SIERA Group encourages diversity of all types — ethnic, gender, disciplinary and academic background and supports borderless research through collaborations. We are proud to have a diverse and multicultural team and are committed to research excellence.
Vancouver Summer Program
The Vancouver Summer Program (VSP) is a four-week program offered by various faculties at the University of British Columbia, Canada for international undergraduate students and the SIERA Group has been offering diverse and enriching educational experiences for international students since its inception in 2013. By offering globally relevant courses and sociocultural extracurricular activities specific to Vancouver and its surroundings, the VSP encourages students to engage in cross-disciplinary learning and develop their understanding of Canadian culture and values. VSP provides students the opportunity to:
- Gain international experience
- Study at North America’s most international university*
- Meet students from other universities and Canadian students through social activities
- Learn about Canadian culture and society
*Times Higher Education’s “World’s Most International Universities 2019” ranking
Canada-India Partnership
The India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability (IC-IMPACTS) is the first Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence that was brought to life to tackle key issues that affect the quality of life in both countries. The University of British Columbia, University of Alberta and University of Toronto as well as many tier-1 and leading institutions in India work together in a unique partnership that is supported by the Canadian government and state and industry partners in India.
International Research Programs
SIERA Group is a very diverse and multicultural research group, and is constantly working with universities and institutions from around the world, including universities in Korea, China, India, Iran, France, Germany, Singapore, and Italy. The aforementioned list is merely an excerpt of institutions with which research collaborations and exchanges of graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows and professors take place frequently. Furthermore, we regularly welcome international Masters and PhD students, as well as Postdoctoral fellows. During their time at UBC, the research can work on their thesis and take advantage of the available research facilities and our competent research staff. We also welcome PhD students from the Southeast University in China on a regular basis. The students typically stay, study and research at UBC for a period of 3 years with full access to all our facilities and resources.
Internship Programs
Every summer, we welcome students from Ecole des Mines de Douai in Northern France for an academic internship. The duration of the internship is generally around 3 months during which the students are provided with an insight into what it is like to perform tests on construction materials. During this time at UBC, the students are typically exposed to experimental work in the lab as well as data analysis and interpretation.