Saini was born to a family from Nawanshahr in Punjab, India, where he grew up. He completed his Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Master of Science (Honours) in Botany from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana.[4] He then moved to Australia, where he earned his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from the University of Adelaide, followed by a postdoctoral research fellowship at the University of Alberta in Canada.[4]
Career
Saini began his academic career at the Université de Montréal, where he spent 18 years as a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, later serving as the director general of the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale (Plant Biology Research Institute) from 1996-2001.[5]
He then moved on to leadership roles at other Canadian universities, including dean of the Faculty of Environment (formerly Environmental Studies) at the University of Waterloo, as well as principal of the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) and vice-president of the University of Toronto.[6] During his time as principal of UTM and vice-president of the University of Toronto, Saini oversaw the expansion of program offerings and several multi-million-dollar construction projects on the UTM campus, notably the development and launch of UTM’s medical school, the Mississauga Academy of Medicine.[7]
In 2016, he relocated to Australia to take on the role of vice-chancellor and president of the University of Canberra.[8] Under his leadership, the University rose to the 58th position among young universities in the world and inaugurated the University of Canberra Public Hospital and Canberra Specialist Medical Centre.[9]
In January 2020, Saini returned once more to Canada to begin his mandate as the 12th president and vice-chancellor of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[10] During this time, he led the University at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated the conversion of all in-person learning at Dalhousie to remote instruction.[11]
In December 2022, it was announced that Deep Saini would be the incoming 18th president and vice-chancellor (formerly principal and vice-chancellor) of McGill University. He began his five-year, renewable term on April 1, 2023.[3][12] He has since emphasized the transformative potential of education.[13] Saini is McGill's first principal of colour.[14]
In October 2023, Saini was inaugurated as chair of the board of directors for Universities Canada; prior to that, he was vice-chair and served as a member of the board since 2021.[15] In his inaugural address as chair, Saini emphasized the unique role of universities in maintaining a prosperous Canadian society.[16] Saini is a member of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada since 2023.[17] Saini appeared on the Maclean's Magazine Power List for education in 2024.[18]
Quebec Tuition Issues
In 2023, Saini expressed concern over proposed changes in Quebec’s tuition policy for out-of-province students, and a potential revenue loss between $42 million and $94 million. In issuing his concerns, he urged collaboration with the government to promote French while maintaining the university’s inclusivity.[19][20] To that end, he also stated that he would consider potentially moving some McGill operations out of Quebec.[21] In February 2024 it was announced that McGill University and Concordia were both taking legal action against the province in response to a significant drop in applicants. McGill stated at the time that it had seen a twenty percent drop in applicants. At the time, Saini was quoted as saying “we are undertaking this legal action because we believe that these measures are illegal.”[22]
During an early test of his presidency, McGill saw protest encampments established on the campus during the Hamas-Israeli conflict of 2023-24, which Saini denounced.[23] Three days after the encampment, Saini called upon the police to break up the protest, however the police told him that no crime was being committed. He also called upon the court system to disperse the encampment, and was again told that this would be inappropriate.[24] About this time, a professor at the school stated of Saini that the faculty was "strongly opposed to our university administration's relentless campaign against the students."[25]
The Globe and Mail reported that as of the end of May 2024, Saini continued to push the law enforcement to try and intervene despite them informing him that nothing illegal was occurring.[26] During this time at his previously university, University Affairs wrote that in comparison the president that had come after him (Kim Brooks) had instead decided to take a conciliatory approach and not involve law enforcement at all in response to similar protests on her campus, citing her respect for peaceful protest.[27] Saini, alternatively, accused protest of being antisemetic, though Jewish students, as well as Independent Jewish Voices, dismissed the accusation as part of a smear campaign against the encampment, citing that there are Jewish students playing a key role in the protest encampment.[28]
On 6 June 2024, Saini requested police intervention to clear the protest occurring in the James administration building.[29] Riot police pepper sprayed, tear-gassed, and used batons and shields against students protesting around the building.[30][31] 15 student arrests were made for their role in the protest.[32] Saini later thanked the police for their intervention in clearing out the protest.[29] However, in July 2024 The Breach wrote that Saini supported his position that led to the police violence by peppering his statements to the press with misinformation, planting false stories that students called for violence and had prevented administrators from leaving the building.[33]
References
^Advances in Agronomy, pp ix, Volume 68 By Donald L. Sparks, San Diego [etc.] : Academic Press, cop. 2000.
