As Dean pro tem of UBC’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+PS), I am delighted to welcome you to our website and thank you for your interest in graduate and postdoctoral education opportunities at this excellent university. Whether you are already a part of the UBC community, are considering joining us, or are a member of the public interested in discovering what we offer, I am confident that you will find that endless opportunities exist to be engaged with the graduate landscape.
UBC is one of the top 40 research-intensive universities in the world and a recognized leader in research and scholarship at the graduate and postdoctoral level across an enormous range of both disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields. UBC also ranks among the top ten universities in North America in the creation of spin-off companies, and thus the entrepreneurial spirit is woven in through the fabric of many of our offerings. Based on the established and diverse excellence of our students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty, it is no wonder, that we attract students and faculty who are among the most outstanding scholars in the world.
Our nearly 1,000 postdoctoral fellows and more than 11,000 graduate students on the UBC Vancouver campus are the engine that drives the research enterprise forward, and our role at G+PS is to provide effective and innovative leadership to promote and support excellence and innovation in the graduate and postdoctoral enterprise across the campus. Among our many responsibilities, we seek to ensure a transparent, consistent and equitable administration of graduate programs and awards, evaluation and quality assurance of graduate programs, advocacy for graduate and postdoctoral needs within the larger academic community, assistance with individual student and postdoctoral problems, and the provision of outstanding opportunities for professional development of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty in their role as supervisors. Given the constant flux of the 21st century, we also provide leadership in envisioning change and supporting the graduate and postdoctoral community to evolve in response to these needs.
Our values and goals have been selected to promote excellence through promote inclusion, diversity, and an enhanced student experience. Key strategies that we have focused on to achieve this include: (1) enhancing graduate supervision, (2) enriching the learning and experience of graduate students and postdocs, (3) promoting graduate student and postdoc wellbeing, (4) advancing Indigenous inclusion, (5) reimagining graduate and postdoctoral education, and (6) strengthening student and postdoctoral funding.
If you are already here, or are committed to joining us, you are warmly welcomed, and I encourage you to explore the many opportunities for engagement with this diverse community. I would particularly invite you to explore the ground-breaking Public Scholars Initiative that supports PhD students to undertake collaborative research for the public good, and of the many professional development opportunities offered by Graduate Pathways for Success (GPS) and Postdoctoral Fellows Office (PDFO), all examples of UBC’s commitment to supporting and encouraging academic success, work-life balance, and the development of competencies and outlooks to prepare graduates for their professions and for their role in advancing a civil society. For those who are considering coming, take some time to explore the information on our website and other websites at UBC, and visit our campus if possible. I look forward to working with you all to create and foster the rich intellectual and cultural life that we as the UBC community enjoy so fully.
Dr. Michael A. Hunt
Dean pro tem, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies