Following a redesignation, Lethbridge Polytechnic saw significant change this year, while the University of Lethbridge is also finding new growth.
2024 marked the end of the Lethbridge College era, as a new brand is guiding the institution into the future, all while ensuring no massive, altering changes for staff and students.
“Our request for redesignation as a polytechnic was approved and it became official in September. The difference being that a polytechnic represents who we are. It wasn’t an aspiration to be something, it was a recognition that we are,” said Brad Donaldson, president and CEO of Lethbridge Polytechnic.
He says the logo reveal and transformation into a polytechnic was the biggest change of the year, unsurprisingly, for the post-secondary school. Meanwhile, the University of Lethbridge did not rebrand, but it is also seeing some significant changes.
“The establishment of the south Alberta medical training program, SAMP, how we say in brief, certainly is an achievement for the University. We are currently working on its implementation,” said Digvir Jayas, president of the University of Lethbridge.
This program will enable doctors to train in Lethbridge, with the hope being that more doctors will then stay in the city once their education is complete. It will also, according to Jayas, help raise the profile of the university.
“Recruit local, train local and retain local.”
While a redesignated polytechnic and a university medical school means good things for Lethbridge, 2024 didn’t come without its challenges. The federal government announced earlier this year new limitations on foreign workers. This is a concern for many post-secondary schools in Canada, with Lethbridge not being exempt.
“The long-term effect is still not clear. The international students numbers, certainly the number of new students coming (has) declined. Then, as you can imagine, because they are a student for four years, it has a financial impact on an ongoing basis,” said Jayas.
Donaldson says the polytechnic may even have to look at overhauling its courses on offer as a result of the loss of enrolment from students outside of Canada.
“We will have to look very carefully over the next few months about what that will do to our international recruiting challenges and if we have to make an associated changes internally to respond to that in terms of programs that we’ll deliver – changes that we might have to make to programming.”
While both presidents say there will be challenges the schools will have to face, they also say the effects are going to be more far-reaching than just Lethbridge.
“It has created the reputational concern for Canada as a whole. So, Canada as a country, which was seen as a country of choice, now probably is not on the top of mind of the students who want to come to Canada. How long that would last or that would linger in the system? Yet to be seen,” said Jayas.
Despite the concerns, the University of Lethbridge managed to stage is largest ever open house this year, which is a good sign for the recruitment efforts.
“Once they see the campus, the likelihood of them joining the campus increases quite significantly.”
Both Lethbridge Polytechnic and the University of Lethbridge expect 2025 to be a good year, even if some of the struggles from this year will carry over.
“We will launch, in January, our strategic framework, which really speaks to how we deliver on our mission of preparing learners (and) shaping communities,” said Donaldson.
The university will also be launching a strategic plan following community, staff and student feedback.
“We received just over 1,800 inputs, so it’s quite a significant involvement of the community, which shows how the community sees the university,” said Jayas.
“Most roads you can’t see around the corner, but you have to be responsive and agile. With (our strategic framework including) those four imperative areas of student experience, dynamic programs, employee culture and community connections, they will be the guideposts along that road for us,” said Donaldson.