In late 1994, the Faculty of Education, with the support of Dr. Myer Horowitz, established the Horowitz Institute as a vehicle for professional development activities that would focus on topical policy issues in education.
Several institutes have been held. The inaugural institute "Educational Change in the 1990 - Beyond the Bottom Line" was held in February 1995. This institute dealt with four themes: governance, accountability, program delivery and finance/resources. In November 1995, "School Site Management: Implications for Trusteeship" was held. This institute followed the civic elections that year and was intended for newly elected school trustees. Partners in this institute were Alberta Education and the Alberta School Boards Association. Trustee participants in this institute had the opportunity to examine the changing role of the school trustee in a time when school site management and the increased role of parents were taking on significance. In 1998, "Shaping Tomorrow ? Programming for Special Needs" was held. Key reference points for this two-day institute were two task force reports "The Report of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Special Education" (chaired by Dr. Myer Horowitz and prepared for the Alberta Teachers Association) and "In the Balance? Meeting Special Needs Within Public Education" (chaired by Dr. John Paterson and prepared for the Alberta School Boards Association.)