Our Process

Adapting to the ever-evolving world around us

When we embarked upon the development of our Strategic Plan in 2017, we knew stakeholder engagement would be critical to our success. While initially regarded as a refresh, we soon concluded that the extent of change, both around us and within BCIT, demanded a more robust examination. During the process, we consulted with thousands of members of our community. We asked them what differentiates the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and what BCIT needs to do to capture opportunities, address current barriers and deficits, and adapt as the world around us evolves.

We met with learners across our campuses and with the BCIT Student Association. We heard from full and part-time faculty and staff, as well as union partners, and we engaged with BCIT’s Indigenous leaders.

We connected with alumni and donors and conducted a survey of over 400 employers in British Columbia (BC), including 300 members of our Program Advisory Committees. Ongoing dialogue with government, industry, and peer partners provided invaluable input. Open townhalls at the outset and towards the end of the planning process rounded out our engagement, providing all members of the community with an opportunity to contribute.

Conceived at the time as a three-year plan, Relevance. Reach. Renewal was approved by the BCIT Board of Governors in March 2019. The Strategic Plan was successfully embedded in the fabric and governance processes of BCIT and the Institute made strong progress during the first 18 months of implementation, notwithstanding the operating and fiscal challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the summer of 2020, we initiated a leadership review of the plan given the unprecedented shifts in our external and internal contexts. Our conclusion was that the plan continues to provide a solid roadmap for BCIT. As a result, we have extended its duration from three to four years, conscious also that the need for the organization to focus its efforts on the pandemic response would be incompatible with initiating the process to develop a successor plan. We also determined that we have an important opportunity to amplify our focus in three priority areas. This updated Strategic Plan reflects the results of that review.

The industries with whom we work provide the inspiration for the design of this document; the images are also metaphoric of the various components of the plan. For example, the airplane represents both our expertise in transportation and our continuing journey in the implementation of this plan. The DNA strand as a design element reflects our expertise in health, while at the same time symbolizing our systemic and unequivocal focus on people.