the campaign for the university of Toronto
The tipping point John Cunningham McLennan ’92, ’00
Discovery of cosmic rays
Malcolm gladwell ’84
Frederick Tisdall ’16 Theodore Drake ’14 Alan Brown
inveNtion of PABLUM
Norman Jewison ’49
In the Heat of the Night
Supreme Court justices
Tom Bolton
First observational proof of a black hole
Roderick McInnes
James Guillet ’48
discovery of HUMAN RETINAL STEM CELLS
Frank Henry Paul B. Dilworth ’39 Winnett Boyd ’39
tonY pawson
FIRST COMPLETE HEART VALVE TRANSPLANT
discovery of PHOTO DEGRADABLE PLASTIC
James Orbinski ’98
Canada’s first electronic music studio
Kyoto Prize for studies in cell communications
Raymond Heimbecker ’47
CANADA’S FIRST JET ENGINE
Fifth Business
Dignitas International
Robertson Davies
Daniel Hill ’51, ’60
Northrop Frye ’33
More than 200 start-up companies
ONTARIO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
1,700 undergraduates enrolled in service-learning courses
The Anatomy of Criticism
500,000 alumni in 174 countries
The English Patient
Jayna Hefford ’04 Lori Dupuis ’97 Vicky Sunohara ’10
Marshall McLuhan
MICHAEL ONDAATJE ’65
eastern promises
david cronenberg ’67
Olympic Gold Women’s Ice Hockey
the Medium is the Message
The Handmaid’s Tale Margaret Atwood ’61
34 interdisciplinary graduate programs
150 graduate programs
800 undergraduate programs
Lap-Chee Tsui
James Till Ernest McCulloch ’48
World ’s first single lung transplant Joel Cooper Griffith Pearson ’49, ’52 Samantha Nutt
Craig Kielburger ’07
Peter St. George Hyslop
Isolated two genes that cause early-onset Alzheimer’s
Lyon Mackenzie King ’95, ’96, ’97 Canadian William Arthur Meighen ’96 Prime Lester B. Pearson ’19 Ministers Paul Martin ’61, ’64
Ron Deibert
Discovery of stem cells
War Child Canada
Pioneered the fight to erase internet censorship
The Sweet hereafter
Isolated gene responsible for cystic fibrosis
Marshall McLuhan
Atom egoyan ’82
Alan Hudson Susan MacKinnon
Lorne Michaels ’66
The first nerve implant
Global Village
1,000 student organizations, athletic teams and academic associations
Free the Children
Saturday POLIO NIGHT LIVE VACCINE
4
E.F. Burton ’01,’10 Cecil Hall ’36 James Hillier ’37, ’38, ’41 Albert Prebus ’40 Raymond Parker (contributor)
Frederick Banting ’16, ’22 Bertram N. Brockhouse ’48, ’50 Walter Kohn ’45, ’46 J.J.R. Macleod James Orbinski ’98 Lester B. Pearson ’19 John Charles Polanyi Arthur L. Schawlow ’41, ’42, ’49 Oliver Smithies A. Michael Spence
W.G. Bigelow ’35, ’38
Kay Worthington ’83
Laureates
World ’s first electronic heart pacemaker
Two Olympic Rowing Golds
10
Nobel Prize
Frederick Banting ’16, ’22 Charles Best ’21, ’25 J.J.R. MacLeod J.B. Collip ’12, ’13
North America’s first electron Microscope
more than 40 professional programs
Canada Discovery Research Chairs of insulin
238
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BOUNDLESS Students from 160 countries
The Campaign for the University of Toronto is about exploring the boundless possibilities of the University and its community for global leadership and societal impact. Through new commitments, we will support the boundarycrossing research of our faculty, extending our reach around the world. We will ensure our students are given opportunities to gain the knowledge, experiences and skills needed for an increasingly complex global setting. We will provide our alumni, volunteers and donors with meaningful ways to connect with the issues they care about most and to advance positive change through our research and teaching mission. Ultimately our Campaign is about preparing global citizens and meeting global challenges—and channeling the immense power and talent of our community to imagine a brighter future for Canada and the world.
c o n t e n t s 4 THE CASE FOR SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 10 BOUNDLESS: THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 12 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS 26 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES 54 POSITIONED TO LEAD 56 THE CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE 58 CONCLUSION
THE CASE FOR SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO RISING TO THE CHALLENGE The University of Toronto’s story is one of remarkable progress. What began in 1827 as a tiny college in a small colonial outpost has since evolved into a globally significant research and teaching powerhouse in the heart of a vibrant multicultural region. Through the years, we have pushed the limits of knowledge through basic and applied research and shared our discoveries with the world. Marshall McLuhan showed us how modern media would change the way we perceive human consciousness and reality. John Polanyi showed us why some molecules release light, changing everything from gas analysis to DNA sequencing to children’s toys. Northrop Frye (BA 1933 VIC) taught us that literature and criticism were different and equally valuable in understanding our world. James Till and Ernest McCulloch (MD 1948) led us down the path of stem cell research, the implications of which we are still probing. These breakthroughs of the past are important to remember as we face an uncertain future. Throughout U of T’s history, our students, faculty and alumni have responded to the most pressing challenges facing humanity and, in many cases, discovered practical solutions. That same spirit of creativity, ingenuity and determination animates our three campuses today and inspires us to believe that the discoveries we make in the coming decades will rival those of the past. The challenges we face today are not those we faced a century or even a decade ago. They are, in many ways, more complex and global. But U of T has always risen to meet the challenges of its day. And we will continue to do so by building on our great history of discovery and impact.
4 THE CASE FOR SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Professor david naylor (MD 1978), President of the University of Toronto
OUNDLESSPOSSIBILITIE
“ Canada must have universities that can achieve two related things: conduct the advanced research that will help solve the grand challenges humanity now faces and offer the best and brightest students an education that will help them build a better world. No university in Canada, and few in the world, are better positioned to meet those objectives than the University of Toronto.�
COMPLEX, BORDERLESS QUESTIONS
BOUNDARY-CROSSING SOLUTIONS
Our graduates are entering a new world in many respects—a world of unprecedented convergence, integration and change, where there is greater communication, connection and competition. Knowledge, information and capital move across continents with unprecedented velocity and ease. Global dynamics are changing. New economic powers are rising—China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Africa. Human society is more interdependent than ever.
Few universities worldwide are as equipped as we are for this new reality. The University of Toronto is consistently ranked among the top 30 universities globally. We are distinguished by the depth of our disciplinary excellence, our record of transdisciplinary creativity, our partnerships with government, industry and the health care system and our roots within one of the world’s most diverse and multicultural regions. These attributes—combined with our network of alumni in 174 countries—are an undeniable advantage, especially when issues are increasingly transnational and intertwined.
In developed nations, knowledge is replacing other resources as the main driver of economic growth. Economic vitality gathers in cities and regions in which creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship flourish. We are moving towards a post-industrial economy in which citizens will require high levels of knowledge, initiative and ingenuity. At the same time, the problems we face—from chronic disease to climate change to dwindling natural resources—are not just national problems, but problems shared by all humanity. To build a better country and a better world, we can make no greater investments than those that support knowledge, creativity and innovation. Nurturing globally minded, highly adaptable talent is the only way for societies to thrive in a constantly changing world. All of this speaks to the vital importance of higher learning and research-intensive universities.
