Service Excellence Transformation (SET) Final Report

Launched in June 2020, the University of Alberta for Tomorrow (UAT) initiative is a bold plan for transformation over the course of five years.

A key aspect of UAT was the Service Excellence Transformation (SET) program.

Through the SET program, administrative structures, systems and operations were redesigned to focus the maximum amount of the university’s resources and energies on its core mission, while continuing to provide high-quality services with fewer staff members. The overall goal was two-fold:

  • Enable the university to meet the challenge of the operating budget reduction, and balance the budget, mainly through reductions in administrative costs.
  • Reduce the university’s administrative costs and activity in-line with UniForum peers.

Through this work, the university balanced its budget in 2020-21 and 2021-22 and has a planned balanced budget for fiscal year 2022-23 and beyond.

Going forward, the university will continue to work towards the goals of UAT and sustain service excellence.

With the conclusion of the SET program on March 31, 2022, operational units across portfolios and academic units are embedding the changes and changing the way the university operates.

Working together as one university, the University of Alberta is stronger than it was, more resilient, and better equipped to deliver the core administrative services that underpin its mission.

Service Excellence Transformation Final Report