Vision, Mission and Strategic Directions
WICI's Vision: Supporting transdisciplinary collaborations in Canadian complex systems research and education for global impact in addressing society’s most pressing complex challenges.
WICI's Mission is to facilitate complex systems collaboration, research and education within University of Waterloo and across Canada to equip students and professionals to address complex challenges at the intersection of society, environment and health.
WICI's Scientific Direction is centered around grand social-environmental-health challenges.
Strategic Goals & Objectives Through 2025
Facilitate Interdisciplinary Complex Systems Research at the Intersection of Society, Environment, and Health
- Continue to support new and ongoing core complex systems research projects.
- Continue to develop and grow a Canadian Network for Complex Systems (CNCS).
- Provide and support interdisciplinary networking opportunities and activities, including a bi- annual conference to bring researchers together around grand challenge themes.
- Actively promote current work and member achievements through regular seminars, WICI newsletters, social media, and media outreach.
- Utilize dynamic web-based content to facilitate searching and connecting with complex systems researchers across all disciplines.
Prioritize Complex Systems Education Initiatives
- Explore professional development offering(s) in collaboration with Professional Development, Co-operative Education and the Problem Lab.
- Pursue collaborative training grants around interdisciplinary complex systems training.
- Host regular WICI workshops and support working groups that bring complex systems researchers together from multiple disciplines.
- Work with University of Waterloo and/or potential partner institutions to develop graduate and/or undergraduate complex systems programming by 2025.
Establish a Viable, Long-Term Resource Base
- Identify and harness potential revenue through Professional Development offering(s).
- Partner with faculty and university advancement offices to identify potential sources of endowment funds for WICI.
- Seek regular opportunities for collaboration and/or resource-sharing with deans, departments and other research centres and institutes, as well as external nodes of a Canadian Network for Complex Systems (CNCS).
Progress toward these strategic goals and objectives will be reported and reviewed annually with the WICI Board.