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Celebrating 10 Years of the Cantonese Language Program!
The UBC Cantonese Language Program is turning 10! Join the upcoming series of exciting celebration events later this year, whether as a CNTO alumni, event volunteer or sponsor! Contact cantonese.info@ubc.ca for more information.
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Dr. Janet Um and Saul George nominated by the Faculty of Arts for the 2025 UDL Fellows Program
The UDL Fellows Program is a professional development program that supports faculty and staff to develop expertise in the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Fellows will develop practical strategies to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments with peers from across thirteen UBC Vancouver faculties.
As a project team, our Sanskrit Language and Literature lecturer, Dr. Janet Um and Saul George (Arts ISIT Learning Centre) will implement UDL approaches in the course ASIA 398, Narrative Literature in Premodern South Asia, in Winter 2025 Term 2.
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Dr. Casey Collins to join the VST as the Director of Inter-Religious Studies & Professor of Asian Religions
Congratulations to Dr. Casey Collins, who will be joining the Vancouver School of Theology in July as their new Director of Inter-Religious Studies Program and Professor of Asian Religions!
Dr. Collins earned his BA, MA, and PhD from the Department of Asian Studies, completing his doctoral dissertation, entitled “Walking in the Founders’ Footsteps: Hagiography and Devotion in Shinnyo-en, a Japanese New Religion,” in April 2023. He has also been with the Department as a sessional lecturer.
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Dr. Christopher Rea translates Mao-era film satirizing the censor: "The Unfinished Comedy" (1957)
On April Fool's Day 2025, the UBC Chinese Film Classics Project published Dr. Christopher Rea's translation of "The Unfinished Comedy" (Lü Ban, dir., 1957). The film was banned before release, and only came to light in the 1980s.
This daring meta-cinematic satire of the early Mao era takes direct aim at the myopia of present-day New China’s cultural gatekeepers, featuring a showdown between filmmakers and the censor, "Comrade Bludgeon." Dr. Rea's translation of the film is available on the CFC website or YouTube.
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Dr. Ross King and Asian Studies PhD graduate Dafna Zur appear on Korean talk show
Dr. Ross King, professor of Korean Language and Literature and former Head of Department at UBC Asian Studies recently made a guest appearance on the Korean talk show Yoo Quiz on the Block.
During the interview, Dr. King shared what sparked his fascination with the Korean language and why he founded the first Korean Language Village in the world. His former PhD student and now Stanford professor, Dafna Zur, joined him in sharing language learning tips.
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8 Asian Studies Courses to take in Summer 2025
Still debating what courses to take this Summer session?
Check out our 8 recommendations for both Term 1 and Term 2! From the history of the Mughal Empire to a survey of modern Korean cinema, these courses are bound to pique your interest.
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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Yip So Man Wat Memorial Lecture: Journey into Exile: The Rare Books of the National Peiping Library, 1933–1941
April 10, 5:00pm - 8:00pm PT;
in-person
Sophie Volpp, University of California, Berkeley
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Yip So Man Wat Memorial Research Seminar: Why Should We Care About Literary Objects?
April 11, 2:00pm - 4:00pm PT;
in-person
Sophie Volpp, University of California, Berkeley
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Anxious Onlookers: Qajar Iran, Tipu Sultan of Mysore and British colonial expansion, 1797-1800
April 12, 6:30pm - 9:00pm PT;
in-person
Abbas Amanat, Yale University
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Teaching Cantonese to Kids*
April 15, 6:30pm - 8:00pm PT;
in-person and online
Chaak Ming Lau, The Education University of Hong Kong; moderated by Zoe Lam, UBC Asian Studies
* Presented in Cantonese
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Framing Asia Final Event: Between Pictures
April 17, 5:30pm - 8:00pm PT;
in-person
See all speakers here
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Harjit Kaur Sidhu Memorial Program 2025
April 23, 5:15pm - 7:30pm PT;
in-person
Jasbir Gunachauria, poet
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From Hong Kong to the World Through the Eyes of Artists
April 26, 12:30pm - 6:30pm PT;
in-person
See participating artists here
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Annual Humanities Alumni Spring Mixer
May 6, 6:00pm - 8:00pm PT;
in-person
Open to Asian Studies alumni
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2025 Korean Speech Contest: Celebrating All Participants and Their Achievements
On March 15, three UBC students participated in the 19th Annual Toronto Korean Speech Contest, which provided an opportunity for them to showcase their language skills and cultural knowledge.
