No Risk, No Reward - Innovators Needed | Sheldon Levy
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Don't just shape the future - invent it!
Sheldon Levy is one of the most recognisable names in Canadian Post-Secondary having worked in senior leadership roles at the University of Toronto, York University, UOIT (now Ontario Tech) and President at Sheridan College, Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and the private University: University Canada West. He also served as Deputy Minister of Training Colleges and Universities in the Ontario Government and as an advisor to the Canadian Minister of International Trade.
In this podcast, Sheldon's maverick and entrepreneurial spirit shines brightly. He talks about the President as a risk taker unlike any other role at a complex institution.
Levy explains the challenges of leading universities, including resistance to change, risk aversion, and the pressure to conform to a single model of excellence. He addresses current issues in higher education such as financial constraints, the international student situation, and the need for innovation. Levy shares his success story with creating the Digital Media Zone (DMZ) at Ryerson (now TMU), emphasising the importance of trusting students and breaking institutional rules to foster innovation.
Throughout the conversation, he advocates for allowing institutions to experiment and take risks, trusting students more, and focusing on solving societal problems rather than just maintaining the status quo.
He observes that both universities and government have become extremely risk-averse because they aren't allowed to make errors, which prevents innovation.
As parting advice, Sheldon advises institutions to focus on one or two things that will make them better and to align themselves with societal needs rather than solely blaming government for challenges.
And to be bold.
Sheldon Levy is one of the most recognisable names in Canadian Post-Secondary having worked in senior leadership roles at the University of Toronto, York University, UOIT (now Ontario Tech) and President at Sheridan College, Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University) and the private University: University Canada West. He also served as Deputy Minister of Training Colleges and Universities in the Ontario Government and as an advisor to the Canadian Minister of International Trade.
In this podcast, Sheldon's maverick and entrepreneurial spirit shines brightly. He talks about the President as a risk taker unlike any other role at a complex institution.
Levy explains the challenges of leading universities, including resistance to change, risk aversion, and the pressure to conform to a single model of excellence. He addresses current issues in higher education such as financial constraints, the international student situation, and the need for innovation. Levy shares his success story with creating the Digital Media Zone (DMZ) at Ryerson (now TMU), emphasising the importance of trusting students and breaking institutional rules to foster innovation.
Throughout the conversation, he advocates for allowing institutions to experiment and take risks, trusting students more, and focusing on solving societal problems rather than just maintaining the status quo.
He observes that both universities and government have become extremely risk-averse because they aren't allowed to make errors, which prevents innovation.
As parting advice, Sheldon advises institutions to focus on one or two things that will make them better and to align themselves with societal needs rather than solely blaming government for challenges.
And to be bold.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction to Sheldon Levy
- 01:02 Sheldon Levy's Origin Story
- 03:05 Family Background and Education
- 04:30 The Unique Nature of Universities
- 08:58 Challenges of Change in Universities
- 12:17 The Blurring Between Universities and Colleges
- 15:00 Challenges in the Current Higher Education Landscape
- 21:16 The International Student Situation
- 26:10 Industry Groups and Collective Action
- 27:25 Shaping a Sustainable Future for Higher Education
- 32:04 The Digital Media Zone (DMZ) at Ryerson
- 37:13 Advice for Future Leaders
- 39:17 Innovation in Different Institutional Contexts
- 42:58 Role-Playing to Understand Institutional Context
- 45:02 Final Thoughts on Higher Education
