Source: Economic Impact Analysis: University of New Brunswick, Gardner Pinfold Consultants, 2011
“The province faces two significant challenges — an aging population and an economy that is not as robust as it needs to be,” says Dr. Campbell. “I love the idea of a ‘smart’ New Brunswick. It is easy to imagine the features of a smart province — the highest literacy rates in the world, the best-educated population, some of the healthiest people anywhere. We need to have a set of ideas and measurements of success related to this concept. UNB can play a major role in the process.” Dr. Campbell also points to the role entrepreneurs can play in the creation of wealth in New Brunswick. “Our teachers and researchers have always played a key role in helping our students find and choose their career paths. Now we are also finding ways to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit in our students. We want to encourage those who are thinking of creating start-ups as well as their analogues in the cultural or social spheres. We want them to be able to work on their projects while they acquire their education. At one point or another we would like every UNB student to think about the possibility of being an entrepreneur — to look around and say ‘If I were to do that, there is an infrastructure of support at UNB that would help make it possible.’” UNB’s new Pond-Deshpande Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship helps to provide that support. It is an example of how the university is contributing to the province’s social and economic future by offering programs across New Brunswick that
support entrepreneurship and innovation. And that includes making grants available to “people with good ideas… whether or not they have ties to UNB,” says Dr. Campbell. “If they didn’t have ties to UNB beforehand, they will afterwards. And that will make us a better university.”
Building better communities UNB’s researchers and students have a lot to contribute to the provincial community in terms of expertise and know-how. “We measure success in terms of the people we educate, the quality of instruction our faculty provides, and the discoveries our researchers make. These discoveries are valuable not just in terms of their contribution to human knowledge — solving tomorrow’s problems, if you like — but also in terms of their impact on the social, cultural and economic issues of today,” says Dr. Campbell. In fact, his face lights up with pride when he talks about UNB’s community-focused initiatives. The Faculty of Nursing’s community health clinic is an example of that outreach. With targeted care for marginalized individuals and a caseload already exceeding 3,500 patients and the Fredericton clinic treats people with addictions and HIV. It also provides services to groups who sometimes experience barriers to primary care, like immigrant families and the homeless. “It is an inspiring place, FALL 2012 • UNB ALUMNI NEWS • 15