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Algonquin College |
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Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd, PhD FBPsS FRSA
Dr. Murgatroyd has worked in K-12, colleges and universities as a teacher and in the latter as an executive level administrator. He has been recognized for his expertise in online learning - 30 years for two of the major distance teaching Universities in the world including United Kingdom, Open University and Australia and CIO for Contact North. Dr. Murgatroyd’s other accomplishments include: participation on the National Research Council Renewal project; on the development and creation of EnergyINet; on Alberta’s roadmap for the bio-economy, as well as the current state assessment of the province’s information and communications technology sector. In 2008-2009, he worked on the redesign and organizational structure of the provincially-funded research and innovation system. These resulted in major reinvestments in innovation, including a $100 million matching fund for venture capital, the introduction of innovation vouchers (a first in North America) and the redesign of a number of programs. Dr. Murgatroyd has also acted as a futurist for the governments of Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, working at senior levels of government on policy, strategy and communications. He has recently completed advisory work for Ontario government ministers on the future of post-secondary education and on the need for a cultural-based innovation strategy. He is currently engaged in work focused on the future of the forest industry in Alberta and on a strategy for genomics. Dr. Murgatroyd is the author of 32 books with 8 more on the way. His new book – Renaissance Leadership – Rethinking the Future (with Don Simpson) – has sold over 5,000 copies in less than a year since publication. As a working journalist, Dr. Murgatroyd has written extensively on innovation, most recently for the business magazine Alberta Venture. He is a regular contributor to The Edmonton Journal and has hosted TV and radio programs, the most recent of which was a TV series on the Future of Cities for Canadian Learning Television. He has written undergraduate and graduate level distance learning courses for The Open University and Athabasca University and is a frequent blogger. Finally, Dr. Murgatroyd served for three years as Chair of the not-for-profit educational charity, “The Galileo Educational Network”, and currently serves as a Trustee of the “Alberta Heritage Community Foundation” and as a Director of the “Energy Futures Network”. He has also served a three-year term on the Board of the Alberta Ballet. Keynote Address Dr. Murgatroyd’s keynote address entitled "The Future of Learning: Colleges Are Where It's At!" will give context and meaning to the kinds of changes occurring in post-secondary education in Canada. It will look at the way in which technology and demographics are challenging us to think differently about the future of learning. While technological changes are important, a new pedagogy is what is really needed to position College education as the engine of social and economic development and environmental sustainability in Ontario. The presentation will further look at what the future holds for all employees, not just those who teach or are in senior leadership positions. |
Dr. Stephen Murgatroyd is President of Murgatroyd Communications & Consulting Inc., through which he is closely involved with the innovation agenda across Canada.