Through the Looking Glass: One College President’’s Perspective on the Future of Post-Secondary Education (Part 2 Q&A)

Universities and colleges are economic drivers; the more educated the populace, the greater the opportunity for success and prosperity, both for individuals and their communities. As Alberta moves towards the “next generation economy”, critical thinkers, researchers and “technopreneurs” will be the human capital underpinning our competitive advantage both on the national and international stage. But are our post-secondary institutions able to produce the knowledge for workers of the future? Are they positioned to change and adapt to the shifting demands of employers? To paraphrase Wayne Gretzky: “Can they learn to skate to where the puck is going to be?” Based on 25 year’s experience in the college environment both in Canada and the United States, the speaker will present her predictions for the future of post-secondary education in Alberta and beyond. Speaker: Tracy Edwards, Ed.D. Dr. Edwards has been the President of Lethbridge College since 2005. She started her career as a faculty member of Nova Scotia Community College and was also Academic Vice-President of Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida, which grants the largest number of Associate Degrees in the United States. With doctoral work in college leadership, she is a regular speaker at national and international conferences. Her passion revolves around creating a positive cultural environment where she believes faculty and staff can do their best work.