Artificial Intelligence at RRC Polytech

Our Vision

RRC Polytech is committed to elevating institutional excellence by building a strategy to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) to empower student-centred innovation. This strategy will be designed to drive impactful transformation while fostering human-centred, ethical, and responsible AI adoption at the Polytech.

Our Strategic Commitments

AI is rapidly evolving, impacting both education and the workplace in precedent-setting ways. Through the Strategic Plan, RRC Polytech is committed to transforming our learning model to meet emerging needs; engaging in equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility and Truth and Reconciliation in everything we do; and deepening partnerships with industry.

Driven by these commitments, our AI strategy aims to propel us as leaders in the educational community by integrating AI across the institution, graduating students who are AI-ready for the workforce, and building strong partnerships with industry to grow AI capacity in Manitoba. Our strategic commitments also guide the research and conversations we are undertaking to understand the ethical impact of AI, including areas such as accessibility, environmental impact, AI replacing human creativity, human-AI substitution, AI bias with under-represented groups, and Indigenous data sovereignty.

Our AI Strategy

For the past few years, RRC Polytech has been exploring AI, developing initial AI guidelines, and collaborating with other colleges and polytechnics to consider AI’s impacts. In July 2025, the Polytech began the development of an institutional AI strategy, led by a Senior Strategic Advisor, to guide our approach. To support this strategy work, an AI steering committee and five working groups were created to research, recommend, and plan AI implementation.

The AI working groups are focused on student experience, teaching and learning, operations, research, and academic programming. They are working towards the implementation of AI use cases to solve problems and improve student experience, and AI initiatives to integrate AI into teaching, learning, and programming as well as developing AI commitments and principles to ensure responsible AI integration at the Polytech.

Governance and Leadership

AI activities at RRC Polytech are guided by a committee framework:

• Executive Sponsors Group: Provides high-level strategic oversight, approves institutional AI activities and expenditures, and ensures alignment with institutional priorities and academic areas. This group includes:
  • Vice-President Finance and Administration
  • Chief Human Resource Officer
  • Chief Information Officer
  • Advisor: Senior Strategic Advisor: AI initiative
• AI Steering Committee: Guides the development and execution of the institution’s AI strategy, and coordinates with working groups for collaborative progress. This group is chaired by the Senior Strategic Advisor, AI Initiative, and includes the leads from all the working groups as well as advisors including:
  • General Counsel
  • Deans
  • Director, Information Technology Solutions
• AI Working Groups: Engage the Polytech community and research AI activities within their strategic domain. The five domains are:
  • Teaching and Learning (how we teach)
  • Academic Programming (what we teach)
  • Research
  • Operations
  • Student Experience

AI Adoption and Integration Activities

AI working groups have brainstormed more than 50 potential AI initiatives and use cases to enhance work processes and improve both student experience and operational efficiency. Through a robust process, we have narrowed these down for piloting and potential implementation.

AI Use Cases – Through the AI Strategy, we are pursuing several prioritized use cases to enhance workflows, and enhance student engagement and experience.

AI Initiatives – In parallel, project plans for several AI initiatives are currently in development to strengthen AI adoption and integration in teaching and learning, workflows, and building AI readiness in programs.

AI Commitments and Principles

We have developed a set of AI commitments and principles to guide our approach to artificial intelligence, ensuring that every decision supports responsible and impactful use of these technologies.

These principles were created with careful consideration of safety and security, data privacy, explainability, transparency, reliability, accountability, fairness, data sovereignty, and human-centered design. Aligning with Polytech values as well as global standards, we prioritized ethical, inclusive practices to embrace the opportunities of artificial intelligence.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Guidelines

RRC Polytech was among the first institutions in Manitoba to embrace GenAI, developing guidelines to support instructors on how to integrate artificial intelligence into their teaching practices. By developing these guidelines early, we provided a clear framework that enabled faculty to prepare students for the evolving demands of the Manitoba workplace and future careers.

AI Tools at RRC Polytech

As part of our ongoing AI Strategy, communicating the availability and advantages of AI resources is important for responsible AI adoption throughout the institution. There are already AI-powered tools accessible to support students, staff, and faculty. When these are accessed using RRC Polytech credentials, data will remain protected within our institutional environment.

• Microsoft Copilot: Enhance productivity and streamline tasks. (Select Office 365 in HUB for access)
• LinkedIn Learning: AI coaching and role play to practice workplace related conversations. (Select LinkedIn Learning in HUB for access)

AI Resources for Students

RRC Polytech recently piloted an open-source student AI literacy module through the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). An initiative is currently underway to provide AI literacy training to provide students with foundational AI skills.

AI Resources for Staff

An AI hub has been created on our staff intranet to provide faculty and staff with up-to-date information on AI tools available at the Polytech to assist them in their roles. Currently, AI initiatives are underway to develop different levels of AI literacy training for staff and faculty to build AI role-specific skills.

Collaboration and Partnerships

We’re advancing AI education by collaborating with national and local partners, to share knowledge, strengthen learning, and accelerate adoption across the sector. We are currently working with the following partners:

• AI Workforce Readiness Consortium: Partnering with Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) to support foundational AI training and curriculum development.
• Pan-Canadian AI Consortium: Fostering outreach across Canadian post-secondary institutions to share best practices.
• Local Partnerships: Working with Manitoba post-secondary institutions to advance AI initiatives.

Next Steps

RRC Polytech is broadly advancing its AI strategy by:

• Investing in focused AI projects and making informed decisions about implementation to speed up adoption and improve processes and experiences across our polytechnic community.
• Advancing targeted AI initiatives aimed at increasing AI literacy and empowering ethical, effective use of AI for students, staff, and faculty.
• Increasing collaboration with community partners, including academic institutions and industry leaders, to share best practices, collaborate on AI initiatives, and further adopt and integrate AI at the Polytech.