Town and Gown: Diversity and Entrepreneurship

Welcome

Thank you, (Regional Chair) Ken (Seiling), for the introduction.

In 2013, the United Nations estimated that 3.2 per cent of the world's population lives abroad. That's about 232 million people.

Compare that to 154 million people in 1990, and the trend is clear - international migration is on the rise.

That represents huge opportunities: for Canada, and for Waterloo region. And it makes immigration a critical lens through which to gauge the health and strength of our communities.

This is one of the many reasons I believe the Immigration Partnership's mission is so critical, and one of the many reasons I'm so delighted to be with you today.

As president of a highly internationalized university, as a proud member of this remarkable and diverse community, and as an immigrant myself: I share your passion for this issue.

As I begin, let me add my own welcome to all of us in attendance.

To our distinguished Councilors, Regional Councilors, Mayors, Members of federal and provincial parliament, and all of our colleagues and friends: thank you for joining in today’s celebration.

It is fitting that we are meeting today in The Tannery.

The Communitech Hub is one of this region’s core economic, cultural, and social pillars.

It represents the innovative, and optimistic character that our region is known for.

Today’s gathering underlines that immigration belongs at the centre of our community life.

Overview

Today I’d like to reflect on why immigration and cultural diversity is so central to what it means to be a university.

And I’d like to reflect on how immigration fits in with our community’s strengths in innovation and entrepreneurship.

These are two areas where I feel our community is in a particularly strong position to support immigrants, immigration and cultural diversity.

Diversity in University

I had the opportunity, recently, to address a major international conference on what they called “inter-cultural dialogue”.

The Symposium on the Role of Universities and Research Centres took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this year.

My role at the conference was to speak to how universities can make a meaningful contribution to the dialogue among diverse people cultures, promoting a more just and peaceful world.

I relished the opportunity.

Because historically — and culturally — universities depend on cultural diversity and civil liberty for their very survival.

Let me explain that just a little bit.

Many of you will be familiar with the phrase “academic freedom”.

This concept goes back a millennium.

As Universita di Bologna explains on their very informative website, academic freedom first emerged at that institution.

That institution adopted an academic charter which guaranteed the right of a traveling scholar, regardless of nationality, to unhindered passage in the interests of education.

In an otherwise fairly violent period of history, this was an incredible innovation, for the time…

… and points toward two of the fundamental features of modern life that we value today: cultural diversity, and scientific discovery. 

What we find when we look back over the history of universities is a very important message for us, even today.

Universities can only survive in the context of cultural diversity.

And cultural diversity finds refuge, support, and protection, in universities.

Universities depend on organizations like the Immigration Partnership to do this important work, and do it well.

Immigration and Entrepreneurship

In what’s left of my time, I’d like to reflect on the importance of immigration to this region’s economic growth and our capacity for entrepreneurship.

When I got to thinking about my talk this afternoon, I couldn’t shake this idea… this phrase.

“Have Dreams, Will Travel.”

How many families over the centuries have resolved to build a better life for themselves — by crossing an ocean, or a continent, and making a new beginning?

If that isn’t entrepreneurship, I don’t know what is.

For immigrant families — especially first generation immigrant families — they don’t have to register a business to found a startup.

They are the startup.

Their family, building a new life; seized of optimism and opportunity, and betting big on their success.

That original act of entrepreneurship has hugely positive consequences down the line.

Research shows that immigrant communities are immensely entrepreneurial.

That entrepreneurial power must be fostered.

Writing recently in the journal Foreign Affairs, Robert Litan identified some troubling trends when it comes to entrepreneurship in the United States. 

Start-up formation is down.

Older firms – which fill that market space – are less innovative almost by definition, making the whole economy less competitive.

And, critically, our American friends’ immigration system is a mess. That’s a big problem.

“Immigrants,” he writes, “(are twice) as likely to launch a business as native-born Americans. … Immigrants were behind one in four technology startups between 1995 and 2005.”

And in 2005, “companies led by immigrant entrepreneurs employed 450,000 workers and generated $52 billion in sales.”

These are American data, but global truths.

Immigration is good for the economy.

And immigration is good for entrepreneurship.

Here in Canada, employment for foreign-born Canadian citizens has increased since 2008. It has only held steady for other Canadians.

The employment rate for immigrants in Canada is among the highest in the OECD.

And something I emphasize is that more than 50 per cent of Canadian immigrants are highly educated.

Again, this puts us near the top of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

While I hasten to add that highly skilled new Canadians are too-often underemployed, Canada is plainly making some positive progress.

Those who fail to attract immigration have to live with the consequences.

I really feel for our fellow Canadians down east.

I’m sure many of you read John Ibbitson’s work in the Globe and Mail. He was very recently a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation.

Last weekend, he published a feature on what he called the “incredible shrinking region”, looking at the socio-economic and demographic challenges of the Maritime provinces.

Here’s a part of what he said, and this is close to verbatim:

“New ideas and thinking usually come from urban areas, which are home to universities, innovation, and less social pressure.”

Almost half of Maritimers live in cities. In the rest of Canada, it’s more like 80%.

But here’s the more important part, for our discussion today.

Reporting on a conversation with an academic about the Maritimes’ challenges, it was said that, “(the) region lacks the energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and the desire for a fresh start that new Canadians bring. We simply do not have enough new Canadians coming to the Maritimes.”

Universities and Internationalization

Universities, for our part, know that immigration and internationalization are essential to our success.

That’s part of the reason I remain optimistic about the Martimes – they have excellent universities.

As a Dalhousie grad, I carry a little piece of Nova Scotia in my heart.

Here in the Waterloo region, we need to go in exactly the opposite direction.

One key pillar of the University of Waterloo’s strategic plan is Internationalization.

We are working to become the most internationalized university in Canada.

In today’s economy and society, if you want to be relevant, you’ve got to be global.

That’s why:

  • 35% of our graduate students are international students.
  • 2,000 of our co-op students experience international work terms in a given year.
  • We have 322 international researchers on faculty.
  • And I’m proud to say, that from 2008 to 2013, the first-year retention rate for international students at the University of Waterloo has increased from 82% to 92%.

We’ve put the supports in place to ensure all of our students — especially those who’ve come from around the world to study and live here — have an opportunity to succeed.

What’s more: we want to bring the best researchers, teachers, students, and alumni to the Waterloo region.

We feel that’s an essential contribution we can make to this community’s long term dynamism and economic potential.

Town, Gown, and Entrepreneurship

And let me say: this community is a huge part of the reason Waterloo is a successful university.

48% of our incoming students want to own their own business one day.

48%!

Entrepreneurial students and faculty aren’t flocking to the University of Waterloo just because of our own entrepreneurship programs — though they are certainly excellent.

They’re coming here because of you — the broader community.

When I so often refer to Waterloo as Canada’s Innovation Capital, I’m not just talking about the University. I’m talking about all of you.

The enabling environment you provide.

The cultural and intellectual diversity upon which our university depends. 

Your generosity of spirit, and your openness to anyone who wants to make a positive impact.

My colleagues and I are proud to call you all partners.

Let’s continue building this region up, and out, so there is room for every person who wants to come here: to build an education, an enterprise, or a new life.

Thank you.