Engaging Post-secondary Institutions

March 31, 2010 | Israr Ahmad, Public Sector Digest

The origin of the University of Waterloo is fundamentally linked with the needs of the community. The articulated desire of the chair of the founding board, Ira Needles, was “wanted for Canada: 150,000 engineers.” Although the community was heavily reliant on manufacturing, there was no engineering school at the time. The birth of the University in 1957 was a result of local demands. The relationship between the University of Waterloo and the surrounding municipalities is a deliberately symbiotic one; the University and the community each views the other as a critical asset. An overwhelming focus on technical innovation and a supportive local and regional leadership attract a constant influx of intellect and commercial R&D activity to the University and region. David Johnston, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Waterloo, discusses the relationship between the University and the region.