Challenges and Opportunities and UBC’s Response

Economy

Declining Public Funding

• Engage with all levels of government and the public on the social and economic impact of UBC
• Align UBC’s budget to focus on core academic priorities
• Pursue savings in administrative functions and expenses,  ensure spending is efficient and transparent
• Develop additional revenue sources through federal funding, partnerships with industry and fundraising

Building and Strengthening BC’s Knowledge-Based Economy

• Implement UBC’s innovation strategy, including building strategic partnerships with industry and government and improving community access to UBC students, faculty and researchers
• Increase funding for research excellence at UBC and support BC’s innovation ecosystem by linking research to community

Changing Job Market

• Connect students to career opportunities by significantly increasing UBC’s experiential learning opportunities, including international learning opportunities, internships, co-ops, service learning, research, leadership and professional skills development
• Enhance life-long learning offerings, including continuing education and professional Masters degrees
• Continuously monitor student demand, labor market and sector needs to add, close or reduce programs

Student Access and Support

• Continue Policy 72, which states that no eligible student will be prevented from commencing or continuing his or her studies at the university for financial reasons alone
• Provide $74 million in student  services and financial aid
• Continue to enhance student wellbeing initiatives, including Early Alert program, to help identify students at risk and connect them with supports, and implementation of Online Advising Management System to better support coordinated advising support.

Globalization

International Students

• Increase international students without displacing domestic students (17% increase in international students over 2013-14 at both campuses)
• UBC’s International Student Initiative recruits outstanding international students from 78 countries
• Enhance services to attract and retain international students, including Jump Start and Vantage College

Student Mobility

• Continue to leverage and build UBC’s global network of partners to increase international learning opportunities
• Build and strengthen partnerships in key strategic regions to increase two-way student exchange
• Go Global enhanced its academic integration initiative to enhance UBC students’ capacity to study abroad through academically integrated exchange pathways in designated departments and by increasing access and outreach

Faculty and Research

• Build and strengthen teaching and research partnerships with other global leading institutions

Technology

• Continue to expand flexible learning across the university to integrate learning research and technology to improve student outcomes and expand continuing and professional education
• In 2014, 109 courses were transformed on the Vancouver campus, reaching 14,155 students. This initiative focuses on developing, delivering and evaluating learning experience resulting in dramatic improvements in student achievement