This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember your browser. We use this information to improve and customize your browsing experience, for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media, and for marketing purposes. By using this website, you accept and agree to be bound by UVic’s Terms of Use and Protection of Privacy Policy.  If you do not agree to the above, you can configure your browser’s setting to “do not track.”

Skip to main content

Enhancing the student experience

UVic student Jason Szymanski smiles at the camera while people sit at tables in the background.

Goals and strategies related to supporting student retention and success, as part of the Academic Action Plan.

Enrolment

Goals and strategies

  • Review and report retention objectives and outcomes 
  • Lead and support our aspirations for enrolment diversity and growth
  • Develop new strategic enrolment targets and goals to support our aspirations
  • Enhance Indigenous student recruitment and success, including from local community
  • Ensure that academic advising is institutionally aligned and balanced
  • Equip and support graduate students for academic and career success 

Strategic links

  • Strategic Plan
  • Equity Action Plan
  • Indigenous Plan
  • Planning & Budget Framework

Key initiatives and progress

Goal or initiative Progress and outcomes Accountability
Restore domestic enrolments to sustainable, government-funded levels Complete. We restored institutional domestic enrolments to government-funded levels in 2023/24, maintained sustainable levels in 2024/25, and are on track to meet our targets in 2025/26.  Student Affairs; Deans; Faculties

Review and revise international undergraduate recruitment targets based on strategic enrolment goals

Ongoing. In 2023, we expanded our recruitment network and efforts, including through a new partnership agreement with Kaplan, and offered competitive scholarships. We continue to monitor progress on our international tiering strategy.

Student Affairs; Deans; Faculties

Develop and implement UVic’s International Education Strategic Plan to guide sustainable international enrolment, enhance student supports, and align with provincial values of sustainability, inclusion, and quality

Complete. UVic’s first IESP was published in 2025 in response to the new provincial reporting requirement.

VPAC; Student Affairs

Increase the diversity of international students by country of origin

Ongoing. Diversification efforts are underway in Student Affairs through our recruiters, recruiting network, and in-country engagements and outreach. China, India and the USA remain our biggest recruiting countries, but there is increased interest from countries in SE Asia and elsewhere.

Student Affairs; Deans; Faculties

Improve progression rates of students from admits to registrants Complete. We now provide earlier admission offers, enhanced scholarships, targeted faculty outreach and improved and enhanced communications with prospective students with timely responses to concerns and questions. Student Affairs; Deans; Faculties
Increase the overall number of Indigenous students for undergraduate and graduate programs

Ongoing. Over the past 10 years we have seen a dramatic growth in Indigenous enrolment thanks in large part to K-12 pathway programs, from 1,086 to 1,495 students in 2022/23—a 38% increase. Currently, Indigenous students comprise over 6% of the overall student population and are enrolled in every faculty. Beginning in 2022/23, undergraduate growth has slowed but remains positive.

Indigenous enrolment in graduate programs has increased by 41% over the last 10 years, and there are now 73 Indigenous PhD students at UVic—a 170% increase.

Student Affairs; Deans; Faculties; VP Indigenous; IACE

Develop better mechanisms for tracking outcomes for graduate students including completion times

In progress.

Faculty of Graduate Studies; Institutional Planning and Analysis

Open more options and streams for international students including by re-imagining the Pathway Program Complete and ongoing. Senate reviewed and approved modifications to the Pathway Program model in 2024. Discussions are ongoing with Deans' Council on expanded pathways in specific subjects such as math. Continuing Studies
Develop pathway programs for students learning in the West Shore In progress. UVic is working with parners, including Science Venture, to offer hands-on learning for youth and student pathway programs in the West Shore.  VPAC; Continuing Studies; Student Affairs
Expand pathways to engineering and computer science In progress. Flexible options (Standard, Intensive, Flexible) being created and marketed for rollout between 2025-2027. Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
Improve recruitment of Indigenous students to Fine Arts In progress. Strengthening institutional ties with En’owkin Centre to support student pathways. Goal to increase Indigenous enrolment by December 2026. Faculty of Fine Arts

Affordability, access & inclusion

Goals and strategies

  • Address financial and other barriers that limit access and inclusion to UVic education
  • Increase funding for scholarships and bursaries to support and attract students, including those from a diversity of socio-economic backgrounds
  • Ensure students' well-being is supported by identifying challenges and assessing and determining affordability supports and programs associated with the increasing costs of living
  • Provide a range of on-campus housing options by increasing bed capacity through medium- to longer-term expansions

Strategic links

  • Strategic Plan
  • Equity Action Plan
  • Campus Plan

Key initiatives and progress

Goal or initiative Progress and outcomes Accountability
Increase funding for scholarships

Complete. Made new strategic investments in entrance scholarships for domestic and international students starting in the 2023/24 Winter Session. 

Student Affairs

Support students demonstrating financial need

Complete and ongoing. Met 100% of bursary needs in 2022/23. We will continue to prioritize bursaries and programs like work study to support international and domestic students who demonstrate financial need, which may be increasingly in demand in the context of inflation and affordability more generally.

