Unleashing inspired talent

April 14, 2022 Waterloo Innovation Summit presents strategies to thrive in our global talent economy By Stephanie Longeway University Relations "We have a unique opportunity for universities and businesses to work together to ensure we are equipping talent to find innovative solutions that will reshape our local and global economies," said the University of Waterloo's President, Vivek Goel, in his opening address at the on April 14. This half-day event welcomed approximately 300 virtual and in-person guests from business, academic and government sectors to discuss how the talent evolution is transforming the workforce in Canada and around the world. From the rapid shift to remote work, to challenges recruiting top talent, to evolving workplace focus on diversity, equity and inclusion - employers and employees are rethinking the world of work. And, Goel adds, universities must rethink how we prepare the next generation of talent to navigate these transformations and inspire them to be champions of equity, sustainability and democracy. The global talent reset. The Summit's first keynote was delivered by Dominic Barton, Chancellor of University of Waterloo and former Ambassador of Canada to the People's Republic of China. Barton began by naming some of the deep forces underway that are fundamentally changing how we think about developing and attracting talent and says that the speed at which technology is changing is the biggest force shifting the nature of work.