The Faculty of Arts Learning Futures Fund

Published on October 16, 2024
Grants
Digital learning innovation
Funding
Mural on Simard Hall
How can we ensure that emerging technologies improve and add to the individual and collective on- and off-campus experience and expand certificate and degree programs as well as lifelong education? Faculty of Arts professors have led the University of Ottawa in pioneering new and innovative teaching practices and modalities; the Learning Futures Fund supports their creativity, innovation and experimentation.

The Faculty of Arts Learning Futures Fund of $200,000 provides grants of between $10,000 and $25,000 to Faculty of Arts full- and part-time professors. This funding will enable professors to: 

  1. develop new course and program offerings or other initiatives that create opportunities for students not currently enrolled at the Faculty of Arts; 
  2. create online streams of current programs for students outside the National Capital region, including international students; 
  3. propose innovative online offerings that cater to lifelong learning or professional development.  

Eligibility

Faculty of Arts full-time professors and part-time professors. Faculty of Arts staff are eligible if working in collaboration with a full-time professor.   

Available Funding

Grants between $10,000 and $25,000. The Faculty of Arts Learning Futures Fund jury will determine the specific amount based on the type of project and its scope.  

Selection Criteria

  • Potential to strengthen and/or expand access and enrolments to certificate and degree programs or lifelong learning and professional development (see as an example the uOttawa Faculty of Engineering’s Master of Engineering Management (online) program, launched two years ago: https://www.uottawa.ca/faculty-engineering/online-programs/master-engineering-management); 
  • Ease of implementation in the 2025/26 academic year; 
  • Potential for reusability and/or scalability;
  • Potential to make learning more inclusive and/or personalized (i.e., engaging previously underrepresented students through initiatives that address decolonization, equity, diversity and inclusion and economic marginalization); 
  • Potential to contribute to the student experience. 

Note: Interdepartmental/Interfaculty/collaborative proposals are encouraged; please specify the name of your co-applicant on the application form.  

Revenue Generation

Net new revenue which is generated from new enrolments will be transferred to academic units to invest in their priorities. 

Application Process

The submission period for applications will take place from October 17 to November 8, 2024. Applicants can submit their signed and completed applications via email to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts by 4:00 p.m. on November 8, 2024. Download the Learning Futures Fund Application Form.

Intellectual Property

Intellectual property will follow precedents set out in recent agreements with professors in the Faculty of Arts, Département de français that developed online digital-based courses offered partially or completely online thanks to funding from Canadian Heritage, and is determined by the Collective Agreements of the APUO (35.2.1.3) and APTPUO (10.14.1.3). 

Eligible Expenses

Personnel costs (e.g. student support, research support, pedagogical designers, technologists, programmers), equipment, tools, licenses. Full-time professor members of the A.P.U.O may request a course release in lieu of the $10,000-$25,000 funding. 

Questions?

For more information on the Learning Futures Fund, please don’t hesitate to send your questions by email to the Dean’s Office.