Student Affairs

Increase funding for graduate students

Ongoing. In July 2024, UVic once again received a one-time contribution of $840,000 from the province for British Columbia Graduate Scholarships (BCGS) supporting UVic graduate students.

Enhanced temporary financial supports for international doctoral students were offered in 2024 and 2025.

Faculty of Graduate Studies; Faculties

Support students with food insecurity

Complete and ongoing. In September 2023, Food Services launched an everyday value menu and meal share program to help reduce food insecurity for students.

Student Affairs continues to support the UVSS Food Bank & Free Store including through the annual Stock-tober fundraiser.

In 2024, Student Affairs actioned feedback from the latest annual Food Services survey and the Residence Dining Committee to determine affordability strategies and programs with a focus on food quality and diversity.

Student Affairs

Support students with housing insecurity

Complete and ongoing. In August 2023, UVic opened the second of two new student housing and dining facilities. Plans are underway for a new 500-bed residence dedicated to upper-year and graduate students, with an expected completion date of 2029.

UVic is currently developing a vision for a new mixed-use university district at the Ian Stewart Complex and adjacent lands and continues to actively work with government to access provincial grants and funding related to future residence expansion.

Student Affairs; Campus Planning; Executive Council; Board of Governors

Make child care affordable and accessible

Complete. In 2023, all UVic child care centres were approved as $10 a Day ChildCareBC Centres. With the new fee structure, UVic families have seen their monthly child care fees reduced to no more than $200.

UVic continues to explore program and service expansion supported by the BC Government's Major Capital Child Care Spaces Expansion Program.

Student Affairs; Campus Planning

Mitigate financial barriers for UVic students Complete. An Affordability Working Group was established in January 2024 to advise and assist on current affordability programs and develop recommendations for additional affordability resources and supports. A new webpage launched in 2024/25. Student Affairs
Indigenous Scholarship program In progress. VP Indigenous; Student Affairs
Increase access to post-secondary education for first-generation students In progress. Tactics include outreach, pathway programs and scholarships. Student Affairs; Deans; Faculties; Division of Continuing Studies
Transnational education In progress. Presentations to Senate in 2024/25. Office of Global Engagement
Revise policy AC1205 (academic accommodations) Complete. In June 2024, Senate approved a revised policy on academic accommodations (AC1205). The revised policy aligns with current law and best practices while also advancing the Accessibility Plan and Equity Action Plan. VPAC; Student Affairs; Senate
Expand tuition subsidies for adult learners facing barriers Review of bursaries in progress, new bursaries for Indigenous learners being developed, and strategies to promote funding underway. Implementation to begin Fall 2025. Continuing Studies
Implement accessibility and accommodation strategies In progress. Faculty accessibility strategies were drafted in spring 2025 for implementation beginning fall term 2025. Targets were set for accommodation use reduction, syllabus inclusion, and accessibility supports. Faculties

Programming

Goals and strategies

  • Work with VPI on core competencies
  • Reach new learners through micro-certificates and professional programs, including graduate professional programs
  • Innovate and grow degree programming in response to student demand
  • Engage in innovative program delivery in Canada and abroad, including through transnational education

Strategic links

  • Strategic Plan
  • Indigenous Plan
  • Aspiration 2030
  • Climate & Sustainability Action Plan
  • Planning & Budget Framework

Key initiatives and progress

Goal or initiative Progress and outcomes Accountability
Advance the goals of the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan through new and redesigned degree programs 

Complete and ongoing. The Faculties of Social Sciences and Science developed and launched a new interdisciplinary BSc in Climate Science, initially offered in fall term 2023. In June 2025, the first cohort of Climate Science students graduated, marking an important milestone in advancing UVic’s leadership in sustainability education.

The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science recently established the Industrial Ecology master's program. Their Building Envelopes and Structures MEng program is pending approval.

VPAC; Deans; Faculties; Senate

Reach new learners through new certificates, diplomas, professional programs and other non-degree credentials

Compelte and ongoing. In May 2023, Senate approved revisions to policy AC1135 to include micro-credentials, streamlining the process for faculties to establish micro-certificates.

Examples of new micro-credentials include:

Some of these were funded through the BC Government's future skills grant program.

UVic recently launched the Transformative Climate Action Certificate.

VPAC; Continuing Studies; Deans; Faculties; Senate

Enhance outreach through community courses

Complete and ongoing. Continuing Studies continues to offer new courses related to sustainability for the general public, including on drought tolerant plants; gardening with native plants; biology and natural history; and fungi and forest ecology.

Continuing Studies; Faculties

Expand on our already successful distributed education model with UBC Complete. At their March 1, 2024 meeting, Senate approved and recommended to the Board of Governors that it also approve that UVic offer UBC's Physical Therapy and Speech Language Pathology distributed programs. The Island Medical Program offered additional seats beginning August 2024. VPAC; Senate Committee on Planning; Senate; Board of Governors
Secure government-funded expansions in key areas of growth, interest and demand (e.g., engineering, computer science, nursing, health information science)

Complete and ongoing. In 2022/23, UVic completed its final year of province-supported expansion in engineering and computer science programs, which began in 2018/19 and included 500 new student spaces, new faculty and staff positions and student supports. UVic met or exceeded our enrolment targets every year of this expansion including through enhanced pathways with our post-secondary partners. Building on this success, UVic secured provincial funding for 600 new technology seats in Engineering and Computer Science and associated equipment funding for 2023/24–2027/28.