6 THE CASE FOR SUPPORTING THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
At this moment in history, U of T can have a sustained impact on what matters most to society. During our Campaign, we will introduce ideas and possibilities that only a visionary partnership among the University, our governments and—most vitally—our alumni, volunteers and donors can achieve. This unprecedented collaboration between the University and its extended family seeks to generate at least $2 billion in strategic benefactions that will not only benefit the future of our University but also Canada. We invite you to join us in this exciting venture. Together we will strengthen the University as a global leader and support the ambitions of our students and faculty in addressing the world’s most pressing issues.
Boundless Flight: Ever since Leonardo da Vinci sketched the first humanpowered ornithopter in 1485, engineers have attempted to build an aircraft that flies by flapping its wings. In 2010, U of T engineering students made aviation history when they developed and piloted the first human-powered ornithopter ever to achieve sustained flight.
Since 1827, the University of Toronto has educated hundreds of thousands of outstanding individuals who have gone on to leadership roles in every walk of life, on every continent. From groundbreaking scientists, artists, athletes and journalists to Nobel laureates, prime ministers and leading public intellectuals, our graduates have made remarkable contributions to successful societies everywhere.
determination Julie Payette ’90 Astronaut
Johann Olav Koss ’04 Right to Play Founder
COMPASSION
Vicky Sunohara ’10 Olympic hockey Gold Medalist
Prof. Marshall McLuhan Media Prophet
Craig Kielburger ’07 free the children founder
optimism
prof. Clare Pain ’80 Medical educator in Ethiopia Benjamin Perrin ’05 human rights lawyer
Prof. Northrop Frye ’33 Literary Theorist
Margaret MacMillan ’66 Groundbreaking Historian David Berkal ’11 Operation Groundswell Founder
Enterprise
Francis Shen ’81, ’83 Communications Entrepreneur blake Goldring ’81 Investment Leader & Volunteer
Margaret Atwood ’61 Celebrated author
Imagination
Edward S. Rogers, Sr. ’21 Communications pioneer
Vision
INNOVATION
ILLUMINATION
Michael Ondaatje ’65 Literary Lion Rohinton Mistry ’82 Master storyteller
Prof. Stanley Zlotkin ’72, ’81 Inventor of Supplefer Sprinkles
Creativity Camilla Gibb ’91 Awardwinning Author
COurage Prof. Samantha Nutt ’97 War Child founder
Daniel G. Hill ’51, ’60 Human Rights Champion
inspiration
prof. Ernest McCulloch ’48 Stem Cell Pioneer
discovery
Dr. Fraser Mustard ’53 Childhood development pioneer
Doris McCarthy ’89 painter
Measha Brueggergosman ’99 Renowned Soprano
Norman Bethune ’16 Humanitarian & medical innovator
Atom Egoyan ’82 Filmmaker
Charles Pachter ’64 Artist & iconoclast
INSIGHT
Henry N.R. Jackman ’53, ’56 Humanities Champion
David Cronenberg ’67 Filmmaker
Michelle Landsberg ’62 Journalist & Social Activist
David Shore ’82 Creator of House
Norman Jewison ’49 Filmmaker
RAYMOND MORIYAMA ’54 Renowned Architect
Linda Schuyler ’74 Degrassi Producer
Paul Martin ’61, ’64 21st Prime Minister
LEADERSHIP
Vaira VikeFreiberga ’58, ’60 1st female President of Latvia
Community
Rosalie Abella ’70 Supreme Court Justice William Davis ’51 Ontario’s 18th Premier
Margaret McCain ’55 Early childhood Champion
Anne Golden ’62, ’70 advocate for the homeless
Ian brown ’76 Author & Journalist
John Daniels ’50 Architect of change
Rosemary McCarney ’74 Plan Canada CEO
Erin Fitzgerald ’10 Rhodes Scholar, Global Security Expert
Steve dennis ’99, ’10 global engineer
Salimah Ebrahim ’03 journalist
BOUNDLESS:
THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO With an overarching goal of building U of T’s international reach and global leadership capacity, the Campaign has a vision for the future of our University, built on two central pillars: preparing global citizens and meeting global challenges.
Preparing global citizens, the first pillar, will foster international fluency and leadership skills among the University’s almost 80,000 undergraduate and graduate students. We will accomplish this goal by investing in supportive learning environments that nurture creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, interdisciplinary inquiry and global perspectives. We will also strengthen learning opportunities outside the classroom—from athletics to mentorships to service learning—that enrich student life and encourage personal growth. And, as always, we will ensure access and opportunity for all students through merit- and needs-based student awards. These investments will help our students become effective and engaged global citizens. Meeting global challenges, the second pillar, will harness our research and teaching enterprise to address the defining issues of our time. We will support the search for knowledge and meaning in the sciences, humanities and social sciences and nurture the ideas that drive discoveries and human progress. We will encourage invention and innovation and lay the groundwork for the industries of tomorrow. We will support pathbreaking research and teaching that generates solutions for healthy, sustainable and successful societies. We will accomplish this by supporting our best minds, attracting a new generation of “rising star” faculty and making critical investments in our programs and infrastructure. These commitments will strengthen our extraordinary assets and bring them to bear on today’s greatest challenges and help lay the foundation for the University’s vitality, growth and success in the 21st century.
10 BOUNDLESS: THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
One of Canada’s great global citizens, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson (BA 1919 VIC) created the first modern international peacekeeping force, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957.
OUNDLESSVision
“ Of all our dreams today there is none more important—or so hard to realize—than that of peace in the world. May we never lose our faith in it or our resolve to do everything that can be done to convert it one day into reality.”
PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS We have a storied history of educating citizens who have made major contributions to their communities, from right here in the most diverse city in the world to enterprising communities in Africa. Today’s students and tomorrow’s global citizens are inheriting a world in transition. More than any previous generation, they will live their lives in a global context, no matter which career path they choose.
12 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS
At the University of Toronto, we continue to educate global citizens who are ethically grounded and critically engaged—original thinkers with a global perspective who are ready for modern challenges that defy borders and disciplines. This adaptability is essential at a time when ideas, theories and technologies evolve rapidly and the challenges we face are complex, multifaceted and transnational. We are working harder than ever to nurture creativity and global competency in our students. To support this vision, the Campaign will make strategic investments to internationalize curricula, promote smaller learning communities and encourage greater engagement in campus life. We also seek financial support to ensure access and opportunity for the best students, regardless of means. These benefactions will transform student life and learning and provide a platform to create global citizens.
Professor janice stein is a leading authority on the Middle East and the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs.
OUNDLESSperspective
“ The world is changing. To become global leaders today, students need more than the core functional disciplines. They also need a deep understanding of the broader architecture and forces that shape the global system.�
Building global fluency
The University of Toronto is one of the world’s great global universities. This standing reflects not only the diverse region in which we are rooted, but also our emergence as a research powerhouse with links to other leading international universities in virtually every academic field. Over the last 15 years, the University has been consistently rated among the top 30 universities worldwide by the most reputable international rankings. When it comes to scholarly output, we are frequently ranked in the top three globally. Our excellence in research and teaching helps us attract students from more than 160 countries. They join a diverse student body, where more than half of all first-year students identify themselves as members of a visible minority and about half speak a language other than English at home. Our Campaign will reinforce these defining strengths by seeking investments to infuse our curricula with more international perspectives. We will also seek support to attract more international students and faculty and create greater opportunities for students to learn a second or third language, conduct research abroad and participate in transnational research collaborations. These efforts will align the University with its peer institutions in the United States and Europe, where international opportunities are viewed as an essential part of the student experience.
