About

About the Aspire-2040 Learning Transformations fund

The Aspire Learning Transformations Fund (ALT-2040) supports course and program innovation, student experience enhancement, and educational resource development at UBC Okanagan. All projects must meaningfully transform UBCO students’ learning experiences with an implementation focus and scope consistent with one the three funding streams. Selection of funded projects is guided by the transformative learning strategies of Shaping UBC’s Next Century and UBC Okanagan teaching and learning priorities expressed in aligned plans and reports (e.g. Outlook 2040, Indigenous Strategic Plan, Declaration of Truth and Reconciliation Commitments, Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism (StEAR) Framework, Climate Emergency Task Force Report, and Student Strategic Plan). Each year a set of priority focus areas are identified for ALT-2040 projects to guide this strategic alignment.

Priority Focus Areas

Projects funded through the ALT-2040 Fund are required to align with priority focus areas, providing benefits and learning transformation to students across all disciplines.

artificial intelligence

• Develop approaches for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by instructors and students in teaching and learning contexts (e.g., assessment, course design, writing, academic integrity, etc.).  This new priority aims to advance the use of AI in education, aligning with UBC’s strategic priorities and Generative AI initiatives to explore innovative, ethical, and impactful applications of emerging technologies in teaching, learning, and assessment.

Education Renewal  

• Introduce innovative teaching and learning practices that address knowledge and skills gaps, including those identified by curricular renewal/review processes.  

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility   

• Transform curricula by incorporating equitable and anti-racist teaching and pedagogies that promote locally and globally relevant and responsive ways of learning, knowing, and translating knowledge.  

• Create and/or incorporate Open Educational Resources (OER) to make education more affordable and accessible to students.    

Indigenous Engagement  

• Strengthen and expand Indigenization, decolonization and reconciliation initiatives in existing courses and programs and/or strengthen instructors’ competence with ability to incorporate relevant practices in their teaching.

Experiential Education

• Enhance and expand experiential education (EE) opportunities within courses or across multiple courses in alignment with UBC’s identified clusters of EE activity.