UWindsor and Town of Tecumseh Partnership

Issued by the University of Windsor

UWindsor and Town of Tecumseh partnership brings research and learning into the community

TECUMSEH, Ont. — University of Windsor research, expertise and student learning will reach further into the community through a new partnership with the Town of Tecumseh designed to connect academic knowledge with local priorities and opportunities.

Today, the University and Town signed a five-year memorandum of understanding that establishes a framework for collaboration on research, innovation and experiential learning. The agreement will create opportunities for faculty, researchers and students to work with the Town on community-focused projects while giving students more ways to apply what they learn in real-world settings.

“This partnership is about taking the knowledge, creativity and research happening at the University of Windsor and putting it to work in ways that make a tangible difference in our communities,” said University of Windsor President Dr. J.J. McMurtry. “It will also give our students meaningful opportunities to learn through experience, contribute their ideas and see the impact their work can have close to home.”

The agreement identifies four initial areas of collaboration:

• A Town records digitization project that provides an opportunity for a University of Windsor co-op student from the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences to work with the Town’s Legislative and Clerk Services Department. This role is intended to support the preparation, scanning, classification and electronic management of municipal records during a placement in 2027.
• An artificial intelligence integration project that would bring University faculty, researchers and students together with Town staff to explore responsible uses of AI in municipal service delivery. Potential activities include a Computer Science co-op placement, graduate student research and staff training focused on practical applications of AI as well as ethics, privacy, security, transparency and human oversight.
• Through a Fairplay Woods conservation and stewardship project, students in Biology and Environmental Studies will gain experience in the planning and long-term stewardship of a Town-owned site, which includes old-growth Carolinian forest, wetlands and former agricultural land. Experiential learning opportunities include habitat restoration planning, species monitoring, stewardship protocols and public education.
• Beginning Oct. 1, adult Tecumseh residents will be able to access Leddy Library’s onsite collections through the new Leddy Library Community Borrowers initiative. Residents aged 18 and older who provide photo identification and proof of address can obtain an External Borrowers Card at no cost, giving them borrowing and access privileges for the library’s onsite collections.

 "This partnership between the Town and the University of Windsor will open the door to creating meaningful opportunities for innovation, research, and experiential learning in Tecumseh,” said Mayor McNamara. “By connecting our community with the knowledge and expertise of University faculty and students, we can explore new approaches to service delivery, advance environmental stewardship, and embrace emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence in a responsible way. This partnership reflects our commitment to building a stronger, more innovative future while providing valuable learning experiences that benefit students, residents, and our community as a whole."

Beyond the initial projects, the agreement creates a pathway for future collaboration by connecting the Town with University faculty, researchers and students as well as opportunities associated with research funding programs and experiential learning.

The partnership is intended to help address local challenges, support innovation and economic development and create stronger connections between university learning and the communities students will help shape.

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Media Contact

Aaron Carder
acarder@tecumseh.ca
519.735.2184 ext 136