New book explores how the University of Waterloo became global innovation leader
Posted Dec 9, 2015 04:16:13 PM.
Last Updated Dec 9, 2015 04:17:55 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Earlier this year Macleans magazine named the University of Waterloo the most innovative school in Canada for the 24th consecutive year.
The school’s success today is evident, but how did it become a global leader in tech and innovation?
That is the question history professor Ken McLaughlin addresses in his new book, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship are in the Waterloo Genome.”
When the university was established in 1956, they promoted the idea of co-operative education that would allow students to supplement class-room learning with on the job experience working for a company.
The idea is common now with many Canadian Universities offering co-op programs. In 1956 however, the academic community was very critical of the idea. Author Ken McLaughlin explains that is was up to the university to prove the idea could work.
“The University of Waterloo, from the very beginning, had to be innovative because it was being challenge by other universities who strongly objected to co-op education, as a result of that the university couldn’t just do what other universities did, they had to do something different.” He added, ” The University of Waterloo was forced to be innovative and forced to be entrepreneurial in ways that other universities were not.”
McLaughlin believes that this spirit of innovation and progressive learning has carried on from its beginnings, and is a major factor in the success of the University. He says the co-op experience allowed students to bring new ideas to the class room and challenge what was being taught. The result was a different style of teaching that demanded progress and change.
The book, “Innovation and Entrepreneurship are in the Waterloo Genome” can be purchased through the University of Waterloo book store and at Words Worth Books in uptown Waterloo.