Congratulations to all who took part: Anushka Lahiry in the Intermediate Category, Aliyah Simpson and Yueyan Shi in the Advanced Category. Special recognition to Anushka who won first place – hear her award-winning speech!
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A Celebration of Dedication: Honoring the 2025 Student Employees and Volunteers of the Chinese Language Program
On March 22, the Chinese Language Program hosted its annual Student Employee Appreciation Event at the Asian Centre Auditorium to recognize the extraordinary contributions of our Teaching Assistants, Work Learns, and Volunteers.
This event celebrated their crucial role in not only helping students achieve excellence in language, but also in fostering intercultural understanding.
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Japanese Tea Workshop: Oh Cha-rm! Exploring Japanese Tea
On March 25, the Japanese Language Program hosted a Japanese tea workshop in collaboration with Kyogo Nakayama, an exchange student from Japan.
Students enrolled in Japanese language courses joined to learn about and enjoy the various types of Japanese tea.
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Empowering Futures: CLP Online Professional Development Workshop
In March, the UBC Chinese Language Program (CLP) hosted a Professional Development Workshop featuring CLP alumni: Kai-Li Tan, Songyan Ni, and Jingjing Yi.
The speakers shared valuable insights on how to navigate paths after graduation with confidence.
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Event Highlights on Mushroom Identification and Basket Weaving Workshops
The Sustainability Initiative Committee hosted two workshops this academic year – a Mushroom Identification Workshop at Renfrew Ravine and a Basket Weaving Workshop on campus.
Read the recap to learn more about what we learned through the workshops, and how you can support the committee in the coming academic year!
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| OPPORTUNITIES |
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Volunteer at UBC's Spring 2025 Graduation
You're invited to take part in UBC’s rich history of service to the graduating class and their families and guests! If you are interested in helping celebrate the achievements of UBC’s graduating students this Spring (May), register as soon as possible. Volunteer orientation takes place in-person on May 13 or online on May 14.
Participate in the Korean Language Speaking Contest for Foreigners hosted by The Korea Times
The Korea Times is hosting their annual Korean Language Speaking Contest for Foreigners. This competition presents the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award, offering non-native Korean speakers a valuable opportunity to showcase their language skills and deepen their understanding of Korean culture. All participants will be automatically entered into a lucky draw for a chance to win an autographed K-pop album. Submissions are due on April 27.
Register for the 2025 Program for Open Scholarship and Education (POSE)
The Program for Open Scholarship and Education (POSE) is a three month flexible and blended program that will help you develop foundational knowledge of Open Scholarship, Open Education, and Open Research. POSE is intended for faculty, staff, postdocs, and students with an interest in open research, open access, and open education. The program runs from May 1, 2025 to July 31, 2025 and includes one required synchronous session per month. Register by May 1.
Call for 2025-2026 Undergraduate and Graduate Student Fellows
The Centre for Computational Social Science (CCSS) is excited to announce a call for Undergraduate and Graduate Student Fellows for the 2025-2026 academic year. Based in the Faculty of Arts at UBC, CCSS serves as a vibrant hub for interdisciplinary scholarship, with a focus on understanding the intersection of data, technology, and society. The fellowship program is open to PhD and exceptional Master’s students for the graduate fellows program and BA and BS students for the undergraduate fellows program. Applications due on May 1.
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