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Metrics & Milestones

Some of the milestones and metrics set out below will remain constant. Others will become more specific over time as this plan unfolds. We will update the Western community as we implement the plan and make progress on our ambitious goals.

Some Metrics and Milestones

Greater Impact

  • Expand faculty and staff complements commensurate with student growth
  • Expand student enrolment to 50,000 by 2030
  • Secure resources and invest in infrastructure for new buildings, renovations, and Western’s Open Space Strategy
  • Increase our national share of funding awarded from each of the Federal Tri-Councils
  • Add, and support for ongoing success, 50 research chairs in areas of existing or emerging strength – by 2030
  • Increase the number of faculty and staff members who have won national and international awards and similar distinctions for their work in their respective disciplines
  • Achieve the highest student retention and graduation rates among Canada’s leading research-intensive universities
  • Invest in state-of-the art information technology infrastructure
  • Enhance the learning experience by providing a community-based experiential learning opportunity, an international learning opportunity, or a research learning opportunity for all undergraduates who wish to pursue one as part of their degree
  • Increase the availability of paid summer research opportunities for students
  • Expand and improve lifelong learning offerings (credit and non-credit) to increase our overall cadre of learners at various stages of their lives and careers
  • Extend our current offerings in entrepreneurship to students in all programs
  • Improve student satisfaction with academic advising
  • Increase student utilization of and satisfaction with career development services
  • Maintain our stellar graduate employment rate
  • Launch the most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign in the University’s history. Build institutional capacity with the goal of increasing annual fundraising to $100 million per year.

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People, Community, and Culture

  • Establish a baseline of demographic information for students, faculty, and staff to set goals for increased representation among members of equity-deserving groups
  • Invest in additional financial supports for students from equity-deserving groups
  • Build additional relationships with equity-deserving groups in the local community (e.g. community-facing clinics and services, public lectures, arts and culture events)
  • Increase diversity among our faculty and staff, including the recruitment and retention of Indigenous peoples and members of equity-deserving groups
  • Create learning opportunities for faculty and staff on important equity, diversity, and inclusion practices, targeting a 90% participation rate within 5 years

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Western's Place in the World

  • Enhance Western’s campus by investing in the quality, accessibility, and beauty of our physical environment – showcasing campus as a biodiverse living laboratory (e.g. student gathering/collision spaces, sports facilities, entrepreneurship space, enhanced green space)
  • Establish a new physical presence in London’s downtown core
  • Establish a larger physical presence in Toronto
  • Create and measure the efficacy of having a temporary presence in various international locations (e.g. field schools, advanced seminars for professionals, international partnerships with universities and NGOs)
  • Increase our international undergraduate student population to 20% and out of province students to 15% and provide on-campus supports to ensure their success
  • Reduce carbon emissions for campus operations by 45% (over 2005) by 2030 and net-zero by 2050
  • Create a sustainability research fund (initially at $1 million) that prioritizes our local and regional partnerships and that creates new experiential learning opportunities for students