Here are a few examples of how the VIU community is working towards achieving the SDGs. To see how much more there is, check out MABRRI's final report and remember to stay tuned for even more!
VIU was the first post-secondary institution in BC to launch the Youth in Care Tuition Waiver program. This program waives tuition fees for eligible students who have grown up in the care system.
VIU’s Centre for Community Outreach and Care offers various programs that work with at-risk youth and vulnerable populations. Each of the Centre’s programs and initiatives focus on providing youth with access to healthy, nutritious food.
A Sound Constitution is a radio show hosted by VIU Nursing students on CHLY 101.7 that focuses on community well-being. The show not only plays a significant role in developing the skills of future health-care workers, but also informs the public on health issues and health care options.
As a member of the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program, VIU has sponsored two student refugees every year since 2008! The program supports tuition and living costs in addition to providing a social support network. Consider joining the VIU’s WUSC Committee to making lasting connections and meaningful impact!
VIU won the 2017 National MBA Games by raising an impressive amount of money in support of the Moose Hide Campaign, which works to eliminate violent against Indigenous and non-Indigenous women and children. VIU’s partnership with the Moose Hide Campaign has also resulted in the Know More Campaign, which promotes a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment at VIU.
Since 2011, the VIU Water Pledge has committed VIU to upgrading current infrastructure to increase access to public water. VIU now has 33 water bottle filling stations and does not sell plastic water bottles nor bottled water!
VIU’s District Geo-exchange System is an important step towards significantly reducing the University’s carbon footprint. The system uses underground water from flooded mine workings to heat and cool new structures built on campus.
VIU’s Workplace Essential Skills and Training (WEST) program partners with approximately 90 different employers in the local community to provide access to employment opportunities for persons with developmental and cognitive disabilities, as well as those with self-disclosed barriers to employment. Many students obtain employment through this program.
VIU’s annual Research Week and CREATE Conference celebrates student research and creative activity by facilitating an academic style conference for students to share their work. The Conference becomes more popular every year – in 2019 there were 340 student participants!
The VIU Access & Inclusion Award recognizes individuals who have made the VIU community more accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities. Nominate a VIU community member who has removed physical, social, or attitudinal barriers, created opportunities for inclusion, or enhanced awareness and education on access and inclusion!
VIU’s First Nations Housing Manager program ensures that housing managers are qualified to assist communities in achieving affordable, healthy, high quality, and well-maintained housing.
In September of 2019, VIU's Nanaimo Campus hosted its first Slow Couture Fashion Show where individuals showcased upcycled clothing. The intent of the event was for people to form a more conscious relationship with the clothes they wear for the betterment of our planet.
VIU’s student-led group, Awareness of Climate Change through Education and Research (ACER), educates the VIU and surrounding communities on climate change through interactive presentations and an annual symposium. A major focus of their work is on raising awareness of the social impacts of climate change and supporting responsible solutions.
The Deep Bay Marine Field Station is a marine research facility operated by VIU. The Field Station is an active site for shellfish aquaculture within the Deep Bay area, and is committed to research and public education on sustainable development and marine conservation.
VIU was designated as a Bee Campus through Bee City Canada in 2019, and is the first post-secondary institution in BC to receive the designation! Through this designation, VIU is committed to creating, maintaining, and improving pollinator habitats, educating on the importance of pollinators, and participating in National Pollinator Week.
VIU is one of the first five universities in Canada to offer the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. The program brings together university students and incarcerated students for semester-long learning, providing meaningful academic and experiential learning opportunities for all participants.
The EleV program at VIU is offered in partnership with the MasterCard Foundation as an effort to ensure Indigenous learners become full partners in their education by building a network of support across Canada. Through financial support, the program also works to enable an increasing number of Indigenous students to attend and complete their programs of study!