seneca’s Real Property Administration program, is paving the way for equity-deserving youth in Edmonton through a non-profit social impact enterprise called The REET Institute. REET offers free programming designed to train, develop and mentor high school students to become the next generation of investors, owners and leaders in commercial real estate.

In FY2022-23, goals included: 

• Developing and implementing sustainability as a core literacy in academic programs, 
  including developing meaningful learning experiences for students and professional 
  development for faculty to assist integrating sustainability into curriculum design 
• Developing and implementing sustainability approaches in stakeholder partnerships and 
  procurement of goods and services 
• Implementing the framework of the UN’s PRME, focusing Business programs on 
  sustainability in five areas: curricula, research, educational frameworks, partnerships and thought leadership 
• Completing an energy audit to get a baseline data set to allow us to develop a GHG emissions reductions plan with a primary objective for net zero emissions 
• Developing a GHG and Energy Reduction Plan to reduce energy and GHG emissions across campuses

Year-end outcomes:

• The multi-year curriculum-integration framework developed and piloted with further implementation taking place each year of the Strategic Plan 
• Faculty members in Seneca Business and the School of Environmental and Civil Engineering Technology participated in workshops to integrate sustainability principles into curriculum 
• Procurement policy amended to include sustainability principles and takes effect FY2023-24 
• Projects involving sustainable development practices in Kenya, Tanzania and Caribbean are on schedule 
• PRME accomplishments include: 
  • Sustainable Business Fundamentals microcredential in collaboration with Canadian Colleges for Resilient Recovery 
  • Faculty workshop, “Introduce Sustainability to Your Course” 
  • Networking event ‘Let’s Talk Sustainability and Business’  
  • International partnership with another PRME signatory – University of Rosario 
  • Student Reward & Recognition program, with more than 1,000 students certified  
  • Activities to engage the Seneca community
• Completed the energy audit and a report is being analyzed 
• Development of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction plan will begin in FY2023-24 and will be based on the energy audit outcomes  
• Waste management plan developed, outlining high-level waste reduction and recycling objectives, timelines for respective goals and annual benchmarks for improvement 
• Multi-year plan for naturalized and sustainable landscape development implemented; next phase of the Newnham Campus naturalized landscaping plan will be carried out in FY2023-24 
• Launched Seneca’s first sustainability plan, Our Path Forward, developed through broad consultations across the institution and community input

Highlights of 2022-23

CITE honoured for innovative and sustainable design

Seneca’s Centre for Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship (CITE) won a 2022 Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Award of Excellence in the Medium-Scale Public Landscapes category. This award acknowledges CITE’s innovative and ecologically focused landscape design, which promotes sustainability.

A conversation about climate justice

Seneca welcomed Naomi Klein, professor, award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author, to discuss climate justice. The conversation was part of Seneca’s annual Green Citizen Symposium, sponsored by TD Insurance and supported by the Seneca Student Federation. More than 1,400 students, employees, faculty and community members participated.

Fulfilling our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals

Seneca has submitted our first progress report as a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an international initiative with nearly 900 management and business schools committed to raising the profile of sustainability in their programs. The report documents Seneca Business’s many accomplishments over the last two years, while implementing the six principles of PRME.

Ever greener thanks to the City of Toronto

For the third time since 2020, the City of Toronto added to the green spaces on campus. Seneca received $75,000 from the City of Toronto’s Greening Partnership Grant, which will help with the planting of 642 shrubs and 28 trees in the courtyard at Seneca@York. Funding will also support ongoing naturalization work at Newnham Campus, where 490 shrubs and 105 trees will be planted in 2023.

Applied research leads to Canadian-sourced skincare products

Students from the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry helped develop environmentally friendly formulas for Céla’s anti-aging facial oil and moisturizer as part of applied research projects conducted through the Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences.

Harvesting great results in non-ideal growing conditions

Seneca Innovation and the School of Biological Science & Applied Chemistry collaborated on an applied research project with Just Vertical, an indoor vertical farming company in Toronto, to develop a series of crop recipes to determine ideal indoor light intensity and frequency for optimum growth. Just Vertical is now working with Seneca to renovate the vertical farm housed in the retrofitted shipping container at Newnham Campus to be a research site and provider of fresh greens to Seneca’s food services.

