Strategic Direction + Plans

Innovating and Creating New Opportunities

Emily Carr is devoted to studio-based creativity in the service of innovation, research, and learning at the undergraduate and graduate level. Our mission is to develop informed artists, designers, and media practitioners who can contribute their creative output and research to Canada's economy and to its growing knowledge and cultural sectors. A multidisciplinary institute, Emily Carr offers an environment where artists, designers, technologists, researchers, and educators interact and collaborate on projects and programs. These are aimed at fostering a cross-fertilization or transfer of specialist knowledge and practices which contribute to shaping art, design, and technology.

UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE DEGREES

Teaching and research at Emily Carr take place across 11 majors and three degrees, including Master of Applied Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Design. In addition to our 1,700 full-time students, we also have approximately 2,300 non-credit students taking courses at our two campuses. The University employs 193 regular faculty, staff and administrators, and over 200 temporary and sessional employees. Fifteen percent of our students come from 50 countries, and at any given time we have 35 exchange students from all over the world. We are one of only eight art institutions in North America with over 1,000 FTEs.

OPPORTUNITIES

Our graduates are among the most sought-after in the cultural arena. We produce visual artists working in museums, galleries, small companies, and the entertainment industry; designers excelling in graphic, industrial, and web design; and graduates rising to the challenge of new media in B.C. and Canada. Our media creators work in film, video, and television, and at some of the best-known and successful animation companies in the world. We have alumni at Apple, Pixar, Disney, Nokia, Adobe, Radical Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Mattel, Sony, and many other companies. Many of our students have gone on to teach at major universities. As well, our research initiatives have resulted in major grants as the University becomes more involved in the development of the creative industries in Canada.

ENVIRONMENT

Within an environment that is professional, practice-oriented, and at the same time rooted in history and critical theory, students are encouraged to develop new and innovative ways of thinking and creating. Bachelor and Masters degrees offered in Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts provide a careful balance of studio and academic programming supported by an innovative infrastructure of over 170,000 sq. ft. This includes computer and digital production laboratories, photography laboratories, printmaking studios, ceramic studios, painting studios, the library, indoor and outdoor sculpture areas, woodshops, design studios, classrooms and galleries. The $4.3 million Intersections Digital Studio, supported by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund as well as Emily Carr and Western Economic Development, is facilitating Emily Carr's expansion into the digital arts.

MISSION

Emily Carr University of Art + Design is a learning community devoted to excellence and innovation in visual arts, media arts, and design.

VISION

Emily Carr’s vision is to be a worldwide centre of excellence in art, design, and media education and research.

VALUES

The following is a brief overview of the philosophical framework within which the University pursues its mission.

Learning

We aspire to ensure that programs, courses and sources are relevant to the needs and interests of students, business/industry and society.

We are committed to providing graudates with as many tools as possible to empower them as they go into the world to develop their careers.

We uphold the values of intellectual integrity and professional excellence in areas of specialization.

We affirm the importance of centrality of creative practices in all of the arts.

People

We believe in the importance of participative and consultative processes that involve the people affected by decision making and consider both individual and group roles and responsibilities.

We aspire to an ideal of excellence in all program and service areas.

We believe in encouraging and celebrating cultural diversity.

We strive to advocate for and maintain equitable practices in all areas.

Accessiblity + Accountability

We are committed to sound fiscal management.

We aspire to create accessibility to our programs for students of varied financial means.

Research

We believe that research in visual, media and design disciplines is vital for the creative economic growth of local and global communities.

We are committed to supporting faculty and students in research endeavours.

Community

We aspire to play a critical and advisory role on artistic, cultural, academic, professional and local issues in the community.

We believe that through dynamic interactions with the artistic and design community the University and the community at large will benefit.

We believe that collaboration with other educational institutions, business, industry and professions is essential for community building.

Environmental Responsibility

We aspire to continually improve upon our environmental responsibilites and sustainable practices.

We are committed to furthering environmental awareness and sustainability.