Dr. Richard Florizone, President and Vice Chancellor, Dalhousie University

As Dalhousie celebrates their 200th anniversary, we talked to Dr. Richard Florizone, President and Vice Chancellor.

Tell us about Dalhousie and the greatest opportunities/challenges that lie ahead.

"This year, Dalhousie marks 200 years of achievement. It has been an opportunity for us to reflect on how far we’ve come, and to dream about what our future has in store.

As we enter Dalhousie’s third century, it is our privilege and our responsibility to reimagine and recommit to the foundational principles and values that have guided us over the past 200 years.

First and foremost, we believe in the transformative power of education; in its potential to shape and add meaning to our lives and our world.

We have a passion for the discovery of new knowledge, both as a noble human endeavor and for its application to the broader world.

We are committed to inclusion, because an institution genuinely dedicated to free inquiry and academic excellence cannot exclude anyone based on simply their identity.

We believe in service to society, in the potential of Dalhousie to act as a catalyst for the social, cultural, and economic development of our communities, country and world.

And finally, we believe in partnerships, because nobody does anything alone, and that is as true for institutions as it is for individuals.

Dalhousie must continue to strive to be intelligent, inclusive and inspiring. To be a place where we develop ideas, knowledge and talent to build a better world. Where we reconcile our past and draw on the diverse strengths of all our people. Where we inspire creativity, courage and compassion. Where we take our place, both as a global institution and as the leading research university for Atlantic Canada."

What do you see as the greatest advantages of operating a business in Halifax?

"There’s real momentum building in Halifax and Atlantic Canada. More than half of the students in all of our universities have chosen to come here from outside the province. In fact, the number of international students studying at Nova Scotia universities has increased by roughly 40% in the last five years. Many are choosing to not only study here, but to stay here after they graduate. They are finding employment, buying homes, and starting families.

In addition, there’s no shortage of exceptional talent in our region. Halifax has been recognized for having more promising IT start-ups than any other city in the country – more than Toronto, more than Ottawa, and more than even Waterloo. If that doesn’t suggest momentum, consider that in the last seven years, we have had close to $2 billion in sales of Atlantic Canadian start-ups.

Finally, we are home to incredible young Atlantic Canadians, whose creativity, compassion, courage, and talent places them among the very best in the world."

Hiring youth is important to the economic growth of Nova Scotia – what is Dalhousie doing?

"Universities play a critical role in supporting the future growth of our city, province, and region. We offer an environment of teaching and learning excellence; a hub of world leading research, innovation and commercialization; and opportunities for our students, faculty and staff to connect with and serve our communities.

At Dalhousie, we empower students and faculty to be the best innovators and entrepreneurs, making an impact locally and globally.

We support entrepreneurial thinking, enabling collaborations and connections that help transform ideas into innovative and applied solutions. We are also educating highly qualified graduates, stimulating start-ups, assisting industry, building research excellence and creating new knowledge for cultural and social understanding. This allows us to serve as a catalyst for economic and social development."