NAIT Expands Academic Structure to Enhance Student Experience

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) has announced a significant transformation in its academic structure, expanding from four to seven schools. This change, effective for the 2024-2025 school year, aims to improve the student experience and strengthen industry connections.

This restructuring is referred to as a “strategic reorganization,” which is designed to better align educational programs with real-world industry demands. It is the first major revision in nearly a decade and is expected to mimic the collaborative environment found in various workplaces.

According to Peter Leclaire, the Vice President Academic at NAIT, this adjustment will create a more agile and interconnected educational framework. He noted that the previous structure created challenges in maintaining strong connections between programs and the industries they serve.

The new seven schools are: the JR Shaw School of Business, the School of Construction and Building Sciences, the School of Energy and Natural Resources, the School of Health and Life Sciences, the School of Manufacturing and Automation, the School of Media and Information Technology, and the School of Transportation.

Leclaire emphasized that the change resulted from extensive consultations with faculty members, staff, and industry partners. This transformation marks an ongoing project that will continue to evolve in response to future workforce requirements.

As part of this initiative, NAIT has appointed two new deans. Agatha Ojimelukwe, who previously served as interim director of Applied Research at NAIT, has been named the dean of the School of Energy and Natural Resources. Stephen McMillan, formerly the dean of mechanical engineering at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, will lead the School of Manufacturing and Automation and the School of Transportation.

The goal of this reorganization is to broaden NAIT’s capacity to accommodate more students while fulfilling the demand for skilled talent in critical industries.