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University of British Columbia

society Maturity 7-9

UBC is a big school.

UBC aerial view.jpg
UBC aerial view.jpg
It is in Canada. Many people go there to learn. They study many things. It helps people grow. Do you want to learn too?

32 words

UBC is a big school in Canada.

UBC aerial view.jpg
UBC aerial view.jpg
It has two main areas for students. One is near a big city. The other is in a place called Kelowna.
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg

Long ago, people wanted a new school. They had many ideas about where to build it. In 1925, the school moved to a new spot.

Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg

Students worked hard to help the school grow. They even marched in the streets to ask for help. This helped the school get what it needed.

Today, the school is very large. It has many big libraries for books. People from all over come to learn there.

120 words

The University of British Columbia, or UBC, is a big school in Canada.

UBC aerial view.jpg
UBC aerial view.jpg
It has two main areas for students. One is near Vancouver. The other is in Kelowna.
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg

People wanted a new school a long time ago. In 1908, a law helped start the university. Leaders had to decide where to build it. In 1910, they chose a place called Point Grey.

Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
But a war made building very hard. The school stayed in a different spot for a while. In 1925, the school finally moved to Point Grey. Students even marched in the streets to help the school grow.

UBC is a place for big discoveries. It has a famous lab for physics. It also has many large libraries.

Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
One library system has over 8.3 million items. Many famous people have studied here. These include Nobel prize winners and even leaders of countries. Today, the school helps many people learn and study.

177 words

The University of British Columbia, or UBC, is a major public research university in Canada.

UBC aerial view.jpg
UBC aerial view.jpg
It has two main locations for its students. One campus is near Vancouver on lands called Point Grey.
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
The other campus is in Kelowna.
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
This second campus was added in 2005. UBC is a place where people study many different subjects. It spends $893 million each year on research projects. This money helps fund 9,992 different projects every year. These projects work with governments and many other groups.

Creating the university was a long and difficult process.

UBC Fairview campus (c. 1917).gif
UBC Fairview campus (c. 1917).gif
In 1877, a leader named John Jessop suggested a provincial university. A law was passed in 1890, but leaders could not agree on a location. Finally, the British Columbia University Act of 1908 created the school. The university used a system with two main groups for leadership. One group was a senate made of faculty members. The other was a board of governors made of citizens. The board handled the money and the president led the school. In 1910, the leaders chose the Point Grey site for the campus.

Moving to the new campus took many years.

Buchanan Tower (UBC-Aug. 2009).jpg
Buchanan Tower (UBC-Aug. 2009).jpg
A war began in 1914 and slowed down building plans. The school stayed at a site called Fairview for a while. In 1915, the new university took over McGill University College. In 1922, students started a campaign called "The Great Trek." They marched through the streets of Vancouver to ask for help. They collected 56,000 signatures to support the school. On September 22, 1925, lectures finally began at the Point Grey campus. Most of the buildings there were only temporary at first.

UBC has grown into a world leader in science and learning.

Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
It is home to TRIUMF, which is Canada's national physics laboratory. This lab has the world's largest cyclotron. The university also has the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute. The library system is very large with 21 different branches. It holds over 8.3 million print and electronic items. Every year, 3.1 million people visit the libraries in person. Another 9.7 million people visit them virtually. This makes it one of the largest research libraries in Canada.

Many amazing people have been part of the UBC community. The school has eight Nobel laureates and 75 Rhodes scholars. It has also seen 231 Olympians compete in sports. Many famous leaders studied here too. Canadian Prime Ministers like Justin Trudeau and Kim Campbell are alumni. Even Kiril Petkov, a former prime minister of Bulgaria, attended UBC. The school continues to grow through large fundraising efforts. One recent campaign raised $1.624 billion to help the university.

477 words

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a major public research university in Canada.

UBC aerial view.jpg
UBC aerial view.jpg
It operates two main campuses located in British Columbia. The primary Vancouver campus sits on the Point Grey lands, which is an unincorporated area west of downtown.
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
The second campus is located in Kelowna and was acquired in 2005.
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
UBC is a massive center for scientific discovery and learning. It manages an annual research budget of $893 million. This funding supports 9,992 research projects every year. These projects involve the industrial sector, as well as various governmental and non-governmental organizations.

