UBC Reports | Vol. 49 | No. 12 | Dec. 4, 2003

Trek 2010 Gets a Face-Lift

A new vision for the future

By Brian Lin

Trek 2000, UBC’s strategic plan, is undergoing a face-lift as the university re-examines its current vision and looks forward to a landmark year for British Columbia.

Tentatively titled Trek 2010, the new strategic planning document is gathering input from a wide range of internal and external communities on what UBC’s long-term goals should be for the rest of the decade. Ten thousand copies of a discussion paper and survey have been distributed on and off campus. The survey is also available online at www.trek2000.ubc.ca/future.html.

“2010 will be a significant year for UBC and the province with the Winter Olympics showcasing the best we have to offer,” says Herbert Rosengarten, executive director of the President’s Office. “It’s also a reasonable target for us to achieve a new set of goals.”

Published in 1998, Trek 2000 identified steps to advance the university in five areas: people, learning, research, community and internationalization. Supplemental pamphlets and annual “report cards” were added to assist members of the campus community implement the strategies from both the macro and micro levels.

“Our grand vision in Trek 2000 was to become the best university in Canada,” explains Rosengarten, widely regarded as the official keeper of the Trek vision. “For Trek 2010, we want to examine whether that goal was too ambitious, or whether we should extend our horizon and compare ourselves to the best universities in the world.

“Meanwhile, we must remember that first and foremost we are here to serve our students,” says Rosengarten. “We need to be tuned into the world around us while recognizing that our primary commitment is to the citizens of British Columbia.” Since the publication of Trek 2000, research funding has almost tripled and student bursaries and scholarship have increased significantly. The aggressive recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty has made UBC an attractive place for top students in both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Much stronger links have been forged with external and international communities through the Learning Exchange, the downtown Robson Square campus, and the International Student Initiative; and the expansion of the medical school will double the number of medical students by 2010.

“We’ve made great progress and achieved many of our original goals,” says Rosengarten. “But in the area of First Nations student recruitment, in particular, we recognize the need to devise new approaches and set realistic targets.”

The “one thousand by 2000” motion passed by the Senate in 1996 stipulated that UBC was to recruit 1,000 First Nations students by the year 2000. The goal was incorporated into Trek 2000 but remains one of the most difficult to achieve -- currently there are approximately 500 self-identified aboriginal students at UBC.

As a result, Trek 2010 will seek input specifically from aboriginal students and communities through the First Nations House of Learning and through band counsellors. “Right now, a reasonable goal looks something like increasing First Nations student enrolment by 10 per cent every year,” says Rosengarten, who adds that such a strategy can better ensure continuous growth in aboriginal student recruitment.

“Trek 2010 will be our guide through dramatic changes in store for UBC, including the creation of a vibrant University Town, and the development of the new Ike Barber Learning Centre, which will provide our students with cutting-edge learning technology,” says Rosengarten.

“One of the biggest challenges ahead is to improve the learning environment despite constraints in space and funding, and a good strategic plan will definitely make things easier.

“That’s why we encourage everybody to participate in the survey and tell us what they think is important to UBC’s future.”