Advancing Science 2020

Throughout 2020, students, faculty, staff and the broader UBC Science community are working together to articulate a renewed strategic vision for the Faculty: Advancing Science 2020. Discussion and consultation will be key to the process, as we work across the Faculty to envision a future that builds on our accomplishments and core strengths, but is forward-looking and open to new opportunities.

UBC Science is in a privileged position—with world-class researchers and educators, Canada's best science students, and highly professional staff. The quality of our people has enabled us to build a remarkably broad range of top-ranked research areas, and be recognized as a world leader in transforming undergraduate STEM education. Over the year, town halls, surveys and one-on-one in-depth interviews will provide a range of opportunities for our on-campus and external communities to engage around our collective aspirations. What grand challenges do we want to help address through our research, educational offerings, and outreach? And how do we maximize UBC Science's potential to address them?

Ways to get involved

Previous Plans

Advancing Science 2020 will succeed our last strategic plan, developed in 2011 and renewed in 2017. That plan guided the Faculty's collective efforts over two years, and helped shape UBC's strategic plan, Shaping UBC’s Next Century. It focused on four key initiatives—research excellence, teaching excellence, computer and data science, and innovation—while also continuing to renew and build on nine core areas and commitments originally articulated in Advancing Science 2011.

April 2017

Advancing Science: A Renewed Strategic Plan for 2017-2018

Advancing Science: 2017-2018 is designed to guide the Faculty’s collective efforts over the next two years, as well as help shape UBC’s emerging strategic plan. It focuses on four key initiatives—research excellence, teaching excellence, computer and data science, and innovation—while also continuing to renew and build on the nine core areas and commitments originally articulated in Advancing Science 2011.

February 2017

UBC Science Strategic Plan Report: 2011 to 2015 Achievements

Report of key achievements and outcomes, 2011 to 2015.

May 2011

Advancing Science: UBC Faculty of Science Strategic Plan

Articulates our vision and mission, and our distinguishing characteristics as one of Canada’s strongest and most broadly based faculties of Science.

November 2011

External Review Report, Faculty of Science, UBC

Report of the review committee of the UBC Faculty of Science: Ana Mari Cauce (University of Washington), Eugene Fiume (University of Toronto) and Gregory Taylor (University of Alberta).

January 2012

Response to External Review, Faculty of Science, UBC

UBC Science is pleased to present its response to the 2011 external review of the Faculty. The Faculty gratefully acknowledges the review team's praise for UBC Science's innovative undergraduate education programs, highly ranked research programs, and the "atmosphere of inclusion and openness engendered by leadership at both the Faculty and University level".

Engagement schedule
November, 2019
Unit leadership retreat
January, 2020
Preliminary workshops: Students
February, 2020
Launch
Initial surveys: Faculty, staff, alumni, graduate students
Graduate student workshop
March, 2020
Stakeholder interviews
April 2020
Survey results analysis
May 2020
Survey results released
Faculty virtual townhall
Summer 2020
Working groups invited
September 2020
WGs established
October 2020
WGs begin developing components of plan
November 2020
WGs finalize draft plan components, metrics
December 2020
Debrief working groups to gather input
Refine plan components, metrics, roadmap
January 2021
Review draft with key external stakeholders
Faculty and staff town hall on draft plan
Student workshops on draft plan
February 2021
Review feedback based on January consultations
March 2021
Plan presented for approval at Faculty meeting
Develop first-year action plan with deliverables
Develop communication plan for strategy dissemination