UBC is a leader in advanced physics and specialized research. It is home to TRIUMF, which is Canada's national particle and nuclear physics laboratory. This facility contains the largest cyclotron in the world. The university also hosts the Stewart Blusson Quantum Matter Institute.

UBC Law at Allard Hall.JPG
UBC Law at Allard Hall.JPG
Furthermore, UBC and the Max Planck Society established the first Max Planck Institute in North America. This institute specializes in the study of quantum mechanics. The university also maintains a massive library system. It includes 21 different branches that hold over 8.3 million print and electronic items.
Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
Each year, 3.1 million people visit these libraries in person, while 9.7 million visit them virtually.

The establishment of the university followed many years of debate and planning. In 1877, the Superintendent of Education, John Jessop, proposed a provincial university. While a law was passed in 1890, leaders could not agree on a location. The British Columbia University Act of 1908 finally created the institution. The university used a bicameral governance system modeled after the University of Toronto. This system included a senate of faculty members to handle academic policy. It also included a board of governors to control financial policy. A president was appointed to serve as a link between these two groups.

Before the official university opened, higher education in the region was different. From 1906 to 1915, McGill University College of British Columbia operated as a private institution. It provided the first few years of study for degrees at McGill University. In 1910, the Point Grey site was eventually chosen for the new campus. However, the outbreak of World War I in 1914 delayed construction.

UBC Fairview campus (c. 1917).gif
UBC Fairview campus (c. 1917).gif
The university operated at the Fairview site until 1925. On September 30, 1915, the new independent university officially absorbed McGill University College. The university awarded its very first degrees in 1916.

The move to the permanent Point Grey campus was a significant struggle. In 1922, students launched a campaign known as "The Great Trek." They marched through the streets of Vancouver to demand support for the school. This movement gathered 56,000 signatures and successfully pressured the legislature. Lectures finally began at the Point Grey campus on September 22, 1925. Most campus buildings were temporary at that time.

Buchanan Tower (UBC-Aug. 2009).jpg
Buchanan Tower (UBC-Aug. 2009).jpg
Even the student body faced hardships during the Great Depression. In the early 1930s, the provincial government cut grants, and salaries dropped by as much as 23%.

World War II brought both challenges and new opportunities for the university. The campus saw many male students enlist for active service. After the war, a massive influx of veterans returned to study. The student population grew from 2,974 in 1944 to 9,374 by 1948. To accommodate them, the university used sixteen surplus Army and Air Force camps. These camps were moved to the campus by barge or truck to serve as classrooms and housing. This period also marked the first time the federal government provided money for research. This established a foundation for future federal research grants.

UBC has produced many highly accomplished individuals throughout its history. Its community includes eight Nobel laureates and 75 Rhodes scholars. The university has also trained 231 Olympians, who won a total of 65 medals. Many famous political leaders are alumni. These include Canadian Prime Ministers John Turner, Kim Campbell, and Justin Trudeau. Even Kiril Petkov, a former prime minister of Bulgaria, studied at UBC. The university continues to expand through large fundraising efforts. One recent campaign, called "Start an Evolution," raised $1.624 billion to support the school's future.

730 words
🖼️ Images & Media (23)
File:Carleton pres Tory.jpg
Carleton pres Tory.jpg
File:Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the UBC Point Grey campus.jpg
Sharp and Thompson proposed plan for the...
File:UBC Fairview campus (c. 1917).gif
UBC Fairview campus (c. 1917).gif
File:Raven-and-the-first-men.jpg
Raven-and-the-first-men.jpg
File:UBC aerial view.jpg
UBC aerial view.jpg
File:Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
Irving K. Barber Library.jpg
File:Vancouver school of theology (UBC-2009).JPG
Vancouver school of theology (UBC-2009).JPG
File:Engineering Management and Education (UBC Okanagan).jpg
Engineering Management and Education (UBC...
File:Koerner Library UBC.jpg
Koerner Library UBC.jpg
File:Buchanan Tower (UBC-Aug. 2009).jpg
Buchanan Tower (UBC-Aug. 2009).jpg
File:UBC Law at Allard Hall.JPG
UBC Law at Allard Hall.JPG
File:Chan centre performing arts concert tessler.jpg
Chan centre performing arts concert tessler.jpg

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