Brand-Building in a Bowtie
World One Reputation Network, Vancouver BC Thank you, Mark and good morning, everybody! I’d like to begin by acknowledging that I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered today on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. I am inspired by the calibre of the people and institutions represented in the […]
Tuum Est: How shall I change the world for the better?
Imagine, UBC Vancouver Welcome UBC Class of 2022! Look forward to communicating with you over the years. Say hello on campus. Or connect through social media (@UBCPrez) World Class University, #25 in NTU, #27 US News 3 Prime Ministers of Canada, 8 Nobel Laureates, 65 Olympic Medalists, 71 Rhodes Scholars, and has >300 faculty members […]
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 – […]
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 […]
Statement on Detention of Loujain al-Hathloul
Yesterday I advised the community via social media that this university would do its utmost to ensure detained alumna Loujain Al-Hathloul is treated justly in Saudi Arabia. I also agreed with the federal government’s view that her arrest is inconsistent with the Saudi Arabian government’s stated commitment to create a more tolerant and open society. […]
Graduation Ceremonies: Graduate Studies & Post-Doctoral Studies, Applied Science (Engineering)
Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, UBC Vancouver Campus, Musqueam Traditional Territory Give thanks, spiritual and temporal, for the manifold blessings we share in this wonderful world, this great nation, this beautiful province, this splendid university. And to recognize that UBC is located on the traditional, ancestral, unseeded territory of the Musqueam people. We give […]
Science and Faith: Servant Leadership and the Secular University
Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation (CSCA) Conference 2018, Langley BC Good morning, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you today. I often receive invitations to speak at both public and private schools within Canada and beyond our borders, and I’m thrilled to have a chance to engage with […]
Overcoming the stigma
Men in Nursing Conference, Mt. St. Joseph University, Cincinnati Today, I’d like to talk to you about a subject very close to me – the need to overcome the stigma around mental health, especially for young men. I’ll discuss some of the struggles I’ve faced and how – with the help of faith, family and friends […]
Working Together for Successful Student Transition
BC School Trustees Association, Richmond Thank you, Gordon, for your kind introduction. Good evening, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour and a privilege to be with you this evening. Perhaps I should say right off the top that I have as much to learn from you as you will learn from me. Though I […]
Statement of Apology
April 9, 2018 Today the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at UBC was opened to the public in a ceremony that included a statement of apology, which I delivered, to Indian residential school survivors and, more generally, to Indigenous people, for the university’s involvement in the system that supported the operation of the […]
The Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre: Fulfilling a Promise
On Monday, April 9th, I invite you to join me in witnessing the fulfillment of a promise made by my predecessor, UBC President Stephen Toope, in 2013 – the opening of the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre (IRSHDC). At the opening, I will also make a Statement of Apology for UBC’s involvement in […]
Inspire: Building a Strategic Plan for UBC
Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Four Seasons Hotel, Vancouver Thank you, Robert, for your kind introduction. Good afternoon, and thank you everyone. It’s an honour to be with you today. I’d like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Coast Salish people, the Musqueam, the Squamish […]
Lunar New Year 2018
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre Thank you everyone, and thank you especially to Iggy Chong. We are so lucky at UBC to have alumni – and friends – like Iggy, who works so hard on our behalf as Chair of our Hong Kong Alumni UBC Leadership Council. And now, as if we needed further proof […]
Best wishes to Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin
On behalf of the University of British Columbia, I am delighted to extend best wishes to The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin, P.C. on the occasion of her retirement as the Chief Justice of Canada. Chief Justice McLachlin was the first woman to hold the position of Chief Justice of Canada and she retires from […]
Freedom of Expression Matters: Join the Conversation
As follow-up to my September 5th letter to the UBC community, I received a draft statement on freedom of expression from an internal working group convened by Professor Neil Guppy, Senior Advisor to the Provosts on Academic Freedom. The working group, comprising ten faculty and staff members, worked through several iterations of a statement. Input […]
UBC’s Next Century — the next phase of engagement
Dear members of the UBC community: I am pleased to confirm that we are now entering the next phase of UBC’s strategic planning process. Over the last few months we have conducted a series of events and consultation activities: from open houses on our Vancouver and Okanagan campuses, and other learning and research sites, to […]
Looking ahead to 2017-18
Dear members of the UBC community: Welcome back for the start of the 2017/18 academic year. I hope you all had a chance to enjoy the summer. Today, UBC is welcoming thousands of new and returning students to our campuses and learning sites. As we embrace the energy and excitement that comes with this, I […]
Times Higher Education World Academic Summit 2017
Modern graduates: citizens of the world or citizens of nowhere? Topic of this panel is one that is very pertinent to the University of British Columbia. What is the role of a major research university in an increasing connected world? What is our obligation – to our community, to our region, to the world? No […]
Sustainability & Research Universities in the Asia-Pacific
Association of Pacific Rim Universities, panel discussion Thanks to moderator Ana Mari Cauce Honoured to be on a panel with such distinguished panelists, Helen Clark, Ian Jacobs, Yong-Hak Kim, Damon Salesa Thanks to Helen Clark for her insightful remarks on UN sustainable goals and the Pacific Sustainability is more important than ever – as shown […]