Strategic Direction

On October 20, 2010, Centennial College, School of Community and Health Studies (SCHS) hosted its first Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute (EMPSI) strategic planning session involving leaders and experts within the field of Emergency Management, Public Health and Safety. 

The insights and information shared during the facilitated morning session were collected and serve to develop 2011- 2015 EMPSI Strategic Planning Report. As the implementation process rolls out, the information will guide and shape our steps, offering new ideas and approaches to higher education in the field of emergency management, public health and safety.

To advance and sustain ourselves, we must build key strengths and efforts through common goals and values that aligns our interests, our professional roles and by our intrinsic belief building community engagement and resilience. It is our hope that we can achieve this objective collectively through our strategic alliances and partnerships as we continue to strengthen Centennial College Preeminent Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute. The Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute will be referred to as the Institute from here-on-in.

As a key part of the planning exercise, throughout the process, we have strived to be consistent with and supportive of the Centennial College’s Strategic Plan, “The Book of Commitments”(First Edition – June 2009”) ensuring documented alignment  linked to EMPSI’s vision, goals and multi-years objectives as followed:

The Institute will bring together experts and stakeholders representing all sectors who will form an integrated network of collaborations. It will be driven by the adaptive changing needs of the community both locally and globally; fostering leadership, building internal and external capacity in emergency management, public health and safety and enhancing organizational and community resilience. Sustainability will take into consideration leading-edge human, financial, time and technical resources.

Strategic Alignment

• Be a community leader
• Build the bottom Line
• In creating good global citizens, be recognized as just that
• Tell a great story

Main Multi-Year Objectives

• Align and secure the resources
• Build and enhance an integrated network of partnerships
• Acquire recognition from stakeholders
• Establish a comprehensive communication program

We will provide leading edge curriculum through multiple / flexible pathways and formats developed for the needs of industry and community.

The Institute is committed to maintain and extend its leadership through education, applied research and the development of best practices in emergency management, public health and safety.

Strategic Alignment

• Be a community leader
• Help students grow into leaders
• Be one of Canada’s best recognized Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute
• Prepare people for the new world that awaits (Applied Education, Academic and Career Success)
• Forge many roads to success (Student pathways, student success, flexible programming)
• Stand behind our promise to students (Quality of student academic experience, Quality of Student Experience)
• Build the bottom line (balance budget, strategic enrolment an growth)

Main Multi-Year Objectives

• Foster engagement of leaders and experts building collaborative multidisciplinary partnerships and networks
• Build partnerships within and external to Centennial for program and project development and research opportunities
• Develop and deliver academic programs utilizing creative, flexible and multiple pathways and formats
• Integrate interdisciplinary and ‘all-hazards’ approaches to theoretical and practical elements of courses that adapt to environmental and global changes
• Establish a leadership position both within and external to Centennial College with a focus on innovation, research and interprofessional learning and practices

We will take a leadership role in the development of a collaborative process that will result in a set of standardized core competencies identifying knowledge, skills and attitudes required for professionals in the field of emergency management. These core competencies will be used as the foundation in the development of curricula, in the evaluation of performance and recruitment within the workforce.

Strategic Alignment:

• Be a recognized leader (in education and practice)
• Stand behind our promise to students
• Prepare people for the new world that awaits

Main Multi-Year Objectives

• Develop new core competencies for emergency management
• Integrate core competencies into curriculum and evaluations for student practice

We are taking a leadership position in research and innovation in the field of emergency management and public safety. We will collaborate with the Applied Research and Innovation Centre (ARIC), other Schools and with community and industry partners to contribute to the advancement of knowledge bringing evidence to practice involving students, practitioners, researchers and decision makers.

Strategic Alignment

• We will embrace global citizenship, social justice and equity
• Be a community leader
• Help Students grow into leaders
• Stand behind our promise to students

Main Multi-Year Objectives

• Conduct industry and community relevant applied research and innovation that supports educational and professional learning, and regional and national social and economic innovation
• Conduct educational research focused on curriculum development, and the creation, dissemination and transfer of knowledge within and across sectors
• Develop strategic partnerships nationally and internationally with other institutions
• Develop performance measures to enhance initiative and capacity
• Expand research that will validate best practices adapted to emerging trends
• Publish and disseminate findings in a variety of media, to a variety of audiences