Durham College (DC) has joined a partnership with the City of Oshawa, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, and the Canadian Urban Institute, to help Oshawa become the world’s first “Teaching City”.

The four parties launched their new project and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on June 5 at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa.  Under the agreement, DC and the City of Oshawa, along with their other educational partners, will collaborate on making Oshawa a “Teaching City” — in a similar way to how some medical centres become “teaching hospitals” — that builds momentum and establishes the city as one focused on experiential learning, applied research and innovative teaching partnerships to address urban issues.

“Oshawa is already a great place to live, work and innovate,” said DC president Don Lovisa. “Today, Oshawa became an even brighter spot in Canada’s knowledge economy because there will be new opportunities for DC students to explore and problem solve through the issues that matter to residents and businesses, with city staff, DC faculty and other education partners. This is experiential learning at its best.”

Through the project, the MOU signatories, along with local and regional partners, will develop the city as a “living laboratory” to address and study complex urban issues and identify opportunities. Together the partners will explore and pursue the following objectives:

• Identify and develop initiatives focused on creating practical, scalable and sustainable solutions to urban issues.
• Develop and potentially commercialize technologies and techniques.
• Develop and coordinate joint experiential learning opportunities, applied research, and innovative educational activities.
• Contribute to seminars, workshops and academic initiatives that drive the business goals of the city.
• Share access to facilities, equipment, systems, information and data.
• Work toward the long-term positioning of Oshawa as a locally and globally recognized community of urban research and learning.

DC students will get their first opportunities to participate in the TeachingCity through an upcoming hack-a-thon on city data and the development of the city’s first Diversity and Inclusion Plan. These initiatives will allow students to gain skills and experience while also developing a strong level of engagement and connection within the community.