Innovation Leadership

Elevating quality and teaching excellence.

 

 

 

 

Icons representing key themes: industry connection, expanded learning pathways, applied research innovation, and international collaboration.

Industry
connection

SAIT’s relationship with industry plays a vital role in supporting the economy through practical, career-connected applied learning and tangible innovation solutions driven by applied research. As the world continues to change, ongoing efforts to enhance holistic and consistent engagement with industry partners, new and old, is more important than ever.

Goals in this area include:

  • Elevate our strategic partnerships with industry in support of learner success, career readiness, innovation and applied research, and economic development and diversification.
  • Establish partnerships with companies in emerging and rapidly advancing sectors.
  • Expand structured opportunities for industry/learner networking and mentorship.
  • Partner with industry to co-create new programs aligned to regional market needs.

Expanded learning pathways
and advanced credentials

As jobs become more complex and economic growth increasingly depends on innovation, Alberta’s talent pipeline requires advanced technical skills to stay competitive with global jurisdictions. Recognizing that every learner’s journey is unique, an eclectic learning pathway structure complements the evolving needs of our learners and their career choices.

Goals in this area include:

  • Develop pathways into bachelor degree programs for all SAIT learners.
  • Design non-credit programs to be flexible, compatible and stackable with our credit programs.
  • Develop transfer and articulation agreements with international applied learning institutions providing laddering opportunities into graduate-level applied degrees.
  • Develop a strategy for expanding our range of credentials to include advanced applied technical qualifications that ensure our graduates are globally competitive and drive innovation.
Six people stand underneath a lime green Care Bakery banner. The banner reads Care Bakery: Purveyors of the finest gluten free breads.
A recipe for mentorship with SAIT’s business capstone

When Amanda Atkinson sat down in her capstone class at SAIT in 2023, she was one in a modest room of 14 students.

When Amanda Atkinson sat down in her capstone class at SAIT in 2023, she was one in a modest room of 14 students.

In capstone classes, small groups of students help local businesses address a need or challenge they're facing. They get to apply the skills they've been learning in the classroom to the real world — while also building their portfolios and professional networks.

Atkinson could already see the potential — she accurately predicted the class would balloon in popularity in the semesters to come. One capstone project and a SAIT diploma later, she continues to support SAIT's business capstone course, but this time as an employer, not a student.

Read the full story
A spacious aircraft hangar featuring various planes, including a yellow biplane and a private jet, with a technician working on one of the aircraft.
SAIT partners with global aviation leader Lufthansa Technik to propel aircraft maintenance education

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Lufthansa Technik Canada (LTCA) will bring a collaborative approach to developing new aviation training.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and Lufthansa Technik Canada (LTCA) will bring a collaborative approach to developing new aviation training.

Following the recent announcement of the creation of LTCA, SAIT, and the leading global provider of aircraft maintenance, have established a partnership to solidify a pipeline of skilled career-ready aviation professionals to support Alberta’s growing aerospace sector.

Leveraging SAIT’s expertise to deliver industry-leading technical education and Lufthansa standards of excellence, this strategic partnership will address a critical gap in aviation expertise to fulfill a growing demand in the workforce.

Read the full media release

Innovation through
applied research

Expanding SAIT’s reach of applied research and integrating research opportunities with our programs drives industry innovation, helps address complex societal challenges, expands our academic curriculum and builds curiosity in our graduates.

Goals in this area include:

  • Deepen the engagement between SAIT’s applied research teams, industry, faculty and learners.
  • Expand our range of applied research and innovation services in support of commercialization.
  • Establish collaborations with applied research teams in other parts of the world to broaden our industry relationships and access to expertise and knowledge.

International collaboration
and partnerships

As SAIT continues to evolve, it is crucial that we develop partnerships with institutions around the world. The mutual learning and sharing of ideas, resources and people enriches both partners by exposing them to new thinking.

Goals in this area include:

  • New international partnerships with leading universities of applied science and technological universities to collaborate on credential development, learner mobility and applied research.
  • Joint international delivery of credentials leveraging the complementary strengths of respective institutions.
  • Promote global partnerships on scholarly projects to exchange leading-edge knowledge.

More about our plan and strategic pathways:

Future ready skills

Building the skills you need for work, life and lifelong learning.

World-class learning experience

Elevating quality and teaching excellence.

BOLD FUTURES

a view of the moutains and stream in between

Oki, Âba wathtech, Danit'ada, Tawnshi, Hello.

SAIT is located on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and the people of Treaty 7 which includes the Siksika, the Piikani, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Îyârhe Nakoda of Bearspaw, Chiniki and Goodstoney.

We are situated in an area the Blackfoot tribes traditionally called Moh’kinsstis, where the Bow River meets the Elbow River. We now call it the city of Calgary, which is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta.