Since 1916, the Vancouver Institute has brought the University of British Columbia and Vancouver community together through free public lectures and discussions. Driven by volunteer membership and donations, the Institute hosts influential academics and political leaders from around the world. The Global Reporting centre is proud to partner with The Vancouver Institute. In collaboration, both organizations support interdisciplinary ideas and a strong, community-driven culture at UBC.
The Vancouver Institution was established in February 1916, just five months after the opening of UBC. At this time, the Institute was known for its “town and gown” concept—local citizens could join with academics at UBC to organize, promote, sponsor, host, and present various lectures.
Behind this bridging model were three influential individuals: Lemuel Robertson, Associate Professor of Classics at UBC and Chairman of the Archaeological Institute; Frank Wesbrook, the University’s first president; and S.D. Scott, editor of the Vancouver News-Advertiser.
The Institute holds its lectures at UBC during the fall and spring academic terms, increasing community engagement with each year. Recently, the Institute has been fortunate enough to cosponsor speakers with several lectureship committees, such as Cecil and Ida Green, Leon and Thea Koerner, Dal Grauer, J.V. Clyne, E.S. Woodward, The Vancouver Sun, and External Affairs Canada.
The most celebrated speaker at the Institute was the Dalai Lama, who attracted around 10,000 people. Other notable past presenters include French academician Claude Levi-Strauss, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew, and several Nobel Laureates.
Directions
Please note: Given the COVID-19 situation lectures are not taken place at UBC campus at this time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do the VI lectures take place?
Given the COVID-19 situation, lectures are not taking place on UBC campus. Lectures are delivered via Zoom Webinar. The link to the lecture is:
(1) delivered to you via email if you are a member,
Do I need a VI membership if I want to attend the lectures?
You do not need to be a member of the Vancouver Institute; however, as an all-volunteer organization, we greatly appreciate your financial support. The cost of your membership and any donations are tax-deductible. Please direct all questions on how to apply for membership to vancouver.institute@ubc.ca.
Can I pay for my membership when I attend the VI lecture?
We are not taking payment in person at this time. You can pay online here.
Memberships and Donations
We invite you to use our online platform: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/51210 to become or renew your annual membership with The Vancouver Institute. A single membership is $25, $35 for a family, and $10 for a student.
Because we are working remotely due to COVID-19 safety measures, our capabilities to speedily process memberships/donations received by mail is limited. Nevertheless, if your only option is to pay by cheque, you can download this membership form and mail it to:
The Vancouver Institute
c/o Global Reporting Centre
6388 Crescent Road, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
Become a sponsor
The Vancouver Institute is a volunteer-led organization that has been running since 1916 on with the help of voluntary yearly subscriptions and welcome donations from public-minded citizens. You are invited to contribute to the sustainability of The Institute and support its lecture series by becoming a sponsor of the institute on an annual basis. All donations are tax-deductible. To learn more about how to become a sponsor please download our sponsorship guide here or become a sponsor online here.
Marsha Lederman covers the film and television industry, visual arts, literature, music, theatre, dance, and cultural policy as Western Arts Correspondent for The Globe and Mail in Vancouver. Prior to this appointment, she worked for CBC Radio as National Arts Reporter, morning news editor, and founding senior producer on Q.
Dr. Mark Jaccard researches the design and application of energy-economy models for assessing climate policies. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and an author with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Jen Sookfong Lee is a novelist, poet, and food writer. She co-hosts the literary podcast, Can’t Lit, and previously, was a columnist for CBC Radio One’s On the Coast, All Points West, and The Next Chapter, and a frequent co-host of the Studio One Book Club.
Lynden MacIntyre was the host of The Fifth Estate for twenty-four years. He has written and reported for numerous award-winning projects and received awards for writing and journalistic excellence, including ten Gemini Awards, an International Emmy, three Gordon Sinclair Awards for best broadcast journalist, and the Michener award for meritorious public service in journalism.
Desmond Cole's activism has received national attention, specifically on the issues of police carding, racial discrimination, and dismantling systemic racism. Mr. Cole’s writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, Toronto Life, The Walrus, NOW Magazine, Ethnic Aisle, Torontoist, BuzzFeed, and the Ottawa Citizen.
Dr. Sherrill Grace is a prolific scholar specializing in the study of Canadian literature and culture. She is the author of Canada and the Idea of North (2001, 2007), Making Theatre: The Life of Sharon Pollock (2008), On the Art of Being Canadian (2009), the co-edited volume Bearing Witness: Perspectives on War and Peace from the Arts and Humanities (2012), Landscapes of Memory: Representations of the Two World Wars in Canadian Literature and the Arts (2014), and Tiff: A Life of Timothy Findley (2020).
Jonathan Manthorpe has been a foreign correspondent and international affairs columnist for then Southam News, the Toronto Star, and the Vancouver Sun. He is a founding columnist with Facts and Opinions, and contributor to iPolitics.
Dr. Rashid Sumaila’s research focuses on bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation and the analysis of global issues such as fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil spills.
Dr. Bonnie Henry is the first woman to be appointed Provincial Health Officer in BC. She has been praised as “one of the most effective public health officials in the world" by The New York Times due to her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in this province.
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Global Reporting Centre