Secured provincial funding for an expansion of 48 new graduate seats in Health Information Science (2024/25–2028/29).

In 2025, received provincial approval for an accelerated NP program.

VPAC; Deans; Chairs and Directors

Secure funding and develop proposals for capital projects related to our areas of growth

Complete and ongoing. Construction continues on the National Centre for Indigenous Laws, opening fall 2025, and the engineering building expansion.

Developing proposals related to our aspirations in health programming and research.

Plans underway to expand on-campus housing.

VPAC; VPFO; Board of Governors
Revise and develop new opportunities in the Division of Continuing Studies Complete and ongoing. At its March 1, 2024 meeting, Senate approved changes to the Pathway Program in the Division of Continuing Studies. The revisions will shift the structure of the program from a cohort to a hybrid co-location model to facilitate earlier integration and build stronger cultural competencies, as well as add additional pathway streams and increase course options. Division of Continuing Studies; Senate
Enhance digital learning and other student outcomes

In progress. Deans' Council and Academic Leadership is reviewing opportunities provided through the Academic Writing Requirement to support student learning, student success and retention.

UVic’s Digital Learning Plan was launched in 2024, with implementation now underway to advance priorities such as equitable access, digital literacy, and the integration of generative AI in support of teaching, learning, and student success.

UVic Libraries and LTI continue to offer relevant resources, supports and services to faculty, staff and students.

VPAC; Faculty of Humanities; Faculty of Education; UVic Libraries; LTI
Curriculum revision to support Strategic Plan goals and Indigenous pedagogy Complete and ongoing. Resources for curriculum redesign offered through the Division of Learning and Teaching Innovation, including the new anti-racism initiative (ARI) and strategic initiative Indigenous (SI-I) grants. LTI; Deans; Chairs and Directors; Faculty and Instructors
Launch the Coastal Climate Solutions program Complete. Through the Coastal Climate Solutions program, which launched in September 2023, more than 40 UVic climate change researchers will supervise graduate students working on aspects of coastal climate solutions.   VPRI; Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science; Faculty of Human and Social Development; Faculty of Science; Faculty of Graduate Studies
Launch interdisciplinary Master's in Management program In progress. Faculties
Develop cohort-based foundation program for international undergraduates Planning, curriculum development, and governance infrastructure design in progress. Enrolment growth targeted at 50 students/year over two years. Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
International graduate student mentorship program In progress. Launch planned for 2025. Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Design accessible options for working professionals and diverse populations to benefit from existing professional programs in engineering and computer science In progress. Efforts are underway to increase domestic applications to professional programs by 25% in the first year and 50% by the second year starting 2026. Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
Develop Media Studies minor, general, and major In progress. Consultations underway in preparation for Senate. Faculty of Humanities

Experiential learning

Goals and strategies

  • Ensure every student has the opportunity to engage in experiential learning opportunities inside and outside of the classroom
  • Prepare career-ready students

Strategic links

  • Strategic Plan
  • Indigenous Plan
  • Climate and Sustainability Action Plan

Key initiatives and progress

Goal or initiative Progress and outcomes Accountability
Enhance academic supports for faculty and instructors

Complete and ongoing. In Spring 2023, LTI restructured to improve services, following an external review.

LTI also developed new resources and hired staff to support Universal Design for Learning to support the increase in students requiring academic accommodations in recent years.

For 2025/26, VPAC invested in one-time TA supports designed to support faculty with updating their courses to be more accessible, helping to address workload.

VPAC; LTI; Student Affairs

Expand experiential learning opportunities for students, including work-integrated learning and international opportunities Ongoing. Encouraging new land-based and water-based field schools. VPAC; Co-op; International Centre for Students; Office of Global Engagement; Deans; Chairs and Directors; Faculty and Instructors
Increase student participation in co-op In progress. In 2023/24, 61% of our undergraduate and graduate students participated in the program. In a typical year, we place up to 4,200 students, and 69% of UVic co-op students receive an offer of employment before they even graduate. VPAC; Co-op; Deans; Chairs and Directors; Instructors
Increase Indigenous student participation in co-op Complete and ongoing. In 2023, co-op expanded their supports and staffing complement to ensure Indigenous students can access co-op offerings in an equitable way. In our latest reporting year, there were 75 placements by Indigenous students. Co-op; Faculties
Increase the rate of students with disabilities participating in co-op Complete and ongoing. In 2023, co-op expanded their supports and staffing complement to ensure students with disabilities can access co-op offerings in an equitable way. In our latest reporting year, there were 100 placements by students who self-identify as having a disability or mental challenge. Co-op; Faculties
Enhance academic advising services In progress.  Student Affairs
Develop advising bot for tri-faculty In progress. Cross-unit collaboration underway. Faculty of Social Sciences; Faculty of Science; Faculty of Humanities; Student Affairs

Explore other goals and initiatives in the academic plan: