Partnering for innovation and talent.

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Partnering for innovation and talent.

PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

Supply chain illustration

UNB has a 239-year history of innovation. Our alumni stand more than 100,000 strong, woven into the Saint John community and proudly international. Our corporate partners include the largest brands and logistics customers in Atlantic Canada.

UNB, like DP World, is informed by values such as integrity, excellence, innovation and sustainability. We are committed to making a difference in the world, generating value in the communities we serve and developing the next generation of leaders.

I invite DP World to partner with UNB in an alliance centred around innovative education, talent development and generating new solutions for the supply chain management and logistics industry. Through your generous investment, UNB can professionalize supply chain and logistics education in the Atlantic region, creating a foundation of strength that will enable DP World and Saint John to continue to grow and thrive.

— Dr Paul J. Mazerolle
President and Vice Chancellor
University of New Brunswick

MESSAGE FROM THE PROVOST

At UNB, we work with community partners to create the conditions where ideas are developed, solutions are tested and meaningful innovation takes root.

We offer DP World the opportunity to engage in innovation through progressive education, professional development and collaborative research focused on optimization of the supply chain, excellence and sustainability.

Supply chain illustration

The partnership we propose will enable faculty and students to engage with complex challenges in supply chain management and logistics, transform classrooms into innovation labs and create new educational options that strengthen professional development within DP World while preparing students for fulfilling careers in one of the world's most vital and demanding industries.

Join us. Together, we can shape educational pathways that support career advancement, industry insight and community impact.

— Dr Petra Hauf
Provost and Vice President Academic
University of New Brunswick

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is seeking a partnership investment from DP World worth up to $10 million over five years, which will establish a foundation for mutually beneficial, long-term sustainable innovation and collaboration in the supply chain management and logistics sector.

Our partnership investment proposal has multiple elements that can be pursued in isolation or combination. DP World’s investment may encompass some or all of the following areas:

A SUITE OF EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS consisting of minor and major pathways in supply chain management and logistics through credited degree programs; experiential and work-integrated learning to provide the hands-on skills needed in the workforce; professional and executive education responding to the evolving needs of the sector; and microcredentials to further professionalize the sector.

A SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT COLLABORATION HUB that functions as a network involving DP World, UNB, industry partners, community and world-leading researchers; that generates out-of-the-box thinkers by supporting research in supply chain management and logistics; and that hosts problem-solving summits to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration.

A LEGACY INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT that will unite the legacies of DP World, UNB and the community of Saint John by branding the concourse level of UNB’s Health and Social Innovation Centre.

A STUDENT SUCCESS FUND that will support leadership education and talent acquisition in the logistics and supply chain management industry.

This partnership investment will leverage UNB’s strengths in research and education to help DP World address the logistical issues of today, while generating the solutions and workforce of tomorrow.

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WHY UNB?

Partnership with UNB offers value to DP World because UNB is a proven leader in the provision of applied education and research that addresses the changing needs of industries and their workforces.

New Brunswick boasts a rich industrial history in sectors ranging from agriculture and aquaculture to mining, nuclear engineering, oil refining, ship building, smart grid development, silviculture and telecommunications. These industries are connected to international trade routes through Port Saint John and rail and highway networks as well as the Greater Moncton Romeo LeBlanc International Airport (YQM), an international air cargo facility.

New Brunswick’s variety of legacy and emerging industries has made it fertile ground for research and development (R&D), with UNB performing the majority of publicly funded and public-private R&D. As the longest-established English language university in Canada, and the first to offer professional education in fields such as civil engineering and computer science, UNB has an enduring reputation of excellence at the leading edge of research, and a proven track record of collaboration with impact.

We are future-focused.

We believe that education and research are cornerstones of informed decision-making and innovation.

We work side-by-side with industry partners and our local communities to make positive and lasting impact.

At UNB, we pride ourselves on our ability to seed ideas, test technologies, improve processes and collaborate with entrepreneurs, mentors, and experts alike across a variety of disciplines and industries.

Partnerships with UNB's accelerators, incubators and think-tanks grant industry partners access to our research and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Recent partnership agreements between UNB and Port Saint John have formalized long-standing relationships in research and education. Designated space for UNB in the Diamond Jubilee Terminal, Port Saint John, is a part of this partnership and will provide learners, industry contacts and community members with a bird's-eye view over operations at the Port and on the vibrant shipping and logistics industry.

