It's a month into the new year, and a common theme for 2009 is emerging around the world: “Getting Back to Basics.” This message has been repeated by everyone from politicians to financial advisers to university presidents, including myself.
We will, in a sense, be going back to the basics at Guelph this year. We'll be sifting through hundreds of options and offerings to focus on what really matters most, what makes Guelph unique and what will help our students make a difference in the future, both for themselves and others.
It's a daunting task but an essential one for many reasons, the most obvious one being financial. As you all know by now, U of G, like other Ontario universities, is facing significant challenges that are the result of a variety of factors stemming from the global economic downturn.
With our resources dwindling, we must apply the money we do have more efficiently, effectively and wisely. This means reducing the scope and scale of operations, preserving quality and programs that are strengths of the institution and that differentiate Guelph from other universities. But I want to focus on some of the other reasons this scrupulous review and strategic decision-making are so important to the University at this juncture.
Needless to say, in these turbulent times, there are many uncertainties for many sectors and individuals around the world; few will be unaffected by the financial crisis and changes to the global economy.
But one thing is absolute: the world will emerge a changed place. There will be different priorities, new focuses for industries such as manufacturing, engineering and agriculture, and a need for new ideas, innovations and ways of thinking.
So in the midst of the chaos and tentativeness, it's more important than ever for U of G to re-examine its pursuits, practices and visions, and concentrate its efforts on the programs and ideas that can truly make a difference in the budding new reality.
Indeed, if you look beyond the immediate financial mess, you will see that so many of the problems facing communities in Canada and around the world have to do with the safety of our food supply; the quality of our air, water and soil; and our health and well-being.
These are all research areas in which Guelph excels. For more than 150 years, we have developed innovative ways to change lives and improve life all around the world. But we can do more. We must do more. And we must do it differently.
The kind of change needed today doesn't have to be elaborate or expensive, but it has to be creative, insightful and, above all, sustainable in a world recovering from decades of abuse of its resources — environmental and otherwise. We need to ensure that our students leave Guelph with the knowledge, skills and experiences that allow them to contribute.
We are on our way. For example, our new mechanical engineering program that starts in the fall has received more than 400 new-student applications. Of course, mechanical engineering is not a new field; what is attracting people to Guelph is the uniqueness of our program. Students can specialize in areas such as wind and solar energy, food and beverage engineering, and biomechanics. Not only do these offerings set U of G apart, but they're also what the world needs now during these trying times and to face challenges of the future.
We also have our new Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, where researchers will revolutionize the use of agricultural products, turning soy, wheat, corn and other crops into everything from car parts and furniture to fuel. These are exactly the kinds of innovations needed in an industry where layoffs and closures are becoming commonplace.
For there is little value in innovations that cannot be put into practice. I recently heard a media interview with Prof. Manish Raizada of the Department of Plant Agriculture, and something he said resonated with me. He was discussing how he and his research team are helping farmers in developing countries create new plants and inexpensive, more intensive practices so they can produce food with fewer resources.
He pointed out that the problem isn't a lack of innovation. It's a lack of practicality. In so many parts of the world, people exist on less than a dollar a day. Innovations that cost more than $5 to $10 are simply out of their reach.
Manish went on to talk about how farmers in developing countries can lose half or more of their yearly harvest to pests and disease. A group in Boston has developed something that can help these farmers increase their crop yields by nearly 50 per cent. What is this miracle product? A special plastic bag for storing grain that kills insects by raising the carbon dioxide level. The cost? Eighty cents a bag. (Manish is now supporting this company through his non-profit Raizada Foundation, which gives grants to people and companies that find tools to help developing countries.)
Sometimes we need a reality check, new definitions of innovation, new approaches and new ways of thinking. I hope these are the things we keep in mind during these next several months of review and change.
Yes, these are times of difficulty and uncertainty, but I believe they're also times of opportunity. It's Guelph's time — to act, to solve, to make positive changes, to make a difference. Now. More than ever.
