[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/JHE building.jpg” caption=”The Faculty of Engineering has unveiled a new five-year strategic plan that places a heavy emphasis on teaching and research in sustainable engineering. File photo.”]The Faculty of Engineering has unveiled a new five-year strategic plan that places a heavy emphasis on teaching and research in sustainable engineering. It has also pledged to ramp up efforts to increase the number of female professors in the Faculty in order to attract more young women to the profession.

These are two of the over riding themes in Strategic Plan 2009 – 2014: Engineering a Sustainable Society released in July to all faculty and staff in the Faculty of Engineering, the University community and to the public at large. It is the culmination of more than a year's work initiated by a one-day retreat in June 2008 where more than 120 participants expressed their dreams, ambitions and goals for the Faculty.

“We must imagine the future in light of all the changes occurring in the world today and the role the academic community and the engineering profession can play in achieving a livable society for all,” said David Wilkinson, dean of the Faculty of Engineering. “The Faculty is committed to providing talented and creative people from all walks of life with the opportunity to impact the world we and future generations will live in.”

The Strategic Plan identifies five key themes around which the Faculty will build on existing competencies and develop new ones. They are: Enhancing Undergraduate Education, Enriching Graduate Education, Excellence in Research, Internationalization and the Global Engineer, and Outreach: Beyond McMaster.

Each theme area outlines specific goals and objectives to be pursued and implemented by 2014. All support the University's primary goals as outlined in Refining Directions. The Faculty's mission and vision statements were also updated to reflect the new priorities.

The Strategic Plan can be viewed at eng.mcmaster.ca/strategicplan. Printed copies are also available through the Office of the Dean of Engineering. Posters highlighting the key concepts of the Strategic Plan are also available.