UNB is an expert at creating customized learning programs and generating solutions that are tailored to meet the requirements of business and industry.

DP World’s investment will enable UNB to understand and address the complex needs of the supply chain industry, leveraging UNB's expertise to create a new foundation of strength in logistics.

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A CASE STUDY IN SUCCESS

At UNB, we are leaders in the provision of education and the creation of applied research.

We respond to industry demand. We listen to our strategic partners. We help shape the future.

Education to shape industry

Recognizing the importance of teaching and learning opportunities to meet the needs of a variety of markets, UNB launched the Centre for Learning Futures with a mandate of creating transformational learning experiences for learners of all types. UNB is proud to support our learners with their academic pursuits, executive or professional development needs or personal development goals.

We understand that learners have different needs and have a proven track-record of meeting learners where they are. Our programming spans academic, executive, professional development, creative, cultural, and linguistic pursuits. We operate online, in person, hybrid and hyflex, and our learners gain credit and non-credit leaving awards, including microcredentials, certificates, diplomas and degrees.

With this dynamic model, we present a truly customizable experience and produce transformative results. Moreover, we remain nimble and able to respond to the changing needs of industry through flexible and multifaceted educational programming.

1. Research Institute in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)


In 2024, 40 UNB students worked with the Port Saint John Employers Association and Canada's Ocean Supercluster to explore sustainable oceanic economic growth. The students created entrepreneurial concepts, mapped systems and analyzed stakeholder dynamics.

2. Unforgettable Opportunities for Growth


UNB’s annual Student Pitch Competition was sponsored by the Royal Bank of Canada in 2025. Students receive feedback from industry judges on a business proposal, network with professionals and develop lifelong leadership and communication skills.

3. 100,000+ Alumni Globally


Craig Bell Estabrooks, President and CEO Port Saint John, is one of the 100,000+ UNB alumni making positive change in the global community. Like many other graduates, Estabrooks shares an enduring fondness for the roots set down through a UNB education.


Research to change industry

1. Research Institute in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RIDSAI)


Established in 2023, as a result of a $3.5 million investment by donors including Mr. Frank McKenna (former premier of NB and benefactor of UNB’s McKenna Institute), RIDSAI is home to leading UNB experts in the research, application and impact of data science and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Scott Bateman is Research Director of RIDSAI, Director of UNB’s Spatial Computing Research Centre (SPECTRAL), and co-director of the Human- Computer Interaction Lab. His work focuses on adopting emerging technology to solve real world problems in areas such as health care and skills training. He places a large focus on understanding how researchers can best support the needs of industrial partners.


2. UNB Ocean Mapping Group


Established in 1991, this group is focused on developing new and innovative techniques and tools for the management, processing, visualization and interpretation of ocean mapping data.


UNB’s Ocean Mapping Group are involved in Seabed 2030, a collaboration between GEBCO and Nippon Foundation to map the entire ocean floor by 2030. Valued at over US$18.5 million for the first ten years, Seabed 2030 aims to compile bathymetric data into a high-resolution digital model and promote new data collection efforts.


3. Emera & NB Power Research Centre for Smart Grid Technologies


Established in 2017, with a $6.2 million investment from Emera, this Centre is a global leader in the transformation of electric power systems into smart grids through R&D, innovation, commercial partnerships, high-quality researchers and state-of-the-art research facilities.

Through the Emera & NB Power Research Centre for Smart Grid Technologies, UNB became a founding partner of the Smart Grid Innovation Network (SGIN) alongside Siemens Canada. SGIN fosters the co-creation and testing of cutting edge of smart grid technology.


Deep knowledge, widespread impact:

UNB has specialists working in a variety of areas with direct application to industry. We pride ourselves on finding solutions and creating implementation pathways so that the knowledge we gain through research finds application in the real world.

We have specialists working in:

Labour relations

Organizational behaviour and organizational psychology

Change management

Litigation practice

Employment law

Policy implementation

Optimization

Generative AI and game-based professional learning


Partnerships to build industry

At UNB, we are proud of our of long-standing strategic partnerships with the province’s largest employers. These close-knit, unique relationships are built upon multi-faceted, mutually beneficial strategic engagement that produces measurable results aligned with partner and university priorities.

