Growth on the Horizon: Institutional Perspectives on the Way Forward for Canadian Institutions

Geoff Wilmshurst

Vice-President Partnerships

Camosun College

Geoff Wilmshurst is Vice-President Partnerships, at Camosun College in Victoria, British Columbia where he is responsible for International Education, Continuing Education, Contract Training, Ancillary Services Advancement, Alumni and external relations.

In 1992 Geoff started his career in Ottawa at Petro Canada International Assistance Corporation as Asia Program Officer.  In 1992 he joined World University Service of Canada (WUSC) in Ottawa in the China and refugee departments.  He followed that with six years in New York as the Manager of Programs at AFS International where he helped to develop the 18+ program portfolio.

In 2003, Geoff returned to Canada and took on the inaugural role of Manager, Study Abroad at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Kamloops, BC.  In 2006 Geoff was assigned to the Canadian Institute of International Studies in Chandigarh, India as the India Director for TRU.  Upon his return one year later he headed up TRU’s international marketing and recruitment division.

In 2008 Geoff joined Study Group, an international private educational pathway provider, as Director of Business Development for Canada.  Geoff was responsible for the development of the Study Group International Study Centre at Royal Roads University.  He joined Camosun in 2011.

In addition to the United States and India, Geoff has worked and studied in China and Japan.  Geoff is a graduate of Saint Mary’s University in Halifax and Shandong Normal University in China.

Geoff lives with his wife Branka and dog Luna in Victoria, British Columbia.

Dr. Rick Huijbregts

Vice-President, Strategy & Innovation

George Brown College

As Vice-President, Strategy & Innovation, Dr. Rick Huijbregts oversees strategic planning and partnership development to ensure George Brown College remains well positioned to evolve and adapt for the digital and rapidly changing future. He strives to advance community and industry innovation while providing students with relevant and hands-on learning opportunities through applied research and entrepreneurship.

Rick is responsible for shaping George Brown’s vision for 2030 and developing the corresponding business strategy. He leads the Registrar’s Office, Marketing and Recruitment, Publishing, and the International Centre. Rick is also responsible for Alumni Relations, Applied Research, Capital Planning, Entrepreneurship, Facilities Management, Institutional Research, and Strategic Partnerships.

Among his many career accomplishments so far, Rick spent 12 years with Cisco, most recently as Vice-President of Digital Transformation and Innovation at Cisco Canada. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his transformational work in municipal innovation in Canada. Rick is still also a frequent speaker and thought leader in matters of innovation, digital transformation, and Smart Cities and serves on various Smart City advisory boards such as Toronto, Markham, and Vaughan. Rick is a faculty at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design Executive Education where he focuses on Smart Cities, Smart Buildings, and Digital Transformation.

Before moving into his current role, Rick was an Executive-in-Residence at George Brown and Chair of the Building Automation Program Advisory Committee. In honour of his many contributions to the college, in 2017 he was granted an honorary Honours Bachelor of Technology (Construction Management).

As VP, Digital Transformation and Innovation at Cisco Canada, Rick engaged in digitization and business development in many sectors, including education, health care, oil and gas, financial services and real estate. Prior to his VP role, Rick was General Manager for Cisco Canada’s Smart + Connected Communities practice and he was Managing Director Americas, Internet of Everything (IoT) and Industry Solutions Acceleration. Before his time at Cisco, he was the Executive Director of the Center for Design Informatics at the Harvard Design School and was co-founder and CEO at Edificium, an internet-based construction collaboration platform.

Rick holds a Doctorate from Harvard University Graduate School of Design, a Master’s of Science from Delft University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the Tilburg Polytechnics College in the Netherlands.

Christine Wach

Director of Client Partnerships

IDP Connect Canada

Christine leads the IDP Connect Canada team, including strategic partnerships across digital recruitment and student placement and IQ Consulting Services. Christine joined IDP Connect with 17 years’ experience in post-secondary education including international recruitment and strategic enrollment management, partnerships, IELTS testing, and tech driven student support programs.

Mike Henniger

Senior Consultant

IDP Connect Canada

Mike Henniger is an international education professional who brings two decades of success and experience in the university, vocational and language training sectors. Mike works closely with organizations across Canada to help identify data needs, provide consulting, and refine marketing and recruitment strategies based on IDP Connect IQ Intelligence services.