The Terry Project: Delivery of a Joint Arts/Science Course on Global Issues and Global Citizenship; Continued Leadership Skill Component; Web Site Maintenance; and Global Citizenship Seminar Series Project

TitleThe Terry Project: Delivery of a Joint Arts/Science Course on Global Issues and Global Citizenship; Continued Leadership Skill Component; Web Site Maintenance; and Global Citizenship Seminar Series Project
Faculty/College/UnitScience
StatusCompleted
Duration3 Years
Initiation04/01/2005
Completion03/31/2008
Funding Details
Year 1: Project TitleUndergraduate interdisciplinary seminar series on global citizenship
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2005/2006
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorDavid Ng
Year 1: Funded Amount39,106
Year 1: Team Members

David Ng, Senior Instructor / Director, Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science
Allen Sens, Senior Instructor / Chair, UBC International Relations Program, Faculty of Arts

Year 1: Summary

We propose to deliver a seminar series on global issues that specifically bridges disciplines across the Faculties of Arts and Science, through the examination of subjects that demand responses grounded in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. This series will use the topic of global citizenship to provide a cohesive theme upon which all seminar presentations and discussions will be based. This seminar series seeks to promote two of the key objectives of Trek 2010:

  1. the development of social awareness, global responsibility, and an appreciation for interdisciplinary approaches to complex human problems; and
  2. the development of global citizens committed to sustainability and equity through an education based on knowledge, critical thinking, communication, and research.

Material and experience gained via this seminar series will in turn provide a template that will be ultimately applied to the development of an accredited course supported by both the Faculties of Arts and Science.

Year 2: Project TitleTowards a Joint Arts/Science Course on Global Issues and Global Citizenship; Leadership skill component; Promoting Interaction with website; and the continuation of precedent setting for the seminar series; Phase II of the Global Citizenship seminar series project
Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2006/2007
Year 2: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorDavid Ng
Year 2: Funded Amount50,000
Year 2: Team Members

David Ng, Senior Instructor / Director, Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science
Allen Sens, Senior Instructor / Chair, UBC International Relations Program, Faculty of Arts
Chad Hyson, Student Development Officer, Leadership, Office of Student Development

Year 2: Summary

In collaboration with the Faculties of Arts and Science, and with the support of the UBC Vice President, Students and other UBC units including the Campus Sustainability Office and Community Affairs, our primary mission is to educate members of the UBC community (notably first and second year students) on the pressing global issues of our time. Building on the anticipated success of the Global Citizenship Seminar Series, launched as a joint initiative of the Faculties of Arts and Science, Phase II of our project involves the creation of an interdisciplinary second-year undergraduate course on global issues and global citizenship, which will combine perspectives and content from the Arts and the Sciences. In addition, Phase II of our project will also begin development of leadership skills workshops; further promote the project's website; and sustain the delivery of a speaker series showcasing high profile and engaging academics, cognoscenti, and proactive members of our global community. By creating a synergistic forum that addresses topics such as climate change, sustainability, GMOs and AIDS, we hope to stress the importance of multi-disciplinary learning and encourage students to actively pursue university educations that will assist them in developing and promoting just, civil, and sustainable societies throughout the world.

Indeed, the first strategy under the Learning pillar of the Trek 2010 Operational Timetable 2005-2006 actively seeks "the Faculty-directed creation of new courses, the augmentation of existing courses, modified promotion/graduation requirements, and expanded co-curricular opportunities, (that) ensures all students develop a greater awareness of their responsibilities as global citizens and the issues surrounding social, environmental, and economic sustainability." In this respect, this TLEF project represents a holistic and exciting approach towards this goal.

Year 3: Project YearYear 3
Year 3: Funding Year2007/2008
Year 3: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 3: Principal InvestigatorDavid Ng
Year 3: Funded Amount43,750
Year 3: Team Members

David Ng, Senior Instructor / Director, Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Science
Allen Sens, Senior Instructor / Chair, UBC International Relations Program, Faculty of Arts
Chad Hyson, Student Development Officer, Leadership, Office of Student Development

Year 3: Summary

In collaboration with the Faculties of Arts and Science, and with the support of the UBC VP Students and other UBC units, the primary mission of this project is to educate members of the UBC community on the pressing global issues of our time. This encompasses:

  1. a website that presents both literary and academic works;
  2. a speaker's series showcasing high profile (and engaging) academics, cognoscenti, and proactive members of our global community;
  3. a dedicated mechanism for connection with student development activities and opportunities; and
  4. an undergraduate interdisciplinary course addressing global issues, to be delivered through the Faculties of Arts and Science.

All told, the breadth of this project aims to create a synergistic forum that addresses globally relevant topics, where multi-disciplinary learning is fostered and used to inspire the pursuit of a university education that will assist in developing and promoting just, civil, and sustainable societies throughout the world.