Statement from Athabasca University President Dr. Alex Clark

As per the recent announcement by our Board of Governors, I am deeply honoured to be appointed as the 11th president of Athabasca University.

Athabasca University is a very special place for me. I have seen firsthand the commitment from faculty and staff that serve our students and community in so many important ways. The university’s model offers a world of lifelong possibilities and benefits, and I will work to prioritize supporting and growing our people, our resources, and our processes for continued success.

Athabasca University has come a long way in the last 50 years, and I welcome the opportunity to work with all of our valued stakeholders to build our next successes. Working together, I intend to make a difference in this role, not through my title but through my actions. In meeting our mandate, I have 3 core priorities:

1. Lead the implementation of a new courageous vision for Athabasca University as a uniquely open, inclusive, and flexible university, committed in all it does to improve the lives of people and communities via benefits to diverse learners, communities, and knowledge development.

2. Build relationships, from local to global, that are grounded in transparency, trust, and valuing all peoples and communities, and that foster open, respectful, and brave reciprocal relationships and partnerships across and beyond the university.

3. Make sure that all of us within the university environment respond to our community needs, including with our Indigenous partners, while also building community with new ways of working together through engagement, inclusive leadership practices, and the involvement of alumni, students, and donors.

Together, we can move beyond a zero-sum mindset and recognize that we can have an active presence that benefits the local community while also profoundly contributing provincially, nationally, and internationally.  In this post-pandemic era, AU’s unique role in open and flexible education has never been as precious or as needed.

I welcome the opportunity to work with all of you in continuing our journey of success.