The university is seeking nominations for the 1999 3M Teaching Fellowship Awards.

The awards, begun in 1986, recognize individuals who excel in teaching and demonstrate an exceptionally high degree of leadership and commitment to the improvement of university teaching across disciplines. Up to 10 awards will be given in 1999.

Among last year's recipients were associate professors Carol-Ann Courneya of the Faculty of Medicine and Barbara Paterson of the School of Nursing.

The award is sponsored by 3M Canada Inc. and the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

Nomination forms are available from the Office of the Vice-President, Academic and Provost by calling 822-2124 or e-mail to gsmith@oldadm.ubc.ca. They are also available on the Web at http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/idc. Nominations should be received by the Office of the Vice-President, Academic and Provost, no later than May 7.

The MS Society of Canada Professorship in Multiple Sclerosis Research, the first in Canada, has been established in UBC's Faculty of Medicine.

The professorship is part of an overall multiple sclerosis research strategy involving UBC's MS Clinic, which is the largest in Canada, and the Brain Research Centre, the new collaborative research venture of UBC and the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre.

Multiple sclerosis attacks the protective covering of the central nervous system, causing inflammation and interfering with messages sent from the brain and spinal cord to the body.

More than 50,000 Canadians have the disease, one of the highest incidence rates in the world.

UBC's International Health Elective Program has received honourable mention for excellence in internationalization from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) and Scotiabank.

Launched in 1997, the awards recognize Canadian universities' achievements in bringing an international perspective into teaching, research and campus services.

The UBC program, which is in its first year of operation, supports students who participate in health-care assignments in developing countries. It is offered through UBC's Centre for International Health.