Educating global engineers
A global outlook is integral to research and teaching at U of T. The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering is committed to educating graduates who not only have a rigorous grounding in traditional engineering skills, but who also possess a broad, international perspective that 14 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS
allows them to work seamlessly across categories, cultures and continents. The new paradigm offers students cross-cultural experiences and the opportunity to collaborate across disciplines while upholding the highest standards of technical expertise, sustainability and social responsibility.
The Centre for Global Engineering (CGEN) was created to inspire faculty and students to think creatively about such pressing global problems as sanitation, alternative energy, health care and clean water, especially in developing countries. CGEN plans to launch a two-semester global design project, in which students
work within a multinational team. The centre will also create more opportunities for graduate students to engage in globally focused research projects. By seeking support for these vital initiatives, the Campaign will enable the centre to develop more sustainable solutions for everyone, in Canada and worldwide.
CGEN PhD student Bev Bradley is exploring new technologies—including solar-powered oxygen generators—to give developing countries a more reliable supply of medical oxygen.
OUNDLESSsolutions
“ Oxygen is an essential medicine which is important for the treatment of childhood pneumonia, severe malaria, sepsis and maternal and newborn emergencies—yet many health facilities in the developing world do not have a reliable supply. I’m working on solutions to this problem.”
Ensuring access and opportunity The University’s commitment to accessibility and excellence has helped create a diverse and vibrant community of students. U of T has pledged that no qualified student who is admitted will be denied opportunity because of financial need. Over the past 20 years, annual disbursements of student financial aid at U of T have grown from $8 million to $143 million. One might think that additional support is not required. This is not the case. Enrolment likewise has climbed over two decades by 58 per cent. Our endowment does not cover our commitment to student aid. Each year the University draws from its own operating funds to meet the need. More high-achieving students than ever are applying to U of T. But it is a competitive playing field. Our peers, nationally and internationally, are offering ever-larger scholarships. Costs of education and living expenses have increased. To ensure that we continue to attract the best students, regardless of their financial situation, the Campaign will seek new support for merit- and needs-based awards at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
16 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS
Shaping Student Life and Learning No university in Canada, and few in the world, can approach U of T for breadth, depth and choice. Undergraduate students have access to more than 800 academic programs. They can engage with the best minds and most dedicated teachers in each of these fields. Forging the link between teaching and research, U of T is one of the few Canadian universities that support undergraduates in conducting original research. U of T students are encouraged to take advantage of smaller learning environments. Much like the Toronto region, the University is a community of communities. Working with faculty and other students in close-knit learning groups, our students can tailor their educational experience to match their interests and develop passions that will help them make their mark on the world. We also offer a rich student life outside of the classroom, with more than 1,000 clubs and organizations, including the largest varsity and intramural sports programs in Canada. There are newspapers, radio stations and theatres to foster communication. There are opportunities to pursue student government, debating, social activism, service-learning and volunteer activities of all types. Through our Campaign, we will enhance this vibrant environment and strengthen one of the most rewarding student experiences in Canada.
18 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS
Jasmeet Sidhu (BA 2010 TRIN) is a journalist and activist whose writing has appeared in the Toronto Star and the Huffington Post.
OUNDLESSPotential
“ U of T encourages students to take an interest in the world outside of academia and to look at the world as a practical laboratory to apply new ideas and explore different avenues.�
Critical and creative thinking Critical thinking has always been at the heart of the U of T experience. Today we are more determined than ever to make learning a creative rather than passive process. Research teaches our undergraduates invaluable skills, even if they choose to pursue careers outside of academia. They learn to think independently, challenge conventional wisdom, unearth new avenues of inquiry and follow these avenues to a successful conclusion. This experience serves them well whether they become biologists, filmmakers, teachers or managers. Our Campaign will intensify this dedication to creativity by
20 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS
supporting undergraduate research opportunities and encouraging interdisciplinary thinking. One exciting initiative is the creation of Big Ideas courses for first-year students in Arts and Science. These full-year multidisciplinary courses will be team-taught by leading professors, integrating the best ideas we have to offer from the humanities, social sciences and sciences. Each course will be organized around a single, unifying theme. For example, “The Art and Science of the Mind” will link the research of a neuropsychologist with an economist exploring the cognitive underpinnings of decision-making
and a philosopher analyzing theories of consciousness and understanding. Through this innovative curriculum, students will learn transferable skills as well as content. They will learn how to communicate, solve problems, debate and evaluate information from a multiplicity of perspectives. They will examine the structures and limitations of disciplinary perspectives and explore new ways to integrate ideas. The outcome will be students who are better prepared for advanced study—and better prepared to make the professional, personal and ethical decisions needed to be effective, responsible global citizens.
Named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, Malcolm Gladwell (BA 1984 TRIN) has captured the world’s attention with his boundary-crossing bestsellers, The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers and What the Dog Saw.
OUNDLESSIdeas
“ A multidisciplinary approach is something you have to adopt in the modern world…because we are dealing with issues that are so much more complex.”
Smaller learning communitieS For all our breadth and depth, U of T has always provided students with a sense of community through our distinctive colleges, faculties and campuses. First-year students can participate in a variety of small seminars, mentorship programs and peer-led academic groups. Undergraduates can choose from an unparalleled array of courses yet have access to top faculty in small learning environments. The result is one of the best undergraduate learning experiences in the world. Pioneered by Victoria College, One Programs foster intimate learning experiences within a vast intellectual environment. First-year students in groups of 25 pursue a common curriculum that permits them to approach ideas, events and issues from a multidisciplinary perspective.
22 PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS
Programs reflect the history and character of the sponsoring college. Vic One students, for example, choose among five streams named after Vic luminaries: Northrop Frye (BA 1933), Norman Jewison (BA 1949) Lester Pearson (BA 1919), Egerton Ryerson and Augusta Stowe-Gullen (MD 1883). Smallgroup seminars, tutorials and informal conversations are enriched by weekly plenary sessions with guest professors, visiting artists and public figures. Trinity One explores major issues and ideas related to ethics and global affairs. Innis College, New College, St. Michael’s College, University College, Woodsworth College, U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga have also introduced One programs, reflecting their respective academic traditions. Students network with
peers, mentors and professors while exploring a broad range of issues and discovering their intellectual passions. The small setting also helps them make the transition into university life by developing intellectual independence and building the critical thinking and writing skills they need to express their creativity. Other small learning environments include TrackOne, a suite of firstyear courses and seminars offered by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. This program exposes new students to all eight core areas of engineering, allowing them to find their footing within this diverse and growing field. The Faculty of Arts & Science is home to the 199 First Year Seminars, courses with a maximum enrolment of 24 that encourage critical thinking
while honing writing skills, fostering confidence in oral presentation and introducing the principles of research methodology. Meanwhile, the Faculty’s First-Year Learning Communities offer students the opportunity to meet outside of class in small groups with peer mentors to discuss time management, study strategies, programs of study, potential career paths, campus traditions and other aspects of undergraduate life. By investing in smaller learning communities across our three campuses, the Campaign will ensure that our undergraduates access the full range of disciplinary excellence across the University in environments that are supportive, intimate and collegial.
Sarah MacIsaac, Vic One student in the Augusta Stowe-Gullen Stream, talking about learning across disciplines.
OUNDLESScommunity
“ The speakers are actors, poets, musicians, politicians. You get to interact with people you normally would never meet. You get the other side, you get exposure to different disciplines. Nobody is close-minded. It’s a great experience.”
