Queen’s University Principal Shares Insight on University Life

Woolf said that many of the issues, such as the high incidence of mental health, binge drinking and party culture and sexual violence, are alarming. He noted that in general, younger people are at a higher risk for developing mental illnesses and many more students are coming to university with pre-existing mental illness diagnoses. In response, Queen’s and other universities are being more proactive to promote healthy communities, ease transitions and foster resilience, encourage help-seeking and helping behaviour and provide effective care.

Woolf also spoke about the need for universities to prepare graduates for a workforce that is being disrupted by advanced technology and artificial intelligence.

“We need to build other skills, besides knowledge, to create a more well-rounded graduate,” said Woolf. “Those skills, sometimes called soft skills, are things like critical thinking, analysis, teamwork, creative thinking, organization and more, that are needed for the workforce, both today and in the future.” For example, he said group work, applied and experiential learning, and specialized training are becoming key components of the Queen’s experience.

The other aspect of the changing workforce is the need to reflect the global society, Woolf said.

“Creating an environment for people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures and views to be successful helps us become a stronger institution,” he said. “The richness in diversity of thought helps us challenge our own perceptions and beliefs which helps make them stronger.”

Woolf also spoke about the role universities play with respect to free speech and academic freedom. At Queen’s, he said, “we believe strongly that everyone within the university community should feel able to explore and debate diverse and even uncomfortable viewpoints if that occurs in a respectful, academic environment.”

Woolf closed his speech at Crescent with advice for parents and students. To parents he said, “Don’t be afraid to ‘let go’. This is the start of the greatest learning experience of your son’s life as he becomes an independent adult. Accept that you may no longer be there for everything, you may not be able to ‘fix’ things when they go wrong – and there will be some days that will go wrong – and feel confident in knowing that you and Crescent School have prepared your son well for this world.”

To students, he advised, “Don’t expect to become a ‘university student’ overnight. It takes time to learn how to adapt to your new role. Be patient with yourself and know that after a while things will click and you’ll find your way. If I can leave you with one key thought tonight, it’s this: You are not alone, and there is help.”

You can watch a video of Principal Woolf’s entire speech here.

Learn about how Crescent prepares students for university.