Vision, Mission & Values

In 2006, the Board of Governors at St. Paul’s approved a bold new direction – one that will have St. Paul’s adding value to students and communities far into the future. We’d like to share the full expression of our mission, core values and vision with you.

Mission

St. Paul’s mission is to research and teach the knowledge, skills and values needed to address complex local and global development issues.

Core Values

We believe that:

  1. Scholarship, responsible service and a spirit of innovation are necessary to preserve the world for future generations;
  2. Education is enhanced by learning in a community of students, faculty and staff; and
  3. Diversity of perspectives, culture, and faith traditions is essential to a contemporary education.

Vision

St. Paul’s will be known, in Canada and beyond, as a distinctive and diverse university college that educates social innovators to shape a just and humane world.

St. Paul’s will help the University of Waterloo thrive in its sixth decade by creating a unique academic specialization in international development that educates students of the environment, the professions and the arts and sciences about the role of responsible social innovation in addressing global development problems. This specialization will grow into a degree program and eventually a Master’s degree that will attract entrepreneurial students from around the globe who have the passion to make the world a better place for all. One aspect of the new programs will be the critical examination of different religious and cultural perspectives on achieving responsible social change.

St. Paul’s also will act on behalf of the University to attract and support Aboriginal students and to enhance awareness of Aboriginal perspectives and issues in the broader community. The College will explore ways for its programs in international development to provide opportunities to understand and contribute to resolving Aboriginal development issues. The College will also explore the creation of an Aboriginal Learning Centre among other initiatives.

St. Paul’s was founded by The United Church of Canada (UCC), which is a leader among Canada’s faith traditions in the search for social justice. The College’s programs will reflect the values and spirit of this tradition. In this context, St. Paul’s will explore the development of a distinctive Master’s degree in Theology and Globalization that will examine the relationship among theology, development and global stewardship.

In support of this vision, St. Paul’s will shape its living-learning community of undergraduate and graduate residents to provide opportunities for learning, research and dialogue related to its programs and values.