The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC’s West Coast spirit has embraced innovation and questioned the status quo. With close to 63,000 students from 160 countries and more than 5,400 faculty on two campuses in Vancouver and the Okanagan, UBC is a place where bold thinking develops into ideas that can change the world. Its entrepreneurial perspective encourages students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning.
The use of large language models like ChatGPT is growing globally. These technologies are trained on datasets that recreate biases — as their use increases, their datasets must become more diverse.
The 49th Parallel marks the border between the United States and Canada. Global endangered species efforts typically do not take into account cross-border considerations.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Canada is wasting resources, and legitimacy, conserving species that are not endangered elsewhere. Transparent cross-border considerations should inform all new conservation laws.
Makoko women fish traders waiting to buy fish from fishermen.
Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP / Getty Images
Women in Makoko, a floating slum in Nigeria, face challenges funding their fish trade. Literacy and financial inclusion programmes can make a difference.
People participate in the inaugural Disability Pride Parade in New York on July 12, 2015.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
People with disabilities contend with daily challenges and ableism. Here are some dos and don'ts to help you be more mindful of those living with a disability.
Catan experienced a revival over the pandemic. However, the most potent and painful relationship between Catan and our world today remains largely unexamined.
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The growing absence of non-digital alternatives to everyday tasks, like government services and health care, is contributing to digital dependence. This, in turn, affects people’s wellbeing.
While there are many benefits to sports participation, overstating those benefits can obscure systemic issues.
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In both mainstream and Indigenous communities across Canada, sport is neither inherently good nor bad. Rather, it is a tool that must be used responsibly.
Producer-director Norman Jewison, left, demonstrates how he wants an actor to wash the feet of Jesus, portrayed by Ted Neeley, during filming of the movie version of the rock musical, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ in October 1972.
(AP Photo, File)
A tension between cult, critical and popular appeal is part of Norman Jewison’s most prominent legacy.
Stuckless Pond in Gros Morne National Park, N.L. Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas can complement national and provincial parks to promote conservation while also advancing reconciliation.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas face significant hurdles but nevertheless remain a key way to advance reconciliation and environmental goals.
Sadie Sink poses at the photo call for the film ‘The Whale’ during the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, in September 2022.
(Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)
Adult actors in ‘The Whale’ won Oscars for best lead and supporting acting in 2023, but if you catch up with awarded movies this holiday, the film’s depiction of teens warrants scrutiny.
Short winter days can influence your brain chemistry.
Schon/Moment via Getty Images
Some of winter’s effects have been tied to cultural norms and practices, while others likely reflect our bodies’ innate biological responses to shorter days and colder weather.
The Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont. A coroner’s inquest into Soleiman Faqiri’s death at the facility has seen graphic video and heard testimony about the brutal force used against him by corrections officers.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
People with mental health challenges are more likely to die in custody. The coroner’s inquest into the death of Soleiman Faqiri in an Ontario jail is one such tragedy that calls out for reform.
Organizations that gather information should establish a framework for responsibly managing user data.
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Responsible data stewardship must take many factors into account including legal requirements, data governance, cybersecurity and user privacy.
Public health measures such as vaccine and mask mandates, lockdowns and school closures have been widely discussed in scientific and popular media.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg
As the COVID-19 pandemic fades, we may debate whether public health responses could have been better. But first we need to understand what public health errors are — and are not.
An agreement reached between Google and the federal government means the search engine will pay $100 million annually to Canadian media outlets.
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Organoids — clusters of specialized cells designed to mimic organs — enable researchers to study biological processes and the effects of drugs.
Des milliers de personnes du front commun syndical sont rassemblées pour manifester, le 23 novembre 2023, devant l'Assemblée nationale à Québec.
La Presse canadienne/Jacques Boissinot
Québec doit négocier avec ses fonctionnaires la gestion du télétravail, mais il ne peut s’appuyer sur aucune donnée. La performance du télétravail est tenue pour acquise, sans preuve à l’appui.
Halfway through the Sustainable Development Goals timeline, the world is not on track to meet the target of ending malnutrition by 2030.
(Ben Curtis/AP Photo, File)
As global acute food insecurity increases, severe wasting — which already affects 13.6 million children — is expected to rise with it. Treating wasting requires specialized nutrition and medical care.
Chair and Member from North America of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) and Professor in Political Science, Public Policy and Indigenous Studies, University of British Columbia