UBC News Digest

The UBC News Digest is a weekly summary of news stories about UBC people, research, learning, community, and internationalization initiatives. News Digest past issues are also available on-line.

Nov. 14, 2002

• UBC helps Kuwait design new university
• Catherine A. Quinlan Appointed Visitor-in-Residence at Dalhousie
• Internship changed UBC student's life
• Kudos

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UBC helps Kuwait design new university

UBC will be helping Kuwait design a new university in a consultancy project valued at $2.7 million, the largest such project UBC has ever undertaken. Kuwait Institute of Business and Technology (KIBT) will be a regional facility located in Kuwait City with an enrollment of up to 5,000 full-time students.

UBC was invited to submit a proposal to develop a plan for the new university - the only Canadian university asked to submit, along with 15 U.S. universities.

To be completed by the end of 2003, the consultancy project includes creating a vision statement for KIBT, developing an undergraduate curriculum, and developing recruitment plans for faculty and staff. UBC project team members will also advise on facilities, research programs, student recruitment; and organizational structure and governance. The partnership with Kuwait will also create opportunities for student exchange programs.

For more information contact Ruby Theilmann, KIBT project manager, at ruby.theilmann@ubc.ca.

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Catherine A. Quinlan Appointed Visitor-in-Residence at Dalhousie

UBC University Librarian Catherine A. Quinlan has been appointed as Visitor-in-Residence for 2002-2003 at Dalhousie University's School of Library. Quinlan, who received her MLS from Dalhousie will serve primarily as a resource and advisor for students in the Master of Library and Information Studies programme.

Since joining UBC in 1997, she has initiated a comprehensive review of all the library operations, and has increased the library endowments significantly. She is responsible for a staff of over 340 and an annual budget of $30 million. Her involvement on the UBC campus is extensive, including chairing numerous committees, and holding membership on the UBC Senate and the President’s Advisory Council.

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Internship changed UBC student's life

UBC student Heidi Kralik has recently returned from Odessa, Ukraine, where she worked for Association Kovcheg, a non-governmental organization that helps to further economic and social development in Eastern Europe.

Kralik was there as part of her AIESEC experience. AIESEC, formerly known as the Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales, is the world’s largest student-run international traineeship exchange program. It was established in Europe after the Second World War to help university students develop into “responsible, adaptable and culturally sensitive leaders [who will] contribute to the development of society with an overriding commitment to international cooperation and understanding.”

Kralik’s favourite memories from Odessa are not only of the city’s architecture, beautiful Black Sea beaches, and marushkas – the Ukrainian form of public transportation – but also of the people who she misses dearly.

“I remember taking dance lessons with a girl who ended up becoming one of my closest friends. She was to translate for me but unfortunately she ended up in another class. My instructor knew only two English words: ‘fast’ and ‘slow’. Needless to say it was quite an experience. Living in another culture teaches you so much about yourself. It forces you to show some humility. My favourite Russian word became ‘ya ne ponimayu’ or ‘I don’t understand’.”

For more information about AIESEC activities at UBC, e-mail aiesec-exec@interchange.ubc.ca or call (604) 822-6256.

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Kudos

Outstanding Research/Science Park Achievement Award

Discovery Park at UBC is one of six in the BC network to win the 2002 Outstanding Research/Science Park achievement award from the Association of University Research Parks, an international organization of 230 parks. The award recognizes parks that excel in bringing technology from university research to economically viable business activities.

Angus Livingstone, managing director of the University/Industry Liaison Office (UILO), said UBC’s Discovery Park is home to and acts as an incubator for numerous spin-off companies. These include Web CT – the world’s leading provider of e-learning solutions for the higher education market, now in more than 2,500 institutions in 81 countries around the world.

In 2000, the last time UBC did its own detailed survey, its companies had $155 million in revenue and had contributed $32.2 million to the university in the form of royalties and research funding.

Harold Adams Innis Prize

Three books published by UBC Press are among the five nominees for the Harold Adams Innis Prize for the best English-language book in the social sciences and humanities. The shortlisted books include Prometheus Wired: The Hope for Democracy in the Age of Network Technology by Darin Barney, Flexible Crossroads: The Restructuring of British Columbia’s Forest Economy by Roger Hayter, and Cis dideen kat – When the Plumes Rise: The Way of the Lake Babine Nation by Jo-Anne Fiske and Betty Patrick. The Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada (HSSFC) will announce the winner of the prize in Ottawa on Nov. 23.

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