Addressing the mental health implications of the climate crisis

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

Fighting diseases affecting the citrus fruit industry

Seneca Innovation and the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry are working in partnership with Ottawa-based Evik Diagnostic Innovations Inc. on an applied research project that could help save the valuable U.S. citrus fruit industry. The Seneca team is creating tests to detect a crop-killing disease that threatens oranges, grapefruits and lemons.

Don’t replace, repair

Seneca’s Office of Sustainability hosted a repair café at Seneca@York to reduce waste sent to landfills and help students and employees develop skills to fix items — not throw them away and buy new ones. The Seneca community brought damaged appliances, clothing and devices to be repaired by volunteer fix-it experts.

Indigenous cosmetic company benefits from applied research project

A face mist developed by a team of Seneca applied researchers brought Canadian-sourced cosmetic ingredients to a global market. The project with Cheekbone Beauty, an Indigenous-owned cosmetic company based in St. Catharines, Ont., was led by Sharon Robertson, Professor, School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry, and funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

In FY2022-23, goals included:

• Completing implementation of the new student service delivery model in the Registrar’s Office, Student Services and Academic Learning Services and identifying opportunities for extending the new service framework to other student-facing departments 
• Implementing a hybrid service delivery model for all service departments 
• Providing students across all faculties with greater choice to access learning through increased offerings of flexible delivery, extended reality (XR) modules and microcredentials 
• Supporting faculty with supports related to flexible delivery, including professional development and mentorship 
• Building dedicated, custom-built online teaching spaces at all campuses and completing upgrades to Flex learning classrooms  
• Identifying and implementing CRM-type software to centrally manage Seneca-wide external corporate, social, alumni and other external connections  

 Year-end outcomes:

• The Service Hub, a transformative approach to student services in Canada, originating through feedback from students and frontline employees, has been established; students can access The Service Hub through nine channels – from in-person to WhatsApp to chatbots – with plans to add additional departments in FY2023-24 
• Continued increase in flexible delivery offerings for courses and programs, with an equally proportionate selection of courses in each of the four delivery formats: online, in-person, flexible and hybrid 
• To support domestic enrolment, some programs are offered fully online 
• One XR application has been completed, with two in progress 
• The VR Lab at Newnham Campus has begun operations with VR headsets deployed to King, Peterborough and Seneca@York campuses 
• More than 400 professors and instructors have taken “Fundamentals of Flexible Course Design and Delivery” which is now integrated into the Faculty Development Program 
• Resources to support faculty in flexible course design and delivery continue to be developed and provided virtually 
• More than 100 classrooms across four campuses equipped with flexible delivery technology

Highlights of 2022-23

Welcome to The Service Hub

Seneca has introduced a transformative approach to student services in Canada that combines the latest technology with innovative practices in customer support. Through The Service Hub, students and employees can find clear, consistent information across an unprecedented nine channels: web, intranet, ChatBot, apps, social media, video, text, email and on site at Seneca’s campuses.

Applied researchers teach machines to help video editors

Thanks to Seneca Innovation’s artificial intelligence video categorization project with industry partner, Vubble, human editors can now tag video content more quickly. The applied research project was conducted through the School of Software Design & Data Science and received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform.

Digital Health Hackathon leads to scalable business solution

Seneca’s Digital Health Hackathon brought together Lorinda Lee, Chief Human Resources Officer at Oak Valley Health, Trinetra Systems Inc. and Seneca Innovation to create an AI-powered HR data management tool that can help large organizations in the health care sector. The tool can be adapted to support companies and organizations in other industries.

Leveling the playing field for traders

The Toronto-based fintech startup Featuremine Corp. has teamed with Seneca Innovation on an applied research project to develop AI that can be used by traders in all tax brackets to counter the expensive platforms used by major trading firms and hedge fund managers. This project benefited from a $25,000 grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

In FY2022-23, goals included:

• Implementing a comprehensive enrolment management strategy to manage a more diversified international enrolment growth while expanding domestic enrolment 
• Leveraging data analysis and labour market trends to balance domestic/international enrolment and credential mix across all faculties 
• Supporting the enrolment strategy with expanded recruitment and conversion initiatives by: 
  • Growing degree enrolment and graduate certificates, microcredentials and other short programs designed to rapidly retrain students 
  • Focusing on non-direct mature audiences 
  • Continuing the three-pronged Start at Seneca, Stay at Seneca and Return to Seneca campaign 
  • Investing in increased marketing and advertising opportunities
• Enhancing Seneca’s website by: 
  • Integrating the Continuing Education standalone site into senecacollege.ca to provide prospective students easier access to both full- and part-time studies 
  • Optimizing the current website experience for prospective students 

