Governance of The University of British Columbia is balanced between the Board of Governors and the Senates, and flows through the President’s Office to the portfolios of the Vice-Presidents.
The Chancellor serves as the titular head of the University, presides over all major ceremonies, and is an ex officio member of the Board of Governors, the Senates, and the Council of Senates.
The role of the President is to provide oversight and direction for the operation of the University, in accordance with the strategic framework and directions of UBC’s governing bodies, the Board of Governors and the Senates.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal is UBC Okanagan’s senior administrator and is a core member of UBC’s executive leadership team.
The Provost and Vice-President Academic for each campus provides leadership in planning, policy development and management of resources to achieve UBC’s academic strategic goals.
Research is a central component of UBC’s mandate as a public university. The Vice-President Research & Innovation supports UBC research activities and the work of UBC researchers with strategic information, resources and tools.
The Vice-President Students is responsible for shaping the student experience and learning environment for undergraduate and graduate students attending UBC, and actively supports the University’s strategic commitments through a focus on improving the student experience across all of them. The portfolio also liaises on behalf of the University with student governments and select groups that represent and support students.
UBC Health, under the auspices of the Vice-President Health, works to enable interprofessional and collaborative health education and interdisciplinary research to train people, develop knowledge, and shape policy, seeking to address inequities and improve the systems that produce health. Ranked among the world’s top medical schools, UBC’s Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine, with more than 12,000 faculty and staff training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals.
The Vice-President Finance & Operations oversees UBC’s $2B+ operating budget across the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. The portfolio is also responsible for managing UBC’s infrastructure, building operations and ancillary businesses.
The Vice-President Development & Alumni Engagement portfolio champions UBC’s visions and values, fosters alumni engagement and attracts supporters to advance the institution. The alumni unit works in strategic partnership with alumni UBC, UBC’s alumni association.
The Human Resources portfolio provides support and advice to UBC departments and a range of services for faculty and staff, including recruitment and employment, training and development for faculty and staff, labour relations, benefits administration, and the development of human resource policies.
The External Relations portfolio is the University’s central planning and coordinating office for University relations and communications, both internally and externally, with government and the community.
The Office of the University Counsel is staffed by a team of lawyers and other professionals who report to the University Counsel, and is responsible for all the legal affairs of UBC, with the exception of labour and employment matters.
