UNB News
News and stories from one of Canada’s top universities

Could a disruptive innovation completely change the way universities work?  The music industry, movie rental business, and the encyclopedia are examples of industries that have experienced a significant shift when new technologies were introduced.

Dr. Peter Smith, senior vice president of academic strategies and development at Kaplan Higher Education, will be the keynote speaker at the University of New Brunswick’s #DisruptED2013 conference on November 12.   Dr. Smith brings an alternative perspective, from his experience with Kaplan, a for-profit US-based group of institutions that provide online programs to more than 65,000 students.  His broad experience includes being the founding president of California State University at Monterey Bay (CSUMB), as well as serving as the first president of the statewide Community College of Vermont.  

In addition to Dr. Smith, the half-day conference will include speakers from UNB’s Fredericton and Saint John campuses, as well massive open online course (MOOC) developer, Dr. Rosie Redfield from the University of British Columbia via Skype.

#DisruptED2013 is organized by the President’s Steering Committee on Disruptive Technologies as a way to build awareness, highlight existing UNB projects, and encourage innovative thinking around these issues that affect the university environment.

For more information about the conference, or to arrange an interview with Dr. Peter Smith, please contact Ken Reimer.

Conference details

#DisruptED2013: How innovative forces are changing higher education

This conference is a bi-campus event, with videoconference sessions from both campuses, taking advantage of the two-campus infrastructure and communications technology we have at UNB.

This is also a chance to hear from UNB Faculty on how technology is changing how they teach:

• Greg Fleet, Business, UNB (Saint John)
• Barbara Dowding, Biology, UNB (Saint John)
• Martin Wielemaker. Business, UNB (Fredericton)
• Sasha Mullally, History, UNB (Fredericton)

Register now and join the conversation on Twitter using #DisruptED2013.

Timing and logistics

• Date: Tuesday, November 12  (UNB Fall Reading Day)
• Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Location: MacLaggan 053 (UNB - Fredericton) | Oland Hall 206 (UNB – Saint John)
• Cost: Free

Keynote Speaker: Peter Smith

Topic: "Why there will not be a new normal in higher education"

Dr. Peter P. Smith is senior vice president of academic strategies and development for Kaplan Higher Education. In this role, he is responsible for the development of mid-term strategies and program development. Dr. Smith is the former assistant director general of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and served as the founding president of California State University at Monterey Bay where he oversaw all aspects of leadership and development of the institution.

Dr. Smith served as the first president of the statewide Community College of Vermont from 1970-1978, and was named president emeritus upon resigning. He served as Vermont’s Lieutenant Governor from 1982-1986. In 1989, he was elected as a representative from Vermont to the U.S. House of Representatives. From 1991-1994 he served as dean of the graduate school of education and human development for George Washington University.

Dr. Smith holds a doctor of education from Harvard University. He is the author of The Quiet Crisis: How Higher Education Is Failing America (Anker Publications, Bolton MA, 2004) and Harnessing America's Wasted Talent: A New Ecology of Learning (Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Imprint, San Francisco, CA, 2010).