More than a place of learning

As I wrap up my first year as UBC’s president, I might not be “the new guy” anymore, but I still remember the excitement of stepping onto campus for the first time. That feeling of starting a new adventure is one I share with the thousands of students who arrived in Vancouver and the Okanagan this September, ready to start their own journeys.

I hope their first year at this dynamic, world‑class university will be as incredible as mine has been. They will find so much to explore both inside and outside the classroom – opportunities that will help them grow and shine both professionally and personally.

They’ll benefit from extraordinary courses and programs, which they can supplement with hands‑on projects in the local community or overseas. They can take in a culture that encourages healthy and respectful exchange of ideas and debate. They’ll find spaces and networks to test out their entrepreneurial inclinations, as well as an incredible range of student clubs and initiatives.

Alumni who look back fondly on their student years might be forgiven for feeling a slight tinge of envy. But we also know that the challenges facing students today are more pronounced than even a decade ago. This includes the housing and affordability crisis, climate change, geopolitical instability, and the accelerating pace of technological change. UBC takes these challenges very seriously, with a focus on offering students a safe and inclusive environment and providing a broad array of services to support success.

In the context of the housing crisis, for example, UBC is the largest provider of student housing in Canada, with more than 15,000 below‑market‑rate student residence spaces. The recently announced $300 million investment from the BC government will help create 1,500 more on the Vancouver campus. Planning is also underway for the next phase of student housing on the Okanagan campus.

Students today have also grown up with climate change as a pressing and persistent concern. By choosing UBC, they’ve joined a community that is fully committed to sustainability through research and action. In 2023, our Vancouver campus emitted 35 per cent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than it did in 2007 – despite a 28 per cent growth in building floor space and a 43 per cent increase in student population.

We are aiming to reduce campus operations emissions by 85 per cent by 2030, as part of the Climate Action Plan, and we will seize any opportunity to accelerate this work. For example, UBC Okanagan is installing a next‑generation heat pump for its district energy system, which will allow the campus to meet Paris Accord targets ahead of schedule.

We actively welcome our students’ involvement in these efforts. In fact, I invite them to dive into all that our campuses have to offer to gain new experiences, encounter perspectives that differ from their own, and develop lifelong passions. Because university is not just a place of learning; it’s also a place to grow and thrive.