2016 District VIII Leadership Award Recipient

The CASE VIII 2016 Leadership Award recipient is Dr. Vianne Timmons, who became president and vice chancellor of the University of Regina in 2008. This award recognizes a district member institution president or head, chancellor, educational system head, or CEO for outstanding efforts to promote the understanding and support of education.

Under Timmons' leadership, the University of Regina reversed its declining enrollment and has attracted record numbers of students for the last five years. Its Aboriginal student population has grown by 50 percent and enrollment of international students has doubled.

"Vianne is recognized as a thought-leader in the field of international education across Canada and around the world," said Karen McBride, president and CEO of Canadian Bureau for International Education. "She has made an outstanding leadership contribution to the sector – and long before the higher education community in Canada fully embraced the international education agenda."

The first female university president in Saskatchewan, Timmons was named to Canada's "Top 100 Most Powerful Women" list for four consecutive years. She is active in the academic community, currently serving as president of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, chair of Universities Canada's Standing Committee on International Relations, and a member of the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

CASE VIII board chair Chris Horbachewski, vice president for advancement of University of Lethbridge, said, "The CASE District VIII Recognition Program celebrates exemplary achievement in the field of advancement by member institutions and examples of personal leadership that build great institutions. On behalf of the board of CASE District VIII, I would like to congratulate Dr. Timmons on this recognition. Her leadership in post-secondary education, and her contributions to increasing educational accessibility for First Nations, Metis and Inuit people make her an exemplar of what this recognition program stands for."