Recap of the Innovation Hub Presentation of Insights & Ideas

By Josh Hass, Communications/IT Team Member

The Innovation Hub Presentation of Insights & Ideas took place on Friday, January 27 in Desautels Hall at the Rotman School of Management. The event celebrated the unveiling of the opportunity canvases that the five domain teams had developed during the ideation phase, in consultation with the U of T community.

Opening remarks from Julia Smeed, the Innovation Hub project lead, and from Student Life’s senior directors, helped set the stage for the morning by sharing the process to date (much of which you have hopefully read about on this blog). Once the introductions were complete, each of the domain teams took turns sharing the insights they had collected through their various interviews, consultations and observations over the past few months. Hearing some of the very real stories that U of T students shared with our domain teams was eye-opening for some, reaffirming for others, and powerful for all. It is clear that students at U of T want to feel connected to a community, that they are supported, that they are valued, and that they are prepared for their future.

With the insights providing valuable context, each team then shared two of the ideas they had developed. Ranging from innovations that encourage people to meet one another to opportunities for an expanded curriculum, from small tweaks to larger initiatives, there were a lot of great ideas presented – all focused on making the student experience at U of T even better. After an inspiring wrap-up by Josie Fung, the Director of Rotman I-Think, and Lucy Fromowitz, Assistant Vice-President of Student Life, attendees were invited to discuss the ideas they had heard with the presenters and provide feedback during the poster presentation. They were also left with one question that I will, in turn, pose to you: What would have to be true of me and of U of T to make these ideas happen?

With this question in mind, we invite you to join us at an upcoming Innovation Hour to learn about the ideas and give your feedback. The first will be held in the Hart House Lower Gallery (located outside the Great Hall) during the 5-Buck Lunch on Tuesday, January 31, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. The second will be held in the Sid Smith Lobby on Monday, February 6, from 4:00pm to 5:00pm. Additionally, all of the ideas will be presented on this blog for review and feedback in the coming weeks.