A $5 million research fund to honour his predecessor, a $3 million project to help researchers enhance undergraduate teaching, and the appointment of a special advisor on aboriginal affairs were today announced by Stephen Toope during his installation as the University of British Columbia’s 12th president and vice-chancellor.
The Martha Piper Research Fund will honour the remarkable contributions of UBC’s former president, said Toope, who is appointed for a five-year term. The fund will provide support for collaborative research projects, with a focus on interdisciplinary and international research teams.
Toope said a $3 million fund will support the recruitment of post-doctoral Teaching Fellows to team up with top university researchers in undergraduate classrooms. The initiative will produce up to 50 new courses or course sections to improve undergraduate students’ learning experience.
The source of funding for both of these initiatives will come from the Trek Endowment, which is produced from proceeds of the University Town development.
In announcing the new position of aboriginal advisor to the president, Toope said this person will also serve as head of the First Nations House of Learning.
At the Installation Ceremony at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, UBC Chancellor Allan McEachern and Board of Governors Chair Brad Bennett administered the oath of office and official academic robing ceremony where Toope exchanged academic robes from Cambridge University, where he earned his doctorate, for the robes of UBC’s president.
In his Installation speech, Toope challenged the university community to build UBC’s role as a national university by increasing the number of out-of-province undergraduate student applications, and playing a more active role in national research teams. In addition, he advocated intensified efforts in attracting graduate students and “bringing the world to Canada.”
(Biography of Toope available at: www.president.ubc.ca/pres_bio.html)
An academic symposium, “The Role of Universities in Building Sustainable, Successful and Just Communities,” will be held today from 3-5 p.m. at the Chan Centre. The symposium features a panel of leading UBC academics, including Toope. It will be Webcast at www.ubc.ca/webcast.
A video archive of the Installation, as well as details on the ceremonies and the president’s biography can be found at www.president.ubc.ca/installation.html.
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