Teaching and Learning

VIU Recreation Prescription Project Gets Youth Moving

December 7, 2018

Breaking down barriers to recreation for elementary school children could contribute to healthier, more active adults. Thanks to a $50,000 grant from Island Health, Vancouver Island University (VIU) has partnered with the City of Nanaimo Parks and Recreation, Division of Family Practice, and the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District to introduce Grade 5 students to more active lifestyles. The 16-week... Read more


Cowichan Tribes Elders Teach Land-based Sustainability Course at VIU

December 5, 2018

Enhanced connections to the land, a deeper appreciation for the culture of local First Nations communities and the desire to pass these experiences on to others were key takeaways for students enrolled in a land-based teacher education course offered at Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Cowichan Campus. Co-taught by Education Professor Nadine Cruickshanks and eight Cowichan Elders, the... Read more


VIU Supports 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

November 27, 2018

Since the #MeToo movement, issues of gender-based violence and sexism have moved to centre stage of public discussion. Survivors and allies no longer feel they have to keep quiet – and the VIU community is making its support known during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence.  The VIU Students’ Union is hosting, in partnership with the VIU Faculty Association (VIUFA) and CUPE... Read more


VIU’s Outreach Program Inspires Youth to Follow their Dreams

November 27, 2018

It starts with a simple conversation – ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ That one question can be a catalyst for change, but for some children, it’s a discussion they have never had the opportunity to have.  “A lot of students we visited didn’t have dreams for themselves because they never had the opportunity to explore them,” says Katie McCarthy, a fourth-year student in the Vancouver... Read more


’Uy’ skweyul – Good Day from Cowichan

November 27, 2018

Contributed by Warren Weir, Cowichan Campus Academic Administrator The magic of the Cowichan Campus is in the community we cultivate and feed. Whether it is creating a welcoming space for Syrian refugees or providing the support our vulnerable community members require to become thriving, contributing parents, or developing the educators of the future, we try to keep focus  on three major areas:... Read more


Global Teaching Excellence Award Excellence: Celebrating at the Awards Gala

November 27, 2018

By Aly Winks Vancouver Island University was honoured as a finalist for Advance HE's 2018 Global Teaching Excellence Award this year – one of just 17 finalists out of submissions from more than 400 post-secondary institutions worldwide. All finalists were invited to the award announcement in July in Edinburgh, Scotland. Dr. Graham Pike, Dean of International Education, Heather Pastro, Vice-Chair... Read more


Spotlight On: Trades and Applied Technology

November 27, 2018

By Jenn McGarrigle From developing new programs to meet community needs, to enhancing experiential learning opportunities and researching ways to engage with non-traditional learners in building programs, the Faculty of Trades and Applied Technology is busy working through its 2017-22 strategic plan. The Faculty is made up of 16 different departments and offers Trades Foundation, Apprenticeship... Read more


Employee Appreciation Event: Milner Christmas Magic

November 23, 2018

print_viuemployeeday-milner_christmas_magic.pdf Read more


Longtime VIU Volunteer Wins Provincial Award

November 22, 2018

One of Emil Sorensen’s favourite things to do is share the knowledge he’s acquired over the years with others. Every morning, the 90-year-old gets up and rides his bike – an electric-assisted bike now, he jokes, because his heart isn’t as strong as it once was – from his Departure Bay home to Vancouver Island University (VIU) to volunteer in the Heavy Mechanical Trades program. Sorensen, an... Read more