VIU CARES is an online (via Zoom) symposium that will be held Thursday Feb. 18th (during winter study break) from 9am to 12pm, that will feature presentations about projects supported through VIU's Regional Initiatives Fund (RIF). The RIF is a partnership with the Province of British Columbia and the Real Estate Foundation of BC to enable communities of Vancouver Island to collaborate on community-based research projects with VIU Faculty and students.
Since it's inception in 2017, VIU has engaged with over 100 partners and leveraged over 1.8 million dollars in funding via the Regional Initiatives Fund. This funding has enabled collaborative applied research on community planning with Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners, air and water quality, affordable housing, fish health and habitat, marmots, tourism, impacts of COVID-19, and more. Projects directly respond to community needs and promote innovative and sustainable solutions while at the same time providing meaningful involvement in applied research to over 300 students.
Join the Symposium to hear about the approaches and impactful work that has transpired as faculty, community partners and students have collaborated on projects. Participants will be invited to contribute their ideas on how to expand this successful model in the future.
Save the date and enjoy learning about all the great collaborative applied research happening in our region!
Questions? Contact tanis.dagert@viu.ca