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Our Plan
Informed by our identity and driven by our mission, our strategic plan includes four strategic priorities of equal value and importance.
Objective 1
Nurture a community environment that supports the whole person
- Increase opportunities and capacity for social and learning interactions among students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members
- Recognize excellence and achievement, and celebrate the accomplishments of our people
- Invest in multifunctional spaces to support vibrant campus life
Objective 2
Support a culture of care, ensuring the physical, psychological and cultural well-being of our people is embedded in everything we do
- Build capacity for implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and engaging in reconciliation
- Embed Access, Community and Belonging priorities into the culture of the Augustana community
- Strengthen efforts to support mental and physical well-being for faculty, staff and students
Objective 1
Expand and strengthen academic programs and rural pathways for career advancement and community impact
- Strengthen Augustana’s project-based core curriculum to support a high-impact, multidisciplinary and career-focused education
- Collaborate with North Campus faculties to provide rural pathways for high-demand programs
- Build new degree, diploma and certificate programs in response to emerging sustainability and rural challenges
- Expand and strengthen work-integrated learning opportunities, including new co-operative and sustainability initiatives
Objective 2
Increase enrolment to support the vitality and sustainability of our academic programs
- Establish partnerships with the Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission and other Indigenous communities to support the recruitment, retention and ongoing success of Indigenous students at Augustana
- Enhance relationships with regional school divisions and colleges to provide opportunities for prospective student engagement
- Expand U of A partnerships to increase international student recruitment and success
- Develop new scholarship and funding opportunities to make our university education accessible to more students
Objective 3
Ensure exceptional, accessible and inclusive experiences that meet the needs of diverse learners
- Ensure programs and classrooms support learning and participation for all students
- Equip faculty members with tools and resources to integrate Indigenous perspectives, histories and methodologies into course content
- Support responsive and adaptive teaching for more impactful learning experiences
Objective 1
Grow awareness of research efforts and successes in addressing local and global challenges
- Strengthen our partnership with the U of A's Undergraduate Research Initiative
- Recognize and celebrate faculty research across all disciplines
Objective 2
Increase capacity to engage in research
- Support the growth of the faculty’s research capacity in collaboration with Augustana’s research centres (Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities and the Chester Ronning Centre for the Study of Religion and Public Life), the Augustana Miquelon Lake Research Station and the Hesje Observatory
- Enable faculty to maintain multi-faceted and impactful research programs
- Increase opportunities for Augustana researchers to learn about and connect with institutional support
Objective 3
Encourage involvement of students and communities in our research as co-learners and collaborators
- Increase support for projects undertaken in partnership with Indigenous and rural communities
- Improve access to research opportunities for students
- Enhance the local research community with new Augustana graduate programs
Objective 1
Nurture reciprocal relationships with Indigenous nations and communities in reconciliation-focused initiatives
- Build capacity to host and maintain Indigenous initiatives and events on campus, in partnership with local First Nations and Métis communities
- Prioritize Indigenous voices and leadership within the faculty's senior administration
Objective 2
Grow collaborations with local organizations, businesses and industries to support meaningful student engagement in the community
- Foster mutually beneficial relationships with community organizations for student work-integrated learning opportunities
- Strengthen learning and networking opportunities in partnerships with municipalities, school divisions and businesses
Objective 3
Support thriving rural communities by providing a dynamic hub for learning and collaboration
- Increase awareness of Augustana and its learning opportunities for all within the surrounding community
- Nurture community development through campus strengths in the creative arts, music, athletics and chaplaincy programs
- Leverage Augustana's research station and centres to strengthen communities through engagement, community outreach and knowledge mobilization
- Partner with community organizations to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Objective 4
Expand and strengthen relationships with key partners, including alumni, donors, community members and industry leaders
- Strengthen connections with the City of Camrose, Camrose County and surrounding communities to support collective growth and sustainable development activities
- Grow alumni engagement through desirable programming while supporting volunteering, recruiting, mentoring and fundraising opportunities
- Increase awareness of the impacts of philanthropy and volunteering on our students and campus, and communicate ways our community members can contribute to continued success in these areas
Message from the Dean
John R. Parkins
Dean & Executive Officer, Augustana
This Augustana Faculty strategic plan offers a roadmap for the near future. The title Collaborative Futures reflects our aspirations to collaborate with communities in the region and other University of Alberta faculties and departments. The plural "Futures" signals that the plan encompasses more than one potential path forward, each shaped by different collaborative ventures.
As you review the objectives and strategies in this plan, we hope the holistic approach we seek to deploy is evident — an approach that is summarized by our enduring university motto, “the uplifting of the whole people” (Henry Marshall Tory).
Contact Us
As a community member or an institutional representative, if you seek opportunities for engagement with Augustana, please reach out to us at augdean@ualberta.ca.
Acknowledgements
Work on this plan began at the Augustana Faculty Council workshop in December 2024, with conversations on program effectiveness, partnerships and community collaboration. Another workshop in May 2025 supported revisions to the identity and mission statements. Finally, in the fall of 2025, a series of lunchtime sessions and open calls for feedback provided opportunities for students, staff, faculty and community members to share input into the draft objectives and strategies.