A new Strategic Plan for 2010 and beyond

As our external environment continues to change dramatically, we need current, focused goals to rally and coordinate our energies so that Douglas College can thrive in the coming decade. The new Strategic Plan will identify priority goals and activities for Douglas College in the medium to long term.

This website presents data and issues that are vital to our planning process and it will be updated regularly. In addition, the President's blog gives all College employees an opportunity to contribute electronically to an open discussion.

Final Plan

Draft plan

Draft plan, version 3.2 (pdf) - This latest draft reflects Education Council feedback and will be submitted for approval by the College Board on June 17. 

Draft plan, version 3.1 (pdf) - This draft assimilates numerous comments and suggestions from our May open forums as well as from VPAC, the Board, and others. This version will be provided to Education Council, which will then provide its feedback to the Board on May 20. Feedback from employees is still welcome through the President's blog.

Draft plan, version 1.0 (pdf) - After several months of consultation, we are pleased to release Version 1.0 of the Douglas College Strategic Plan (2010-2015) for further review and discussion.

Employee consultation - As you will note, Version 1.0 of the Plan is not in final form or format and will, no doubt, be revised with the input received from the College community. We hope that as many College employees as possible will be able to participate in one of the three open forums scheduled for Monday, May 3, 2-4pm at David Lam; Tuesday, May 4, 2-4pm at New Westminster; or Monday, May 10, 4-6pm at New Westminster. If you can't attend any of these events, then you are welcome to provide feedback through the President's blog as we enter this new phase of consultation.

Environmental scan

Environmental scan (April 2010, pdf) - this is a companion piece to Version 1.0 of the Douglas College Strategic Plan

Analysis of the environment (December 2009, pdf) - identifies important ways that our landscape is changing rapidly

Input from the College community

Input to themed discussion questions (April 2010, pdf) - this is a companion piece to Version 1.0 of the Douglas College Strategic Plan

Summary of themed discussion group input (December 2009, pdf) -  seven items on which we need a thorough discussion from a cross-section of employees; discusson groups started in the third week of January 2010 and were completed in the second week of February. Summaries of each of the 14 discussion events are posted for viewing and discussion on the President's blog.

Employee survey results (November 2009, pdf) - overview and links to summary and full report

Input from students

Student survey results (Summary, pdf) (Full report, pdf) - we asked for ideas from Douglas College students and we got them. Earlier this year, 248 students filled out an online survey. As well, a face-to-face discussion event with 12 students was held this spring, with President Scott McAlpine and Vice President, Educational Services Blaine Jensen attending.

Input from the wider community

Town hall meetings (summary report, pdf) - in January and February 2010, community partners' breakfast events were held in New Westminster, Coquitlam and Maple Ridge. We gathered ideas from community leaders, educators, business people, healthcare and human services professionals, and others. An online survey was also used to gather feedback from community members with a connection to Douglas College.

Planning process

Strategic Plan 2010 (pdf) - information about the planning process

Context for the development of the Douglas College Strategic Plan (September 2009, pdf) - remarks from the President's inaugural address to the College community

Related background information

Census data for enrolment planning (pdf) - changing demographics that could affect enrolment demand

History of BC post-secondary education (pdf) - helps contextualize the College's development and its niche in the post-secondary system

2009 Douglas College Fact Book - a statistical compendium about all aspects of Douglas

BC Colleges summary (pdf) - overview of how colleges are preparing BC for the future

Projections of the Diversity of the Canadian Population (March 2010, pdf) - new Statistics Canada study showing how the population of our region and the country is changing, with increases in the proportion of persons born abroad, persons whose mother tongue is neither English nor French, and persons belonging to visible minority groups

Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development 2010/11 - 2012/13 Service Plan (pdf) - Within this recently released plan are a number of contextual factors and goals for the post-secondary system as a whole. This provides some additional background to the Strategic Plan of Douglas College.