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Enriching student life With hundreds of student organizations, athletic teams and academic associations to choose from, all students have an opportunity to be engaged with their university and the wider community. One outstanding example is the ongoing renewal of our athletic facilities. With the help of our generous alumni and donors, we have transformed Varsity Centre into a major new sports complex in the heart of downtown Toronto, anchored by a new 5,000-seat stadium. The final phase of this project will be the creation of the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport, a multistorey complex for training, research,
teaching and sports medicine, coupled with the Kimel Family Field House for basketball and volleyball. We are making improvements to other spaces where students congregate. Our renewal of Robarts Library has added close to 1,000 additional study spaces to a building at the geographical and intellectual heart of our St. George campus. Robarts Common, a new five-storey structure, will add another 1,200 study spaces and open up the west side of the library to the street, making the overall environment more inviting and productive for students.
The Campaign will continue to support athletics, arts and culture, community engagement, servicelearning and student leadership. It will strengthen the writing workshops in which students learn to express themselves. It will enhance the mentoring programs that pair students with inspirational role models. By upgrading the classrooms, libraries, study spaces, student centres, athletic and recreational facilities and open areas where our students meet, learn and engage, we will strengthen the U of T student experience.
MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES Through the decades, our students, faculty and alumni have engaged with the great questions and challenges of their times with breakthrough discoveries such as insulin, the electron microscope and stem cells and pioneering work in fields as diverse as organ transplantation, computer graphics and communication theory. Today, the University of Toronto’s capacity to meet global challenges hinges on our extraordinary ability to focus, organize and mobilize the power of our research towards areas that most intrinsically shape the human condition—our health, environment and societies.
Our progress in these areas will first and foremost require rigorous support of basic research in the sciences, humanities, social sciences and medicine. Research born of sheer curiosity, as we have witnessed throughout our history, is at the root of almost every seismic shift in society and culture, every useful scientific discovery or technological invention. The pursuit of knowledge remains the elemental purpose of any great university and the foundation of human advancement. A key focus of the Campaign is to build support for our efforts to ask fundamental questions, make sense and meaning of our world and generate new ideas and knowledge. Out of this crucible of basic research, we will develop the ideas, innovations and technologies that will forge new industries, spark social and economic change and transform the way we live. Thus, invention and innovation will be animating principles of our Campaign, as we build on the magnificent work of our scholars in applied science, engineering, computer science, management and law, among other fields. Strengthening our foundation in fundamental research and innovation also enables us to address challenges in human development and health, devise solutions in the area of energy, sustainability and environment and contribute to the shaping of successful societies around the world.
26 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
“ What I’ve experienced is that I can’t know the future. I can’t know if anything that I do will change what happens tomorrow. I can’t know with certainty, but what I do know is if I do nothing, nothing will change.” Professor James Orbinski (MA 1998) is Chair of Global Health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and co-founder of Dignitas International. He accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of Médecins Sans Frontières in 1999.
Supporting new knowledge and pioneering research Home to the largest cohort of researchers in Canada, the University of Toronto is committed to supporting basic research that explores timeless questions and opens up new vistas for human expression, scientific discovery and social progress—from understanding the origins of life on earth, to exploring the complexities of the human experience, to contemplating our place in the cosmos. Our Campaign will attract major commitments to fundamental research across the sciences, humanities and social sciences to nurture the discovery of ideas, theories and methodologies that not only shape the course of knowledge and deepen our understanding of the world around us, but also pave the way for breakthroughs in applied fields. Within our Faculty of Arts & Science, for example, there are a number of opportunities to forge new connections among researchers, break down barriers between disciplines and assert our leadership in emerging, globally significant areas of inquiry.
Professor Timothy Harrison of the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations examines artifacts from archaeological sites in Turkey and Jordan with students Jim Roames and Alex Mullan. 28 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
INVESTIGATING THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSE The burgeoning field of astronomy and astrophysics is one area among many where we have an opportunity to advance human knowledge. With a top-ranked department of astronomy and astrophysics, a pioneering physics department, the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics and the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, U of T is home to a cluster of expertise unparalleled in
Canada and matched only by the best centres worldwide. Through new investments, we plan to consolidate these assets and empower our researchers to collaborate and pursue the most fundamental questions in their field: What is our place in the cosmos? Is there life on other planets? What are the origins of the universe?
Professor Ray Jayawardhana is a star in astrophysics as well as a renowned science writer. RayJay and his team explore planets orbiting other suns using many of the world’s largest telescopes.
OUNDLESScuriosity
“ I look for the planets around other stars. It’s an extraordinary time of discovery in this field. The whole point is to understand how we fit in and how our solar system compares with all those others out there. It’s about discovering our own place in the cosmos in the broadest sense.”
Unlocking the mysteries of the mind
The digital age and the human condition
Dialogue of civilizations
Building a more complete picture of the mind—understanding the connections that link consciousness, cognition, mind and brain—is another area of exciting, radical exploration. The University has outstanding strengths in cognitive science, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, medicine, music and education. These disciplines are now converging around common problems and themes related to the brain and cognition, such as learning and memory, neural and cognitive development, language and reasoning, vision and movement.
The University also has plans to mount a major multidisciplinary exploration of how knowledge and technology in the digital age are reshaping the human condition—a subject foreshadowed more than four decades ago by U of T communications pioneers Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan. We will gather our strengths in history, philosophy, global affairs, information studies, English literature and computer science—once again deconstructing the barriers separating the sciences, humanities and social sciences—to understand the forces that are changing not only the way we work, but also how we think, communicate and imagine our communities and social life. We will also explore how technology can be harnessed to enhance the human condition and improve our lives as we age.
The University of Toronto is committed to deepening our understanding of the foundational cultures that inform and shape modern societies. With globally respected programs of study in Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Judaism, courses in more than 50 world languages and outstanding scholarship in the ancient and medieval worlds, we are well positioned to shed light on debates, very much alive today, concerning modernity, globalization and the role of religion in the world. Through our research and teaching, we will continue to forge new insights, build on our language strengths, foster cross-cultural understanding and promote dialogue among these great civilizations.
How do children learn to speak and how can their language skills be improved? What is the relationship between music and cognition? What is the nature of mental illness? How can we treat conditions like bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease? These are the kinds of questions our researchers are exploring. With the support of the Campaign, we will intensify collaboration to unlock the mysteries of the mind and its processes.
30 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Through initiatives of this kind across the full range of disciplines, the Campaign will deliver vital support to the basic research that lies at the root of all progress and our understanding of the human experience and the world around us.
Professor Thomas Hurka (BA 1975 TRIN), Jackman Distinguished Chair in Philosophical Studies, elucidates what it means to be human by exploring our most fundamental pursuits—pleasure, knowledge, friendship, achievement, virtue, warfare and love.
OUNDLESSinquiry
“ A popular conception of philosophy is that it involves reading the dead philosophers and commenting on how profound they are. I think the last thing they would want us to do is just accept what they said. They’d want us to engage with it, probe it, test it and if we find it weak, come up with our own, different ideas.”
Fostering prosperity through invention and innovation
If the early lessons of globalization have taught us anything, it is that Canada’s competitive advantage and our ability to address large societal issues will depend on our capacity to invent, innovate and transform new ideas into practical solutions. Not only will we need a new generation of inventors, we will also require the entrepreneurial minds that can put innovation into practice. In this context, research universities will take on an even greater role in advancing national prosperity and social well-being. As the country’s largest driver of innovation in management, science and technology, the University of Toronto is a wellspring of new ideas in the rapidly evolving fields of information and communications technology, digital media, nanotechnology, bioengineering and biopharmaceuticals. By nurturing basic and applied research in these areas, we are building the foundation for new industries, new patterns of economic growth and new possibilities for social progress. The Campaign will nourish the creative minds that are developing the next wave of technologies with the potential to change the world. At the same time, it will support an emerging generation of managers and entrepreneurs with the imagination and foresight to transform inventions into innovative products and services for domestic and global markets.
