For 30 years, Dawson College was served by the following Mission Statement, adopted by the Board of Governors on April 7, 1986. During the consultation process in the formulation of the 2016-2021 Strategic Plan, the mission statement was revisited and restated to better reflect the reality of Dawson College today, its past and its future.

As a College in the province of Quebec, aware of its responsibility to contribute to the intellectual, economic and social development of our society, Dawson College believes that it is equally important to prepare students for further academic education and for immediate employment. Therefore, the Mission of Dawson College is:

• to provide a sound education in English to the broadest possible student population;
• to value the ethnic and cultural diversity of our College and to celebrate this diversity within the context of an English education;
• to maintain standards of academic excellence essential to our students’ future success and to provide the appropriate programs, services and technology to ensure that any student admitted has the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to achieve these standards;
• to continue to develop innovative and flexible educational approaches to serve the needs of our students;
• to affirm that the College, as a community, requires the participation and representation of all its members – students, staff and faculty – in its governance;
• to encourage the personal and social development of Dawson students through activities outside the classroom;
• to develop the role of the College as a community resource and as a centre for life-long learning.