The Department for Continuing Education is thrilled to have Dr Sheila LeBlanc join us for Trinity term as our Lifelong Learning Visiting Fellow. Dr LeBlanc has been the Associate Vice-President (Continuing Education) at the University of Calgary since 2015 and has over 25-years of academic and industry experience in programme design and teaching, academic leadership, corporate training, business operations, marketing and human resources management. Read more about her career and academic interests in her profile.

On Monday 16 June 2025, Dr LeBlanc will be giving a talk, titled ‘Exploring Possible Futures: The Evolving Role of University Continuing Education’. The call for lifelong learning – essential for individuals, organisations, and the well-being of society – has never been greater. Yet transformational change within universities is challenging, particularly during times of resource constraints. University continuing education departments have a long history of adapting and contributing to innovative change within universities. However, the path forward is not always clear. Using an organisational development lens, this session explores actions that departments could consider towards building a broader lifelong learning ecosystem. To illustrate evolutions in programme provision and partnerships, specific examples from the University of Calgary are shared.