Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is now Humber Polytechnic.
With Humber’s new name, announced Aug. 29, comes a new brand slogan, Builders of Brilliance. In a media release, Humber said the name change and rebranding in response to “Canada’s productivity crisis.”
Humber’s President and CEO Ann Marie Vaughan said on Aug. 29 that the new vision for Humber is that over the next decade, Humber Polytechnic will lead the change globally in polytechnic education.
“Productivity is the engine of economic growth, and it has been in decline in Canada for many years. The country has struggled to effectively convert innovation into commercial success. We are going to change that,” she said.
“Over the next decade, Humber Polytechnic will lead the definition, discovery, value, and possibilities of polytechnic education by reimagining learning, forging deeper partnerships and driving impact in Ontario, Canada, and around the globe,” Vaughan said.
Senior Vice President, Academic, Gina Antonacci, told Humber Et Cetera that a polytechnic institution is something often called the “third lane” that combines hands-on learning and theory.
She said Humber has been operating as a polytechnic for many years and is now officially called one.
“Humber has had the attribute of a polytechnic institution for many years. We’ve been acting like a polytechnic institution without being formally called one,” Antonacci said.
She said in the coming years Humber will have more options for programs and credentials.
“What you can expect in the next few years, is we will continue to meet the needs of industry and our communities by introducing more programs in all credential categories and that includes applied masters,” Antonacci said.
“You will see more three- and four-year degrees, diplomas and graduate certificates,” she said.
Antonacci said Humber’s academic focus will be on personalized learning and learning delivery.
“The future of higher education and what Humber will be engaged in is more flexibility for students, more options for students regarding learning delivery modes,” she said. “The other big one we know is coming is personalized learning, which is really about adapting learning to the individual needs of students.”
“It’s about what is the best process for delivering post-secondary education to ensure that they are going to be successful,” she said. “Success is about employability and it’s about graduation.”
Humber’s Building Brilliance Vision Document outlines the pillars, guiding the changes, reimagining learning, deeper partnerships and driving impact.
To learn more visit https://humber.ca/building-brilliance.
