Undergraduate Research – Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education

Since its inception, the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education (OVPIUE) has engaged in projects related to undergraduate research. These projects have been supported in partnership with divisional and shared-service units. A detailed listing of these projects can be found in the timeline:

“U of T wants undergraduate students to gain a real-world understanding of what scholars across the disciplines are doing to expand our fundamental knowledge about the world and our place in it, and how critical their work is to the development of new policies, ideas, methodologies, pharmaceuticals, and life-saving inventions that improve the lives of all Canadians.”

Professor Leah Cowen, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives

The most recent project in the area of undergraduate research has been the development of the Undergraduate Research Hub. In consultation with the Office of the Vice-Provost, Strategic Enrolment Management (VPSEM), the Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation and Strategic Initiatives (VPRI) and the Office of the Vice-Provost Students (VPS), the OVPIUE has undertaken the development of an institutional website to support undergraduate research. The Undergraduate Research Hub is designed to support students, faculty, librarians and staff in navigating pathways to undergraduate research at the University of Toronto.  

Along with the OVPIUE’s background in undergraduate research, the development of the Undergraduate Research Hub has also been informed by various committees:

Student Advisory Committee to the OVPIUE: an annual committee of undergraduate students drawn from across first-entry undergraduate divisions. Students engaged in design thinking activities that aimed to better understand their experiences with undergraduate research and have been used to inform the development and content of the Hub. Students will continue to be consulted as the website and its resources are further refined.
Advisory Committee to the Undergraduate Research Website: composed of 25 faculty and staff from across the University, this committee provides advice and feedback to inform and support the design and development of the undergraduate research website.
Forum on Experiential Learning (FEL): the FEL is made up of 200 faculty and staff involved in experiential learning from across U of T. Throughout the development of the undergraduate research website, the FEL has been consulted for their feedback.