Insights & Ideas: The Results of the Innovation Hub’s Work in its First Year
The Innovation Hub is a methodology introduced by Student Life to provide opportunities for the University community to co-create and operationalize innovative initiatives that enhance the University experience for our students. It is a highly collaborative, engaging and inclusive space consisting of staff, faculty and students. The Innovation Hub has five main domains, each co-led by students.
Fall/Winter 2016-2017
What is the Innovation Hub?
In this report, the Innovation Hub explores two core questions: 'Who are our students?' and 'How is the world changing for them?' The answers to these questions will help us shape our future programs and services to create the University of Toronto student experience of the future. Supporting these domains are operational teams in communications and IT, events and administration, operations and design, and organizational learning at the University of Toronto.
KEY FINDINGS
Our team identified the following six insights that stood out, including key needs and the underlying values associated with those needs:
- Importance of Care: Students value being cared about and helped through their journey at U of T.
- Inclusivity-Centered: Students value inclusivity. Some students feel marginalized on campus and express a need for connection in more inclusive and safe spaces.
- Negotiating Needs: Students value academic achievement but they express
a need for help negotiating the tension between academics and other aspects. - Guidance is the Way: Students value guidance and assurance.
- Prepared for the World: Students value preparedness for the career world beyond U of T. They express a need for help with wayfinding.
- Belonging is the Key: Students value belonging. Because of the size of the U of T population, students express the need to find community connection.