Year-end outcomes:

• Enrolment Management Strategy developed to focus on end-to-end enrolment from recruitment to graduation 
• Integrated plan that includes program planning, program health and monitoring, student conversion and retention will be operationalized in FY2023-24 
• New methodology launched to collect labour market information for program development; survey being developed to collect information from Program Advisory Committees on labour market trends and aligning credentials with industry demand 
• Launched two honours bachelor’s degree programs and two graduate certificate programs, with three three-year degree programs launching in fall 2023 
• Focused marketing and recruitment strategies implemented to increase awareness and drive applications to degrees, graduate certificates and new programs 
• Expanded reach to Indigenous and equity-deserving communities and newcomers to Canada; implemented targeted digital advertising and recruitment strategies to non-direct audience 

Highlights of 2022-23

Master’s programs to be taught by Seneca professors

For the first time, master’s programs were delivered at Seneca, thanks to an expanded partnership with Niagara University. As of fall 2022, courses in Niagara’s master of Business Administration and master of Science in Information Security and Digital Forensics programs were taught by Seneca professors onsite at Newnham Campus and at Niagara’s Vaughan Campus.

New campaign drives students to pursue their aspirations

Seneca launched the newest phase of its award-winning Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign: Driven by Ambition. Produced in partnership with Forsman & Bodenfors Canada, the campaign asks prospective students, “What is your ambition saying to you?” It features the stories of accomplished Seneca graduates, who have channeled their ambition into successful careers. Once again, Seneca was the only Ontario postsecondary institution to have a student recruitment commercial appear during the Super Bowl.

Preparing students with in-demand skills

An initiative to further integrate human skills – sometimes called transferable or soft skills – throughout program curriculum launched in fall 2022. The project started with the Public Relations – Corporate Communications graduate certificate program. It will explicitly imbed into curriculum and learning outcomes the communication, critical thinking and interpersonal skills that employers are demanding.

Among the best for work-integrated learning

Seneca was recently ranked the #2 postsecondary institution in Canada – and top spot among all polytechnics and colleges – for co-op programs. The list was compiled by CourseCompare, an online resource for students looking to choose a postsecondary course or training program.

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.

Preparing tomorrow’s leaders in sales

The Professional Selling graduate certificate program was introduced at Seneca@York. The 18-month program teaches students the skills needed to succeed in business-to-business sales roles, with a focus on developing a technology-driven, post-pandemic sales force. Thanks to Seneca’s flexible classrooms, students will have the choice to study on campus or online.

Filling the skills gap in Ontario’s growing screen industry

Centennial, Fanshawe and Seneca collaborated to introduce eight microcredentials in film and television production. These short courses will help industry professionals and students learn in-demand production and technology skills. This partnership was developed with funding from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities’ Ontario Mircocredentials Challenge Fund and support from industry partners Avid, the Stratagem Group and Unity.

Partnership will boost representation among firefighters

An agreement with Brampton Fire & Emergency Services (BFES) provided graduates of Seneca’s Firefighter, Pre-Service Education and Training certificate program with a recruitment pathway to BFES firefighter positions. Seneca will promote career opportunities with BFES through the Seneca Works portal, while providing guidance to students and graduates during the application process.

Government funding and collaboration in support of ECE students

The School of Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Faculty of Continuing Education received $3 million as part of the Child Care and Early Years Workforce Funding. This money established an ECE bursary program that will be available until the Fall 2023 Term. The funds are being distributed through York Region, building on a partnership with Seneca that has also resulted in transformative professional development practices in ECE.

Study abroad agreement signed with OsloMet

Seneca signed an MOU for an exchange agreement with Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet) in Norway. This agreement will allow students in the Behaviour Psychology honours bachelor’s degree program to take a full semester of credits at OsloMet — the only institution outside of North America with a psychology degree program accredited by the Association for Behavioral Analysis International.

$1.5 million federal grant for applied research

Thanks to a Mobilize grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Seneca was able to grow its three applied research centres — the Seneca Centre for Health and Social Innovation, the Seneca Centre for Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Technologies and the Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences. The funds will help create more research opportunities to engage students, faculty and industry partners.

