Dean Clare Haru Crowston and Professor Kamal Al-Solaylee engage in a Q&A during the launch of the Arts 2025–2030 Strategic Plan. The conversation explored the plan’s development, strategic priorities, and vision for the future of Arts at UBC.
On May 14, 2025, the UBC Faculty of Arts celebrated the launch of its 2025-2030 Strategic Plan—a collective vision shaped by more than 1,000 voices from across the Arts community.
The launch event featured a presentation by Dean Clare Haru Crowston and a Q&A moderated by Professor Kamal Al-Solaylee, Director of the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media. Together, they explored the journey behind the plan, its strategic directions, and how it will guide the Faculty’s work in research, teaching, and engagement. More than 320 people participated in the hybrid event, with 151 attending in person and 169 tuning in via livestream.
Below: View a recording of the launch event.
Developed over 18 months, the plan reflects the shared insights and aspirations of students, faculty, staff, and community members, responding to a rapidly changing world with a renewed commitment to inclusive academic excellence, critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and a more sustainable future.
“A strategic plan is a collective roadmap for the future,” said Dean Crowston in her opening remarks. “It guides our decision-making and helps us align our actions across the vastness of the Faculty.”
The plan arrives at a time of increasing fiscal constraint, political uncertainty, and rapid technological change—conditions that Crowston said underscore the need for clarity of values and long-term priorities.
“Our specific goals and actions will evolve over time,” said Crowston. “But our values and commitments—to academic freedom, accessibility, decolonization, reconciliation and Indigenous resurgence, and justice, equity and inclusion—remain steadfast, despite how the world may change.”
Five Strategic Directions
The plan is structured around five strategic directions that will shape the Faculty:
- Excelling in Research and Creative Practice
- Advancing Transformative Education
- Engaging Communities for Greater Impact
- Generating Sustainable Futures
- Integrating Digital Innovation
For the first time, digital innovation is featured as a distinct priority, reflecting the Faculty’s ambition to lead in areas like the ethical use of AI, data literacy, and digital accessibility. The plan also deepens the Faculty’s commitment to addressing the climate emergency, recognizing the vital role Arts scholars play in advancing climate justice through interdisciplinary teaching, research, and public engagement.
As part of the process, the Faculty engaged Musqueam staff and community members in a dedicated session, resulting in a Musqueam Engagement Report. The Faculty is committed to honoring the recommendations and guidance outlined in that report as it moves forward with implementation.
What’s Next?
The Faculty is now entering the implementation phase, with work already underway across administrative portfolios and academic departments. A digital version of the plan will launch in Fall 2025, featuring stories from across the Faculty that bring its priorities to life.
Dean Crowston emphasized that the plan is a shared responsibility that depends on the active involvement of the entire Arts community. She also stressed that it is not a static document, but a living one—designed to evolve alongside the community it serves.
The Faculty welcomes questions, ideas, and story contributions from across the Faculty. To share your feedback, contact arts.stratplan@ubc.ca.
