School of Continuing Studies Marks One Year at Evolve Guelph
Posted on May 4, 2026
On April 23, 2026, almost one year after the launch of the rebranded School of Continuing Studies, community members, organizations, and University of Guelph faculty and staff came together for the 2nd annual Evolve Guelph breakfast panel event. After a year of revitalizing and expanding program offerings, exciting partnerships, and continuous change in the world around us, the morning was dedicated to exploring how the University and community can continue to adapt, collaborate, innovate and thrive amid rapid change.
With a fully engaged room and plenty of conversation, the event brought together three University of Guelph faculty members as expert panelists to unpack what it means to evolve in a world shaped by uncertainty: Andrew Bailey from the College of Arts; Rozita Dara from the College of Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences; and Kathleen Rodenburg from the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.
Real world Impacts of Change
The conversation opened with a look at how major forces are reshaping our community including technological, social, political, and economic shifts.
Dara, drawing from her background in AI governance, started the panel off by emphasizing that the labour market is already transforming, noting that AI won’t replace work overnight, but it will change the nature of work; employees will increasingly shift from doing tasks to monitoring them. She emphasized the importance of developing AI literacy—including how to use the tools and what can go wrong—to evolve with changes in the workplace and support responsible use and decision-making.
Bailey, with his expertise in philosophy, took the room back to the 17th century to explore the idea of the social contract. He noted that many of the political and economic assumptions that once held society together are being disrupted, and highlighted that “the way society is structured has to benefit the least advantaged individual.” He argued that Canada’s social contract is being tested, especially as AI reshapes what kinds of services and labour we value. He also challenged universities to rethink how they prepare young people for a future that looks very different from the past.
Building on the points from the first two panelists, Rodenburg, an economist, emphasized the intensifying global race for AI talent and noted that “youth unemployment is at an all-time high”. She argued that our labour market is overly focused on the demand side, when it should be focused instead on the supply side. Specifically, she pointed to the inequitable system students must navigate to secure work. Many face unaffordable job-search services, receive no feedback after submitting countless applications, and encounter employers who expect experience that recent graduates don’t have. Rodenburg suggested that shifting attention to the soft skills students bring could meaningfully strengthen the labour market. She illustrated this with an example of an employer who selected a candidate by pulling a resume at random from a pile, ultimately making a successful hire, demonstrating that talent and potential are not always captured through traditional applications or interviews.
Emerging Opportunities and Risks
When asked what opportunities and risks emerge from the impacts ahead, the panelists offered a mix of caution and optimism.
Rodenburg pointed to the need to strengthen domestic supply chains, especially as global competition intensifies. Dara highlighted Guelph’s unique opportunity: “Guelph is in a perfect position to become an innovation hub,” she stated. With strengths in agriculture, AI, and ethics, she argued that the community can lead in developing ethical AI solutions that reflect our values and support people. Bailey shifted the focus to integrity and empathy. In a world shaped by rapid technological change and social media having major influences on the younger generation, he asked, "How do we ensure the next generation grows into empathetic, socially responsible leaders?"
The moderator, Dr. Dianne Tyers, Assistant Vice-President at the School of Continuing Studies, summarized it well, sharing a common message she was recognizing among the conversation: “Embrace the human and focus on what it means to be a good human.”
Strengthening Guelph’s Resilience
The final question brought the conversation back down to the local level, with practical and actionable steps to strengthen resilience of Guelph.
Bailey encouraged the attendees to embrace complexity. By moving beyond the “me vs. you” —especially in the age of social media—we can remove divisiveness in a complex world which can help us get to a better place both socially and politically. He also noted that understanding AI and the moral decisions behind it is part of that work.
Rodenburg urged people to stay grounded in their values, drawing on the University of Guelph’s mission to Improve Life. She added that supporting local innovation hubs, fostering collaboration, and bringing industry and academia into the same rooms will be essential.
Dara called for boldness: Canada must go “head first into ethical technology” or risk falling behind. Guelph, she noted, is well positioned to lead that charge.
The closing message from Dr. Carolyn Creighton, Director of Operations and People at the School of Continuing Studies, tied it all together: embrace change, understand it, and work together to shape it for the better.
After some dedicated networking time as the event closed and as attendees started filtering out, the conversations were still buzzing. It was clear that the morning had sparked something important. Change isn’t slowing down, but with curiosity and collaboration, our community is ready to evolve.