Vancouver, BC – September 24, 2021 – Order of Canada recipient Sheldon Levy has been appointed Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of University Canada West (UCW).

Sheldon Levy was recently the advisor to Canada’s Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, Mary Ng, on the issue of scaling up small and medium-sized businesses. He also serves as a strategic consultant and special advisor to Knightstone Capital Management Inc.

“We are thrilled that Sheldon Levy will be joining the leadership team at University Canada West,” said Cyndi McLeod, Chair of the UCW Board of Governors and CEO of Global University Systems Canada, UCW’s parent company. “He brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record of leadership to UCW.”

Mr. Levy served as President and Vice-Chancellor of Ryerson University from 2005 to 2015. During that time, he drove the creation of the Digital Media Zone (DMZ), an early-stage incubator for student entrepreneurs, which has since become an international success.

Mr. Levy is also a founder and advisor to Ryerson Futures Inc., an accelerator that has exported the DMZ concept to such locations as Calgary and Mumbai.

From 2015 to 2017, he served as Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, where he helped prioritize innovation and entrepreneurship throughout Ontario’s post-secondary education and training system.

In 2017, Mr. Levy became CEO of NEXT Canada, an organization that provides mentorship, education and funding to Canada’s most promising entrepreneurs.

Mr. Levy has extensive experience in senior leadership positions at post-secondary institutions. In addition to Ryerson University, he served as President of Sheridan College of Applied Arts and Technology; Vice-President, Finance and Strategy, at University of Ontario Institute of Technology; Vice-President, Government and Institutional Relations, at the University of Toronto; and Vice-President, Institutional Affairs, at York University.

He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2020 for his exceptional leadership as an education administrator and for promoting student entrepreneur incubators on university campuses across the country. Mr. Levy has three honourary doctorates from Canadian universities – Lakehead University, Mount Allison University and York University.

Today’s news comes on the heels of the recent announcement of the impending retirement of current UCW President and Vice-Chancellor Brock Dykeman.

Mr. Levy will assume his new role on October 15, 2021.

“I am excited for the opportunity to join University Canada West,” Mr. Levy said. “The future is bright for UCW, and I am looking forward to being a part of this dynamic and innovative institution.”

About University Canada West (UCW)

University Canada West (UCW) is an innovative business and technology-oriented institution in Vancouver, Canada, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees for domestic and international students.

UCW offers a range of career-focused programs including, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts in Business Communication, Associate of Arts and Master of Business Administration. Courses are offered at our two downtown Vancouver campuses – our West Pender Campus in the heart of Vancouver’s financial district and our new Vancouver House Campus.

Contact:

For media inquiries or to arrange an interview contact Jessica Kerr, UCW PR & Communications Specialist, at [email protected].