Part 1: Three immediate core initiatives

In the recasting of Seneca’s 2020-21 budget resulting from the pandemic, three priorities were identified for resource allocation: initiatives related to health and safety as a result of the pandemic, activities related to ensuring academic continuity and recruitment efforts to boost enrolment.

Returning to campus

Gradually and safely reopening our campuses was essential from a number of perspectives. We needed to get students in programs with significant in-person components back into the labs, studios, airplanes and dive tanks to complete their terms or to start new ones. These activities took place under government and public health guidelines.

Business Plan Outcome 1: working under government and public health direction, gradually reopening campuses with appropriate screening and safety measures in place

Achievements:

opened campuses over the summer to allow completion of required practical components of programs in-person, continued through the fall and winter terms with a hybrid model of only required courses on campus with most academic activity remaining virtual
kept service delivery and support services virtual to minimize campus populations
on-campus COVID-19 incidents kept at a minimum with strict screening, safety protocols and rigorous cleaning measures

Business Plan Outcome 2: establishing new protocols for using all campus spaces safely and acquiring sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) where required to resume appropriate activities on campus

Achievements:

established cross-institutional Return to Campus committee to develop effective procedures and protocol that allowed for safe campus operations, procured and stored sufficient amounts of PPE required for operations with no difficulties experienced in procurement or delivery

Highlights of 2020-21

Welcoming students on campus during summer return-to-campus pilot program

Students from the School of Aviation, School of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering Technology, School of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Continuing Education & Training returned to campus in July and August for the first time since March. These students came back to complete hands-on classroom activities required to graduate from the Winter 2020 term or advance to the next semester of their programs.

Seneca teams up with industry partners to combat viruses

A team of researchers and analysts from the School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry worked on campus on two projects related to COVID-19. The first one was done in collaboration with a Kitchener-based medical technology company to produce three key proteins for use in an immunodiagnostic device. The second one aimed to produce a long-lasting antimicrobial spray in partnership with a Toronto-based company that produces specialty hospital gowns. Read more about the projects

Research to help vulnerable communities during COVID-19

Seneca contributed to the City of Toronto’s response to the pandemic with two applied research projects focused on helping vulnerable communities better access broadband and government benefits. The research projects included a partnership with Ryerson University, York University, the University of Toronto and Humber College to identify the challenges associated with digital exclusion of seniors, and a collaboration with Prosper Canada and funded by the City and Mitacs to identify barriers faced by low-income Torontonians when attempting to file tax returns.

Vaccination clinic serving thousands at Newnham Campus

Seneca partnered with North York General Hospital and North York Toronto Health Partners to become its main COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The clinic, located at the Newnham Campus gym, also provided much-needed clinical placements for Seneca’s nursing and personal support worker students.

Researchers working to preserve COVID-19 vaccines

A team of Seneca researchers at the new Seneca Centre for Innovation in Life Sciences worked to develop next-generation coating to protect sensitive medicines and COVID-19 vaccines. The goal was to create thermal barriers that protect vaccines in storage or during transportation.

Assuring academic delivery

Our core activity is delivering our postsecondary programs, with appropriate support activities that provide our students with the best possible chance of success. In the pandemic environment, the move to online also provided opportunities to adopt new delivery models, streamline services and rethink experiential learning.

Business Plan Outcome 1: providing enhanced pedagogical and technological supports to faculty for moving courses to online and virtual delivery, including upgrading the learning management system

Achievements:

provided supports for faculty online teaching and course development, including:
fundamentals of online course design and delivery to more than 90 per cent of faculty
multiple Teaching & Learning courses on online teaching and assessing, Learn@Seneca workshops and additional training on all web conferencing platforms
development and launch of the Quality Framework and Guide for Online Course Design and Delivery
Virtual Teaching and Learning days in the fall and winter
calls for proposals for the development of OER (e-text adaptation) with projects at various stages of progress

Business Plan Outcome 2: leveraging digital technologies such as XR and creative software to further develop studentdigital competencies

Achievements:

developed digital technologies to support teaching and learning, including:
early-stage development for XR projects in aviation and nursing
the first stage of the building systems 360-degree video tours project in the School of Electronics & Mechanical Engineering Technology
training in several software programs, including Adobe

Business Plan Outcome 3: expanding use of microcredentials in both programs and faculty development to respond to demand from students and faculty

Achievements:

24 new microcredentials, all being delivered
faculty digital badges for new professional development courses

Highlights of 2020-21

Professor trains the trainers about online teaching

Gelareh Keshavarz from the School of English & Liberal Studies delivered her second course as part of the Aswan Skills Development Project to 15 instructors in Aswan, Egypt. The course, delivered remotely, was designed to provide fundamentals of online teaching and assessment in distance education, as well as basics of designing an online course.

Retail lab opens e-store in style

Seneca’s on-campus clothing store, The Boutique, launched its e-commerce site in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With this site, Seneca's School of Fashion was the first among Canadian fashion schools to offer an innovative real-life lab experience for students in the age of online learning and commerce.

Protecting and enhancing enrolment

Recruitment, conversion and retention activities take on a new urgency with enrolment challenges posed by the shift to online and the uncertainty of when there will be a return to full in-person teaching and learning. Although the funding environment is challenging, we will seek to preserve and possibly grow domestic enrolment. International enrolment will decrease because of the online environment, combined with travel challenges. Rebuilding efforts need to start this fiscal year.

Business Plan Outcome 1: focusing recruitment on three key segments: new students, graduating students and alumni

Achievements:

developed targeted applicant conversion campaigns: Start at Seneca, Stay at Seneca and Return to Seneca

Business Plan Outcome 2: formalizing three new inbound program pathways into Seneca programs with Ontario college partners to offer innovative opportunities for credential completion

Achievements:

developed pathways involving 22 college partners for:
41 Hospitality & Tourism diploma programs pathway into the Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Business Management degree
nine Human Resources diploma programs pathway into the Honours Bachelor of Commerce – Human Resources Management degree
14 Computer System Technician diploma programs pathway into the Honours Bachelor of Technology – Informatics and Security degree
16 Business – Marketing diploma programs pathway into the Bachelor of Commerce – Business Management degree

Business Plan Outcome 3: developing strategies to rebuild international enrolments with key initiatives focused on prospective students, academic partners and recruitment agencies

Achievements:

developed and implemented various recruitment strategies tailored to pandemic conditions
achieved an exceptionally strong international enrolment outcome: 26 per cent higher than 2019-20 and 35 per cent higher than budget

Highlights of 2020-21

Lights, camera, new Seneca program

Seneca partnered with post-production technology industry leaders The Stratagem Group and Avid Technology Inc. to offer the Film & Television Career Launch program. The free six-month program was created with a grant from Ontario’s Skills Catalyst Fund to meet skills shortages by training people with little to no experience in the industry. Students learned from industry experts and had access to state-of-the-art equipment, giving them a head start to enter the film and television production industry.

Now Is Your Time: Seneca recruitment campaign in market

Seneca launched a new phase of its Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign in September, calling on prospective students to carve out their futures against the backdrop of a global pandemic. Narrated by Journalism graduate Patricia Jaggernauth, Emmy Award winner and TV personality of CP24, the campaign video reflects the resilience of Seneca graduates regardless of the challenges they face now and in the future.

Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign wins educational advertising awards

Seneca was one of five Canadian institutions and the only Canadian college recognized at the 36th Annual Educational Advertising Awards. The Challenge Accepted recruitment campaign brought home gold, silver and bronze at this international educational advertising awards competition, which is based in the United States.