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Stimulating invention Our Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering—ranked first in Canada and 18th in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for Engineering and Technology—is developing the next wave of “enabling technologies” that will give rise to a wide variety of revolutionary applications. With the support of the Campaign, we can expand on our established strength in advanced materials, nanotechnology and photonics by creating a network of centres that respond to the contemporary world. The Centre for Mobile Technology will consolidate our strength in broadband communications and antenna research. A new Centre for Exascale Computing will contribute to
the worldwide effort to construct more powerful computers. The Centre for Small Satellite & Space Robotics will heighten our role in the new era of space technology. These and other initiatives will be energized by a faculty-wide Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship, aiding students and faculty alike in the vital task of bringing the results of their creative work to the marketplace. The technologies and applications developed by U of T engineers will have broad implications for society, providing new innovations for the automotive industry, health care, digital media, energy and the environment.
Working with U of T’s Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab, Aakash Sahney and Alexander Levy (BA 2010 UC) have created MyVoice—a smart phone app that helps people with communications disorders find words for everyday life.
OUNDLESSinvention
“ If MyVoice helps just one person speak again, then we’ll have done our job.”
Managing innovation Managing innovation and commercialization will be critical to Canada’s success in the knowledge economy. Study after study points to an “innovation gap” in Canada compared to other industrialized nations, which puts our long-term prosperity at risk. By educating a new generation of managers on the imperatives of innovation, the University is determined to address this challenge head on. The University’s Rotman School of Management, through its pioneering principles of Business Design and Integrative Thinking, is developing leaders who can
think critically, creatively and flexibly across business lines and who are adept at developing new models for success in the global economy. Through a major expansion of its facilities and strategic investments in research units such as the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Rotman School will supply the knowledge, insights and talent needed to develop, launch and manage innovative new ventures. The University of Toronto Mississauga has ambitious plans to contribute to Canada’s innovation agenda. Through a new Institute for Management and Innovation, U of T Mississauga will offer students a chance to acquire
U of T Mississauga Master of Biotechnology students Olga Vorobyova, Dana Novotny, Isha Datar, Matthew Wrobel and Jessica Morden (left to right). 34 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
deep, sector-specific knowledge in areas such as accounting, biotechnology, innovation strategy and sustainability in combination with intensive management training. The goal is to educate industry experts who are capable of guiding innovation and economic development for emerging knowledge-based industries. By supporting the creative minds who invent new technologies as well as the business minds who translate these discoveries into products and services that add value to people’s lives, the Campaign will help to lay the foundation for a vibrant 21st-century economy for Canada.
“ BumpTop is a new way of thinking about computer desktops. We apply gaming, 3D graphics and physics to the desktop to organize files and look at photos and browse more richly and intuitively—more like a real desk. The idea began as part of my master’s thesis at U of T.” Named one of the Top 20 Young Tech Entrepreneurs of 2009 by Business Week magazine, anand agarawala (MSc 2006) is the creator of BumpTop, a new desktop technology recently purchased by Google.
Driving breakthroughs in human development and health Medicine and the health sciences are at a pivotal moment. Never in history have we witnessed such an explosion of knowledge in the biomedical sciences, nor have we had such powerful tools at our disposal to understand the underlying mechanisms of health and disease.
This is an age in which we have a chance to understand human health at its most fundamental level. With this profound shift in knowledge, we have unprecedented opportunities to pre-empt, modulate and even eradicate some of the world’s most common illnesses.
We now understand the structure of DNA and how each cell in the body is encoded with a complete set of instructions for building and maintaining human life. We are beginning to grasp how proteins carry out these instructions, the pathways they travel and the disruptions along the way that can lead to cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative disorders and a myriad of other diseases. We are also gaining new insights into just how critical the earliest stages of life are to human health and how early social environments literally shape the architecture of the brain and other developing biological systems.
At the same time, the challenges we face are daunting: the rising tide of chronic disease, the emergence of drug-resistant “superbugs,� the complexity of translating new scientific knowledge into viable treatments and the long-term sustainability of health care systems are just some of the vexing problems we will confront in the years to come.
Educating health care leaders: Alex Harris, Alexandra Schelck and Clint Atendido of the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing are enrolled in the MN/MHSc program, which combines a foundation in nursing with a focus on policy, business and management. 36 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Professor Shana Kelley of the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is leading the development of a new class of devices that could one day enable non-invasive screening and early detection of cancer.
OUNDLESSDiscovery
“ Our research is focused on the development of new tools for disease diagnosis. We use nanomaterials to build sensors that are very good at detecting molecules that can be the early signs of disease. We hope one day to help diagnose and treat patients even before they develop symptoms or begin to feel pain.�
An Unparalleled Health Science Network With top researchers in medicine, public health, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, biomedical engineering, the life sciences, physical education and public policy, the University of Toronto is one of the few places in the world with the comprehensive, multidisciplinary strength to address the most important challenges in human health today. This is not unfamiliar territory for U of T. For more than a century, we have delivered pathbreaking advances in health research—from the development of insulin to the discovery of stem cells. This distinguished history has enabled us to attract leading minds and help build one of the world’s strongest networks for biomedical research, drug development, health education, health policy and clinical care. Our Faculty of Medicine is the fulcrum of this great network, which includes our health sciences faculties, the city’s nine major research hospitals, dozens of research institutes, as well as 20 communityaffiliated hospitals and clinical care sites across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. This network of talent includes more than 7,000 faculty, along with 7,000 students at all levels, working in every major branch of health. Very few universities—or cities, for that matter—possess such a critical mass of expertise. By harnessing the full power of this network and intensifying the collaboration among its various centres of excellence, we have an opportunity to enlarge our understanding of the elemental causes of disease, as well as develop smarter and more cost-effective ways to treat illness, educate tomorrow’s health care leaders, transform the delivery of health care and shape human health on a number of significant fronts. The campaign will make transformative investments across the health sciences to nurture the creativity, leadership and resources necessary to keep the Toronto region at the vanguard of health research and education.
For almost a century, the University of Toronto has delivered revolutionary advances in health research. This distinguished history of innovation positions us to tackle the biggest challenges in human health today. 38
1921 INSULIN Frederick Banting ’16, ’22, Charles Best ’21, ’25 J.B. Collip ’12, ’13 & J.J.R. Macleod
1930 PABLUM Frederick Tisdall ’16, Theodore Drake ’14 & Alan Brown
1936 FIRST MOBILE BLOOD TRANSFUSION UNIT Norman Bethune ’16
1951 FIRST ELECTRONIC HEART PACEMAKER W.G. Bigelow ’35, ’38
1953 PIONEERING OPEN HEART SURGERY W.G. Bigelow ’35, ’38
1961 DISCOVERY OF STEM CELLS James Till & Ernest McCulloch ’48
1981 THE GLYCEMIC INDEX David Jenkins
Discovery District: The discovery of insulin in 1921 firmly established the University of Toronto as a wellspring for medical research and innovation. Since that time, the University has evolved into one of the world’s largest and most productive biomedical research networks.
