Amrit Ahluwalia has been named the new executive director of Western Continuing Studies (WCS), effective March 25.
Ahluwalia has made his mark in the continuing higher education field, most recently holding two roles: editor-in-chief of The EvoLLLution, a leading North American digital publication focused on non-traditional, continuing and workforce education; and senior director for marketing and strategic insights at Modern Campus, an educational technology company serving colleges and universities.
“Amrit brings a wealth of expertise and experience to this role,” said Susan Lewis, vice-provost (academic programs). “He is a highly sought expert with a unique understanding of the rapidly transforming postsecondary marketplace and will be an invaluable asset as WCS builds a new vision that includes working closely with our community and faculty partners to deliver innovative programs for professional and adult learners.”
WCS currently provides more than 50 professional certificates and post-degree programs and more than 200 online courses and micro-credentials for adults in the London, Ont. community and beyond – all taught by professionals working and researching in the field. Through a recent merger with the Western English Language Centre, WCS also provides English language training for international undergraduate and graduate students.
Since moving to London in 2021, Ahluwalia says his wife and he quickly adopted the enthusiasm they immediately noticed Londoners have for their city.
“We had a tremendous introduction to London, and this role seems like the perfect confluence of my passion for continuing education and our passion for this diverse and dynamic community. Western has a tremendous brand, incredible reach and loyal, high-achieving alumni. The opportunity to extend and scale that excellence to serve new learner demographics—in London, across Ontario and globally—is very exciting.”
Lifelong love for lifelong learning
In addition to his more than 10 years of professional experience in higher education, Ahluwalia brings a positive first-hand perspective on the unique adult learning experience. Thanks to his mom.
Before emigrating to Ottawa from (then) Bombay in the 1980s, Ahluwalia’s mother earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Bombay. But it was her experience as a flight attendant for British Airways that prompted Service Canada to (incorrectly) assume she’d be well suited to work as a waitress. Instead, she chose to further her education in another field, earning her certification as a Chartered Professional Accountant, which launched an over 25-year career at the Canada Revenue Agency.
“Newcomers to Canada are so often underemployed, but this is a phenomenal story of someone who recognized their skills, had confidence in their abilities and could access the resources she needed to advance her career and create a stable environment for her family,” Ahluwalia said. “And, throughout the course of my life, I watched as she continued learning. I remember her pursuing her passions by taking cake decorating courses and Ikebana flower arrangement courses at Algonquin College. She also earned a range of professional certifications—including leadership, French language training and communication—to progress her career within the CRA. Then, towards the end of her career, she became a certified professional photographer and started her own business to launch a second, post-retirement career. She always leveraged local access to continuing studies to establish a framework for success for herself and our family.”
While pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in political science at Queen’s University, Ahluwalia had a “fascinating introduction into how a university operates” while serving as sections editor for The Queen’s Journal, the student-run newspaper.
His interest in the administrative side of higher education continued as he completed his master’s in international relations at McMaster University, leading him to co-found The EvoLLLution in 2011. The timing was right, as the higher education sector in the U.S. looked to recover from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, which had laid-off employees upgrading their skills through continuing studies. As they left the classroom to head back to work, the adult learning sphere needed to adapt.
“We were trying to create a conversation hub for continuing education leaders looking for pathways to serve audiences who weren’t being served. I had the privilege of engaging with some of the most entrepreneurial leaders in the higher education space, who shared their perspectives on where the industry was and where it was going. It afforded me a lens on our industry, giving me insight into what works, what doesn’t and why.”
Since launching the publication, Ahluwalia has become one of the industry’s leading experts on continuing and professional education. He’s authored numerous chapters, research papers and whitepapers on the evolving role of continuing studies divisions in supporting their communities and local industries.
Serving unique learner groups and employers in London and beyond
Ahluwalia looks to use that knowledge to ensure WCS continues to serve a diverse population of learners, including working professionals looking to advance or change their careers; international students looking to improve their English language skills; underemployed newcomers and corporations looking to drive employee development and learning.
“All these individuals are looking for unique experiences but share a desire to achieve their personal and professional goals,” Ahluwalia said. “Our goal is to create a learning hub where all learners can access high-quality, highly relevant and flexible learning experiences. We do that through multiple channels, collaborating directly with employers, students and alumni.”
“Many people are often just one or two competencies away from accessing great jobs in growth industries with the ability to proceed and progress. When they can continuously improve a broad base of durable skills, it opens up a world of possibilities for where they can work, what they can do and the industries they can be successful in.”
Ahluwalia also wants to ensure WCS responds to the emerging needs of industries and employers across the London community, Southwestern Ontario and Canada.
“One of our foundational principles in shaping our vision over the coming year is to support the success of industries and employers in our region as our starting point,” he said. “We look to transform WCS into a capability centre that allows the entire university to serve new audiences through new channels. We plan to do that working with faculty partners across the university to make sure the innovation that characterizes every corner of Western is accessible to more diverse audiences, through online learning, micro-credentials and other flexible learning experiences.”