Green College is a graduate residential college at the University of British Columbia where interdisciplinary conversations and ideas thrive. Every year, about 80 graduate students, 15 postdoctoral scholars and numerous visiting scholars call the College home and create a unique, vibrant academic community.
Whether attending a free public lecture, becoming involved in resident life or enjoying warm hospitality, Resident Members develop a global network that reaches beyond the College's spectacular view of ocean and mountains.
No matter what happens at the College, one thing remains constant: the founding philosophy of "Ideas and Friendship."
Cecil Green's Vision
The College was founded in 1993 with a generous gift from Dr. Cecil H. Green, a UBC alumnus and co-founder of Geophysical Services Limited, which eventually became Texas Instruments.
Dr. Green observed that the University was on the edge of pivotal change. Being an expert in only one field was no longer realistic, he realized. What if engineers could learn from historians? What would happen if artists were inspired by physicists?
And so the idea for Green College was born: A centre for advanced interdisciplinary scholarship at UBC. The heart of the College's mandate was to foster connections beyond the traditional limits of academic discourse, opening different disciplines to each other, and the University to the wider local community and the world.
The College has formal ties with Massey College at the University of Toronto, and Green Templeton College, a sister institution at Oxford University and also endowed by Dr. Green.
The College Community
Residents are College members for life. While at the College, they are encouraged to volunteer for various committees—from arts, sports, to student wellness and more. Communal living promotes a strong sense of community, inspiring residents to create, learn from each other and expand their academic horizons.
After residency, these Resident Members become Green College Society Members, joining a dynamic network of over 1,000 former residents and associated faculty across the globe.
Green College is more than a graduate residence: it's a community that embodies "Scholarship in Society." Each year, we welcome a diverse array of talented scholars, artists and professionals to participate in College life and enrich conversations. Invited speakers and performers are often identified by UBC faculty members, who can nominate outstanding scholars to live at or present at the College. UBC faculty members can also become members of the College (although they do not take up residence). And special visitors are welcome to join any of our interdisciplinary talks and, when possible, continue the discussion over a three-course dinner.
Public Lectures and Events
From the very beginning, Green College has focused on enriching the graduate school experience with free public lectures. Whether part of a series on utopias and dystopias, a panel discussion on women in science, or a poetry reading, each talk is interdisciplinary at its core.
Various Residency Programs enrich life at the College, including the Writer in Residence, Justice in Residence and Artist in Residence Programs. These renowned visitors give Resident Members the opportunity to learn from the best in their field, and to learn something unexpected from someone in an entirely different field from their own. The visionaries who take up these residences also leave the College with a new perspective, gaining knowledge in kind from the residents.
In addition to the lectures, there's often the opportunity to continue the conversation over a three-course dinner our Dining Hall or even at a fireside chat in the Piano Lounge. Located inside Graham House, this space is a hub of activity and, at the same time, an intimate environment for new ideas and exchanges.
Hospitality
Green College offers picturesque venues to hold conferences, workshops, retreats, meetings, gala dinners and other events. Immersed in a lush forest and overlooking the Pacific Ocean and North Shore mountains, there is nowhere else like this on campus.
Find out more about our on-site catering options by the Green College Dining Society and take a look at our heritage site and grounds available for booking.