1981 FIRST SINGLE LUNG TRANSPLANT Griffith Pearson ’49, ’52 & Joel Cooper
1984 T-CELL RECEPTOR GENE Tak Mak
1988 FIRST NERVE TRANSPLANT Alan Hudson & Susan MacKinnon
1989 THE CYSTIC FIBROSIS GENE Lap-Chee Tsui
1991 CELL RECEPTOR DISCOVERIES LEADING TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW CANCER DRUGS Tony Pawson
1995 DISCOVERY OF TWO GENES RESPONSIBLE FOR EARLY-ONSET ALZHEIMER’S Peter St. GeorgeHyslop
1996 NEW THERAPY FOR RETINOBLASTOMA Brenda Gallie
2002 SUPPLEFER SPRINKLES Stanley Zlotkin ’72, ’81
2010 STEM CELLS RESTORE SIGHT TO BLIND MICE Derek van der Kooy
2011 WORLD’S LARGEST HEALTH STUDY Prabhat Jha
Capitalizing on the biological revolution Beginning with the fundamentals, the Campaign will draw critical support to the biological sciences that underpin medical discovery. Through a new Centre for Biological Innovation, we will capitalize on the explosion of knowledge in the life sciences that is transforming our understanding of evolution and the most fundamental processes of biological life.
Moving to the more applied fields, the Campaign will attract new commitments to the Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and the Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering—an interdisciplinary centre that combines expertise from applied science, engineering, medicine, dentistry and the life sciences. Here, we will bolster our strengths in bioengineering,
Interdisciplinary crucible: The Terrence Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research is home to 400 researchers from the life sciences, medicine, pharmacy and applied science and engineering.
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systems biology, genomics, proteomics, cell biology and stem cell-based regenerative medicine to fulfil the promise of personalized medicine. We will develop the next wave of diagnostics, devices and therapies to detect and treat cancer, cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases at the earliest stage, as well as repair the body at the cellular level.
Professor Molly Shoichet, a chemical engineer in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, designs materials and strategies to help the body heal itself after traumatic injury, giving hope to thousands of people around the world suffering from spinal cord and brain injuries.
OUNDLESShope
“ Regenerative medicine promises to overcome diseases, rather than simply treat symptoms. We’re delivering therapeutic molecules and stem cells to stimulate regeneration after a trauma such as stroke or spinal cord injury. Our goal is to promote healing when it does not happen on its own.�
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Understanding human development We will also galvanize our remarkable assets in the burgeoning field of human development, building on the great body of research already underway that explores how maternal health, genetics and early experiences shape human biology and drive trajectories towards health or disease. A new Institute for Human Development will assert our global leadership in this vitally
Advancing human health through integrated research important field, bringing together researchers in medicine, the social sciences, early childhood education, social work and public policy to examine how we can influence the health and development of our youngest citizens for the benefit of society.
In addition to these groundbreaking activities, the Campaign will seek critical support for major interdisciplinary initiatives in neuroscience, global health and public health, health sector design, management and innovation, healthy aging, nutrition and sports science. At the heart of our ambition is a unifying principle: By bringing together our best minds from across the disciplines to address major health issues, we have an opportunity to drive the breakthroughs, innovations and policies that will revolutionize human development and human health in this century. Our history and standing as one of the world’s most productive engines for medical discovery place us in a strong position to deliver on this promise.
Children from the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study Laboratory School on a field trip. The Jackman Institute will play an important role in applying new knowledge from the field of human development to childhood education.
Addressing energy, sustainability and the environment It is not hard to imagine two distinct scenarios for the future of our world. One is a world of scarcity, in which nations clash over a diminishing supply
Understanding our fragile planet
of fossil fuels. Access to clean water and electricity is limited. Global warming continues unabated, transforming landscapes, leaving ruin in its wake. The other is a world in which we find a way to make modern life sustainable. Greenhouse emissions are brought under control. Clean, renewable energy powers our lives. Drawing on our exceptional strengths in environmental science and engineering, architecture and public policy, we are determined to reimagine urban and other built environments for the 21st century, develop strategies to sustain natural environments and create new technologies for environmentally sustainable societies.
Professor Nick Eyles leads a group of U of T Scarborough environmental science students on a research trip to Arizona’s Cathedral Mountain. 44 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Addressing environmental issues, of course, begins with biology and the earth sciences. With world-class researchers in the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology, geography, physics and chemistry, our Faculty of Arts & Science is tackling some of today’s biggest questions related to climate change, biodiversity and conservation biology. The knowledge
generated by our researchers is illuminating the magnitude of the environmental challenges ahead, but it is also empowering us with new tools and solutions to preserve our planet. Through multidisciplinary initiatives, the Campaign will advance this vital research and develop the next generation of leaders working in these fields.
Professor Richard Peltier (MSc 1969, PhD 1971) has developed powerful mathematical models to depict what happened to our climate over the past 600 million years and what is likely to happen in the future if we do not change. His models are considered the gold standard for climate change research.
OUNDLESSinsight
“ I work on problems to do with planetary interiors and planetary atmospheres. I’m very concerned about large-scale climate change, especially greenhouse effect-related issues. One of the most exciting aspects of U of T is that it has strength in the entire range of disciplines that relate to understanding this issue.”
Finding sustainable solutions The Campaign will also invest in our Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, where faculty and students are developing some of the most promising technologies for clean and renewable energy, more efficient power systems, clean water, bioremediation and sustainable mining practices. The new Centre for Sustainable Energy will weave the many separate strands of energy research and innovation into a strong, collaborative fabric. The centre’s mandate embraces not only engineering expertise, but also the political, sociological and cultural implications of energy shortage and inequity. Through philanthropic support and industry partnerships, the centre will unite our best researchers to devise and develop alternative energy sources and innovative green technologies.
Researchers at U of T’s Biozone will continue to explore the potential of enzymes—remarkable biocatalysts found everywhere in nature—to be harnessed for the remediation of soil, water and air, as well as the creation of renewable fuel and bioproducts. A new School of Mining Innovation will educate the next generation of mining professionals on the imperative of balancing economic growth with environmental and social sustainability. With globally recognized researchers in mining, geology, geophysics and civil and chemical engineering, the school will be Canada’s premier source of industry leaders, intellectual innovators and environmental stewards. By supporting these priorities, the Campaign will reinforce our conviction that environmental sustainability is not about turning
Biozone graduate student Jine Jine Li explores ways to dechlorinate contaminated water through bioremediation. 46 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
our back on technology. It is about seeking efficiencies, applying creativity to challenging problems and shepherding our scarce and nonrenewable resources. Investment in these initiatives will allow us to reimagine our built environments, create new opportunities for Canada in the global knowledge economy and protect our planet for the benefit of generations to come.
Named one of the world’s top innovators by MIT’s Technology Review, Professor tED SARGENt (PhD 1998) is seeking solutions one nanoparticle at a time, from inventing diagnostic devices to paintable solar cells that could turn any surface into a sustainable energy generator.
OUNDLESSENERGY
“ So far, the world of solar energy has managed to make either efficient solar cells or low-cost solar cells. We’re on a path toward making solar cells that will break records for efficiency and low-cost simultaneously. At the University of Toronto, we are building the technologies that will power the world cleanly in the future.”