We know that working in collaboration helps us build a better future together. As our partners have grown, innovated, and solidified their critical roles in the New Brunswick economy, UNB has been by their side. We leverage our strengths – and the strengths of our partners – in research innovation, talent development, talent retention, and economic capacity building to support this growth.

Our ability to punch above our weight while remaining nimble and responsive to our industry partners’ needs sets UNB apart in the post-secondary market. This is our competitive advantage.


“Through J.D. Irving, Limited’s strategic partnership with UNB, I believe we are well positioned to attract and retain the top talent UNB is producing for our business, as well as the betterment of New Brunswick and the Maritime region as a whole.”

– Linda Speedy, Vice-President of Human Resources at J.D. Irving, Limited

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PROPOSAL

SUITE OF EDUCATIONAL

$3 million investment.

Partnering with UNB will allow for tailored academic programs and professional development courses specific to the needs of DP World. These initiatives will foster industry innovation, enhance problem-solving skills and support growth by addressing specific training needs and collaborative research opportunities.

THE DP WORLD AND UNB PARTNERSHIP WILL INCLUDE

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UNB-DP World Innovation Manager

  • Acts as the point of contact.
  • Ensures communication with DP World is regular and frequent.
  • Provides support on demand.

Credit-Bearing Education

  • New pathways in undergraduate and graduate programs that allow for minor and major specialization in supply chain management and logistics.
  • New online credit certificates and diplomas at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
  • Innovative experiential education that makes early connections between emerging leaders and DP World.
  • Programs regulated by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Committee and carrying the quality assurance of UNB.

Non-Credit Professional Education

  • Customizable online professional development courses and certificates.
  • New professional and executive programs designed to address the unique requirements of DP World.
  • Just-in-time seminar and standalone courses in a variety of modalities that enable DP World to respond to emerging needs.
  • Online education that makes learning accessible and nimble when translating needs-analysis to educational provisions.

Microcredentials to Further Professionalize the Industry

  • Microcredentials, verified and communicated through digital technology.
  • Microcredentials that professionalize knowledge and skills within the global supply chain management and logistics industry.
  • Microcredentials that leverage the reputations of UNB and DP World.


We will work with DP World to identify existing programming opportunities. We will work together in a collaborative space to develop new, customized programs.

Opportunities exist for those entering our credit certificate, diploma and degree programs to apply for Prior Learning Assessment. This means that their work experience and other training can give them advanced standing in an academic program of their choosing, which reduces the number of courses they need to take in their chosen program, thus reducing costs for their employers.

To respond to the changing needs of learners, and to reach geographically dispersed populations, UNB offers more than 100 online credit courses and has expanded into fully online programs. UNB also offers executive education and professional development programming, including Occupational Health and Safety certification, which have proven to be of value to employees and employers.

Whatever DP World’s needs are for continuing, professional upgrading, or of-the- moment bespoke education, in the classroom or online, UNB has the capacity to provide programming that will meet your company’s workforce development objectives.

UNB is committed to education that transcends boundaries and borders. No matter where our learners find themselves, we are dedicated to their transformational growth.

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PROPOSAL

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT COLLABORATION HUB

$2.5 million investment.

Partnering with UNB to establish the Supply Chain Management Collaboration Hub will harness UNB's extensive expertise, along with its government, industry and community connections, to the benefit of DP World. This collaboration will address challenges identified by DP World and stimulate growth in terminal operations, innovation and logistics.

THE DP WORLD AND UNB PARTNERSHIP WILL INCLUDE

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UNB-DP World Innovation Manager

  • Acts as the point of contact.
  • Ensures communication with DP World is regular and frequent.
  • Provides support on demand.

Steering Group Governance

  • DP World will be a member of the Supply Chain Management Collaboration Hub. It will be a guiding voice in decision-making and investment.

Knowledge Translation Activity

  • Together we will commit to the application of knowledge, through knowledge- transfer activities and initiatives.

Growth of Solutions Network

  • Establish a Chair in Global Supply Chain Management.
  • Create a Supply Chain Management Solutions Network.
  • Identify UNB talent and stakeholders, metatag for areas of expertise and academic concentration and create a searchable index for solution-focused activity and knowledge transfer.

