University Vice Presidents Network
A Unique High-Level Forum
The network’s meetings and international site visits enable university executives to get away from the day-to-day grind of their roles and to provide a high-level forum for discussions on big issues. This is a place where the urgent does not displace the important.
Participating vice presidents engage in deep dives to uncover and understand entrenched and emerging challenges common to many universities. They are encouraged to consider institutional and collective objectives and explore existing or alternative means to achieve them – by understanding terrain, weighing options, learning from peers, and sharing lessons of experience.
University vice-presidents operate in unique and challenging governance and administrative environments. Yet, vice presidents are rarely trained for their roles as executive administrators of challenging portfolios. Each meeting, regardless of theme, involves valuable learning through peer-to-peer exchange and insights from leading higher education experts.
Annual international site visits look at the best examples of university practice from all over the world.
Full agendas and individual sessions range widely, emphasizing topics that call on leaders to deploy the collective strengths of vice presidents operating in teams across *all* senior portfolios.
Access to transformative insights on the direction of higher education from Alex Usher, renowned strategist and industry visionary. Immerse yourself in quality explorations of the issues of utmost importance to university leaders.
Study best practices in higher education around the world. Keep a pulse on partnerships, research opportunities, and student and employer trends. Get ahead of the big issues on the horizon.
Who should participate?
Canadian Universities
The network convenes the vice-presidents of Canadian universities. Any VP-level executives from participating universities may attend meetings.
International Universities
On an invitational basis, selected international partner universities may also become members and attend meetings.
Contact us to learn more about how to join the network.
Meeting Themes
- Agendas may focus on the role of universities as partners with governments, businesses, and communities in strategic economic, industry or societal objectives. Universities rank high among any country’s top national, regional, and local assets. This network presents opportunities to leverage the broad capacities of universities towards collaborative strategic impact.
- Meetings take up the latest strategic questions and enduring challenges. How will AI change universities? What strategies and structures enable interdisciplinary programs and learning? When does risk management overtake the pursuit of excellence? How can universities strike a balance between autonomy and accountability?
- On pressing issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence, and global migration, the network facilitates strategic engagement between university leaders, experts, stakeholders, and key partners. Participating institutions help shape these engagements.
UVPN Members
Forthcoming Meeting Dates and Locations
| May 4-8, 2026 | May Study Tour, Germany |
| Sept 24-25, 2026 | Yukon University, Whitehorse YT |
| November 5-6, 2026 | Toronto |
| February 4-5, 2027 | Virtual meeting |
| May 3-7, 2027 | Study Tour (Location TBC) |