Building successful societies With a history of inclusion, pragmatic governance, public education and rule of law, Canada has built one of the most prosperous, diverse and harmonious societies on earth. The University of Toronto, as Canada’s leading global research university, is positioned to play a pivotal role in building models for successful societies around the world. The need is great. Vast areas of the globe are beset with conflict. In many nations the very concept of a diverse, open society remains controversial. This is the moment for Canada and U of T to provide the international leadership needed to promote resilient civil societies. U of T is one of the world’s great incubators of ideas and solutions. With our strengths in the humanities and social sciences, public policy, global affairs, law, management, social work, education, engineering and medicine, we can offer the world powerful insights into the roots of successful societies as well as frameworks that advance prosperity, human rights, democracy, pluralism and good governance.
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The new Terrence Donnelly Health Sciences Complex houses the Mississauga Academy of Medicine and an internationally renowned biomedical communications program. The Academy will graduate 54 doctors annually to serve communities across Ontario.
Educating leaders for a fluid world
Globalization has accelerated the interconnectedness of societies, just as it has collapsed time, space and international borders. To help make sense of this world, the University is investing in highprofile, globally oriented research centres across our campuses. The Campaign will strengthen these centres by enhancing research programs, attracting world-class faculty and fellows and nurturing talented students. The Munk School of Global Affairs has emerged as Canada’s leading forum for understanding the dynamics of global change. Offering three masters programs and a collaborative PhD as well as undergraduate classes, the Munk School is educating leaders who
will possess the strategic agility and cultural fluency to succeed in an increasingly complex, globalized world. The Trudeau Centre for Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies at the Munk School is dedicated to ending worldwide conflict and promoting peace by educating decision-makers on the causes of mass violence, the value of competing claims to justice and the possibilities for peace. Here some of the country’s most dedicated undergraduate students follow a rigorous program of academic coursework, integrated with practical opportunities for international field research, internships and volunteer work under the mentorship of renowned scholars and practitioners.
The Faculty of Law’s proposed expansion, which integrates the site’s stately mansions with brilliant new structures, will create a superb forum for learning, teaching, research and debate. 50 MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES
A professional school as well as a research centre, the School of Public Policy and Governance is preparing policy makers who can think flexibly across borders, disciplines and cultures. As the lines between domestic and foreign policy intermingle, the school will tap into U of T’s expertise across multiple fields to become a nexus of innovative policy debate. The result will be a new generation of creative thinkers. The technological, social and political forces that have changed our world over the past 25 years have also had a dramatic impact on the law. U of T is committed to providing a legal education that reflects new realities. To support our vision, we are undertaking a major Faculty of Law Expansion with plans for an elegant,
multi-storey complex that will double the current space. In this world-class environment, Canada’s pre-eminent global law school will advance its centres of excellence in law and economics, business law, constitutional law, aboriginal law and international human rights. The School for Continuing Studies’ Centre for Internationally Educated Professionals will help early- and mid-career professionals who were educated abroad gain traction more quickly in Canada and contribute more effectively to the nation’s prosperity.
Professor ron deibert, Director of the Canada Centre for Global Security Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs, was one of the authors of the Tracking Ghostnet report that documented a cyber-espionage network affecting 103 countries.
OUNDLESSFREEDOM
“ We do research at the intersection of the Internet, global security and human rights. We document patterns of surveillance and information warfare around the world. We tread in areas where governments and corporations really don’t want people looking and poking around. We’re pushing back in the area of human rights online.”
Understanding the dynamics of cities Cities will be another major area of inquiry at U of T. The success of most societies in the 21st century will hinge on the success of their cities. More than half the world’s population now lives in urban centres and by 2030 the United Nations projects the number will reach almost five billion. While mega-cities have captured public attention, most of this new growth will occur in smaller urban areas that have fewer resources to respond to the magnitude of the change. U of T is the ideal crucible for new ideas, designs and policies that will lead to prosperous, sustainable cities. Our expertise in urban planning, public policy, geography, architecture, management, law and social work allows us to look at cities from a broad perspective and offer creative as well as pragmatic models.
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The Lloyd & Delphine Martin Prosperity Institute, for example, is the world’s leading think-tank on the role of sub-national factors—such as the location, demographics and culture of city-regions—in global economic prosperity. Based at the Rotman School of Management, the Institute takes an integrated view of prosperity, looking beyond purely economic measures to include the importance of quality of place and the development of creative potential. It is one of many research centres at U of T dedicated to the study of cities and urban life. The Cities Centre is a multidisciplinary research institute that facilitates a collaborative approach to research—scholarly and applied—into urban development, policy and issues relating to quality of life in cities in Canada and around the world. The centre unites experts from architecture, social work, education, geography, political science, sociology and public health.
emerging powers
Probing the biggest questions
As global economic power shifts and developing nations call for a new world order, U of T is among the leading voices working to build peaceful, just and secure relations between centres of political power and economic influence.
The Campaign will empower our exploration of the biggest questions surrounding global society in the 21st century and help catalyze our efforts to develop viable models and frameworks for social, economic and political stability in the future.
The University is an ideal forum for dialogue on the emergence of India, China and Brazil. According to The Economist, these countries, along with Russia and South Africa, represent about 40 per cent of the world’s population and nearly a quarter of its economic output. These countries will certainly exert greater influence on global affairs—it is estimated that by 2050, their combined economies will eclipse the combined economies of the current richest countries of the world. U of T has an opportunity to lead the global conversation surrounding these “BRICS” countries. Along with our strengths in history, languages, political science and religious studies, U of T can boast interdisciplinary research clusters such as the Asian Institute in the Munk School of Global Affairs. Home to over 100 affiliated scholars, the Institute spans a vast range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences and covers the breadth of the entire Asian continent.
Through these commitments, the Campaign will assert our global leadership in research and policy innovation. It will make us an architect, not just observer, of successful societies.
Professor Richard florida, Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management, is one of the world’s leading authorities on the role of creativity and place in economic prosperity.
OUNDLESSCREATIVITY
“ For the first time in human history, the basic logic of our economy dictates that further economic development requires the further development and use of human creative capabilities. The great challenge of our time is to find ways to tap into every human’s creativity.”
POSITIONED TO LEAD Since our founding in 1827 we have evolved into one of the great teaching and research institutions in the world. By all measures, our trajectory continues upward. Our impact on Canada and global society has been enormous, and there is the potential to do so much more.
Our alumni community is more than half-a-million strong, spanning 174 countries. This vast network of talent includes groundbreaking scientists, public intellectuals, artists, journalists, athletes, philanthropists, humanitarians, Supreme Court justices, Nobel laureates, prime ministers and many others who have made and are making lasting contributions to communities around the world. These leaders all share the common bond of the U of T experience—a catalytic resource that continues to energize and shape their lives long after graduation. In addition to remarkable alumni, we have outstanding faculty whose commitment to excellence sustains our global standing and helps us attract extraordinary students at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. We are consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world. At the time of our Campaign launch, the Times Higher Education placed us first in Canada and among the top 20 universities in the world based on a wide array of metrics. The QS Agency, which asks thousands of academics to rate the best universities in their field, placed us in the top 15 globally for medicine, psychology, biological sciences, engineering and computer science, as well as English, modern languages, history, philosophy and linguistics. Rankings never tell the whole story, but they do underscore the fact that U of T is strikingly consistent across disciplines. This breadth and depth of excellence speaks volumes about our world-class faculty, students and staff. Despite a funding environment that remains challenging, we have a responsibility to channel this excellence toward addressing today’s most pressing issues.
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World-class, but underfunded
Sustaining our critical margin of excellence
Notwithstanding recent investments in higher education in Ontario, per-student funding for universities in the province remains among the lowest in Canada.
