Learning is key to staying future-ready — and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. Just five minutes a day can help you build new skills, stay current, and create a learning habit that lasts.

That’s why we’re excited to launch the 2026 LinkedIn Learning Challenge — a simple, flexible way for UBCO faculty and staff to make learning part of their regular routine.

How the Challenge Works

Participants are invited to complete a 20-day learning challenge during each cycle by spending just five minutes a day on LinkedIn Learning.

You can:

• Access your LinkedIn Learning account
• Follow the pre-designed Learning Habits Calendar, or create your own learning plan
  (A new theme will be introduced each cycle)
• Complete the 20-day challenge at your own pace within the cycle timeframe
• Learn on desktop or mobile — at work, at home, or on the go
• Build a consistent learning habit and be entered into a prize draw

2026 Challenge Timelines

Participants may take part in one or more cycles:

• Cycle 1: January 14 – February 27
  Submission deadline: March 10
• Cycle 2: April 15 – May 29
  Submission deadline: June 10
• Cycle 3: September 16 – October 30
  Submission deadline: November 10

Who Can Participate?

The 2026 LinkedIn Learning Challenge is open to all interested UBC Okanagan faculty and staff.

Whether you’re looking to refresh existing skills, explore new topics, or simply build a sustainable learning habit, this challenge is designed to fit into even the busiest schedules.

REGISTER NOW

For questions, contact Shweta Jaiswal Thakur.

Stay on top of key tasks as we wrap up the calendar year. Review important deadlines and helpful reminders, including:

• Vacation carryover and sick time
• Early payroll deadline
• Job review deadline
• Benefits deadlines
• Winter leave
• Delegations

LEARN MORE

On December 1, managers who supervise staff will receive a Workday email and notification if their staff have a forecasted vacation balance of 75 hours or more.

Read the full update

Many have expressed interest in learning more about the Workplace Experience Survey (WES) results specific to the Okanagan campus, and how these results will inform action planning. To support this, we are hosting two one-hour sessions — one virtual and one in-person.

Session Details

• Virtual Session – Tuesday, October 7, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Register here
• In-Person Session – Tuesday, October 14, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, UNC 200 Ballroom Register here

These sessions will provide:

• An overview of the Okanagan campus results
• Insights into how the results connect to UBC’s overall survey findings
• Guidance on action planning
• Time for Q&A and discussion

The value of WES is not only in reviewing results but also in the conversations and action planning that follow. For additional tools and resources, including the UBC overall WES reports and the Action Planning Toolkit, visit hr.ubc.ca/wes.

We encourage all interested UBCO faculty and staff to participate in one of these sessions.

For questions, please contact Shweta Jaiswal Thakur.

The Length of Service Awards is a long-standing UBC tradition, celebrating the dedication and commitment of our exceptional staff and faculty. The program celebrates service milestones in five-year increments, honoring individuals with 15 to 50 years of dedication.

We’ve begun the process of confirming this year’s honorees, based on several factors, including uninterrupted service of more than one year.

In 2025, we will be recognizing individuals who began their careers at UBC in the years:
1975 (50 years), 1980 (45 years), 1985 (40 years), 1990 (35 years), 1995 (30 years), 2000 (25 years), 2005 (20 years), and 2010 (15 years).

As UBC Okanagan marks its 20th anniversary in 2025, this year’s recognitions are especially meaningful. Highlighting not only individual dedication, but also the growth and evolution of our campus community.

If you believe you are eligible but have not yet heard from our office, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ubco.hr@ubc.ca to self-identify.

This year marks UBC Okanagan’s 20th anniversary. Join us at the Faculty & Staff Welcome Back BBQ Info Fair as we begin the academic year on Tuesday, August 26, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. This event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase your department, faculty, or association and to highlight the contributions that make UBCO such a dynamic and collaborative community.

Why Participate in the Info Fair?

• Celebrate a Milestone: Help mark 20 years of UBCO by sharing how your team contributes to the campus’s growth, excellence, and community spirit.
• Engage and Inform: Promote your latest initiatives, services, or opportunities to faculty and staff from across campus.
• Connect and Reconnect: Build connections, spark conversations, and enjoy the energy of coming back together in a vibrant, outdoor setting.

Ready to Participate?

If your department, faculty, or association would like a table, please complete the online registration by August 8, 2025.

Let’s make this year’s celebration one to remember!

For questions about the Info Fair, contact ubco.hr@ubc.ca.

Thank you for helping make this event a meaningful kickoff to both the academic year and UBCO’s 20th anniversary.

Note: BBQ details will be shared separately by Ceremonies and Protocol at a later date.

UBC has received direction from the Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) to pause performance-based salary increases for executive, union-excluded, and non-union employees until further notice.

READ THE FULL MESSAGE

Celebrating 20 Years of UBC Okanagan – Honoring Outstanding Staff Achievements

As we mark 20 years of UBC Okanagan, we have a unique opportunity to recognize the incredible staff whose passion, innovation, and dedication have helped shape our campus community.

It’s time once again to shine a spotlight on those contributions through the Principal’s Staff Awards (formerly the Staff Awards of Excellence). These awards honor outstanding staff achievements that continue to move our campus forward.

With seven award categories, there’s no shortage of ways to recognize excellence across our community:

• Enhancing the UBC Experience (Individual)
• Equity and Inclusive Excellence (Individual or Team)
• Global Citizenship (Individual)
• Leadership (Individual)
• Okanagan Campus Spirit (Team)
• Sustainability (Individual)
• Wellbeing (Individual or Team)

Help us tell the story of UBCO’s past, present, and future—one nomination at a time.

All UBC Okanagan faculty, staff, and students are invited to nominate a colleague or team for the 2025 Principal’s Staff Awards. Nominations will open May 1 and be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on June 13.

Visit Principal’s Staff Awards for nomination details and resources. Let’s come together to celebrate the people who’ve helped make the last 20 years possible—and who are paving the way for the next 20.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Human Resources at ubco.hr@ubc.ca.

Sincerely,

Lesley Cormack
Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
UBC Okanagan

UBC is proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers in 2025 for the 18th year. This special designation recognizes employers in British Columbia that lead as exceptional places to work and offer employees the most progressive and forward-thinking programs and resources.

Being named one of BC’s Top Employers is a great honour and an important strength of UBC. The annual winner’s list recognizes organizations that offer exceptional human resource programs based on criteria such as: workplace; work atmosphere and social; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; training and skills development; community involvement, and more.

This year, UBC is also featured in a full-page employer profile in a special online magazine co-published with The Vancouver Sun as of February 11.

Read the full announcement on the Focus On People website to learn more about what makes UBC a top employer in BC year over year.

Learn more

Congratulations to the 24 staff recipients of the 2024 President’s Service Awards for Excellence and the President’s Staff Awards. These awards are presented annually by the university to recognize staff members who demonstrate outstanding achievement and excellence within the UBC community.

Read about the staff who are making UBC a great place to teach, learn and work. Congratulations to all!

Meet the recipients