Strategic Plan & Priorities

Graduate and postdoctoral education and research are core to the university’s mission as an exceptional research-intensive educational institution, and to its vision to “inspire people, ideas and actions for a better world.”

G+PS is proud to launch a new strategic plan for graduate and postdoctoral studies at UBC. The plan is born out of a broad consultative process held over the course of a year and a half, as well as consultations for and development of the university’s plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century.

This strategic plan follows six guiding principles, upheld in the University’s work with and for graduate students and postdocs, and contains 16 strategies.

Guiding Principles

Excellence;
A culture of integrity and high standards;
Relevance to the 21st century;
Local and global engagement;
Equity, diversity and inclusion; and
Wellbeing

Strategies

Increase graduate student and postdoc funding and living affordability
Restructure central funding policies and processes to optimize for recruitment purposes
Enhance and coordinate recruitment efforts across the university
Increase Indigenous student enrolment
Promote research and learning opportunities across disciplines and units
Improve coordination, opportunities, and support for graduate student and postdoctoral professional development
Facilitate the generation of more vibrant student communities
Implement graduate student and postdoctoral wellbeing strategies
Improve support of Indigenous students

Enhance the quality of graduate student supervision
Invigorate community among graduate program leaders and explore expanded models of support
Increase efforts to ensure graduate programs are effectively reviewed and the findings followed up
Work to ensure administrative processes are streamlined and effective
Sustain and enhance the Public Scholars Initiative (PSI) and related work aimed at reimagining graduate education for the 21st century
Increase understanding of and opportunities for knowledge mobilization and context-based scholarship for the public good
Increase coordination and collaboration between the two campuses

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Key Initiatives

Below you will find an overview of several key initiatives.

Improving Student Funding

A UBC graduate education challenges students and requires their full attention. As a central element of their education, many graduate students also contribute significantly to UBC research, as well as to the education of our undergraduate students. Other work or financial commitments can be a major obstacle for graduate students, which is why scholarships and financial support are a key priority for UBC.

Promoting Excellence in Graduate Programs

UBC-V offers over 300 graduate degree programs through more than 80 academic units. An important priority for G+PS is to work collaboratively with programs to promote and share best practices in graduate education and to ensure that centralized support is timely and effective.

Enhancing Graduate Supervision

The relationship between a research graduate student and his/her supervisor has been described as 'the most important channel of intellectual inheritance between one generation and the next'.

Advancing Indigenous Inclusion

The completion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's report (2015), and Canada's official adoption of the UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2016) are among the many stimuli for Canada's renewed commitment to reconciliation, deeper understanding, and enhanced relationships with Indigenous peoples and communities.

Supporting Student Development and Success

At UBC, we view graduate education as the formation of scholars. The term formation implies a holistic development that involves all aspects of one’s professional identity, including the many habits of mind and heart that influence students’ increasing capabilities as scholars and professionals.

Reimagining Graduate Education

Extraordinary and continuous change is a hallmark of the 21st century. Changes are happening in our societies and natural world, in learner needs and opportunities, in learning approaches and technologies, and in the ways that our most highly educated people contribute to the world.

Enriching the Student Experience

In addition to cultivating an environment and practices that enhance graduate student education and development, G+PS is committed to promoting and facilitating programs, services, and a culture that fosters healthy minds and a sense of community and wellbeing among graduate students.