COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS ABOUT THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS
When people come together it is possible to create positive, significant and lasting differences in communities. Building respectful, reciprocal relationships between communities and UBC is central to the university’s vision of “inspiring people, ideas and actions for a better world” and foundational to excellent teaching, learning and research.
The Community Engagement office at UBC supports university and community partners to work together, bringing the full force of our combined experiences, expertise and knowledge to advance a more just and sustainable society.
Funding & Opportunities
- Apply for the 2026 Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund
Get up to $1,500 for community-university collaboration and relationship building. The Partnership Recognition and Exploration (PRE) Fund awards up to $1,500 to support small, early-stage partnerships that strengthen reciprocal relationships between UBC and community organizations. Funding is intended to fill small but meaningful resource gaps so community partners can build reciprocal relationships with UBC faculty,… Read more: Apply for the 2026 Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund
Events
- Kuwentong Pauwi: Stories of Filipino Canadian Place-Making and Heritage
July 23, 2026 | Join UBC Connects at Robson Square for an evening of film, conversation, and community. We are proud to host a screening of Kuwentong Pauwi, a short documentary exploring belonging, advocacy, and the power of local roots. The film is part of Kuwentong Pamamahay, a collaborative project that celebrates the vibrant, often-unseen stories of how the Filipino Canadian community has shaped Vancouver’s neighborhoods. - Thinking Beyond the Market: The Path to Genuinely Affordable Housing
June 1, 2026 | How can national housing research be translated into local, livable reality? UBC Connects at Robson Square hosted the BC premiere of Thinking Beyond the Market, a film by Dr. Brian Doucet that uncovers housing solutions across Canada. Andrea Reimer, from the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, followed the film with a moderated panel discussion with experts from Hogan’s Alley Society, UBC’s Housing Assessment Resource Tools, and the filmmaker to connect the film’s national themes to the local work of housing researchers and advocates. - Repairing the Mind: The Future of Brain Injury Research and Recovery
April 20, 2026 | In partnership with the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, UBC Connects at Robson Square welcomed leading UBC researchers to discover how simple blood tests, personalized care, and innovative technologies are transforming the detection and treatment of brain injuries and disorders.
News & Stories
- Meet the 2026 Recipients of UBC’s Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund
This year, the Partnership Recognition and Exploration (PRE) Fund was awarded close to $50,000 to 33 inspiring community-university initiatives! The PRE Fund awards up to $1,500 to bridge small resource gaps and is instrumental in enabling students, faculty, and staff to build reciprocal relationships with community partners. The 2026 PRE awards support a wide range of community-engaged projects across British Columbia in teaching and research, including youth mentorship and pathways to post-secondary education; health… Read more: Meet the 2026 Recipients of UBC’s Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund - Thinking Beyond the Market: The Path to Genuinely Affordable HousingJune 1, 2026 | How can national housing research be translated into local, livable reality? UBC Connects at Robson Square hosted the BC premiere of Thinking Beyond the Market, a film by Dr. Brian Doucet that uncovers housing solutions across Canada. Andrea Reimer, from the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, followed the film with a moderated panel discussion with experts from Hogan’s Alley Society, UBC’s Housing Assessment Resource Tools, and the filmmaker to connect the film’s national themes to the local work of housing researchers and advocates.
- Apply for the 2026 Partnership Recognition and Exploration FundGet up to $1,500 for community-university collaboration and relationship building. The Partnership Recognition and Exploration (PRE) Fund awards up to $1,500 to support small, early-stage partnerships that strengthen reciprocal relationships between UBC and community organizations. Funding is intended to fill small but meaningful resource gaps so community partners can build reciprocal relationships with UBC faculty,… Read more: Apply for the 2026 Partnership Recognition and Exploration Fund
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