The University of British Columbia (UBC), formerly known as McGill University College of British Columbia, has well-established traditions in interdisciplinary research, dating back to its founding in 1908. This Canadian research institute is considered a high-quality academic authority, and often ranks highly among world universities.
The university itself came about following a proposal made by Jon Jessop, then provincial governor of British Columbia, realising the need for a higher education institution in order to serve the local area.
The institution aims to empower students with technical expertise and an awareness of the latest research trends, enabling them to make a contribution to their chosen field of study.
As one of the oldest universities in Canada, the institution faced rapid expansion in the 20th century, and broadened its catalogue of degrees considerably, which had originally concentrated on medicine, theology and law.
Today, the institution can offer around 500 Bachelor's and Master's degrees in subjects such as business and technology management, IT and applied technology, liberal arts and sciences, but also linguistics and translation. Over the years, UBC has launched over 1,300 research projects alongside businesses and fostered the creation of close to 200 new companies.
UBC has two campuses. The main campus is situated in Point Grey, 30 minutes from Downtown Vancouver, a major cultural and economic hub in the region. The second campus is in Kelowna, a city located in the vicinity of Okanagan Lake in southern British Columbia. Equipped with modern sports centres and with a variety of student clubs, students have the chance to participate in a variety of activities from skiing, to aviation, and even archaeology.
The university offers modern facilities including the national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics (TRIUMF), Canada’s second biggest research library holding more than 7 million publications and a traditional Japanese botanical garden, which also serves as home for a Ichibō-a tea house.
Over the years, UBC alumni have won several Nobel Prizes, over 60 Rhodes Scholarships and more than 200 have become fellows of the Royal Society of Canada.
