The development of the Faculty’s new strategic plan has provided a tremendous opportunity for engagement throughout our extended community. Not only has this process highlighted the amazing things our faculty, staff, students and alumni do every day, it has also confirmed that their talent and dedication are making a real and lasting difference to the lives of people all over British Columbia, throughout Canada and across the world. These are things of which we can collectively be incredibly proud; they also serve as a strong foundation on which we can build for the future.

Catalyst for Change: 2017–2022 identifies a unique set of opportunities for the Faculty that build upon our track record of success and the strong relationships that we have with our collaborators inside and outside the University. And while the pace of change that surrounds us is ever-quickening, and the environment in which we operate continues to present challenges, we are confident that together we can carve a path forward that maximizes these opportunities for the benefit of the profession and science of pharmacy.

This is a time of incredible excitement for both the Faculty and the University as a whole. We have high aspirations and what we hope to accomplish is ambitious and will challenge us individually and collectively. However, I am absolutely convinced that what is outlined here is eminently achievable and that together we can be a catalyst for positive and lasting change in pharmacy practice and the pharmaceutical sciences.

I invite you all to continue to work together towards this goal, and to participate in our exciting journey over the next five years and beyond, as we take the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC to the next level – locally, nationally, and internationally.

Michael Coughtrie, PhD
Professor and Dean

The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at UBC enjoys an international reputation in pharmacy education, innovation in pharmacy practice, and research in the pharmaceutical sciences. There is a great deal in our Faculty of which we can be proud, and our recent growth reflects both our accomplishments and our aspirations.

Over the last five years, we have made transformational progress in many areas, with three achievements of particular note: establishing ourselves in the Pharmaceutical Sciences building; developing and opening the Pharmacists Clinic; and launching the new Entry-to-Practice Doctor of Pharmacy (E2P PharmD) program.

This is also a time of profound and multi-faceted change beyond the Faculty, and these factors are shaping our direction and priorities.

We have heard from our partners that the Faculty has the credibility, capability and opportunity to help lead and facilitate innovation and change in pharmacy practice; and the Faculty is geographically and  institutionally positioned to be able to collaborate with colleagues and entities working towards similar aims.

These sources of advantage underpin our focus on three areas that collectively set the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences apart from its peers: a diversified portfolio of education offerings that connects across the spectrum of learner and industry needs; coordinated focus on research and translation themes that align UBC’s excellence with areas of societal need and regional advantage; and a pioneering commitment to practice innovation.

The first is foundational for everything that we do; we recognize the vital importance of our extended team of faculty, staff, students, alumni and partners. The next three are aligned with our areas of strategic differentiation. Each has distinct opportunities, challenges and communities, yet each is integrally linked to the other three priorities.

Our aim in this strategic plan is to create a foundation that supports both individual and collective accountability: a framework through which each of us can define our respective roles and channel our contributions; as well as a charter for intentional, coordinated action.

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