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In September, the 10K crew went on location to the 2017 Ontario Universities\\u2019 Fair, to interview a dozen higher ed leaders about trends in innovation.

Sara Diamond has worked in higher education for 3 decades, at BC\\u2019s Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Alberta\\u2019s Banff Centre, and Ontario\\u2019s OCAD University, where she has been President since 2005. In this special bonus episode, edited to 10 minutes, Ken asks Sara 3 key questions about higher ed innovation.

Innovations at OCAD?

Sara proudly points to OCADU\\u2019s new Academic Plan, which brings together STEAM+D \\u2013 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (or Medicine) with Art and Design in a powerful interdisciplinary combination. All OCAD students will be provided with basic programming skills so they can be \\u201cdigital citizens.\\u201d OCADU also has a strong focus on Indigenous knowledge, culture and creativity, and \\u201cdecolonization\\u201d is OCAD\\u2019s first guiding principle. OCAD has diversified its curriculum and built a cosmopolitan campus, with international students from around the world. And OCAD is opening several new buildings, including the waterfront Campus for the Connected World, and the Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers, both of which will focus on new experiential and work-integrated learning opportunities for students. OCAD\\u2019s business incubator for recent graduates, the Imagination Catalyst, has a very high success rate launching new ventures. And OCAD is partnering with UOIT to bring together design and hard science for STEAM+D.

The Decade Ahead?

Over the next decade, Sara predicts a world of continuous learning in which universities offer increasingly flexible degrees, badges and stackable microcredentials, as well as flexible timetables for working and entrepreneurial students. Digital delivery will intensify, but the \\u201csociality\\u201d of learning will continue to bring students together in one place to learn. She also anticipates some really dynamic \\u201cinternational aggregates of institutions\\u201d offering students trans-national learning experiences and credentials. And Sara projects ongoing and increasing investment in \\u201cblue-sky\\u201d investigator-driven research, and the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in the \\u201cexpressive economy.\\u201d

Culture of Innovation?

Sara emphasizes that university leaders must support the integration of research and teaching, and maintain curricular openness to new learning. They must be \\u201cmilitant proponents of diversity\\u201d, be highly collaborative across campus, and also reinforce the \\u201cporosity\\u201d of the university, building partnerships with industry and external organizations to help build their communities. Ultimately, Sara observes, university research can help solve the world\\u2019s big problems, so long as we stay \\u201cat the coal face\\u201d of the real world.

Watch for more interviews soon, or to be sure you don\\u2019t miss them, join more than 15,000 Ten with Ken subscribers and followers on any of a dozen platforms. Stay in the Loop by subscribing to our free email newsletter at http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/