Dear members of the UBC community. I would like to begin by acknowledging that I am speaking to you from the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. Earlier this month, UBC launched its new global engagement strategy, called In Service. We are unveiling this new strategy at a time of great change […]
I’m delighted to let you know that the Blue and Goldcast, my regular podcast series where I sit down with students, faculty and staff to discuss a wide range of topics, has resumed after taking a short break. We’ve recorded several new episodes, which will be released over the next few months (we’ll be recording […]
Earlier this month I had the privilege of introducing Margaret Trudeau at a talk she gave in downtown Vancouver on mental health. Trudeau – the former wife of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the mother of the current prime minister, Justin Trudeau – had the audience spellbound as she frankly and courageously described her […]
As president of the University of British Columbia, it is my privilege to preside over graduation ceremonies at both the UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan campuses. Seeing the joy on the faces of the new graduates and the pride on the faces of their family members is an unforgettable experience. I also have the privilege […]
I’m proud to announce that UBC has been ranked first in the world in university climate action and first in Canada (third in the world) for sustainable cities and communities in the first ever THE University Impact Rankings. UBC was singled out for its “research on climate change, use of energy and preparations for dealing […]
What do a bestselling novelist, a world-renowned physicist, a futurist and an Indigenous activist-athlete have in common? They are all “provocateurs” who are shaping the way people think about a broad range of issues. And they all participated in the first season of the UBC Connects speaker series last year. The talks by novelist Isabel […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Today, UBC’s Board of Governors endorsed in principle Shaping UBC’s Next Century, our new strategic plan. With the Board’s endorsement, and the plan’s approval by the UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan Senates, we embark on our next century as a leading public university. Building on the success of UBC’s previous strategic plan, Place and Promise, […]
Sending all students and faculty love during exams. A post shared by Santa J. Ono (@ubcprez) on Apr 10, 2018 at 9:28pm PDT The other morning while walking by the UBC Life building, I noticed a young woman sitting at a table, her books and laptop spread in front of her, fast asleep with her […]
Last week, I had the privilege of presenting a draft of Inspire: the strategic plan of the University of British Columbia (UBC) to the UBC Vancouver Senate. Later this week, I will present it to the UBC Okanagan Senate. It will go back to the Senates next month and, following that, to the Board of […]
Dear friends: December is traditionally a time to reflect back on the year that was and to look forward to the year to come. Looking over my blog posts over the past year, I’m struck by UBC’s many accomplishments in 2017: We began work in earnest on the new strategic plan. The planning process – […]
I love summer at UBC. The sunshine, the luxuriant foliage, the mountains and the ocean, the historic buildings – it all reminds me how lucky I am to work at this amazing institution. Another thing I like about walking or cycling through the campus on my way to work at this time of year is […]
As you may know, I recently returned from a week-long visit to Tokyo. It was the first time a UBC president has travelled to Japan since Stephen Toope went there in 2010. While there, I visited the University of Tokyo, as well as two Japanese firms that regularly hire UBC coop students. I also engaged […]
This past weekend, I was honoured and humbled to participate in the raising of Reconciliation Pole at UBC’s Vancouver campus. It was gratifying to see so many people turn out for this important occasion and to hear from residential school survivors such as Elder Barney Williams and Pauline Jones (below left), who spoke with courage and candour of the […]