Message from the BOG

Vancouver Premier College > Message from the BOG
Dr. Sam Shaw

Message from the Board of Governors

The Vancouver Premier College Board of Governors is responsible for performance over-sight and advisory accountability with respect to strategic, academic and business plans. As a board, we would like to acknowledge the extraordinary effort and performance of ownership, administration, faculty and staff during the Covid-19 pandemic, a period of time which can best be described as one of the greatest socio-economic disruptions of the last Century. We want to assure all of our community members that their health and well-being remains our highest priority as we prepare to welcome back our students, faculty and staff for in-class teaching and learning engagement this coming September.  

As well-documented in our 5-Year Strategic Plan and organization policies, Covid-19 created challenges for literally all businesses and organizations including post-secondary education organizations, universities, colleges and technical institutes. Both Federal and provincial governments responded to the global pandemic through the implementation of policies and a series of health protocols that were recommended by the Provincial Health Officer. VPC responded by developing the required Covid-19 safety plans and policies and implementing preventative practices and measures that were designed to reduce the Covid-19 transmission risk for VPC’s Community Members. Thankfully over time, the surge in infections has dissipated and we now find ourselves in a transition period to a new normal, complete with a new set of sector-related challenges and circumstance. 

As Vancouver Premier College’s inaugural Board Chair, I am proud to work with a group of knowledgeable and committed board members as well as an experienced leadership team, administration and faculty. VPC experienced unprecedented growth prior to the pandemic and has made significant capacity related investments in faculty, facilities and programming to ensure its continued growth in the post-pandemic environment. Notable programmatic enhancements include the addition of several postgraduate programs to its growing curriculum that include cybersecurity, data analytics, information technology and digital marketing. These pragmatic programs not only provide a pathway to Baccalaureate and Masters degrees through VPC’s articulation agreements but also, provide a pathway to highly-valued industry certifications that enhance international employability in existing and emerging labour markets.   

The Board of Governors recently reviewed and approved VPC’s Strategic and Academic plans and related policies that will guide its future investments and academic initiatives. We encourage you to review these plans and policies and to share your thoughts with us as we continue to bring quality post-secondary education opportunities to life that are capable of changing lives while enhancing the well-being of our academic and social communities.

Sincerely,

Sam Shaw, MSc, MBA, PhD, C. Dir
BOG Chair