Investing in academic spaces and infrastructure with provincial funding

Seneca received $4.8 million from the province’s College Equipment Renewal Fund and Facilities Renewal Program. The funding will benefit 16 infrastructure and technology initiatives across Seneca’s campuses, including a new lab for creative advertising and marketing students, opticianry and broadcast studio equipment, technology for academic work stations, loaner laptops for students and various building renovations.

Challenge Accepted goes prime time with Super Bowl commercial

Seneca was the only Ontario postsecondary institution to have a commercial during Super Bowl. The 30-second version of the Now is Your Time ad features current students and graduates and appeared during the pre-game show and third quarter.

Introducing the Centre for Executive & Professional Learning

The Centre for Executive & Professional Learning launched at its new downtown location at King and Yonge in Toronto. The centre provides various options for professional learning, including a new suite of executive certificate programs designed for aspiring senior leaders.

In FY2202-23, goals included:

• Increasing leadership and employee development opportunities to support the Au Large pillars of equity, sustainability and more virtual  
• Expanding succession planning to support leadership continuity and employee retention  
• Focusing the annual pulse survey on issues to improve the work environment and support employee engagement  
• Providing further resources in Human Resources department to expand hiring and retention practices in a highly competitive job market  
• Completing implementation of the new student service delivery model in the Registrar’s Office, Student Services and Academic Learning Services and identifying opportunities for extending the new service framework to other student-facing departments 
• Implementing a hybrid service delivery model for all service departments 
• Providing students across all faculties with greater choice to access learning through increased offerings of flexible delivery, extended reality (XR) modules and microcredentials 
• Supporting faculty with supports related to flexible delivery, including professional development and mentorship 
• Building dedicated, custom-built online teaching spaces at all campuses and completing upgrades to flexible learning classrooms  
• Identifying and implementing CRM-type software to centrally manage Seneca-wide external corporate, social, alumni and other external connections  

Year-end outcomes:

• More than 1,500 employees participated in 47 unique professional development and leadership courses on topics such as career growth, diversity, personal productivity, self-compassion, technology, flexible work and well-being
• Succession plans completed for administrators
• Employees identified for succession provided with developmental opportunities with some already advancing from their positions
• The annual pulse survey focused on inclusivity launched in November 2022, with an overall engagement score of 82 per cent
• New HR operating model includes 35 redesigned processes achieved through 11 process design workshops

Highlights of 2022-23

A great place to work

For the 14th time, Seneca was a Greater Toronto Top Employer. The annual recognition celebrates employers with exceptional human resources programming and forward-thinking policies. Seneca was recognized for our commitment to build the equitable Seneca and our flexible work approach.

Employees supporting financial aid

The annual We Love Our Students Month — part of the year-round Campaign for Students — launched in early February 2023. Employees took part in various fundraising activities, collaborating with the Seneca Student Federation to raise more than $358,000 for student financial aid.

President Agnew shares highlights of a very successful year

As part of Seneca Week, President David Agnew addressed the largest-ever gathering for the All-Employee Meeting. In his review of the 2021-2022 fiscal year — “the most successful in Seneca’s history” — President Agnew shared many achievements related to enrolment, new programs and investments in people and technology. He also hosted a conversation with Dr. Joseph Aoun, President, Northeastern University, on the future of higher education.

Ongoing support for United Way

Seneca’s annual employee campaign raised over $110,000 for United Way of Greater Toronto. More than 150 employees took part through donations and participation in various activities, including the GetUP Challenge.

A mural depicting Seneca’s past and future

The Reciprocity Mural, a stunning floor-to-ceiling art display, was unveiled at The Pond, Newnham’s Cafeteria. Spanning seven walls, the mural highlights Seneca’s seven campuses as well as our history, diverse community, classrooms and landscapes. The project was completed by a team of five Seneca graduates under the artistic direction of JoAnn Purcell, Program Co-ordinator, Illustration diploma program, and Martha Newbigging, Program Co-ordinator, Art Fundamentals certificate program.

Catching big phish vs. Humber

For the second year in a row, Seneca defeated Humber in the Reel Big Phishing Trainer Game as part of Cyber Security Month. This friendly competition helps to teach employees at both institutions how to identify and defend against cyberattacks.

