As economic volatility, shifting geopolitics and rapid technological change reshape the world, University of Toronto President Melanie Woodin says Canadians can count on U of T to generate the talent, research and commercial innovation needed to secure a prosperous and resilient future.
Speaking at a recent event hosted by the Toronto Region Board of Trade (TRBOT) , Woodin detailed how U of T is responding to these challenges through the framework of her three presidential commitments : preparing future-ready graduates, advancing responsible AI adoption at scale and mobilizing knowledge for societal and economic impact.
She said these "ambitious, immediate and measurable" actions will enable the university, industry and government to forge a collaborative ecosystem to drive economic and social progress and achieve common goals in talent development, research and innovation.
"It is our strong belief that the problems we are collectively facing require multi-sector solutions," Woodin told an audience of business, tech, government and academic leaders during her keynote address.
"Through partnerships between U of T and the business and government sectors represented here, I know that we can meet this moment together with ambition and with urgency - and in doing so, we can make the Toronto region one of the world's best places to live, work and thrive."
The event, held on Toronto's waterfront, featured a fireside chat between Woodin and Giles Gherson, TRBOT's president and CEO. There were also several "lightning talks" with leaders from RBC, Toronto-based AI company Cohere and life-sciences venture fund Genesys Capital that explored how U of T's three commitments are being brought to life through a range of partnerships between academia, government and industry.
In her remarks, Woodin said that U of T's unique combination of scale, research excellence and reach makes it ideally positioned to address complex challenges at the local, national and global levels. The university, she added, is consistently ranked among the world's leading post-secondary institutions across a wide range of disciplines, with members of its community taking home several of the world's biggest honours in recent years. They include alumna Anne Carson's Nobel Prize in Literature , mathematician Jacob Tsimerman's Fields Medal and "godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton's Nobel Prize in Physics .
Moreover, Woodin said the university is viewed as "a stable, trusted partner" by business and industry.
Yet, "the economy is changing at light speed," Woodin warned, adding that the university is working closely with partners in industry, government and academia to innovate degree programs and expand experiential learning opportunities so that it remains one of the world's top universities for graduate employability long into the future.
On artificial intelligence, Woodin noted that U of T is one of the birthplaces of modern AI and, as a large, human-centred institution, is well-positioned to shape the implementation of the revolutionary technology, "showing what responsible adoption looks like at scale."
She also said the university is committed to contributing to Canada's economy and sovereignty by ensuring U of T discoveries and innovations are commercialized at home.
"We're determined to ensure that Canadian innovations become Canadian businesses - businesses that create jobs and prosperity here at home while attracting investment from around the world," she said.
In the three talks that followed, industry leaders expanded on each of Woodin's points.
John Stackhouse, senior vice-president in the Office of the CEO at RBC, spoke with Nicholas Rule, U of T's vice-provost, academic programs, about the "incredible talent" emerging from Canada's universities and colleges. In particular, he emphasized the need for expanded experiential learning opportunities that enhance students' applied skills and harness their creativity to solve real-world problems.
"We need to give them real challenges," he said.
In another talk, Michael Pelosi, Cohere's country manager for Canada, underscored the importance of helping post-secondary institutions harness AI strategically. He emphasized the importance of safety, data sovereignty and intellectual property protection, adding that Cohere was eager to partner with U of T because of the institution's emphasis on pairing innovation with thoughtful and responsible adoption.
"The greatest technology, AI included, will do very little if you don't have the right leadership and the right understanding of how you should be using the tools and what you should be using them for," he told Susan McCahan, U of T's associate vice-president and vice-provost, digital strategies.
The final lightning talk - with Leah Cowen, U of T's vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives - focused on how universities, investors and governments can work together to help more Canadian discoveries become successful Canadian companies.
Damian Lamb, managing director of Genesys, discussed the recently launched Genesys University Seed Fund , which aims to bring investment closer to the source of innovation by connecting universities and hospital partners with industry and government. He said he hopes the initiative will build "anchor companies" that can facilitate a thriving life sciences ecosystem in the region. "They represent not just engines of wealth creation but engines of economic development," he said.
Similarly, Cowen said the fund signals U of T's focus on fostering economic opportunity for Canadians.
"We're really committed to the success of commercializing IP here in Canada and leaning into having the universities as a core player for economic development and growth in the country," she said.
During her fireside conversation with Gherson, Woodin pointed to recent investments by the Ontario government aimed at supporting higher education, as well as federal initiatives that are helping U of T and other Canadian institutions to attract leading researchers from around the world.
She also emphasized the role of philanthropy, noting an anonymous $50-million gift to the university that helped establish the President's Impact Scholarship Program - an ambitious initiative that will engage cohorts of PhD students to tackle a major societal challenge each year through experiential learning, partnerships and interdisciplinary work.
As U of T looks toward its third century, Woodin said she is increasingly focused on how the university can help Canada chart a course through a period of unprecedented disruption while unlocking new opportunities for progress and growth.
"Let's face it - Canada is having a moment," she said. "Canadians from coast to coast to coast have a renewed sense of pride and purpose.
"So, let's come together and seize that ambition."