Philanthropy has been a cornerstone of our University since its founding in 1827. With the help of our donors, we rebuilt University College after the Valentine’s Day fire in 1890, erected Convocation Hall in 1907 and opened Hart House in 1919. Thanks to our supporters, we have more than 200 endowed chairs on our three campuses and a similar number in our partner hospitals. We also have $600 million in endowed financial aid that enables us to attract and support outstanding students regardless of their economic background.
Similar disparities are apparent when we are compared with peer institutions in the U.S. Our total revenue per full-time student is about 41 per cent lower than the average for publicly funded peers, according to the Association of American Universities. The gap is even more dramatic when U of T is compared with private universities. The fact that we are able to compete with and in many cases outperform these universities speaks to the quality of the University of Toronto. U of T students, faculty and alumni are right to feel proud of the University’s high standing despite these funding challenges. But the model is unsustainable. Our operating grants have not kept pace, neither with those of our peers, nor with inflation. Federal funding of research, while commendable in many ways, does not address the full institutional costs of research. Tuition and other forms of revenue are tightly constrained. Given these strictures, there is no doubt that our quest to attain new heights in research, education and global engagement requires greater resources. Our funding trajectory, left unaltered, would inevitably make it more difficult to recruit and retain world-class faculty, attract the best graduate students and deliver a rewarding undergraduate experience. Over the long term, U of T will continue to advocate for changes to our underlying funding formula. But in the more immediate term, we must turn once again to philanthropy to sustain our research excellence, build on our growth and further distinguish our faculty, students and alumni on the global stage.
Through their generosity—of time, expertise or financial resources in whatever measure—our alumni and friends have enriched the U of T experience in countless ways. Without almost two centuries of extraordinary support from our extended community, the University of Toronto would be a very different— and far lesser—place today. Throughout our Campaign, we will present our supporters with new and exciting ways to connect to U of T and address the issues they care about most. And, as in the past, the involvement of our alumni and friends will transform our institution and the world at large.
THE CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE The Campaign for the University of Toronto will expand our global leadership across critical areas of knowledge and develop the talent, ideas and solutions for the defining challenges of our time. In the coming years, we seek the financial resources to seize this opportunity and ensure U of T’s vitality, growth and success in the 21st century.
CAMPAIGN GOALS BY PRIORITY FACULTY—$650 million To secure the very best research and teaching talent, the Campaign seeks to create more than 200 new chairs, professorships and “rising star” faculty positions in key research areas across our three campuses. STUDENT PROGRAMMING AND FINANCIAL AID—$500 million The Campaign seeks $300 million in financial aid for graduate and undergraduate students and $200 million for student-focused initiatives such as smaller learning communities, international internships, research grants, international exchanges and peer mentoring. RESEARCH AND PROGRAMS—$450 million The Campaign seeks funds for a range of priorities that will enrich research and teaching environments, from acquisitions for libraries and galleries to stimulating innovation in programs to supporting cuttingedge research projects. INFRASTRUCTURE—$400 million To ensure a powerful research and teaching environment for faculty and students, the Campaign seeks funding for critical infrastructure such as libraries, classrooms, labs, study spaces, athletic facilities and public spaces across all three campuses.
Faculty
32% 56 THE CAMPAIGN AT A GLANCE
Student Programming and Financial Aid
25%
Research Infrastructure and Programs
23%
20%
CAMPAIGN GOALS BY THEME PREPARING GLOBAL CITIZENS $600 million
MEETING GLOBAL CHALLENGES $1.4 billion
Building global fluency—$100 million Leadership in the knowledge economy will require a globally fluent workforce. The Campaign will support U of T’s goals for educating globally minded citizens by investing in international research scholarships, internationalized course modules, undergraduate travel awards, internship funding, summer abroad scholarships and other initiatives.
Supporting new knowledge and pioneering research—$300 million Curiosity driven research within the basic sciences, social sciences and humanities is fundamental to innovation and social progress. From understanding the ancient world to the search for new worlds beyond our solar system, the Campaign is committed to investing in the people, programs and centres at the forefront of inquiry.
Shaping student life and learning—$200 million Delivering a powerful, yet intimate student experience at U of T involves cultivating smaller learning communities; developing critical and creative reasoning courses; integrating research with undergraduate education; providing greater mentoring opportunities and upgrading the facilities where students meet, learn and engage. The Campaign will invest in these strategic priorities. Ensuring access and opportunity—$300 million The University is committed to sustaining an environment where talented students from every socioeconomic background have an opportunity to thrive and contribute insights, ideas and perspectives to our community. The Campaign seeks new support for merit- and needs-based awards to ensure we uphold this core value of this institution.
Fostering prosperity through invention and innovation—$225 million Invention and innovation are critical to Canada’s success in the global knowledge economy. Through investments in faculty, new research centres and programs, the Campaign will support the creative minds that are laying the foundation for new industries, new patterns of economic growth and new possibilities for human progress. Driving breakthroughs in human development and health—$500 million At the heart of one of the strongest health science networks in the world, U of T has an opportunity to enlarge our understanding of the fundamental causes of disease, transform the delivery of health care, educate tomorrow’s leaders and redefine our understanding of how early stages of human development affects the long-term health of individuals and societies. Through investments in faculty, students, infrastructure and programs, the Campaign will support these goals. Addressing energy, sustainability and the environment—$200 million From understanding climate change to developing viable energy alternatives, the University is at the forefront of tackling the biggest issues facing our fragile planet. The Campaign will invest in the talent, ideas, programs and infrastructure necessary to develop transformative solutions. Building successful societies —$175 million Strong civil societies, with a healthy, engaged and educated citizenry, are fundamental to peace, prosperity and stability in our world. Through strategic investments in public policy, global affairs, law, management, economics, social work and education, the Campaign will advance the ideas, frameworks and institutions that accelerate prosperity, strengthen democracy and contribute to successful societies.
CONCLUSION This is an extraordinary moment for the University of Toronto. Few universities in the world rival our breadth of disciplines and depth of excellence, our commitment to accessibility, our range of cross-disciplinary collaborations, our global vantage point and our platform in a diverse metropolis. We have another powerful asset: our worldwide community of alumni and friends. This vast constellation of talent spans the globe and makes invaluable contributions to humanity across multiple fields. Our alumni are U of T’s most important ambassadors for advancing our mission. Our Campaign, which seeks $2 billion in critical investments, will be the largest fundraising and alumni engagement initiative in Canadian history.
The Campaign will build on our strength as one of the top universities in the world and help catalyze our boundless potential. The University of Toronto is uniquely equipped to address the critical questions of human health, the environment and civil society while preparing citizens for success in a borderless world. This is the ultimate ambition of all great universities. This is our ambition. Now is the time to invest in the future of our University and the people who make it great. We invite you to support our Campaign. Through your generosity and involvement, we will realize the full power of our global community, our research enterprise and the creativity and innovation of our students—the next generation of global citizens. Together, we will venture across boundaries to inquire, invent and innovate for a better tomorrow.
U of T’s Blue Sky Solar Racing Team taking “Azure” —the sixth-generation solar car designed by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering —for a test drive around King’s College Circle. Azure encapsulates the team’s mission to promote global environmental consciousness through technology and education.
Boundless.utoronto.ca
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University Advancement J. Robert S. Prichard Alumni House, 21 King’s College Circle Toronto, ON M5S 3J3 General Inquiries: 416 978 1221 Toll free: 800 463 6048 Donations: 416 978 0811 donations.management@utoronto.ca