In FY22-23, goals included:

• Continuing to extend on-campus digital innovation display technology, developing content for on-campus screens, spirit walls and overhead digital signage  
• Enhancing virtual OneCard to support digital wallets, expand international mobile payment top-up options and integrate with student room booking to provide automated access control  
• Implementing an integrated MS-Teams supported cloud-based telephone system to replace on-premises phone system   
• Introducing:  
  • course-specific chatbots with adaptive learning capabilities to enhance learning opportunities for students  
  • holographic image-based teaching options 
  • deep learning-based early warning systems to identify students at risk and improve their success 
  • AI-driven systems to offer digital assessments to grade, administer and report on tests; and to support hiring practices of employees through natural-language processing

Year-end outcomes:

• Digital displays installed at King, Newnham and Seneca@York campuses 
• Digital wallet capability established and currently in testing 
• International mobile payment top-up option developed and will be implemented in FY2023-24 
• New cloud-based telephone system implemented for all employees 
• Google AI Tutor being piloted in select courses 
• Holographic capability established and being tested at Newnham Campus

Highlights of 2022-23

Meet your new tutor…available 24/7

Thanks to a new partnership with Google Cloud, students in select courses within Seneca Business are participating in a pilot program, which offers them a personalized, artificial intelligence-powered tutor. The Interactive Google Tutor analyzes digital course content and creates tailored resources to help students understand course concepts and test their knowledge — while continually adapting to their comfort levels and growing expertise.

Federal funding for a research centre in artificial intelligence

Seneca received $641,800 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to support applied research on artificial intelligence technologies critical to maintaining a strong Canadian economy. The grant will help establish the Centre for Innovation in Artificial Intelligence Technologies, where Seneca researchers will collaborate with industry partners to find AI solutions in sectors ranging from advanced manufacturing and commerce to creative media and finance.

Simulation lab benefitting students across disciplines

At the Simulation Apartment Lab at King Campus, Honours Bachelor of Behavioural Psychology students participated in simulated interactions with clients as part of the Adulthood and Aging course. The lab’s infrastructure has been designed, and is operated, with support from students and faculty in the Event & Media Production diploma program and members of the Information Technology Services (ITS) team. It includes equipment to film and livestream the simulations, enabling students to participate remotely and review their performances.

Opening our doors - in person and online

Seneca welcomed thousands of prospective students, families and friends to explore Seneca in person and virtually in our first Open House since 2019. Guests learned about Seneca’s academic options, met program and service experts and attended live presentations.

In FY2022-23, goals included:

• Implementing a flexible work approach that responds to the academic and service needs of 
  students while respecting employees’ desire for more choice in where they work – on any campus or remotely

Year-end outcomes:

• Feedback from employees on flexible work approach continues to inform guidelines and resources 
• Strategy underway to build awareness and engagement of employee hotelling and collaboration spaces at each campus

In FY2022-23, goals included:

• Investing in capital projects and improvements that will continue to position Seneca’s 
  campuses as attractive, modern, safe and welcoming spaces for students and employees, 
  including: 
  • Planning for the Health and Wellness Centre at Newnham Campus 
  • Planning for the Garriock Hall replacement at King Campus 
  • Building new facilities at our campuses, including new lab for health care programs and new networking lab (Newnham), SCILS Bio-Chemical Lab (Seneca@York) and Training Centre for contract training (Markham) 
  • Continuing to refresh areas at all campuses, such as the Fashion area at the Newnham Campus, the courtyard at the Stephen E. Quinlan building and digital innovation installations across all campuses 
  • Completing the revamp of access control system and security cameras to enhance 
    campus safety and security

Year-end outcomes:

• Refresh of School of Fashion area at Newnham Campus  
• Refresh of Stephen E. Quinlan Building courtyard at Seneca@York Campus  
• Digital innovation installations across campuses  
• Completed access control upgrades at six campuses 
• Design firm selected for Health and Wellness Centre with procurement of construction management firm underway  
• First draft of the new Garriock Hall functional space programming was completed; project will continue in FY2023-24 with the selection of the architectural consultant and completion of architectural design 
• Construction of networking lab at Newnham Campus underway 
• Construction of the SCILS Bio-Chemical Lab underway, with completion expected in FY2023-24, as scheduled 
• The Kaleidoscope room at Seneca@York Campus installation underway 
• Markham Campus access control project underway, with security camera system upgrades continuing into FY2023-24

In FY2022-23, goals included:

• Developing and implementing a framework to integrate learning outcomes and experiences into curricula, including principles of: 
• equity, diversity and inclusion 
• sustainability 
• essential and core employability skills 
• internationalization  
• Expanding global mobility opportunities for students and employees to engage in activity focused on equity, sustainability and cutting-edge virtual educational experiences 
• Launching a Scholarship of Teaching and Learning program that supports faculty-led teaching and learning research projects

Year-end outcomes:

• EDI plan was launched in April 2023 
• Curriculum integration framework developed and piloted; integration will continue in FY2023-24 
• Living laboratory initiative for student projects has been initiated and will continue to be developed 
• Established active Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) engagements in six countries with nine international partners on 29 projects; more than 1,000 Seneca students and 32 faculty members participated 
• Scholarship of Teaching and Learning program launched, with four faculty research projects awarded funding

Highlights of 2022-23

What’s Next for Seneca Polytechnic?

