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Strategic Directions

Equity, Innovation and Partnerships – our strategic plan - expresses our commitment to world-class research, innovation in education and scholarship, and the dissemination and application of our research and learning to make a difference for individuals, families and communities. While building on our existing strengths, it enables us to address the challenges facing any academic Department such as forging new partnerships to broaden our work, making our work relevant to the changing needs of the individuals and communities we serve, finding new ways to disseminate our findings to influence practice and policy, fostering career pathways for our faculty and learners, while continually aiming for excellence in everything we do.

The three words “Equity, Innovation and Partnerships have been carefully chosen. Each represents one of our core values and they will be the major drivers of our research and other academic activity as we implement our mission. 


Achieving equity means ensuring every member of our community has the opportunity to optimize their recovery and overall well-being, removing barriers to receiving timely care. It also means addressing social, economic and environmental -as well as biological and psychological - determinants that can contribute in multiple ways to the development, onset, course and outcome of a mental disorder or problem.


Innovation is about new ideas, drawing inspiration from multiple sources, with every person in the Department having the opportunity to contribute.  It means thinking differently, challenging the status quo, testing new ideas, and constantly striving to improve.

Innovation thrives in an environment that supports creativity and new ideas and creates a culture of enquiry, mutual support and encouragement, which fosters a sense of community where risk taking is valued, learning is shared, successes celebrated, and where we challenge each other to achieve our best.


Partnerships are central to our success, both within and beyond the Department. And whether establishing a research program, implementing an educational program, or addressing a community priority, our work will be richer and more productive if we can collaborate with partners from the Hospitals, Faculty, University, Community and with other Centres.


Innovation in everything we do.


Excellence in scholarship to improve outcomes for people with mental illness through prevention, earlier detection and person-centred care across the lifespan.
