SDG 1 - Strategic Initiatives

 

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At Western University, we are committed to educational success and high graduation rates for all of our students. Our strategic plan, Towards Western at 150, calls us to Create a more equitable and inclusive Western where We will embark on a formal program of strategic enrolment management for undergraduate recruitment that will, among other things, attract and retain strong applicants from equity-deserving groups. We are mandated to establish a baseline of demographic information for students, faculty, and staff to set goals for increased representation among members of equity-deserving groups.

Policy Guidance
Student Supports
Financial Support
Low-Income Country Support
Additional Supports
Local Startup Assistance
Improving Basic Services
Admission

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Policy Guidance

Western actively engages in policymaking with the goal of ending poverty in all its dimensions. Our efforts span local, regional, national, and global levels. We provide expert advice to governments through policy guidance, committees, and partnerships.

Local

  • Centre for Urban Policy and Local Governance: This centre connects policy practitioners, academics, and the public to understand the urban context of policymaking by all levels of government. 
  • City of London Local Government Program: Western collaborates with the City of London to offer a graduate diploma specializing in local administration and policy analysis, with a focus on London.  
  • United Way Campaign: Through its United Way campaign, Western collaborates with NGOs to shape public policy aimed at reducing poverty. This partnership focuses on investing in local services and programs, advocating for community needs, and shaping public policy. 

regional

  • Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion: This centre aims to inform policy for better health outcomes, focusing on the effects of socio-economic conditions and the importance of financial stability. 
  • Future of Agri-Food: Ivey’s ongoing event series, freely available to all farmers and policymakers, seeks to address collaborative solutions to poverty and food insecurity through technology and policymaking. 
  • Science Meets Parliament: This program, and similar initiatives, brings academic perspectives into conversations with policymakers to build relationships. 

National

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  • Institute for Social and Economic Policy Research: The institute’s research focuses on policies related to educational attainment, poverty, inequality, immigration, diversity, population change, local government, urban affairs, and community development.
  • Maternal Newborn and Child Health in Rwanda: This program aims to strengthen policy development in maternal, newborn, and child health in Rwanda. 
  • Western Heads East: This initiative addresses global poverty in rural communities by improving access to education, increasing land ownership, and expanding economic opportunities. It engages government agencies to drive policy changes.  

The Government Relations Department at Western University demonstrates our commitment to collaborating with the municipal government of the City of London, the provincial government of Ontario, and the federal government of Canada. Under the leadership of Alex Irving, Executive Director of Government Relations, we strive to enhance relationships and develop comprehensive approaches to policy issues.

Student Supports 

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Western University offers a variety of support services to help students from low-income families succeed academically and manage their financial challenges:

Financial Support

  • Financial Aid Programs: Western provides numerous bursaries, scholarships, and awards based on financial need. These funds help cover tuition, residence fees, rent, food, books, and other essential expenses.
  • Financial Counselling: Access to confidential financial aid counselling and financial literacy workshops.
  • Free Store: This is a space for campus community members to donate items they no longer want and take home things for free.
  • Special Assistance Programs: Additional bursaries and grants are available for students with special needs, including those from low-income families. These programs help cover educational costs and other expenses.
  • Transportation: A London Transit Bus Pass is included in all undergraduate students’ tuition. Graduate students are part of the universal bus pass program.
  • Work-Study Program: This program allows students to work part-time on campus, providing them with a source of income while gaining valuable work experience.

Health & Wellness

  • Community Legal Services: Offers free legal advice and services to low-income people in the London community, including Western University students.
  • Food Support: Western has initiatives to address food insecurity among students, ensuring they have access to nutritious meals.
  • Health & Wellness: An appointment-based medical clinic is available for all students, covered by a minimal auxiliary tuition fee.
  • Housing Support: The university offers assistance with on-campus housing and can provide guidance for finding affordable off-campus housing.
  • Mental Health and Peer Supports: Free support groups, consultations, referrals, groups, and workshops are available.

Academic & Career Support

  • Academic Support: Develops strengths, provides leadership opportunities, and builds confidence and competence to thrive.
  • Career Education: Helps students understand who they are and who they want to become. They are empowered to explore options and make career decisions.
  • LSAT Preparation: Western Law offers a free course annually for aspiring law students who are economically disadvantaged.
  • Schulich Admissions Counselling: Free mentorship and application support to underrepresented students.
  • Talent Acquisition: HirewesternU connects equity-deserving students with employers.
  • WUSC Partner: Western partners with the World University Service of Canada to provide education to refugees through the Student Refugee Program.

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Our Financial Aid Program helps students from low-income families and additional equity-deserving groups overcome financial barriers and food insecurity to succeed academically. Costs considered include tuition, ancillary fees, residence fees, rent, food, books & equipment, and more. Assistance is provided through awards, bursaries, and the Work-Study Program, potentially covering all costs for four years.

The Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is available to all Ontario residents who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugees, or other protected persons. Additionally, the Canada Student Grant for Full-Time Students is available to those who pay taxes in Canada and are in financial need (approximately one-third of Ontario secondary students qualify for this grant).

Western's support for domestic, international, and low-income students includes:

We also have an Institutional Special Bursary Program to help students from low-income families participate in post-secondary education on a part-time basis.

