Partner with Us

Please get in touch with our Program Manager in order to make sure we include you in our next call for proposals. 
 

BENEFITS

As a program partner, you can engage skilled and enthusiastic UBC graduate students to work on projects that help find solutions to your organization's sustainability challenges. 

Participation in the program provides:

• Added capacity, fresh ideas, and robust research contributions 
• An opportunity to provide professional mentorship to a motivated and skilled graduate student 
• Access to a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants and a chance to evaluate potential future employees
• Involvement in a collaborative partnership with UBC to advance sustainability 

Types of projects:

We accept a broad range of projects, but preferred projects have the following qualities:

• The primary project tasks involve research related to your organization’s sustainability goals
• The scope offers sufficient challenge to a graduate student and allows them to engage in a larger, meaningful project with minimal routine clerical work
• The deliverables are manageable within the allotted 250 hours of work
• There is evident value to your organization, and the Scholar’s work will be actionable
• A mentor with relevant expertise from within your organization is available to provide guidance to the Scholar throughout the project

"I think one of the most significant impacts that a Sustainability Scholar can have is bringing new and vibrant and diverse ideas to your organization on projects that you may not have the means, time, or resources to pursue." - Former Sustainability Scholars Mentor

HOW IT WORKS

As a project partner, you will:

• Develop and submit a project proposal (we work with you to refine and agree on the final project scope)
• Interview short-listed candidates, perform reference checks, and select a candidate
• Assign a mentor to guide and advise the Scholar over the course of the project
• Contribute $9,925 per Scholar to cover the Scholar's salary for 250 hours of work, mandatory employment-related costs (e.g., CPP, EI, HTX, WCB) and the student participation costs. Note that 250 hours is the standard project duration, however, during the summer program, we are happy to support projects that take up to 500 hours to complete.
• Submit a project proposal by November 14, 2025 (for participation in the summer 2026 program). The call for projects goes out October 1.
• Please contact sustainability.scholars@ubc.ca for an information package or to be added to the circulation list.

The UBC Sustainability Scholars Program will:

• Promote projects to UBC graduate students at both campuses across a wide range of academic disciplines
• Manage and shortlist incoming student applications
• Employ your preferred candidate as a UBC student employee (meaning that we take care of the payroll administration, T4s, etc.)
• Provide up to 5 applications for your consideration and selection
• Deliver a program orientation and project management workshop to all Scholars at the beginning of the project term
• Provide ongoing administrative and program management support throughout the duration of the project
• Host an annual conference to share applied research findings
• Offer ongoing media and communications support to promote the program, our partners, and the outcomes of Scholars projects

INTERESTED?

We would be delighted to discuss your ideas for a project. Please get in touch to request a proposal template or to arrange a phone call or meeting to get started.

CONTACT US

PROVIDE A FINANCIAL GIFT TO THE SCHOLARS PROGRAM

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and growing inequality are some of the most urgent issues facing our world today. Support from donors will enable students in the Sustainability Scholars Program to make a direct impact through organizations doing the on-the-ground work needed to address climate change and other critical sustainability challenges.

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