BoardWise
Wise governance. Stronger institutions.
Helping boards lead with purpose.
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Elevating Board Governance in Canada’s Postsecondary Sector
Canada’s colleges and universities are navigating an era of transformation — marked by fiscal uncertainty, shifting political priorities, and increasing public scrutiny. In this climate, effective governance is paramount. But with these pressures lies potential: today’s challenges present an opportunity for boards to build and better leverage their strengths, ask the hard questions, and make better use of their vast array of skills to secure their institution’s future — a future that is resilient, forward-looking, and focused on contributing to a vibrant postsecondary sector.
In this era of instability, institutional boards are being called upon to lead with greater clarity, confidence, and alignment. From strategic oversight to fiduciary responsibility, boards are rediscovering their essential role in stewarding trust and guiding institutions through complexity. We want to help boards rise to the occasion.
BoardWise is a new suite of governance support offerings developed through a strategic partnership between Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA) and Balsam Advisory — two firms with deep sector knowledge and real-world boardroom experience. Together, we help postsecondary boards move from obligation to performance to impact — equipping them with the tools, insight, and the alignment they need to lead effectively.
Designed for Your Board. Informed by the Sector.
We know no two institutions — or boards — are alike. This is why BoardWise offers bespoke, insight-driven consulting services grounded in the realities of the postsecondary landscape. Whether you are onboarding new members, aligning leadership, preparing for future challenges, or striving for new goals, our work meets your board where it is — and builds from there.
At the same time, we understand that governance is an evolving practice — and that what gets measured, gets managed. BoardWise brings a commitment to helping boards evaluate and strengthen their performance through tailored, evidence-informed approaches. With a deep understanding of the postsecondary sector, we are well-positioned to support boards in assessing governance practices, tracking progress, and demonstrating meaningful impact over time.
Services
BoardWise Services & Supports
Board Education & Contextualization
Empowering boards with insights, alignment, and strategic clarity to navigate complex decisions and drive long-term success in postsecondary governance.
Board Performance Assessment & Strategic Review
Elevating board performance with diagnostics, actionable insights, and planning for continuous improvement and effective governance.
Engagement, Culture & Leadership Alignment
Fostering strong board culture, inclusive engagement, and strategic use of diverse expertise to maximize board impact.
Board Education & Contextualization
By equipping boards with essential strategic insights and fostering shared understanding, our services drive governance effectiveness in today’s evolving postsecondary landscape. We empower members to seek feedback, build confidence, develop literacy, and achieve alignment—critical capabilities for navigating complex decisions and driving long-term institutional success.
- Customized Sector board member education on funding, policy, regulation, enrolment, best practices nationally and internationally and other trends
- Onboarding Programs with pre-read kits, workshops and tailored learning for new board members
- Governance 101 and advanced Seminars customized by experience and committee roles so that board members can hit the ground running and institutions can benefit from the talent at the table in an appropriate understanding of their governance role
- Retreat Design and Facilitation focused on strategy, culture, and sector realities to support bold planning
- Microlearning Series (virtual or in-person) to sustain board learning through short, ongoing sessions (with a focus on specific governance topics, such as risk, cyber security, financial sustainability, academic oversight, bi-cameral university systems, compliance, and more). We can also deliver these micro learning series based on demand, president reviews/performance assessment/recruitment
Board Performance Assessment & Strategic Review
We elevate board performance through comprehensive diagnostics, clear and actionable insights, and action planning to ensure boards are well-structured, skilled, and continuously improving.
- BoardPulse Diagnostic: Board performance review, Board structure and composition scan, Skills gap analysis, Diagnostic board surveys, Stakeholder (board, executive, secretary) interviews, Board structure and composition review, “What We Heard” insights report, Facilitated action planning session
- Committee Effectiveness Reviews and customized enhancement strategies for individual standing committees
- Self-Evaluation Frameworks for annual board and chair reflections
- Governance Scorecards reviewing key performance indicators and alignment with institutional priorities
- Benchmarking against sector norms using anonymized sector data (future value-add)
Engagement, Culture & Leadership Alignment
These offerings are designed to cultivate robust board culture, strengthen leadership relationships, and promote inclusive engagement that maximizes the full potential of your board members’ and identify gaps in expertise. Our approach emphasizes recognizing board member diversity and ensuring their distinctive skills and experiences are strategically leveraged for meaningful contribution.
- Scenario-Based Learning on crisis response, fiduciary challenges, reputational risk, and media training, president recruiting, and more
- Governance Culture Audits to explore board dynamics, voice, trust, and participation and healthy tension
- Chair Development Coaching to support facilitation, trust-building, and working with presidents/board leaders/members and building your board talent pipeline
- Strategic Planning Support for boards’ roles in strategy development, oversight, and vision planning
- Values-Aligned Governance Workshops to ensure decision-making frameworks reflect institutional mission and equity principles
How It All Comes Together
These services can be delivered as:
- Standalone engagements
- Modular service packages (e.g., a 3-month onboarding engagement, or a regular review or annual evaluation cycle, etc.)
- Multi-year governance development plans
- BoardPulse Check research engagement that help boards discover needs before formal strategy begins
What Sets BoardWise Apart
Over 30 years’ of experience working with postsecondary institutions, governments, and not-for-profit organizations
Credible, practical advice from a team with direct experience working closely with boards
Insight-driven services grounded in trusted-relationships, data, and sectoral knowledge
Flexible support tailored to your board’s goals and context
Strategic Support for
High-Performing Boards
BoardWise is about more than board development — it’s about equipping leadership to govern wisely, act strategically, and guide institutions forward. Whether you’re strengthening onboarding, assessing effectiveness, or aligning governance with strategy, we’re here to help your board lead with purpose.
Interested in learning more? Let’s talk.
Contact us to start a conversation and explore how the BoardWise team can support your goals.
