Robert David McHardy

• A member of the AC-Kuwait Board of Trustees, reporting to the Chairman of the Board.
• Provided strategic leadership to the College’s Management Team, supervised all academic, student service & administrative operations, and managed relationships between Algonquin College (AC) and 1) Orient Education Services Company (OES) (a privately-owned Kuwaiti company), 2) the Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education & Private Universities Council (PUC), 3) multiple Embassies & Business Councils in Kuwait (including Canada’s), and 4) a network of local & international stakeholders & partners.
• Actively worked with AC-Kuwait and AC academic staff to deploy AC policies, curricula, & student services and, as needed, adapt them to ensure compliance with AC’s, PUC’s & Board of Trustees’ requirements, enhance marketability & competitiveness, and meet the needs of Kuwaiti learners.
• Represented AC internationally, promoted its brand & regional interests, identified & explored opportunities, and contributed to its internationalization/ globalization strategies and initiatives.
 Oversaw the successful launch & operation of Kuwait’s first & only Canadian college.
 Collaboratively crafted multiple AC-Kuwait Strategic Plans and oversaw the development of academic, quality assurance, professional development, student retention & services, and marketing & recruitment plans. Oversaw annual implementation of related goals, strategies, & budgets (annual budget of ~$6M).
 In collaboration with designated resource persons from AC, oversaw the design and implementation of academic support services (including Student Success, Help Centres, Learning Assistance/Accommodation, Library, and Bookstore), student services (including Student Recruitment and Admissions, Registration, Advising/Counselling, Graduate Placement, and Health, Wellness and Medical Services) and student/ campus life services (including clubs, teams, activities and events, and food and beverage services).
 Conducted student research, identified academic skill strengths & deficiencies, divided students into subpopulations, and developed common and tailored orientation and student success support strategies.
 Spearheaded institutional re-visioning & re-invention from a 2-year college into a diploma- & degree-granting “2+2” polytechnic, which involved conducting market research, writing & presenting comprehensive proposals, planning & negotiating changes in governance, accreditation, business model & international agreements, redesigning academic & quality assurance systems, and institutional re-branding.
 Orchestrated the College’s opening & initiation of faculty & staff recruitment & hiring, program & service delivery, advisory councils, student success & help centres, & student awards & graduation ceremonies.
 Oversaw multiple audits by AC, accreditations by PUC, and migration of courses & services to virtual/online.
 Negotiated multiple articulation and collaborative agreements, oversaw the opening of AC-Kuwait’s Entrepreneurship Hub, the establishment of clubs & teams, and the organizing of artistic & recreational events, cultural festivals and innovation/entrepreneurship competitions (e.g., hackathons).

• Reporting to the Vice President, Academic, responsible for providing strategic leadership to 6 Academic Schools, Community, Continuing & International Education, Teaching & Learning, Distributed Learning & Learning Assistance.
• Liaised with 12 Community Campus Committees, 4 levels of government & various business/industrial associations. Facilitated community-based applied research and delivered a comprehensive range of programs using a wide variety of educational technologies & methodologies (including hybrid/hyflex).
• Oversaw the development and management of courses & programs ranging from brokered graduate & undergraduate degrees to YC diplomas to customized international cultural exchange programs.
• Managed a network of 15 community campuses, working with & serving the needs of 14 First Nations.
 Connected local/regional and international Indigenous organizations & communities, promoted collaboration and resource & knowledge sharing, and developed & supported initiatives to address Indigenous priorities & issues, build Indigenous communities’ capacities, contribute to Indigenous self-government, and advance Indigenous reconciliation, regionally, nationally and internationally
 Re-developed Extension’s vision, strategic directions & organizational structure, expanded community campus programs & services, and improved responsiveness, effectiveness, & quality assurance.
 Collaboratively re-developed Academic Policy regarding Special Needs Accommodation and introduced innovations such as Indigenous land-based pedagogies, dual credits, and service learning.
 Led a management team overseeing 80 full-time & 150+ part-time employees and a budget of $10M, including $4.5M in revenues from funded projects, training contracts, & tuition fees

