The University of Regina is going on a northern tour.

Officials from the school will be hitting different communities in the northern half of the province to deepen relationships and understand the post secondary needs in the region.

President and Vice-Chancellor Vianne Timmons says this tour will make stops in Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Wollaston Lake and La Ronge. “We go up to the communities to listen, to learn and find out what issues they are facing and what we can do to support them.”

Timmons says they always look for what educational needs should be addressed and ask for ways the school can help northern students. “We also learn about the challenges they face, not just in the transition to university, not just culturally and financially, but loosing that circle of friends and family that support them in the northern communities.”

She says all the information goes into strategic planning. “We then meet with the Deans and chat with them and for example if a community is looking for the potential in having some students enter social work, then the dean of social work will connect and follow through. These often lead into other trips in which different personal in the university go up to get more information.”

This year’s Community Connections Tour takes place from Wednesday to Friday.

Timmons says doing this helps the better the school and hopefully helps the community.

This is the 11th year the U of R has done this.