Low-Income Country Support 

Western offers Student Supports and Financial Support to ensure students from low-income countries have access to education and resources. Western partners with World University Service of Canada to provide education to refugees through the Student Refugee Program. Many of our initiatives are open to international students.

Financial Supports

Additional Resources and Initiatives

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Local Startup Assistance

Western provides assistance in the local community to support financially and socially sustainable startups. Western Entrepreneurship harnesses the university’s collective expertise to arm the next generation of leaders with entrepreneurial and leadership skills that enable them to develop great ideas that excite the world.

  • Centre for Building Sustainable Value: BSV houses four labs dedicated to helping organizations and the economy transition to net-zero GHG emissions and circular models. They collaborate with local organizations and host events and workshops to integrate sustainable practices into the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
    • Circular Economy Lab: Identifies, examines, and facilitates waste-repurposing exchanges between businesses.
    • Innovation North: Is developing the capacity of future leaders to tackle complex problems using systems thinking.
    • Net Zero Lab: Engages a cross-sector group of leading Canadian businesses taking bold climate action.
    • Sustainable Finance Lab: Supports local businesses by developing innovative financial instruments and strategies that integrate environmental and social factors to promote long-term economic growth.
  • Dedicated Retail Space: The Dellelce Family Bookstore offers dedicated retail space in the store and mentorship providing valuable expertise surrounding inventory management, merchandising, sales, and marketing.
  • Founders Journey: A free, online course, taught by Ivey’s award-winning professors. This course guides participants through the step-by-step process of launching a business. Professors provide insights and use real-life business cases to help students understand the entrepreneurial process. Participants earn a certificate upon completion.
  • Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship:  Powered by Ivey Business School, Morrissette offers coaching, community, funding, on-demand learning, education, and more. They prioritize ventures that promote sustainability and responsible consumption.
  • Network for Business Sustainability: BSV hosts this free network, which facilitates knowledge sharing across an international community of business leaders, scholars, and students. Focusing on cutting-edge sustainability topics, Knowledge Hubs centralize resources, collaboration, and community around issues that are essential to sustainable development. In 2023-24, NBS attracted 157,000 new users, all learning to make their businesses more sustainable.
  • Regenerator Initiative: This Ivey program is dedicated to agri-food startups that exemplify the World Economic Forum’s call to “regenerate the future”. Through a 16-week intensive program, selected ventures receive hands-on mentorship and educational training from in-house experts and industrial partners as they act on the twin critical issues of decarbonization and biodiversity conservation.
  • Ronald D. Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation: This is a place where tomorrow’s entrepreneurs will cultivate their entrepreneurial spirit, whether they’re in engineering, music, journalism, law, medicine, science, business, or the arts. It features various collaborator, collision, and maker spaces, all housed in Western’s first net-zero energy building.
  • Seed Your Startup: This competition helps young entrepreneurs transition from ideas to action. The winning team in each category receives seed money for their startup.
  • Western Accelerator: This four-month program is an immersive education in entrepreneurship for new high-potential ventures. Accepted founders will receive mentorship, education, weekly workshops, and $12,000 in funding.
  • Western Angels’ Demo Day: This investor event connects budding startups with experienced entrepreneurs and investors, facilitating over $6.3M in private investment, industry connections, and mentorship. Business models that are sustainable and scalable are scored higher in the competition.

Visit the Western Research Innovation Showcase page to see some of the world-class startups and direct-to-market products that were developed with consultation from Western’s technology transfer office. 

Improving Access to Basic Services for All

Western aims to provide access to basic services through on-campus services and off-campus volunteerism.

On-campus supports include:

Off-campus volunteer efforts include:

  • Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion: CRHESI works with local community organizations, including the City of London, London Homeless Coalition, and the Middlesex London Health Unit, to support the region’s most vulnerable populations. 
  • Community Engaged Learning: Western students are partnered with groups, individuals, and organizations in the London region. In 2023-24, a total of 3,255 students partnered with 85 organizations. 
  • Community Legal Services: CLS provides free legal services to low-income people in the London community. 
  • Community Service Learning: Provides free dental treatment to community members in need. 
  • Homelessness Healthcare Conference: Innovative care models and small group workshops provide health professionals with practical skills to support homeless healthcare. 
  • Orientation Serves for Community Partners: Annual event for incoming, first-year students to immerse themselves in the London community for a day of volunteering and learning about local organizations. 
  • Pillar nonprofit network: Improves the operational capabilities of non-profit organizations who work to provide basic services for all. 
  • United Way Campaign: United Way is focused on partnerships that reduce and prevent poverty, provide food and basic needs, and reduce homelessness locally. Western’s 2024 United Way campaign raised $572,000 for our community. 
  • Volunteer Fair: Over 30 local non-profit organizations present volunteer opportunities to staff and students.  

Admission of Low-Income Students 

Western admits students that fall into the bottom 20% of household income. Approximately 1/3 of our students entering directly from an Ontario high school qualify for the Canada Student Grant for students in financial need, as determined by the Canadian government based on family income.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, especially from members of equity-deserving groups or students from systemically oppressed groups, whose diverse perspectives and lived experiences bring important contributions to Western. Equity-deserving students can choose to apply through our admission pathways.

Financial Supports help students from low-income families and other equity-deserving groups overcome financial barriers and food insecurity, enabling them to succeed academically.