• A member of the ADUKG Board of Directors reporting directly to the Chairman of ADU.
• Co-managed a comprehensive adult education program designed in collaboration with UAE Employment Centres to provide unemployed Emiratis with career counselling, academic advisement, training, coaching and mentorship and help them achieve meaningful, sustainable employment.
• In collaboration with international partners & faculty members, led a cross-functional team to develop programs & services that met international standards, integrated language acquisition with professional skill development, and accommodated the learning needs of second language learners.
• Developed & managed business, resource, marketing & sales plans, budgets, and quality assurance & performance management systems and actively participated in ADU’s ISO9001:2008 Accreditation.
 Created Institute’s inaugural vision, mission, brand, organizational structure, and multi-year plan.
 Managed multiple, concurrent projects that involved the development of unique, customized curricula & learning resources, collaborative learning centres, and delivery to over 7, 000 participants.
 Led 40 - 80 Instructors & staff at 4 sites, generated over $8M in revenues, and met or exceeded KPIs

• Managed all aspects of the Center’s administration & academics, including strategic planning, program & service development & delivery, human resource planning & development, budget management, administrative facility design & operation, and performance & quality management.
• Developed & managed academic, student services & administrative policies & procedures.
 Successfully envisioned & launched the Center, achieved accreditations, established a ground-breaking Teacher Education & Professional Development Program, and met all KPIs.
 Liaised with educational & professional organizations and established strategic relationships & accreditation agreements, aligned curricula with AUK’s Schools & international qualification frameworks, and supported AUK’s accreditation by PUC, NEASC & ACBSP.
 Enrolled 4, 400 participants & generated over $3M in revenues in first 3 years of operation.

• Managed 2 branch campuses & a wide variety of academic & professional programs in Business & IT.
• Managed an award -winning federally-funded Self-Employment Centre in East Vancouver.
 Increased all significant performance indicators by at least 100%, enhanced Faculty Professional Development, and improved student satisfaction & retention.
 Achieved and maintained accreditation by ISO 9000 quality management system, Human Resources & Skills Development Canada, Certified General & Management Accountants Associations of Canada, Microsoft Canada, Project Management Institute, and UBC.
 Successfully established a broad network of partners, developed mutually-beneficial partnerships, and significantly improved inter-departmental & inter-organizational relations.

• Designed and managed provincial Certification systems and compliance facilitation strategies
• Worked extensively with companies, associations, enforcement officers and managers, and lawyers to interpret regulatory and statutory requirements, establish and articulate occupational standards, develop training programs' curricula and teaching/learning resources, write and publish "how to" manuals, and advocate integrating enhanced workplace health and safety practices into successful business operations
 Planned and coordinated the successful provincial implementation of the Workers Compensation Amendment Act and Occupational Health & Safety Regulations.
 Helped design, develop and deliver synchronous, province-wide training for WCB officers
 Conducted province-wide focus groups with internal and external stakeholders and developed universally-acceptable courses and approval processes for joint committee training.

• Managed all aspects of operations, including campus personnel & resources and $2.4M budget.
• Provided regional leadership, developing and reviewing BC curricula and negotiating & managing accreditation/ certification programs, articulation agreements and strategic alliances.
 Increased profitability from -10% to +25%, improved student satisfaction and retention rates by 25%, and increased student population by 100%.
 Completely restructured and re-equipped the Campus, academically and administratively.
 Developed entirely new outcome-based programs and curricula for BC.

Chair, Continuing Education & Open Learning, 1994 - 96 and
Director, Distance & Individualized Learning, 1992 - 94
• Managed specific College-wide CE programs and all programs and services associated with Open Learning, Seneca TeleCollege, and Canadian Armed Forces & Penitentiary College Programs.
 Conceived and organized the first Distance & Individualized and OL departments, including: course development; international delivery; registration and learning resource center services; faculty development & orientation programs; and, tutor & student support systems.
 Increased enrollments by 100%.
 Introduced blended learning, on-line and audio-conferenced delivery options.

Chair, York Region, 1983 - 92

• Planned and coordinated the introduction and expansion of education/training programs and services throughout York Region.
• Managed specific College-wide and multi-College Continuing Educatiams. Organized Advisory Committees and reviewed and revamped & programs.
• Managed 10 full-time and 800 part-time faculty and staff at 19 locations (annual budget: $3.1M).
 Increased annual part-time student enrolments in York Region from 1, 200 to 12, 000.
 Developed programs and services that directly contributed to corporate, organizational and economic development successes in the Region and its nine municipalities.
 Co-operatively acquired, designed, equipped, and operated four new campus facilities.
 Introduced distance/individualized learning to the Region and established an integrated network of multi-mode community and corporate learning centres and College campuses.