Strategic Mandate Agreement 3
Laurentian University’s Strategic Mandate Agreement 3 (SMA3) Consultation and Development Process
Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA)
The Strategic Mandate Agreement is a bilateral agreement between the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES) and Ontario’s publicly funded colleges and universities. It forms a core component of the provincial government’s accountability framework for postsecondary education.
As of fall 2025, Laurentian University completed the final year of its third agreement, SMA3 (2020–2025). During this period, the University has reported annually to the Ministry to receive performance-based funding as well as core enrolment funding calculated based on corridor midpoints.
SMA4 Process (2025–2030)
Following negotiations, Laurentian University finalized its fourth Strategic Mandate Agreement with the MCURES in June 2025. This new agreement will guide institutional planning and funding for the 2025–2030 period.
Under SMA4, the Ministry will continue to allocate performance-based funding, per the evaluation of 8 metrics, and core enrolment funding based on corridor midpoints. While mostly consistent with the previous agreements’ functionality, the Ministry has introduced some changes from the previous SMA3 agreement including:
- a reduction of the number of metrics from 10 to 8, including the carry-over of six of the SMA3 metrics, removal of the current skills and competencies metric and the addition of two newly defined metrics;
- a focus on domestic students by removing international students from most metrics to mitigate the risk of uncertainties as a result of federal policy changes;
- a focus on enrolments in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs, including corridor floor protection; and
- the addition of a new priority area in efficiency, accountability and transparency,
reflecting the province’s evolving expectations for postsecondary institutions.
Laurentian University remains committed to transparent engagement with the university community throughout the SMA process. The decisions and priorities outlined in the SMA will continue to reflect and advance the University's mission, values, and commitment to academic excellence.
