STRATEGY 2026 IS ALL ABOUT GROWTH AND IMPACT
George Brown College is growing to meet the needs of our city, our province, our country, and even the world.
By expanding our enrolment, physical and online presence, network of partners, and academic and research initiatives, we will deliver impactful post-secondary education that benefits students, industry and the broader community.
The future of George Brown College presents a range of exciting possibilities as we prepare students for a world of constant change—as economic transformations, climate change, urbanization and disruptive technologies continue to shake up established industries.
We've formulated a long-term perspective and vision that will guide us toward the George Brown College of 2030, and, at the same time, ensure that we deliver on the strategy to take us to 2026.
Strategy 2026: A Roadmap to the Future
Strategy 2026 was developed over a nine-month period involving the college community through consultation, validation of emerging direction, and a variety of feedback sessions with stakeholders.
Strategy 2026 establishes the priorities for aligning our resources and activities. It will propel George Brown toward becoming an inclusive college renowned for student success, career-oriented academic programs, research and innovation, community and industry partnership, and employee pride and engagement.
2026 Strategic Priorities
Priority 1: Attract and Engage Diverse Learners
Cultivate a holistic and engaging student experience to attract and support diverse learners, improve access, equity, overall success, and well-being.
Goal: Position George Brown as a post-secondary destination of choice and enrich learner diversity through targeted recruitment to attract, engage and retain students across priority domestic and international markets.
Goal: Build a college-wide ecosystem of equity-informed services, supports, spaces and experiences that cultivate a sense of belonging in a student-centred environment that facilitates student success by design.
Goal: Strengthen the college’s capacity to promote learner resourcefulness and self-efficacy through integrated advising and skill development.
Priority 2: Innovative Academic and Research Initiatives
Build a dynamic portfolio of evolving academic credentials; innovative programs and pathways; creative curriculum design and delivery; and research opportunities to equip graduates with the skills for success, now and into the future.
Goal: Advance the mission of the college through development and renewal of curriculum and programming to deliver high-quality and high-impact learning experiences.
Goal: Expand research and innovation opportunities, motivating employee engagement and enabling learners to develop and apply sector-relevant skills.
Goal: Strengthen the college’s academic and research prominence.
Priority 3: Connections that Build and Contribute to the Future
Establish the college as a goodwill ambassador, innovator, and city builder, creating conditions for lifelong learning, community development, social and economic growth through a mutual exchange of knowledge, experiences, and resources with a rich network of partners.
Goal: To be a recognized industry champion, community, and city builder, by enabling innovation, prosperity, sustainability, and vibrancy of our local, regional, and international communities.
Goal: To increase George Brown's network for local and global charitable giving, opportunity-based investments, and funding.
Goal: Advance the George Brown brand and reputation as a renowned Canadian college to augment value and facilitate future growth by building trust and loyalty among key audiences.
Priority 4: Environmental Sustainability
Advance environmental sustainability through collaboration, curriculum, and campus initiatives with local and global influence.
Goal: Nurture and protect our natural environment by working at a local level to address climate change, utilize our resources in an environmentally sustainable manner and empower our learners, employees and partners with insights and innovation that can help solve complex challenges facing our changing planet.
Priority 5: Foundation of Equity
Cultivate a foundation of equity, reconciliation and belonging by establishing anti-racism, Indigenization and meaningful inclusion as being core to our college community expectations, policies, practices, and strategies.
Goal: Build a culture of equity, reconciliation, and belonging by creating a learning and working environment that embraces and honours the complex intersecting identities of our community through the integration of anti-racism, Indigenization, and inclusive practices.
Priority 6: Financial Sustainability
Establish integrated governance, enrolment, operational and capital planning frameworks and the enterprise systems required to facilitate effective decision-making and insights to achieve the college mandate within a financially sustainable and innovative manner.
Goal: Enable decisions that enhance results and mitigate risks, uncovering future possibilities for the college and routes to remain competitive, achieve success and thrive.
Goal: Modernize the college through a cohesive set of improved business processes, systems, plans and policies to support the college’s operations and future direction.
Goal: Fulfill the college mandate and strategic priorities while meeting required financial performance.
The George Brown of 2030 is bold and transformed. It is:
- Highly personalized
- Physical, digital and experiential
- Focused on lifelong learning
- Connected to industry and community partners
- Locally strong, globally connected
- Differentiated
- Resilient
Mission
We turn learning into opportunity.
Vision
To be a college renowned for its inclusion, excellence, relevance, impact, and leadership.
Mandate
To offer a comprehensive program of career-oriented, post-secondary education and training to assist individuals in finding and keeping employment, to meet the needs of employers and the changing work environment and to support the economic and social development of [their] local and diverse communities.
Source: Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002
Values
Learner Focused
We focus on the needs, success, and well-being of our learners always.
Excellence
We honour our commitments, act ethically and with integrity, and deliver superior performance.
Accountability
We hold ourselves responsible for environmental, social and resource sustainability.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We show mutual respect in all of our behaviour to create a sense of belonging both within the community of George Brown and with all of our stakeholders.