September 3, 2024
VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION
Boozhoo, Aanii and greetings.
Welcome to all members of the UBC Faculty of Education as we embark on another exciting academic year.
I hope your summer was filled with inspiration and relaxation, shared with friends, family, and loved ones. As we step into September, let us channel our renewed energy into the vast opportunities ahead.
This month marks a beginning filled with fresh explorations in learning, teaching, research, and community engagement. Our dynamic community—comprising students, faculty, instructors, staff, alumni, donors, emeriti, and both local and global partners—creates a nurturing ground for innovative and transformative learning. Your commitment fuels our mission to educate future leaders and advance societal good.
As your new Dean, a role I’ve stepped into after serving as Dean pro tem since 2021, I am deeply committed to our core values of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, anti-racism, and sustainability. These values guide our actions and partnerships, both locally and globally.
Looking ahead, I am thrilled to engage with you in shaping a collective vision for our new strategic plan. This road will direct our efforts to remain leaders in educational innovation and community development across a broad range of sectors in our society. Our work on the new strategic plan will begin in September 2024. Let’s dive into some of the exciting updates and key initiatives that are shaping the future of our Faculty.
Beginning with Advancing Black Flourishing, I am proud to announce the appointment of a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Black Experiences in and through Education and two new tenure-stream faculty members as part of UBC’s Black Faculty Cohort Hiring Initiative. These critical roles will help combat anti-Black racism and foster Black excellence within our communities.
Moving on to inclusivity, we are excited to appoint the inaugural director for our forthcoming Centre for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Inclusive Education. This Centre will complement our robust SOGI initiatives, providing pivotal resources and fostering inclusivity through education, networking, and community events.
Our work to support the integration of immigrant youth and youth with refugee experiences continues through dedicated research and community engagement initiatives, anchored by our Professorship in Counselling for Refugee and Immigrant Youth and Families.
Acknowledging the outstanding achievements of our School of Kinesiology, which, once again, has ranked 1st in North America and 3rd globally, this School recently celebrated its largest graduating class in history. These distinguished graduates are equipped to make significant contributions to the fields of health, wellness, and sports.
Out in the Okanagan, our School is not just growing—it’s leading the way with the recent launch of the new Doctor of Education program, focusing on a practitioner model and place-based learning on Syilx Okanagan Nation territory.
And in the realm of technology, we are creating new pathways to understanding and integrating generative AI in education. Our newly launched AI Corner is designed to help you navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI, and this year’s Dean’s Distinguished Lecture will explore the profound implications of AI advancements in education and beyond.
From launching groundbreaking programs such as Canada’s first early childhood education certificate for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and our Rural and Remote Education Teacher Education Program, to paving the way for a brighter future with initiatives like our upcoming MOOC, Nurturing Childhoods Through Indigenous Ways of Knowing, our Faculty stands as a beacon of progressive and inclusive education.
I am immensely proud of our collective achievements and am excited about the further success that we will achieve together.
As we move forward, I encourage you to engage deeply, collaborate boldly, and embrace the myriad of opportunities to foster a culture of curiosity and innovation. Let’s make this academic year one of inspiration, discovery, and transformation.
Here’s to shared successes and new horizons.
Miigwech. Thank you. All the best.
