CIFAL Victoria
Description:
In 2022, the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR) and the University of Victoria (UVic) established the first accredited International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders (known by the French acronym CIFAL) on North America’s west coast.
CIFAL Victoria, based at UVic, joins a global network of 33 training centres around the world. The purpose of these centres is to develop local capacity to take on global challenges. Through partnership building and knowledge sharing, CIFAL centres empower communities and support officials as they advance sustainable development. The CIFAL Global Network connects the school and our region with a global community dedicated to sustainable development.
CIFAL Victoria’s mission is to drive sustainability transformations at UVic and beyond. We are dedicated to advancing progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In support of our mission, we deliver training and research that strengthens local capacities for change. We work with partners UVic and beyond to offer specialized sustainability education and skill-based training. Together, we are supporting our communities as they take on today’s most pressing challenges.
Our work is focused on four key themes:
- Oceans, climate and sustainability
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
- Decolonization and Indigenous knowledge
- Global health and well-being
Partners and Collaborators:
We are working with a diverse network of organizations, institutions and researchers focused on action towards the UN SDGs and UNDRIP at UVic and beyond. We work with partners to support their research and amplify their activities, mobilizing our connections across the CIFAL Global Network expand the reach and scope of their work.
Our partners and collaborators include:
- Mahidol University
- Victoria Foundation
- Ocean Networks Canada
- UVic Coastal Climate Solutions Leaders
- UVic Impact Investing Hub
- Balance Co-Lab
- Participatory Research in Asia
- Indigenous Leadership Initiative
- Victoria Native Friendship Centre
- UNICATA University of and with Waste Pickers
- POLIS Water Sustainability Project
- …and more!
For more information about CIFAL and its current research, contact:
Crystal Tremblay, Director - crystalt@uvic.ca
Nicole Bates-Eamer, Associate Director - nbeamer@uvic.ca
Bethany Woodbridge, Program Officer - bethanywoodbridge@uvic.ca
You can also visit the project website at:
https://cifalvictoria.org/ or https://www.uvic.ca/about-uvic/cifal/index.php