University of Waterloo Launches Executive AI Program to Prepare Health Care Leaders for System-Wide Transformation
Published: 19 Dec 2025
Author: Precedence Research
The University of Waterloo in Ontario has rolled out a new executive education program focused on artificial intelligence in health care, delivered through WatSPEED, the university’s professional and corporate education division. Developed in partnership with the Waterloo Regional Health Network, the initiative responds to rising pressure on health systems to strengthen AI understanding at the leadership level as advanced tools move beyond pilot projects into day-to-day operations.
The two-day program was designed for senior executives and decision-makers who are responsible for shaping long-term strategy across hospitals and integrated health systems. Rather than concentrating on technical deployment, the curriculum emphasized how leaders can make informed decisions about AI adoption, risk, governance, and organizational readiness.
Preparing leaders to make strategic AI decisions
WatSPEED worked closely with the Waterloo Regional Health Network to tailor the program to the realities faced by health system leaders. Sessions held earlier this week explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping patient care, clinical workflows, and hospital operations, and what this means for leadership accountability.
The program aimed to help executives understand how to evaluate AI opportunities, ask the right questions of technical teams, and ensure that new technologies are introduced responsibly. Participants examined the strategic implications of moving from traditional predictive analytics to generative and agentic AI, along with leadership approaches for managing change in complex and highly regulated health environments.
More than 30 leaders took part in the program, engaging in discussions on AI strategy development, governance frameworks, and the organizational conditions required to support successful adoption.
Strengthening AI capability within health systems
The initiative was closely aligned with the Waterloo Regional Health Network’s broader innovation and AI ambitions. By collaborating on the program design, the network used the experience to advance internal dialogue about how artificial intelligence should be integrated across its organizations.
The program also served as a catalyst for broader conversations among participants about the future of health care in the Waterloo region. These discussions focused on defining a shared vision for AI use, balancing innovation with patient safety, and establishing the policies and leadership structures needed to guide responsible implementation.
Faculty expertise meets real-world challenges
Instruction was delivered by a multidisciplinary group of faculty members and advisors from across the University of Waterloo, bringing together expertise in economics, public health, computer science, management, and applied AI. This faculty-led approach was intended to bridge academic research and practical leadership challenges, offering participants a systems-level view of how AI affects decision-making across health care organizations.
The university positions the program as part of a broader effort to translate its research strengths into practical education for public and private sector leaders. As artificial intelligence adoption accelerates across health care and other public services, the initiative highlights a growing demand for executive education that goes beyond technical skills to address governance, ethics, and system-wide transformation.
For education and EdTech stakeholders, the program reflects a shift toward leadership-focused AI learning, signaling that future executive training will increasingly center on strategic oversight and responsible innovation rather than hands-on technical instruction alone.