UBC Reports | Vol. 48 | No. 13 | Nov. 7, 2002

Sharing Cultures with Korea, Japan and Mexico

Joint Academic Programs Popular with Students

By Erica Smishek

UBC continues to strengthen its place in the world community thanks to Joint Academic Programs with Korea, Japan and Mexico. These programs include both academic and housing elements, allowing students from these countries to share and understand their distinct cultures with those of Canadians.

UBC President Martha Piper and Dr. Sung-Joo Han, president of Korea University officially opened Korea University-UBC House, on Oct. 30. Since September, students from Korea University in Seoul have been living in this integrated residential environment with 100 UBC students.

The program mirrors an existing program with Kyoto’s Ritsumeikan University. “Rits House” opened in March 1992 for 100 Japanese students and 100 UBC students. In addition to apartments with four private bedrooms, two bathrooms and a shared kitchen, dining and living areas, Rits House features a Japanese-style tatami room and the Ritslab Multimedia Facility with computers, a language lab and a comprehensive resource library.

Construction on a third residence in co-operation with Mexico’s prestigious university Tec de Monterrey has begun at Place Vanier, with completion scheduled for September 2003.

Each year, approximately 100 students from Tec de Monterrey are accepted into the joint academic program with three program length options - term, academic year or summer. Students can also take courses toward an accredited and internationally recognized certificate in 20 specialty areas.

“We have had a great response,” said Silvia Martinez, director of the Tec de Monterrey-UBC Joint Academic Program. “Initially, the students didn’t know much about UBC and Canada. But now that they know, they love UBC, they love it in Vancouver and the program is continuing to grow.”