Educators at UBC must prepare their students to engage as leaders in the world and address contemporary intersecting global challenges such as the climate crisis, Indigenous rights and recognition, systemic racism, massive wealth inequality, and the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Though many UBC faculty are already leading climate- related coursework, they are dispersed across different campuses, faculties, and departments without any structural framework to coordinate them. A comprehensive climate education should address knowledge deficits by improving climate literacy, expand climate-themed educational and professional opportunities and experiences, engage with Indigenous scholarship, and incorporate principles of wellness for UBC community members and the public.
Progress
SHORT TERM (1-3 YEARS)
As a result of the CETF Report, UBC is strengthening efforts to ensure that all undergraduate and graduate students have access to climate education within their discipline, supporting further climate education pedagogy and curriculum development, and expanding climate-related professional development opportunities.
| Climate Studies and Action Certificate: A new interdisciplinary climate-themed certificate for all undergraduate UBC students that was developed by Associate Professor Tara Ivanochko and Associate Professor Jessica Dempsey. The certificate features 2 new introductory courses (Climate Emergency and Climate Justice), a series of 3, 1-credit Climate Action Labs and a Climate Action Capstone course. The certificate is fully approved and is currently accepting the first cohort of students starting September 2022. Nov 2021. Learn more. |
| Climate Teaching Connector: Launched in 2020, this innovative program connects course instructors with climate experts to integrate climate change-related content into undergraduate courses. Currently expanding in year two. July 2021. Learn more. |
| Climate Education Grants: Launched in the fall of 2020, the grants support faculty projects to strengthen climate change content and teaching approaches in undergraduate and graduate courses. The 2022 proposal deadline is November 15th, 2022. Learn more. |
| Climate Justice Research Collaborative: An opportunity for undergraduate students to collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects focused on climate change and climate justice. Students receive course credit and projects are undertaken with the supervision of faculty and the mentorship of graduate students. July 2021. Learn more. |
| Climate Course Collection: A curated course collection highlighting UBC Vancouver courses with climate change-related content, in particular courses that can be taken with low or no pre-requisites. July 2021. Learn more. |
Related Resources
Climate Justice Research Collaborative
Explore how the landscape for investing is shaped by climate change, including an introduction to the financial rAn opportunity for undergraduate students at UBC to collaborate on interdisciplinary research projects focused on climate change and climate justice, for course credit. Projects are undertaken with the supervision of faculty and the mentorship of graduate students.
Climate Change Courses
Browse climate change-related courses available to UBC undergraduate and graduate students at the Vancouver campus. Curated by the UBC Sustainability Initiative, courses are organized by restrictions (including no- to low-restriction), categories (including climate justice and social science, climate science, and climate change mitigation and adaptation), or by year of study.
