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SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Through responsible, transparent governance and active policy engagement, TMU is helping advance strong institutions and inclusive decision-making on campus and beyond. From working with government partners to contributing to policy work, to ensuring accountability and transparency through our own internal governance structures, we are committed to building trust and supporting a just and peaceful society.
TMU’s Senate and Board of Governors include over 70 elected faculty, student, staff and alumni representatives plus appointed members.
TMU’s student unions represent more than 54,000 undergraduate, graduate and part-time students.
Our goals in action
TMU’s academic programs are designed to prepare the next generation of lawyers, policy leaders, public administrators and changemakers. With options spanning undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, students gain the knowledge and practical skills to help strengthen institutions, defend legal rights and serve communities.
- The Lincoln Alexander School of Law was designed as a different kind of law school to create a different kind of lawyer - one who is innovative, nimble, and well-equipped to meet the evolving technological and social challenges taking place in society and the marketplace. The school offers a Juris Doctor program and professional development opportunities.
- TMU’s Department of Politics & Public Administration offers programs at various credential levels. At the undergraduate level this includes a BA (Hons) in Politics and Governance program and a BA (Hons) in Public Administration and Governance program, and at the graduate level, an MA in Public Policy and Administration. Various continuing education certificate programs are also available to adult learners.
- Many of these public administration programs are also offered to First Nations students through a groundbreaking partnership between First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) and TMU. Since 1999, courses have been delivered in First Nations communities across Ontario, at the FNTI campus in Tyendinaga, and at TMU.
- TMU’s Chang School of Continuing Education offers a certificate program in Public Administration and Leadership, equipping students with foundational knowledge of government operations and policy-making, with flexible learning options to fit diverse schedules.
Across disciplines, TMU researchers collaborate with government and industry to advance evidence-informed policy, ethical innovation and inclusive community outcomes in a variety of areas, from environmental sustainability to infrastructure to artificial intelligence.
- Civil Engineering professor Bilal Farooq worked with the Town of Innisfil and the City of Belleville on pilot projects to develop on-demand transit solutions for low-density areas.
- Architecture professor Jenn McArthur served on the advisory board for the City of Toronto to inform its Net Zero by 2040 (external link) strategy.
- The TransformLab at the School of Urban and Regional Planning worked with the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario to identify how transportation finance should navigate potential conflicts between policy objectives to fund the transportation system and to reduce GHG emissions.
- Mathematics professor Alexey Rubtsov served on the federal government’s Financial Industry Forum on Artificial Intelligence (external link) , an initiative to help banks, investment firms and other financial institutions safely and ethically use AI and reduce bias in AI-generated decision-making.
- Faculty of Science researchers are working with Colombian communities, policymakers and students to bring water security to rural communities in Colombia.
- The Lincoln Alexander School of Law hosts two major research initiatives. The Justice & Technology Initiative (external link) is focused on the opportunities and challenges associated with the mounting ubiquity and significance of technology and data in our society, economy and environment. The International Law & Global Justice Initiative (external link) is committed to bridging theory and practice through justice-oriented scholarship and public engagement.
Good governance at TMU is rooted in transparency, accountability and participation, supported by clear internal administrative policies and an inclusive, consultative budgeting and financial reporting process.
- Toronto Metropolitan University has a bi-cameral governance structure which means that there are two governing bodies working at the university, the Senate and the Board of Governors. These two bodies are closely intertwined through the budget process, but remain quite separate from each other in terms of decision-making.
The elected Senate governs all academic matters. The Board of Governors is responsible for the governance of the university; control of its property and revenues; the conduct of its business and affairs, except for matters assigned by the Act to Senate; powers specifically enumerated by the Toronto Metropolitan University Act and the By-Laws of the University.
The Senate consists of 62 elected representatives of the university's faculty, students and alumni, and seven non-voting senate associates. The Board of Governors has 28 members, including the President, the Chancellor, external members, and 11 elected representatives of students, faculty, staff and alumni, and honorary members.
- The university’s governance structure includes administrative policies, procedures, guidelines and standards. These are posed on the Policy Register and administered by the Office of the General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Governors.
- The annual university budget is the financial plan for how the university will receive and spend funds in a fiscal year (May 1 to April 30). The university’s open and consultative budget process gives students, faculty and staff the opportunity to engage with senior administration on our budget plans in a public forum. The university’s annual financial reports and budgets are posted on TMU’s website.
Student unions and associations at TMU play a vital role in representing and advocating for students, fostering leadership and enhancing the university experience.
- The Toronto Metropolitan Students' Union (TMSU) (external link) represents approximately 36,000 students and serves as the central student union on campus. TMSU advocates for students' interests, organizes campaigns and initiatives, provides cost-saving services, and works on enhancing campus life. The union also collaborates with other student organizations locally, provincially and nationally to promote a more affordable and accessible post-secondary education system.
Students can participate in the annual TMSU elections by running for various leadership positions. This structure ensures that the TMSU remains responsive to student needs while empowering students to have a direct role in governance and decision-making.
- The Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Students' Union (TMGSU) (external link) represents over 2,500 full-time and part-time graduate students at Toronto Metropolitan University. As a membership-driven union, TMGSU supports graduate students throughout their academic journey. The union is governed by a Graduate Executive Committee, made up of four elected Executive Members, and a Graduate Council, consisting of seven elected Graduate Directors. TMGSU offers services such as health and dental coverage, funding for course unions and organizes events aimed at building a strong graduate community on campus. The union also advocates for graduate students’ interests and works to improve the overall student experience.
- The Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-time Students (TMAPS) (external link) represents over 16,000 part-time students at Toronto Metropolitan University, including those in continuing education, distance education and part-time degree programs, as well as students enrolled in Chang School courses. As a membership-driven association, TMAPS supports part-time students by advocating for their unique needs and enhancing their academic and campus experiences. The union is governed by an Executive Committee, made up of four elected Executive Members, and a Board, consisting of additional elected Directors. TMAPS organizes events, provides resources and offers services that contribute to building a strong and inclusive community for part-time students at the university.
TMU extends its commitment to justice and strong institutions into the community, offering expertise to support good governance and free community services to people in need.
- A variety of professional development programs are available through the Lincoln Alexander School of Law to serve practicing lawyers and business professionals in Ontario and beyond.
- The Law school also offers a legal clinic in which students work with lawyers to provide free legal services to community members.
- The Law & Business Clinic at the Ted Rogers School of Management provides free legal services in a variety of business law matters to entrepreneurs and small businesses that cannot afford to retain a lawyer. Current Toronto Metropolitan University students, Chang School learners and people affiliated with one of the university's learning zones (such as the DMZ) who plan to start up a business or have started a small business, may be eligible for this program. Clients outside of Toronto Metropolitan University may be eligible subject to assessment.
- John Beebe, director and founder of the Democratic Engagement Exchange, has received a grant from the Max Bell Foundation to address the challenge of Canadians being disengaged from politics. As a Max Bell Foundation Senior Fellow, Beebe will lead a team to develop and evaluate AI tools that can be used to help voters decide which candidate to vote for, with the goal of supporting increased democratic engagement.