A Message from the Dean
We are starting a new chapter at LFS with a renewed strategic plan. Called Navigating a Better Future: Action Plan 2021-2026, this is a culmination of a year of working group discussions and input from many people as we articulated our strengths and defined a new vision to strive for.
One thing stood out as our key strength and that was our ‘systems’ approach – LFS has an approach to problem-solving that draws in people from many disciplines to find solutions. That is a foundation of our research and community partnerships, and impacts how we teach our students.
For those of you who provided input in the early drafts of the Action Plan, thank you for your insight as I value feedback from those external to the university. In LFS, the work that we do is made stronger by engaging with the community – by listening to gain true understanding.
Over the past year, we reached out to alumni and donors, LFS student leadership, faculty and staff, campus partners, and our external advisory board in renewing the Action Plan. Our internal working group had debates and long discussions about the strengths and future goals for LFS.
I am very excited by our new vision – Balancing our food system and planetary health to create a better world. It recognizes the important relationship between the teaching and research taking place in our Faculty and the health and wellbeing of the planet, people and animals. In addition, it is optimistic about the future, and it aligns with the university’s overall vision outlined in Shaping UBC’s Next Century – Inspiring people, ideas and actions for a better world.
To learn more about our Action Plan 2021-2026, I encourage you to visit this website: landfood.ubc.ca/action-plan/.
In the meantime, I hope that summer will mark a turn for all of us as more people obtain their COVID-19 vaccinations. Under the guidance of the Provincial Health Officer and the health authorities, the university is preparing for an increase in on-campus activity in September. UBC will need to stay flexible over the coming months, and is working hard to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff is a top priority.
Stay safe and take care.
Cheers,
Rickey Yada
Dean and Professor, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
