As Dean and Vice-Provost of UBC’s Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, I am delighted to welcome you to our website and invite you to explore the wealth of information that we have made available. 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 are all about, this website has been created for you with the express purpose of serving as a reliable source for graduate and postdoctoral education information at the university.
The role of the Faculty is to support graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and the entire UBC graduate community in pursuit of a personal, professional and academic experience second to none. Among other 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.
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 postgraduate level across an enormous range of both disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields, with over 800 postdoctoral fellows working on our Vancouver and Okanagan campuses and nearly 10,000 graduate students pursuing masters and doctoral studies. In 2009-10 UBC earned more than $549 million in research funding and ranks among the top ten universities in North America in the creation of spin-off companies, with more than $1.3 billion recently invested in infrastructure projects. It is no wonder then, that we attract students and faculty who are among the most outstanding scholars in the world. International media consistently rank Vancouver as one of the world’s most livable cities. We enjoy Canada’s mildest climate and a natural environment of forested mountains on the wild and beautiful coastline of the Pacific Ocean.
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 take note of the workshop and professional development opportunities offered by our Graduate Pathways for Success (GPS) and Postdoctoral Fellows Office(PDFO) as examples of UBC’s commitment to supporting and encouraging work-life balance, academic success, 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 program information on our website and other websites at UBC, and visit our campus if possible. Please consider joining us in creating the rich intellectual and cultural life that we as the UBC community enjoy so fully.
Dr. Susan Porter
Dean and Vice-Provost, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies