About the President

As President & CEO, Ajay Patel is taking Vancouver Community College (VCC), British Columbia's oldest public post secondary institution established in 1880 to new heights. Having joined the institution in May 2019 first as its Vice President, Enterprise & International Development, Ajay brings over two decades of rich experience in post-secondary education marked by his strategic foresight and unwavering dedication to uplifting students, staff, and the broader community.

Ajay's journey, beginning in Fiji and continuing in East Vancouver and now Burnaby, is a testament to his resilience and adaptability as a person of colour and with a hearing disability. An alumnus of VCC-Langara's Human Performance program (1992), he went on to earn his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Human Kinetics from the University of British Columbia.

His early career in British Columbia's amateur and competitive sports community was marked by distinction. As CEO of Badminton BC and Gymnastic BC, and as Team BC's Chef de Mission for the Canada Winter and Summer Games, Ajay's leadership in the province’s sports sector spanned 16 years. Through roles on numerous boards and committees, including Sport BC, the BC Recreation and Parks Association, and the Vancouver Sport Strategy, Ajay made his mark in in the BC sports world.

Transitioning to academia in 2001 as a Kinesiology instructor at Langara College, Ajay's career trajectory was a series of escalating leadership roles, culminating in his position as Vice President, External Development where he spearheaded initiatives across various divisions including Health Sciences, College Advancement, the Langara Foundation, Communications and Marketing, Continuing Studies, Institutional Research, and International Education. His exceptional contributions to international education were recognized with the BC Council for International Education Distinguished Leadership Award in 2019.

Ajay's international influence is evident in his pivotal role in securing the University Mobility in Asia Pacific (UMAP) International Secretariat at VCC and his leadership within the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE). His appointments to the BC Council for International Education (BCCIE) and the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Board further highlights his impact on the global educational stage. In 2024, he was appointed to the Board of Trustees for World Education Services.

A recipient of numerous accolades, including the City of Vancouver’s Volunteer of the Year and the Top 25 Canadian Immigrant award, Ajay's impact transcends academia. His service on the Multicultural Advisory Council of BC and the Metro Vancouver’s ‘Invest Vancouver Management Board’ reflects his deep-rooted commitment to fostering an inclusive and just society. Most recently, Ajay was named to Vancouver Magazine’s Power 50 list in 2024. 

At VCC, Ajay is passionately advancing the College's 10-Year Strategic Innovation Plan and Campus Plan, envisioning a future where education is not only a path to professional development and personal growth but also foundation to a societal transformation. His approach, blending strategic foresight with a dedication to public service, both locally and internationally, underscores his commitment to crafting an educational ecosystem rooted in people and community that is dynamic, inclusive, and forward-thinking.

Contact

Keri Zwicker
Executive Assistant to the President
Phone: 604.871.7004
Email: kzwicker@vcc.ca

Social media

Twitter: @vccpresident
LinkedIn: Ajay Patel