Industry-Informed Applied Research Projects

  • Facilitate the interchange of ideas between industry and researchers to align research to practice.
  • Institute a Rapid Innovation Challenge to create timely solutions to of-the-moment issues identified by DP World.
  • Proactively seek external funding from Canada Research Councils to generate new knowledge in the area of supply chain management and logistics.

Problem-Solving Summits

  • Bring industry and thought leaders together to push beyond the boundaries of current practice.
  • Tackle the difficult questions and generate practical solutions.
  • Generate ideas to usher in a new future of efficiency, sustainability and ingenuity in the supply chain management and logistics sector.


Considering the current challenges and the many opportunities for innovation and growth that lie ahead for DP World, we propose the creation of a Supply Chain Management Collaboration Hub. The Hub will be a uniquely designed collaboration framework focused on adding value across DP World's priorities of terminal operations, innovation and logistics.


The Supply Chain Management Collaboration Hub will foster open and frank discussion and debate between stakeholders. UNB's leadership will coordinate and consult with DP World to tackle the company’s greatest challenges.


UNB understands the value of a collaborative approach for problem solving and big sky thinking. With maximizing impact as the core deliverable, having the right minds around the table takes on even more significance.


The Supply Chain Management Collaboration Hub will use several locations (Port Saint John Fundy Room, UNB MBA Building uptown Saint John, UNB campuses in Saint John, Fredericton and our Moncton site) as determined by the resources required, problem being solved or partners participating. Capitalizing on UNB's diverse real- estate assets around the province, as well as UNB's new dedicated presence on Port Saint John property, will present the immediate opportunity to create a different kind of innovation mind space, focused on creating collaborative teams to tackle challenges, identify opportunities and work together to define a path forward with growth and impact as the goals.


 

Our collaborative approach to accessing expertise, information and thought leadership fosters unfettered communication in the education space. This allows for the intersection of knowledge, skills, experience, interest and passion with opportunity, challenge, need, and unanticipated events allowing us to question what is, what could be and what should be as we explore innovative solutions that will shape the future of supply chain logistics.

UNB will bring together the right people, ideas and skills to address the issues of the moment and to help DP World predict the solutions needed for the future.

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PROPOSAL

LEGACY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT

$2.5 million investment.

Investing in a major UNB infrastructure project will provide physical and enduring evidence on campus of DP World’s leadership in applied research and education and its commitment to sustainable supply chain management and logistics. DP World’s generosity and the visibility of its brand will make a strong impression upon UNB’s 100,000+ students and alumni.

One of UNB's signature academic buildings is rising from the centre of our Saint John campus.

Located on a central site overlooking the campus quad and the Kennebecasis River, the 65,000 square foot, three and a half-storey Health and Social Innovation Centre will create an environment conducive to active, experiential learning and innovative, entrepreneurial research. This beautiful edifice is emblematic of Saint John’s increasing prosperity, its global outlook and UNB’s central role in the economic and social development of New Brunswick.

The Health and Social Innovation Centre will create an environment conducive to active, experiential learning and innovative, entrepreneurial research.

The Health and Social Innovation Centre’s proximity to Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, the New Brunswick Community College Allied Health facility and the Saint John Regional Hospital will facilitate the expansion of UNB’s research partnerships and the collision of ideas.

Given DP World’s substantive impact upon Greater Saint John’s economy and its significant partnership investment in UNB, we can think of no better place to align your company’s brand with our university community than in this landmark building.

We can think of no better place to align your company’s brand with our university community than in this landmark building.

UNB will recognize DP World’s $2.5 million investment in the Health and Social Innovation Centre with a naming right on the Centre’s first-floor Academic Commons. The DP World Concourse will be the first part of the Centre that students and members of the community encounter as they enter the new building from the campus quad. It will be the part of the building in which students spend the most time.

The DP World Concourse will be home to the UNB Saint John Teaching and Learning Centre, multiple collaborative spaces and a 40-seat classroom equipped with enhanced technology. DP World’s support for the Health and Social Innovation Centre will elevate its brand on campus and make manifest its commitment to the future growth and development of UNB, Saint John and sustainable global trade.

DP World’s support for the Health and Social Innovation Centre will elevate its brand on campus and make manifest its commitment to the future growth and development of UNB, Saint John and sustainable global trade.

