HPME Pursues Institute Status
 By: Louise Lemieux-Charles, Chair, HPME
The Department of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (HPME) has submitted a proposal to the University of Toronto (U of T) to become an Extra Departmental Unit (EDU-A) — specifically, an Institute.
HPME is a small, but strong, interdisciplinary graduate department. Becoming an Institute will ensure its viability as well as open up new possibilities for the future.
Building on Department Strengths
Becoming an Institute will provide HPME with new opportunities to build on its strengths: respected graduate programs; internationally-known faculty; strong programs of research in clinical epidemiology/health care research (CEHCR) and health services/policy research (HSR); high-calibre students; and committed alumni.
Specifically, EDU-A status will allow the Department to accomplish the following:
- Continue to build on its strengths and shape its own graduate programs
- Formalize and strengthen its collaborations with its academic, research and policy partners internal and external to U of T
- Formalize existing cross-departmental relationships to increase access to faculty in other departments
- Build visibility for HPME’s research and educational activities
- Create increased opportunities for partnerships
- Enhance fundraising for endowed chairs to support recruitment and retention of top-rated faculty members
- Enhance its ability to attract strong leadership for the future as the Department begins its search for a new chair in the coming year (my term as chair ends in 2012).
Minimal Impact on the Department
If the Department’s proposal is approved, HPME will retain its current independence and full responsibility for its own budget and graduate programs, as well as for admitting graduate students and hiring faculty. HPME’s student enrollment is likely to remain at its existing level, given current university and government funding.
There will be some changes to governance. Currently, HPME reports to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine. Under the proposal, the Faculty of Medicine will remain the lead faculty for HPME. However, the Institute will also report to the Dalla Lana School of Public Health as a means of formalizing its collaborative relationship with the School.
The proposal has been approved by Faculty Council in the Faculty of Medicine, and will now go before several U of T decision-making bodies for approval in the fall: the Academic Priorities and Programs Committee, the Academic Board, and the Governing Council. If approved, the change will take place this academic year.
Find out More
For more information, please consult our Q&A document and/or drop me a line. |
