Weytkp. Bonjour. Hello everyone,

Welcome back. I hope the winter break offered time to rest, recharge, and reconnect with what matters most. I also hope your first weeks of classes are going well; it’s wonderful to see our campus full of energy again. 

At the end of 2025, I shared reflections from my listening sessions across our community. What I heard was both honest and encouraging: a sense of cautious optimism, and a shared understanding that AI will be part of our future — one we want to shape thoughtfully, responsibly, and in alignment with our values. 

Introducing TRU Horaizon 

As we begin the new year, TRU’s AI journey is shifting from early conversations to clearer possibilities. 

I’m pleased to share TRU horaizon, a university‑wide initiative in development that aims to strengthen TRU’s leadership in applied and responsible AI. It reflects our shared aspirations and the insights from our community. 

Our initial framework includes four areas where TRU is already strong and well‑positioned to continue growing:

  • Innovative teaching, learning, and student experience
  • Accelerated, use‑inspired research
  • Excellent and efficient operations
  • A future‑ready community These areas will continue to evolve through ongoing community input and established processes. What’s essential is that we continue to collaborate and shape them together. 

2026: Tomorrow Starts Today 

In 2026, our focus is to build strong foundations – practical steps that set us up for long‑term success. Based on what we’ve heard so far, our community has identified three key needs: 

  • Clarity and transparency around AI matters at TRU 
  • Robust systems that support safe learning, experimentation, and innovation  
  • Skills and tools that empower our community 

 The TRU horaizon leadership team — Brian Lamb (LTI and CELT), Matt Norton (ITS), Vivek Kumar (Faculty of Science), and myself — is exploring what coordinated support across the university could involve, and we are already seeing encouraging progress. We are mapping approaches that build on the good work already underway across TRU.

Thank you for your feedback — there is so much we can achieve together. 

Looking ahead 

Over the next month, we will share more information and opportunities for engagement. Your feedback continues to shape this journey. If you are feeling generous, please share your thoughts or questions with us. Every viewpoint strengthens our path forward, and we are grateful for it. 

Thank you for the days ahead, where we will continue to explore and shape together. 

Andrea Li 

Special Advisor to the President on Artificial Intelligence

Questions? horaizon+andrea@tru.ca