WHAT INVESTMENT MEANS FOR DP WORLD

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Train

Weave the DP World name into UNB and the community of Saint John

Boat

Become a part of a community of leaders invested in the future of education and research

Plane

Create a direct connection with the learners at UNB; the learners of today will be future leaders.


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PROPOSAL

STUDENT SUCCESS FUND

$2 million endowment. $80,000/year in benefits to students.

Navigating post-secondary education has its share of logistical challenges. Not all students have the means to pay the same freight, and not all routes from enrolment to graduation are of equal duration. DP World’s investment in an endowed $2 million Student Success Fund will provide $80,000 a year in resources to support student success at UNB.

The annual return on DP World’s Student Success Endowment Fund can be allocated however your company sees fit to distribute the funds to students. As the base investment of $2 million will be endowed, UNB will be able to award benefits in perpetuity.


DP World might wish to reward remarkable achievement in logistics education with a single, top-tier award of $80,000 or two awards of $40,000. Your company could encourage excellence with a series of $20,000 scholarships. You could improve educational access for students of limited means by offering eight $10,000 bursaries. Or you could establish a combination of scholarships, bursaries and funds to support student travel or reward innovation, as DP World has done with its Big Tech Challenge in India and UAE.


DP World’s investment in student support at UNB will create multiple opportunities for your company to interact with students, from DP World representatives awarding scholarships, bursaries or prizes to students in person, to offering students summer jobs, internships or the opportunity to leave the province for a term of employment abroad, should DP World be interested in pursuing these options. Scholarship support can become a key element in building DP World’s talent pipeline for future jobs here in Canada and around the globe.


Whatever options you choose, UNB will provide an annual report attesting to the impact your partnership investment has in the lives of students.


DP World’s generous funding for student success initiatives at UNB will affirm your company’s legacy as a community leader and build brand awareness among students who have the potential to become tomorrow’s global industry and community leaders.


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THE VALUE OF PARTNERSHIP

Joining the exclusive roster of UNB's strategic partners will create opportunities for DP World on campus and in the larger community. Partnership pays dividends by facilitating swift access to university talent and resources, fostering efficiency and improving coordination.

PARTNERSHIP OPENS DOORS

Partnership will streamline collaboration between our organizations through a single point of contact. It will facilitate the development of a campus engagement strategy to make meaningful connections between strategic partner representatives and faculty, staff and students. It will enable us to collaborate more efficiently on achieving shared objectives and poise us for action on new partnership opportunities.

A strategic partnership with UNB will:

  • Serve as a UNB navigator, institutional front door and relationship home for DP World.
  • Connect DP World with work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities, brand awareness and education enrichment opportunities beyond the scope of the bespoke programming listed above.
  • Facilitate new relationships in faculties not previously engaged based on DP World's talent acquisition needs (e.g., business, management, computer science, engineering including ocean mapping and transport).
  • Track impact and report on partnership KPls based on shared partner- and campus- engagement strategies and project plans.
  • Maintain open lines of communication via regular touchpoints to track progress on shared initiatives.
  • Remove barriers and foster opportunities for collaboration and engagement.
  • Facilitate shared storytelling and other marketing/communications initiatives that demonstrate the impact of the DP World-UNB strategic partnership.

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Help set the agenda in education, training and research

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Prepare the supply chain management and logistics industry for a future of growth and innovation

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Be a part of a 239-year-old legacy


WHAT DOES PARTNERSHIP MEAN TO UNB?

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Conclusion

DP World has earned a reputation for responsible corporate citizenship by building and growing long-lasting relationships with stakeholders. So has UNB. We share common values and a common commitment to excellence and innovation. We can achieve even more by working together.

Join us, and we can design educational opportunities that raise the capacity of DP World’s workforce while bringing young talent into the supply chain management and logistics industry. We can consolidate DP World’s reputation as an industry and community leader in New Brunswick. We can drive the growth of this province’s emerging logistics sector, which has the potential to transform the economy of Atlantic Canada and expand Canada’s gateway to the world.

Working together, we will invest in the people who will create the solutions of tomorrow. We will promote understanding and ingenuity around the issues impacting supply chain management and logistics at the community, regional and national levels. We will establish the foundation of a partnership with the capacity to deliver game- changing results for DP World, Saint John and the world.


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