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 Start-up 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

  • 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. 
  • 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.  
  • 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. 

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. 
  • Science Meets Parliament — This program, and similar initiatives, brings academic perspectives into conversations with policymakers to build relationships. 
  • The 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. 

National

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  • 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. 
  • Maternal Newborn and Child Health in Rwanda — This program aims to strengthen policy development in maternal, newborn, and child health in Rwanda. 
  • 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. 

The Government Relations Department at Western University demonstrates our commitment to collaborating with the municipal government in the City of London, the provincial government in 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Food Support: Western has initiatives to address food insecurity among students, ensuring they have access to nutritious meals.
  • Transportation: A London Transit Bus Pass is included in all undergraduate students’ tuition. Graduate students are part of the universal bus pass program.
  • Financial Counselling: Access to confidential financial aid counselling and financial literacy workshops.

Health & Wellness

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

Academic & Career Support

  • WUSC Partner: Western partners with the World University Service of Canada to provide education to refugees through the Student Refugee Program.
  • Academic Support: Develops strengths, provides leadership opportunities, and builds confidence and competence to thrive.
  • 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.
  • Career Education: Helps students understand who they are and who they want to become. They are empowered to explore options and make career decisions.

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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 (in the 2022-23 cohort, approximately 32% of students qualified for this grant).

Western's support includes but is not limited to: 

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 supports to students to ensure they have access to education and resources, including partnering with World University Service of Canada to provide education to refugees through the Student Refugee Program. Many of our initiatives are open to students from low-income countries, including international students.

Financial Supports

Additional Resources and Initiatives

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Local Start-up 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.

  • 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.
  • Western Angels’ Demo Day: This investor event connects budding start-ups 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Regenerator Initiative: This Ivey program is dedicated to agri-food start-ups 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.
  • 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.
    • 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.
    • Innovation North: Is developing the capacity of future leaders to tackle complex problems using systems thinking.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Improving Access to Basic Services for All

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

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:

  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • Pillar nonprofit network: Improves the operational capabilities of non-profit organizations who work to provide basic services for all. 
  • Volunteer Fair: Over 30 local non-profit organizations present volunteer opportunities to staff and students.  
  • Community Service Learning: Provides free dental treatment to community members in need. 
  • 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. 
  • Community Legal Services: CLS provides free legal services to low-income people in the London community. 
  • Homelessness Healthcare Conference: Innovative care models and small group workshops provide health professionals with practical skills to support homeless healthcare. 
  • 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. 

Admission of Low-income Students 

We admit students that fall into the bottom 20% of household income. We are committed to ensuring that these students have equal opportunities for admission based on their educational performance. Western admits students solely on the basis of grades and program-specific admission requirements (e.g., a portfolio component for Visual Arts). Students from the bottom quintile of household income qualify for admission based on their academic achievements. They can access the financial support outlined below as needed. Western offers Access Pathways for equity-deserving groups, including low-income applicants.