2019 Lunar New Year Dinner Remarks
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, Vancouver Thank you everyone, and thank you especially to Susan and Ken Chow. (To the Chows:) We are delighted to have you lead us through the program this evening. But UBC is also honoured and deeply grateful for your dedication and generosity all the other days of the year. I […]
Take the Cool Campus Challenge
UBC is participating in the BC Cool Campus Challenge, a fun and friendly initiative between BC universities and colleges to save energy this winter season. Across the province, post-secondary institutions are challenging each other to see who can gather the most pledges from students, staff, and faculty to help reduce our natural gas use and […]
Strategic Plan funding focuses on Indigenous, cross-campus initiatives
I am pleased to announce that 20 new pilot projects and change initiatives will be funded as part of the university’s commitment to implementing the strategic plan, UBC’s Next Century. Each proposal was reviewed by the responsible vice-president and associated advisory councils from each core area of the strategic plan (People and Places, Research Excellence, […]
UBC’s Emeritus College is the first of its kind in Canada
Welcome to 2019. I trust you have all had a good holiday break. I know I always feel energized and hopeful at the start of the New Year. January can indeed be invigorating. The days are getting perceptibly longer. Students, faculty and staff are back on campus, with renewed energy and enthusiasm, prepared once more […]
Holiday Reflections: Honouring our commitments
The holiday season is a good time to reflect back on the year that has gone and to look forward to the year ahead. Looking back, the past year has seen a number of significant accomplishments, most notably the endorsement of the new UBC strategic plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century. Other milestones included the opening […]
So that the guns will fall silent forever
One hundred years ago today, the guns fell silent in Europe, marking the end of what many hoped would be the war to end all wars. Although UBC was only a few years old, many of its students, faculty and staff heeded the call to serve their country in that far-away conflict. In the hundred […]
Thrive Week at UBC
Today, October 29, marks the beginning of Thrive Week at UBC. Thrive is a mindset and week-long series of events focused on helping UBC students, faculty and staff explore their path to mental health. Over the next five days, Thrive UBC will be hosting many activities to help promote mental health, including mindfulness drop-in sessions, […]
His Highness the Aga Khan: An inspiration to us all
Later this week, the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University will present His Highness the Aga Khan with a joint honorary doctorate of laws degree—the first joint honorary degree conferred by the two universities together. The honorary degree, which will be conferred during a special ceremony on Oct. 19, is being awarded in […]
Shaping UBC’s Next Century: An update on the strategic plan
As you know, earlier this year, UBC adopted a new strategic plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century. Over the past few months, we’ve been busy putting the structures in place to implement the plan. At this time, I’d like to give an update on where we are and where we are going, as we transition from […]
Listen Up, it’s the Blue & Goldcast!
I’m excited to announce the birth of The Blue and Goldcast. As you can probably guess from its name, The Blue and Goldcast is a podcast. I’ll be cohosting it every month along with Jennifer Gardy. Jennifer is an assistant professor at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, a Canada Research Chair in Public […]
Welcome to UBC!
Welcome to UBC! You’re joining a special community – a community of 65,000 students – students like you, who come from more than 150 countries to study at one of the top universities in the world. You’re starting on an exciting period in your lives. You will meet new friends, discover new interests. Maybe, […]
Looking ahead to 2018-19
Dear friends and colleagues: Today, we welcome thousands of new and returning students to our campuses. As we embrace the energy and excitement that comes with every new beginning, I would like to take an opportunity to reflect on UBC’s recent developments – and to look ahead to the coming academic year. Welcome to our […]
UBC providing supports for students from Saudi Arabia
The University of British Columbia continues to assist students ordered to cease studies at Canadian universities by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. UBC has about 280 new and returning students with Saudi Arabian citizenship in English-language, undergraduate, postgraduate, and graduate programs. Of that number, about 80% are sponsored by the Saudi Arabian […]
Stadium Neighbourhood: developing a thriving and sustainable community
Not only do I work at UBC, I’m also a campus resident. My family and I live on the Point Grey campus, and we enjoy feeling part of a community and meeting our neighbours when we go out walking or biking in the evening and on weekends. Each of UBC’s neighbourhoods is unique. Collectively they […]
Be a tourist at UBC this summer!
UBC’s Vancouver campus is so beautiful during the summer (so is the UBC Okanagan campus, but that’s worth a separate blog post). I’ve sometimes suggested (half-seriously) that we should revise the academic calendar so that the academic year begins in the summer – that way students can see the campus at its best. In just […]
Well-being: Giving the next generation the support they need to thrive
Council of Ministers of Education, Convention Centre, Vancouver BC Thank you, Minister Mark. I would like to acknowledge some of the other post-secondary education leaders from across B.C. in the room today, including Kathy Kinloch from BCIT and Ken Tourand from the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology. I would also like to acknowledge Karen Ranalleta, […]
Government Investment in Research and Innovation – will it pay off?
MP Breakfast Connections, Enigma Urban Eatery, Vancouver BC Thank you, Joyce, and good morning everybody! I am so happy to be here. Joyce, UBC values your support as our local MP. We also value the support we receive from your government for our research and teaching activities. As one of Canada’s leading research universities – […]
UBC: Proud to be a Pacific Rim university
Earlier this week, I took part in the annual presidents’ meeting of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU). The 50 member institutions are located in Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, the United States and 10 other countries, and include some of the world’s most prestigious and influential universities. UBC is the only Canadian […]
The President’s Medal of Excellence: “A significant contribution to the purposes and ideals of the university”
This week I had the honour of presenting the University of British Columbia President’s Medal of Excellence to five of the University’s strongest supporters – Linc Kesler, Bill Levine, Risa Levine, Jim Pattison and Angela Redish. The Medal is awarded to a person who has made a significant contribution to the purposes and ideals of the […]
Rotary Club of Vancouver and UBC’s Next Century of Service
The Rotary Club of Vancouver, Terminal City Club, Vancouver BC Good afternoon, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you today. I have spoken to Rotary Clubs in Cincinnati when I was President of the University of Cincinnati, and I’m thrilled to have a chance to address the Rotary […]