If you choose to participate, you will join
a 2-hour focus group with approximately
five participants at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). No preparation is needed. Just bring your experiences, perspectives,
and ideas.

During the session, you will:

• Share your experience of the SkillPill installation

• Discuss your perspectives on the current role
  of universities

• Imagine and explore possibilities for universities
  of the future

• Do simple creative tasks (no art or design skills required) as icebreakers and connectors of conversations 

Food and refreshments will be provided during the session.

Participate in a focus group

Potential benefits:
There are no immediate or expected benefits to participating in this research project. You might enjoy sharing your opinions and contributing ideas about the future of universities. Your input may also help shape future policies
and promote more community-focused and economically just universities.

Potential risks/minimal:
This study involves minimal risk. Some topics may feel personal or emotional, but you may skip any question, take breaks, or stop participating at any time. Social and privacy risks will be reduced by anonymizing all data and reminding participants not to share personal information during group discussions.

Confidentiality and data security:
We will audio-record the discussion to support accurate note-taking. Your identity will be kept confidential. Names and signed consent forms will be stored separately from research data on a TMU Google Drive for enhanced security. These identifiable documents will be destroyed once transcripts are verified. Research data, including recordings, anonymized transcripts, notes, and photos of artifacts, will be stored securely and accessed only by the research team.

All data will be confidential and stored on a TMU Google Drive for enhanced security. Only Dr. Layal Shuman, Dr. Mindy Carter, and the project RAs will have access to the data. Data will be deleted in 2030, three years after the study's completion in 2027.

Your right:
Participation is voluntary. You may stop at any time without penalty. You may withdraw your individual comments or creative work until January 15th, 2027, by contacting the research team. Withdrawing from the study will not affect your relationship with TMU or McGill University or with any research team members. Withdrawn data will be deleted. Group discussions or group-created artifacts cannot be removed. After the withdrawal deadline, no data can be withdrawn.

How your data will be used:
Your anonymized contributions will help the research team identify themes about how universities can better serve the public good. A final report will be created and shared with you for optional feedback. The research team may also create policy recommendations, a public exhibition (using only artifacts you have agreed to share), conference presentations, and academic publications. No personal information will ever be included. The findings of the study will be emailed to all focus group participants.

Incentive for participation:
Students enrolled in a university in Canada will receive a $20 grocery/food gift card, even if you withdraw from the study. Gift cards will be distributed at the end of the focus groups. Other participants will not receive an incentive for their participation.

Exclusion criteria:

To avoid conflicts of interest and ensure fairness, any student enrolled in a course taught by the PI, co-PIs, or graduate research assistants will be excluded from the study. Former students who have just completed a course with one of the researchers could participate only if their grades have been submitted. 

University leaders, including Deans, Associate Deans, Provosts, Vice-Presidents, and other members of senior university administration, are encouraged to visit the SkillPill installations but are not eligible to participate in the focus groups.

How to participate in the study:

Please complete this form to participate in the study.

Following the completion of the research, key findings and resulting policy briefs will be shared with university leadership to help inform conversations about the future of higher education.

For more information, please email the Principal Investigator, Dr. Layal Shuman, at lshuman@torontomu.ca