Vancouver Island University’s interim president and vice-chancellor said 2025 has been about strengthening the institution’s financial footing and positioning it for student success in 2026.
Dennis Johnson said despite challenges this year, VIU is committed to boosting student success.
“I continue to see that despite our challenges, faculty, staff and the team at VIU continue to put students first,” he said. “There is a lot of great learning going on, we’ve also had student research highlighted, and VIU continues to be high-quality and keep students focused.”
Despite the financial hardship weighing on the university, Johnson said multiple factors contribute to VIU’s situation, with a decline in international students a significant part of the picture.
“The sector is going through a significant period of adjustment with international student policy changing at the federal level,” he said. “These numbers continue to drop, and the work ahead will be to strengthen VIU by being more efficient on how we spend our dollars.”
Johnson said VIU’s focus in 2026 will be on becoming more financially responsible, and that will take time but optimism is essential.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure students have a positive learning environment, and I’m positive and optimistic about the future. We will get through these financial challenges, making VIU strong.”