Hundreds of students, employees and many external stakeholders shared their thoughts on Seneca’s Strategic Plan – The Next. Through in-person consultations, virtual sessions and online surveys, participants offered ideas on Seneca’s future direction, focusing on topics such as student experience, building the ideal postsecondary institution and what differentiates Seneca in the marketplace. As we embark on our new Strategic Plan, we are providing an explicit commitment to students that we will provide them with the polytechnic experience — that’s why we’ve decided to add “Polytechnic” to our name.

Court upholds Seneca’s vaccination policy

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice upheld Seneca’s vaccination policy, rejecting an application for an injunction brought by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms on behalf of two students. The decision found that the policy is legal, enforceable and does not violate rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

An epic Graduation Celebration

Seneca honoured individuals who graduated between December 2019 and December 2021 during the two-day Graduation Celebration. The events were hosted by Melissa Grelo, a Seneca Broadcast Journalism graduate and Co-host of CTV’s the Social, and included remarks by President David Agnew, Masai Ujiri, Toronto Raptors President, and Col. Chris Hadfield, former Commander of the International Space Station.

Ryan Reynolds steals the show, thrills students

Seneca welcomed Ryan Reynolds, the proudly Canadian movie star, producer and entrepreneur, to Seneca@York, where he generously connected with (many) students and toured the Faculty of Communication, Art and Design. Mr. Reynolds posted about the visit to his 21 million Twitter and 47 million Instagram followers.

Minister of Colleges and Universities tours Newnham Campus

The Honourable Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities, visited Newnham Campus for the second time since becoming minister in 2021. Minister Dunlop met with President David Agnew and took part in a tour that included stops at The Service Hub and the Fashion Resource Centre.

#SenecaProud to celebrate new graduates

Downtown Toronto was Seneca Red as we honoured April and August 2022 graduates at the Fall 2022 Convocation, which took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This was the largest set of convocation ceremonies in Seneca’s history, with 8,000 graduates and more than 18,000+ guests attending 12 ceremonies over six days.

Seneca hospitality for our southern neighbour

Susan Crystal, Consul General, U.S. Consulate General Toronto, visited Newnham Campus. President David Agnew led a tour with stops at The Service Hub, the Kuka Robotics Lab, Siemens Mechatronics Lab and HELIX.

Construction begins on the Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences

A new $9.4-million life sciences lab at Seneca@York will power a significant increase in applied research for the diagnostics and cosmetics industries while providing advanced learning opportunities for hundreds of Seneca students and recent graduates. The Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences will conduct applied research in life science diagnostics and novel cosmetics formulations overseen by Seneca’s School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry – home to Canada’s first graduate certificate program in cosmetic science.

Exploring campuses in Egypt

Seneca and Cairo-based Al Ahly CIRA Company for Educational Services are moving forward on a plan to establish two Seneca campuses in Greater Cairo — one in 6th of October City and one in Badr City — with programs in business, engineering, information technology and English language training. An MOU was signed in Cairo by Seneca President David Agnew and Karim Saada, Managing Director of Al-Ahly Capital Holding Company and Chair, Al-Ahly CIRA Company for Educational Services.

Providing students global experiences

With funding from the Government of Canada’s Global Skills Opportunity program, Seneca’s Global Learning and Engagement team has developed faculty-led programs to Ecuador, Peru and Denmark. The funding offered support to participate in these international experiences to students who otherwise could not afford the trip. More than 70 per cent of the Seneca students who went self-identified as requiring financial assistance.

A community recreation centre at King Campus

Seneca President David Agnew joined local politicians for the groundbreaking of the Township-Wide Recreation Centre at King Campus. Funded by federal, provincial and municipal governments and local developers, the centre will feature 11,500 m² of indoor and outdoor athletic facilities. Seneca and King Township signed a 99-year lease agreement for the land at a cost of $1 per year.