UNBC - Thematic Academic Clusters

The first type of theme, the Thematic Academic Cluster, describes a higher order area of substantive academic study that a cluster or grouping of programs and faculty members seeks to address. Thematic academic clusters are, by their nature, inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary and explore complex issues and phenomena. These thematic clusters are issue, problem, population, and philosophically based. In order to assess potential thematic academic clusters, the committee used a guiding set of principles that were developed through consultation with the University and the broader community. The following criteria for the identification of the clusters were adhered to:

Although the AVI Committee was not set on a particular number of clusters as it began its work, reviews of other institutions’ frameworks and the committee’s own internal consultations suggested that the optimal number would be between four and eight. The names of the thematic academic clusters were informed, but not determined, by those used at other academic institutions.

Based on the consultation process and application of the above guiding review criteria, the committee identified a set of six thematic academic clusters that it believes best represents what the University should seek to address through its academic programs over the coming decade:

What follows is a brief discussion of the six thematic academic clusters in terms of what each addresses, its relevance, and the related academic programming at the University. The programs that have been identified as being related to a particular Thematic Academic Cluster are not meant to be exclusive, but only to demonstrate those most obviously related to each theme.

The Natural Resources and Environment thematic academic cluster encompasses the scientific, socio-cultural, and humanistic examination of renewable and non-renewable natural resources and the physical, cultural, and social environments in which we live. As such, this cluster is inclusive of all forms of life and ecosystems, and its primary purpose is the development and sharing of knowledge that will be used for responsible stewardship of natural resources and the environment, particularly in the North and other rural and remote regions. The topics covered in the Natural Resources and Environment cluster are inherently interdisciplinary with the diverse inter-relationships among humans, resources, and ecosystems at their core.

The environment of British Columbia has many unique attributes, including its diversity and multiple, sometimes competing, opportunities for human enterprise and renewal. At the same time, most, if not all, of the environmental and natural resource challenges that are addressed by the University of Northern British Columbia’s academic programs are global in nature and go well beyond our immediate region. Responsibilities in the University’s academic mandate range equally from survival of resource based communities to maintenance of global ecosystem services. The challenges of responsibly managing the natural resources and related industries in the University’s immediate region and in similar regions internationally are considerable given the implications for the physical (i.e. air, land, and water), cultural, and social environments. The Natural Resources and Environment cluster is favored by UNBC’s central location within an environmentally diverse region with established traditions of land stewardship among First Nations interacting with industrial land management ethics, an economy based on extraction of natural resources, and a societal expectation of local and global sustainability.

The University has a wide range of academic programs engaged in education and research related to Natural Resources and Environment: Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Education, Environmental Engineering (jointly with UBC), Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Geography, GIS, Health Sciences, International Studies, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Resource Recreation and Tourism, and Wildlife and Fisheries. The University of Northern British Columbia’s Natural Resources and Environmental Studies Institute provides a forum to promote integrative research to address natural resource systems and human uses of the environment, including issues pertinent to northern regions.

The Health and Human Development cluster provides academic preparation associated with improving the well-being of the whole person. The multifaceted concepts present in Health and Human Development link physiological, emotional, intellectual, and behavioural elements of the individual to the economic, social, cultural, spiritual, political, and environmental dimensions of the family, group, and the wider community.

Topics encompassed in the Health and Human Development cluster are critical to maximizing the quality of life and potential of individuals, families, and communities and, as such, are universally considered relevant and important to post-secondary study. The emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical health of individuals and the collective human development of all communities, from the local to the global, are vitally important to the mandate of the University. This academic cluster’s particular focus is on meeting the health and human development needs of rural, remote, and indigenous peoples and communities, though its applications are universal.

As the contributors to and determinants of health and human development are wide ranging, it is not surprising that many academic programs at the University are associated with Health and Human Development. At the program level, the primary contributors include the following: Anthropology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Biology, Community Health Sciences, Disability Management, Education, Environmental Planning, First Nations Studies, Geography, Health Sciences, Mathematics, the Northern Medical Program, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work. The new Northern Sports Centre will provide opportunities for the University to consider expanding its programming into new areas such as fitness, kinesiology, sports management, and health professions such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy. The University houses a number of major research initiatives and institutes, such as the British Columbia Rural and Remote Health Research Institute that focus on remote, rural, and aboriginal health and human development.

The Commerce and Community Sustainability cluster provides an understanding of the exchanges of things of value in ways that sustain and vitalize the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of communities. Things of value include natural resources, goods, culture, services, knowledge, and information. In the context of Commerce and Community Sustainability, communities are broadly defined, not only on the basis of geography, but also on ideas, history, culture and traditions, interest, enterprise, or other shared characteristics.

Communities without adequate commerce within and among themselves are unsustainable. If it does not enrich and sustain communities, commerce lacks purpose. The Commerce and Community Sustainability thematic cluster provides insights into ways to enhance commerce and community vitality. The University of Northern British Columbia is in a region with historically significant cultural diversity, recent immigration, marked by primarily small and rural communities, and a resource-based industrial economy coupled to a global economy. Under such circumstances, sustaining and enriching all forms of communities presents challenges with global implications. The University aims to contribute to meeting these challenges.

Commerce and Community Sustainability is flavored with the unique geographic, cultural and economic environment in which the University of Northern British Columbia is situated, but has implications for other rural and remote regions internationally. In support of this thematic cluster, the University has programs, schools and research dedicated to Business, Computer Science, Economics, Education, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, First Nations Studies, Forestry, Geography, International Studies, Mathematics, Northern Studies, Nursing, Political Science, Resource Recreation and Tourism, and Social Work. In addition, research centres and institutes such as the Community Development Institute and the BC Rural and Remote Health Research Institute become vital partners to communities by helping them make informed decisions about their futures.

Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge promotes both the development and understanding of indigenous peoples and the unique ways they know and understand the world. This thematic academic cluster embraces the diverse, dynamic, and traditional perspectives of indigenous peoples to find balance within physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms. Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge provides the supportive environment where leadership development, traditional knowledge exchange and enhancement, and academic excellence are fostered. Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge provides students with educational opportunities to understand a wide range of indigenous knowledge, including comparative perspectives to contemporary global indigenous issues, research methods, traditional ways of living and knowing, languages, philosophies, governance, and arts and culture. While this academic theme contributes to the celebration of diversity, it also aims to build partnerships and improve the quality of life for indigenous and non-indigenous peoples and communities.

From its inception the University has had a special mandate for assisting indigenous peoples to attain their post-secondary goals, supporting indigenous communities in their self-governance initiatives, and creating meaningful opportunities for knowledge exchanges between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples. Thus, Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge is vitally important for the University’s continued success in providing effective and relevant academic programming, research, and community partnerships.

The Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge thematic academic cluster enhances and supports the continued development of programs related to First Nations Studies in the following areas: Community Resource Planning, First Nations Languages, First Nations Public Administration, Metis Studies, Nisga’a Studies, and Traditional Environmental Knowledge. As a multi-disciplinary theme Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge also relates to many academic programs, including Anthropology, Arts, Disability Management, English, Environmental Planning, Forestry, Geography, Health Sciences, History, Medicine, Natural Resources & Tourism, Northern Studies, Nursing, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, and Women’s Studies. In addition, there are many research initiatives that have been established to help in the revitalization and growth in the areas of indigenous health, education, and governance.

The Global Processes and Perspectives academic theme is a reflection of the multi-layered nature of the world in which we live. It is a cluster that captures the social, political, cultural, and natural linkages between the local and the global in virtually all areas of academic study. This theme is also supported by an appreciation and understanding of languages. Interdisciplinary and holistic, Global Processes and Perspectives promotes understanding of the host of connections between the University of Northern British Columbia, its region, and the world at large and embraces competing perspectives on the nature of those connections.

If the University is to contribute to the well being of Northern British Columbia and other rural, remote, and resource-based regions across the world, it is imperative students understand the global processes in which such regions are embedded. The natural environment is influenced by global environmental systems and changes (e.g. climate change), the local economy is subject to the vagaries of the world economic system, and the composition of the region’s population is affected by migration trends. In turn, Northern British Columbia and similar regions have an impact on global ecosystems, economic trends, and demographics. In order to respond to this reality, the topics covered in the Global Processes and Perspectives cluster address global issues of the day through a host of lenses that compliment the University of Northern British Columbia’s commitment to diversity, indigenous perspectives, and interdisciplinarity.

Programs throughout the university contribute to this cluster: Anthropology, Business, Economics, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, First Nations Studies, Forestry, Geography, History, International Studies, Northern Studies, Political Science, Resource Recreation and Tourism, Social Work, and Women’s Studies. In addition, International Exchange and Student Programs, the First Nations Centre, and the University’s research institutes also contribute to this cluster in the areas of human health, quality of life, and social change.

The Artistic Cultural Expression theme spans a variety of forms of aesthetic expression that illuminate and celebrate human cultures and human experience. The vehicles for artistic cultural expression range from more traditional forms such as writing, painting, music, theatre, and dance to the more contemporary emergence of electronic and digital media. In comparison to the other thematic academic clusters, Artistic Cultural Expression is relatively undeveloped and, as such, demonstrates the University’s aspirations to expand its programs into new areas.

The importance of the Artistic Cultural Expression theme to our immediate region is evident in the vibrant and robust fine arts and visual and performing artistic communities in Northern British Columbia. The enormous resurgence and international interest in indigenous artistic expression is well represented in Northern British Columbia. Beyond providing entertainment, enjoyment, cultural cohesion, and contributing to the economic activity of our communities, artistic cultural expression provides a way to understand, share, and demonstrate human beauty, spirituality, aspirations, and experiences. Many people involved in Arts organizations within Prince George and the regions, such as the Prince George Symphony and the Two Rivers Gallery, and similar organizations throughout our region have expressed an interest in forming a closer relationship with the University and would be an excellent source of teachers, researchers, and mentors. Numerous studies have considered the relationship between a vibrant ‘Arts’ culture and retaining human capital and human creativity within a community.

Academic programming related to Artistic Cultural Expression is currently limited at the University, but there is a significant demand both within the university community and the wider community for its development. Artistic Cultural Expression enriches the academic offerings in the following related program areas: Education, English, First Nations Studies, History, Political Science, Resource Recreation and Tourism, Social Work, and Women’s Studies. It also draws to the University visual and performing artists who enhance the ‘life’ of the campus outside the classroom. Beyond the campus, visual and performing artists and their activities become economic generators, providing employment to individuals who would otherwise move to larger urban centres. Recent initiatives in developing a Fine Arts joint degree between the University of Northern British Columbia and Emily Carr Institute provide one model for future activity. The English program is exploring the greater development of a Media Studies concentration based on faculty teaching and research interests. The First Nations Studies program has combined such diverse arts as story telling, carving, sculpture, and clothing and adornment as part of its existing program.

The University is poised to consider the further development of courses, concentrations, and activities in such diverse visual and performing arts as Art History, Carving, Computer Graphics, Dance, Film, Music, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Theatre. The speed and scope of these developments will depend on resources, future partnerships, capital acquisition, and the collective will of people within the University and its communities to collaborate around this new thematic area.