The University of British Columbia played a key role in Premier David Eby's 10-day trade mission to Asia from June 1 to 10, with UBC faculty and staff joining stops in Japan and South Korea. The mission aimed to diversify B.C.'s trade network while showcasing the province's academic and innovation capabilities.
Strategic partnership with POSTECH
UBC signed a new student mobility agreement with South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), a globally recognized leader in science and engineering. The agreement sets the stage for academic exchange and cross-border innovation.
The signing ceremony in Seoul included Premier David Eby, POSTECH President Dr. Seong Keun Kim and Vice President, External Affairs Sung-Min Park, and UBC’s Cheryl Dumaresq, Executive Director, Global Engagement. Also present was UBC chemistry professor Dr. Jason Hein, who contributed to developing the partnership.
New student mobility agreement signing with South Korea’s Pohang University of Science and Technology
Showcasing sustainability innovation in Osaka
At Expo 2025 Osaka, UBC's BioProducts Institute presented "wood leather," a sustainable alternative to conventional leather made from B.C. softwood fibres. This innovation, demonstrated by BPI designer Ayako Takagi, highlights UBC’s strengths in harnessing B.C.’s natural resources to create value-added products for global markets.
UBC's BioProducts Institute presented "wood leather," a sustainable alternative to conventional leather (photo: Government of BC)
Driving life sciences research and commercialization
UBC professors Dr. Nozomu Yachie and Dr. Manu Madhav from the School of Biomedical Engineering and VP Research & Innovation, Gail Murphy, organized and joined a roundtable with Premier David Eby, where life science researchers from Osaka University and industry leaders focused on academic-industrial partnerships and research commercialization.
Connecting research to partnerships
UBC chemistry professor Jason Hein met with Seoul National University, pharmaceutical companies and other institutions to explore new research applications. In Japan, he met with partners to expand collaboration in Asia.
Dr. Hein is affiliated with the Acceleration Consortium, which advances materials discovery through AI, robotics, computing and materials science, and is the founder of Telescope Innovations, a UBC spin-off developing automated tools for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Supporting B.C.'s international engagement and trade diversification
Premier Eby emphasized that the mission aimed to "support B.C. jobs and build a British Columbia that will be the economic engine of a more independent Canada." UBC's research-led engagement demonstrated how universities drive economic growth through international partnerships.
Read more about UBC's global partnerships.