Redeemer has always offered students a transformative Christian university education, one that prepares them for lives of leadership and service. Redeemer has remained true to that mission for more than 30 years, and with God’s blessings and a community of faithful supporters, it has grown in size and academic reputation. Most importantly, it can be seen in the impact that our faculty, students and nearly 5,000 alumni have in workplaces, churches, schools and families across the world.
But the landscape in which Redeemer operates is dynamic—the world of higher education, the expectations of students and the communities in which students and faculty are called to serve have all changed dramatically. In response to this ever-changing landscape—and to continue to meet the needs of students, faculty, the workplace, schools and families—Redeemer has developed a new strategic plan. Adopted by the Board of Governors in June 2014, Redeemer 2020 is the result of months of careful examination of this new environment.
At the heart of Redeemer 2020 is a commitment to the goals and principles upon which Redeemer was founded. “What we are doing with Redeemer 2020 is looking anew at how we can best work out the mission and vision of Redeemer in a new context,” says President Hubert Krygsman. “Much has changed since we opened our doors to 97 students in 1982; through this planning process, we carefully re-examined all aspects of the university so that Redeemer can still honour its calling—to serve its students, support community and society.”
The vision of the Redeemer 2020 plan is to see enhancements in three broad areas so that Redeemer’s mission is enhanced:
- Student Experience – Continuing to define, in this new environment, the best way to equip students for lives of leadership and service under the Lordship of Christ.
- Strategic Connections – Determining how Redeemer can best serve and partner with others, in ministry and from across society, to further God’s Kingdom along the front lines of our culture.
- Stewardship of Resources – Ensuring that Redeemer continues to be faithful to the resources provided by students, supporters, faculty and staff.
Over the next five years, Redeemer will be launching a series of initiatives that will support this vision. Many (the highlighted ones) have already been launched or are in progress.
Some of the outcomes of these initiatives include the following.
Growing Redeemer’s Academic Program by:
- Introducing a renewed core curriculum that fosters a desire to live and learn from a Christian perspective across all disciplines
- Adding new programs that have an applied focus and are at the crossroads of today’s culture. Some of those programs will include: Media and Communications, Ministry, and Information Systems
- Developing a Centre for Experiential Learning and Career Development to expand experiential and service-learning opportunities through internships and co-op work-terms
- Establishing the Centre for Christian Scholarship to emphasize the relevance and role of our Reformed vision and speak into the issues of our day
Enhancing Redeemer’s visibility and profile by:
- Restructuring areas of responsibility so that there is a more dedicated approach to marketing and enrolment
- Developing in house expertise in branding, marketing and communications
- Focusing on strategic partnerships with churches, schools and other organizations which share or support Redeemer’s mission
Improving Redeemer’s infrastructure by:
- Updating the university’s information technology systems so that faculty, staff, students and supporters will be able to better know about, and interact with, Redeemer. Many of these initiatives are part of a project known as Telling Our Story.
- Upgrading labs, offices and student spaces to better serve faculty and students and prepare for subsequent campus development projects.
Stewarding Redeemer’s resources by:
- Reducing the university’s long-term debt. Paying down this debt, all of which is held by Redeemer’s supporters, will free resources to fund other ongoing program and facility needs, as well as student financial aid.
“We believe that Redeemer has been uniquely positioned to respond to God’s call to provide Christian post-secondary education so that our youth will be prepared for lives of discipleship, leadership and service,” notes President Krysman. “We look forward, relying on God and all those who share Redeemer’s mission, to continuing to prepare students to become His agents of change for their generation.”