The Office of the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs)

The Office of the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) oversees academic staff matters from recruitment to retirement – including hiring, tenure, promotion, research study leaves, discipline and faculty development.

Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs)

  • Dr. Ayush Kumar

    Dr. Ayush Kumar was appointed Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) effective July 1, 2026. He is also a Professor in the Department of Microbiology in the Faculty of Science. 

    Dr. Kumar’s research focuses on the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria, and he has published extensively in this area. His work has been supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Mitacs and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

    Dr. Kumar has received numerous teaching honours and has been recognized for his outreach activities.

    He previously served as President of the Canadian Society of Microbiologists and is an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology.

    Prior to his appointment as Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs), Dr. Kumar served as Associate Dean (Strategic Initiatives) in the Faculty of Science, where he led equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives and oversaw the Wawatay Program, which supports Indigenous students pursuing science education.

Responsibilities

The Office of the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs) is here to support UM’s faculty members. At every stage of your career – from recruitment to retirement—the University of Manitoba offers services, support, and assistance to make your professional and personal lives easier and more rewarding.

  • Faculty development: 

    Advances faculty success through programs, resources and initiatives that support professional growth and career development throughout every stage of the academic lifecycle. These initiatives include onboarding of new faculty members, supporting tenure and promotion, research and scholarship leaves, faculty recognition through various awards programs.

    Academic leadership support:

    Supports academic leaders through orientation, professional development, consultation, and resources that strengthen academic administration and leadership capacity across the university.

    Learn about the resources and programs offered:

  • An instructor sits on a stool in front of a blackboard in a brightly lit room with several students.
  • Family Resource Coordinator meets with client

  • Family resources

    Oversees the Family Resource Coordinator, who supports faculty and staff with a range of family-related topics, including guidance on childcare and schooling, caregiving for older adults, parenting and family health, as well as family recreation and leisure activities.

Contact us

Office of the Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs)
Room 208 Administration Building
66 Chancellor's Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

facultyrelations@umanitoba.ca
204 474 8283