Our transfer programs have been showcased in China as an example that other partnerships should follow. Formal cooperation with Nanjing Forestry University (NFU), Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University (FAFU), Beijing Forestry University (BFU), and Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University (ZAFU) has been approved by the Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE, China). The transfer programs have been established with our Forest Sciences, Natural Resources Conservation, Forestry, and Wood Products Processing programs. Considerable interest has been expressed in formalizing a transfer arrangement with our new Urban Forestry program.
We have successfully conducted fundraising activities and developed three scholarships with different individuals and organizations. These scholarships, listed below, have brought significant financial support to our Asian students:
UBC – UBG Forestry Scholarship: United Benefits Group (UBG)’s leadership team has aided Fujian students in attaining international learning experiences in high-quality educational institutions. They hope the annual financial support will encourage Chinese students to pursue their study at UBC and ultimately strengthen ecological stewardship in the future. The UBC-UBG Forestry Scholarship supports 2+2/3+2 students with excellent performance upon admission to UBC. Since 2013, 13 students have received this scholarship, totaling $58,000 of financial aid.
Zhan’s Family Scholarship: A $30,000 scholarship has been endowed by Mr. Jianbin Zhan and his family for a Chinese student demonstrating academic excellence to continue his/her studies in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC. The scholarship is granted upon the recommendation of the Faculty of Forestry to support existing 2+2/3+2 transfer students with outstanding academic performance. Each year, $1,000 has been granted to one excellent student.
CFFA Annual Scholarship for International Students: The Canadian Fujianese Friendship Association (CFFA) aims to support Chinese students who are currently studying, working, and living in Canada. Since 2013, CFFA has launched its Annual Scholarship for International Students, offering $1,000 per undergraduate student and $1,500 per graduate student. Each year, 20-30 international students from UBC Faculty of Forestry have benefited from this scholarship.
More significant supports to our transfer students:
Inclusive Forestry Peer Mentor (IFPM): The Inclusive Forestry Peer Mentor (IFPM) team is a group of dedicated senior 2+2/3+2 transfer students (spent at least one academic year at UBC) who are interested in supporting and enhancing the study life of their peers (new incoming transfer program students), and building a sense of learning community within the Faculty of Forestry.