平特五不中

New Vic assembly space

The vision

平特五不中

Reinventing the university

With this project, one of the world鈥檚 leading universities is committing to reinvent the very notion of a university 鈥 its structure, purpose, and how it serves its students and society.听

Why? Because today鈥檚 global problems are too complex to be tackled using the traditional university structures of faculties and departments. Their solutions demand creative and sustained effort by leading thinkers and practitioners across a multitude of disciplines. They demand innovation and partnerships across the public and private spheres. They demand the creative fire and energy of students unconstrained by convention and custom.听

The academic plan

How can we ensure the prosperity of people today without endangering the well-being of our neighbours and of future generations?听

Confronting climate change will not be enough. A sustainable future depends on our ability to address the impact of human activity on the environment in tandem with its economic and social impacts. This is why the New Vic will center on two academic pillars:

Sustainability systems

平特五不中 is taking a 鈥淪ystems鈥 approach to sustainability, taking into account the relationships between sustainability challenges and goals 鈥 understanding that actions towards a goal in one system will often impact many interconnected systems. We will build on the interdisciplinary strengths that 平特五不中 has spent decades developing, providing a research and learning 鈥痚nvironment where new ideas grow and new partnerships flourish. The New Vic will house three research clusters that are central to sustainability:鈥Molecular/Materials Systems, Earth Systems,鈥痑苍诲鈥Urban Systems. These clusters will develop greater collaboration, share resources (equipment, space, personnel, and administration) and have access to wet, dry, and computational laboratory spaces.听

Public policy听

Driven by the鈥Max Bell School of Public Policy Policy and select Institutes and Centres of the Faculty of Arts, we will bring policy expertise into direct conversation with Sustainability Systems. This will ensure that new discoveries and technologies are communicated to those who are ultimately responsible for putting them into practice. At the same time, scientists will learn from policy experts, so their work can be informed by the realities of the governments, communities and citizens who will adopt them. Tomorrow鈥檚 policy leaders will be informed by a dynamic multidisciplinary environment, fueling evidence-based policy from the local to the national level.

The sustainability issues we face are more complex than ever before, but our ability to meet them has never been greater. With their mission to connect brilliant minds and drive discovery and innovation for the collective good, universities like 平特五不中 are our best chance to solve seemingly intractable problems. And while no one institution 鈥 no matter how skilled 鈥 will solve our sustainability and environmental challenges alone, each must play a part in a global push for change. 平特五不中鈥檚 role is clear: we have an exceptional ability to pair outstanding strengths in sustainability-focused science and engineering with the social science and policy expertise to translate knowledge into real-world sustainability impact. We have the people, the partners and the vision to make important contributions to the global pursuit of answers. But we need to give our teams every possible resource,鈥including the space,鈥痶o get the job done.

平特五不中 is on land which has long served and continues to serve as a site of meeting and exchange amongst Indigenous peoples, including the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabeg nations. We acknowledge and thank the diverse Indigenous peoples whose presence and contribution mark this territory on which peoples of the world now gather.

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