George Brown Polytechnic is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work and live in the community with each other.
A Message From George Brown Polytechnic Board of Governors Chair Roger Grochmal
George Brown Polytechnic has always been shaped by its ability to respond to change while remaining clear about its purpose. Strategy 2026 was developed as the institution emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on recovery, growth and impact. Since then, the environment around post-secondary education has shifted substantially. Changes to international student policy, new financial realities, rapid technological change, evolving learner expectations and a more uncertain economic and geopolitical landscape have required George Brown to adapt again. During this period, the institution also took an important step forward by becoming George Brown Polytechnic, making more visible the identity and strengths that have long defined us.
From the Board's perspective, Strategy 2030 is well suited to this moment because it is focused. It does not attempt to anticipate every turn in an unpredictable environment. Instead, it identifies the areas that will matter across a range of possible futures: preparing learners for meaningful work and lifelong learning, building partnerships that extend our impact, and strengthening the institutional foundations that allow George Brown to deliver on its commitments.
That focus is especially important when we consider George Brown's position within a larger environment. Our success cannot be considered in isolation. Our learners and graduates are part of a labour market that extends across Ontario, Canada and beyond.
Employers are adapting to new technologies, changing trade relationships and shifting workforce needs. At the same time, high youth unemployment is a reminder that the connection between education and opportunity cannot be taken for granted.
Post-secondary institutions must continue to help people build relevant skills, gain experience and move with confidence into a changing world of work. Strategy 2030 responds to these realities by reinforcing George Brown's role as a leading urban polytechnic. Its three priorities are deliberately connected: learner success and relevance; collaborative partnerships that create shared value; and a strong, sustainable institution positioned for the future. Just as importantly, the strategy is grounded in human-centredness, guided by George Brown's values and by an understanding that decisions are ultimately experienced by people - learners, employees, partners and communities.
The Board also recognizes the discipline this strategy requires. A focused plan means making choices, aligning resources to those choices, measuring progress and being prepared to adjust as circumstances change. This is not a strategy for a static environment.
It is a strategy designed to provide direction while preserving the agility needed to respond to new risks and opportunities.
George Brown has navigated significant change before, and it will do so again. Strategy 2030 provides a clear direction for the next phase: deepen our polytechnic identity, remain closely connected to the needs of learners and employers, and strengthen the capacity of the institution to create opportunity and impact. On behalf of the Board of Governors, I look forward to seeing the George Brown community bring this strategy to life.
Roger Grochmal
Chair, Board of Governors