Author: Comms

[Vancouver, BC – April 1, 2021] The Graduate Student Societies of British Columbia (GSSBC) enthusiastically welcome the government’s announced funding of $3.75 million to extend the BC Graduate Scholarship Program and support over 250 graduate student researchers across the province over the next two years.

The BC Graduate Scholarship, introduced by the BC government in 2018, has provided merit-based funding to over 800 graduate students across BC since its inception. The announced additional investment would ensure the program is funded to provide support for 250 highly skilled and talented graduate students across the province over the next two years.

The BC Graduate Scholarship plays a key role in helping the province attract top students to pursue graduate education in BC. Those who are selected for a BC Graduate Scholarship receive a minimum of $15,000 to support and fund their research activities.

GSSBC would like to thank Minister Anne Kang and the government for listening to graduate students and supporting graduate student research in the province. GSSBC will continue its advocacy efforts and work with the BC Government to establish the BC Graduate Scholarship as a permanent fixture of post-secondary funding as well as expanding the program to support graduate student researchers in non-STEM disciplines.

Quotes
“We are thankful to the Ministry for extending the BC Graduate Scholarship. Graduate students are the drivers of research and innovation in BC at a time when we need it most. This funding is a much-needed investment to support and revamp BC’s research and innovation capacity. In an increasingly knowledge-driven economy, grad students are the future researchers, knowledge leaders and experts we need to develop the next stage of BC’s economy post-COVID19.”
Alireza Kamyabi, Chairperson of Graduate Student Societies of British Columbia

“Funding for graduate students is a big step towards making post-secondary education more accessible to the society at large. We are grateful that the government is working towards breaking down systemic barriers.”
Abby Dooks, Chair of The University of Northern British Columbia GSS

About Graduate Student Societies of British Columbia
Graduate Student Societies of British Columbia (GSSBC) is composed of the University of British Columbia Graduate Student Society, the Graduate Student Society at Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria Graduate Students’ Society and the Northern British Columbia Graduate Student Society, together representing over 18,000 students in BC. The purpose of GSSBC is to represent and advocate for the interests of all graduate students in BC.

The University of British Columbia Graduate Student Society (UBC-GSS) is delighted by today’s announcement by the BC Government of the extension of the BC Graduate Scholarship with $3.75 million in additional funding over the next two years. The investment supports 250 scholarships for students in graduate degree programs at 10 public post-secondary institutions. Each award will be for a minimum of $15,000.

The BC Graduate Scholarship, introduced by the BC government in 2018, provides merit-based funding to hundreds of highly skilled and talented graduate students across the province. The Program plays a key role in helping the province attract top talent to pursue graduate education in BC.

Increasing government support and funding for graduate education has been a priority advocacy item for the UBC-GSS. The Society has been a strong advocate for extension of the BC Graduate Scholarship since its inception in 2018. Recommendations to make the BC Graduate Scholarship program a permanent fixture in the post-secondary funding landscape was a top priority item in UBC-GSS 2020 BC Budget Submission.

“We’re delighted that the BC Government has chosen to support the continuation of the BC Graduate Scholarship program. Extending this funding has been an advocacy priority for successive GSS Executive teams and we have been lucky to have strong support from the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and partners at other Universities in making that case to the province. It is exciting to see that work bear fruit.”

Kimani Karangu, UBC-GSS President

“Graduate students are the drivers of research and innovation in BC at a time when we need it most. They play a key role in helping BC address many of the pressing challenges we face today, like climate change and COVID-19, by developing innovative new solutions. This funding is a much-needed investment to support and revamp BC’s research and innovation capacity. In an increasingly knowledge-driven economy, grad students are the future researchers, knowledge leaders and experts we need to develop the next stage of BC’s economy post-COVID19.”

Alireza Kamyabi, UBC-GSS VP External Relations

For Further Information contact:

• Kimani Karangu, President UBC Graduate Student Society
• president@gss.ubc.ca
  

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• Alireza Kamyabi, VP External Relations UBC Graduate Student Society
• vpexternal@gss.ubc.ca