Research
at VCC
Building creative,
community-centred solutions
through research and innovation.
at VCC
community-centred solutions
through research and innovation.
LEARN. INNOVATE. ADVANCE.
At Vancouver Community College, our research is focused on ideas that have practical and lasting value in education, industry, and the community.
Research Ethics Board
The Research Ethics Board is responsible for ensuring that any research at the college involving humans meets the highest ethical standards. If you have questions about applying for Research Ethics approval, please contact REBsupport@vcc.ca for more information.
The course-based research ethics application may be used for courses where students carry out projects of a similar scope under supervision of an instructor. In these cases, the students do not need to apply for individual REB approval. One application covers all eligible projects with human participants, as long as they fit within the parameters of the course-based application and the assignment is described in the class syllabus.
REB application form for course-based review
Studies that involve no more risk to participants than they would encounter in their everyday lives are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Please submit your application and all attachments to the REB, 3-4 weeks before you need to start collecting data.
For applicants submitting a study that involves more risk than participants would encounter in their everyday lives, please contact the REB Chair and provide all materials 2-3 weeks in advance of the meeting dates below to ensure sufficient time for a full-board review.
2025 Meeting Dates:
- January 16, 2025
- February 20, 2025
- April 17, 2025
- May 15, 2025
- June 19, 2025
- September 18, 2025
- October 16, 2025
- November 20, 2025
Summer Closure: REB will be closed until August 31, 2025. The final date for submission of new REB applications before the closure is Friday, July 11.
VCC Research Projects
Indigenous Student Talking Circle
Beginning Fall 2024, the VCC Library, in collaboration with VCC Indigenous Education and Community Engagement (IECE), undertook a project to receive feedback from Indigenous students on their experiences in the library. A Talking Circle, hosted by IECE, was the chosen format to open this discussion to better understand successes and opportunities for improved support.
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Access in Clinical Education: Co-creating greater Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion through connections and understanding.
Led by VCC Disability Services department head Brianna Higgins, UBC accessibility advisor Dr. Laura Yvonne Bulk, and VCC Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) instructor Dr. Maki Iwase.
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Courageous Dialogues: Building Capacity to Transcend Polarization in Civil Society.
Andrea Korens, Program Coordinator of VCC Continuing Studies, is a co-investigator in the project, which also includes staff and faculty from partners Capilano University and the Mir Centre for Peace at Selkirk College. VCC Associate Director of Continuing Studies Claire Sauvé is also connected to project in her role as president of the Continuing Education and Training Association of BC (CETABC), another community research partner.
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Research Fund
The VCC Research Fund (VRF) assists employees in building the skills and abilities to engage in high quality research at our institution. Each year, a total of $10,000 is available. Individuals may apply for any amount, up to $2,500 for individual projects and up to $5,000 for interdepartmental projects.
The funds are intended to offset some of the costs associated with research engagement. Research activity may involve any stage of a project beyond primary research and data collection, including literature review, creation of data collection tools such as surveys, preparation of proposals and grant applications, activities related to publishing, preparing data sets for deposit, and knowledge mobilization.
- From demand to opportunity: A feasibility study for expanding supported career pathways at VCC
- Wendy Byhre - New approaches to urban hydroponic farming through affordable technology
- Frank Haftbaradaran, Robyn Wood, Kobra Khazaei - Initial Exploration to Support Indigenous Student Enrollment in the Counselling Skills Foundations Certificate Program
- Jennifer Westoby - Enhancing sustainability and reducing carbon footprint in educational facilities: A development oriented environmental performance analysis based on the VCC case study
- Dorde Jovanovic, Sladjana Borovcanin
-
Understanding the impact of relationships on the pedagogical experience of immigrant women participating in retraining- Kristin Vandegriend
- Transforming communication culture in Vancouver Community College's (VCC) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET): Strategies for enhanced engagement and collaboration
- Jennifer Adachi - A semi-systematic literature review of academic supports for neurodiverse college students
- Sara Yuen, Brianna Higgins - Culinary Arts VR immersive "Pilot" video
- Ysabel Sukic, Michael Knie, Tina Yeung
- Q Methodology in nursing qualitative research
- David Wells - 2SLGBTQIA+ student experiences at teaching focused institutions in British Columbia
- Emily Simpson - A qualitative study on what factors influence practical nursing students' acquisition and learning of clinical skills in the laboratory
- Christine Poznanski - VCC Library feedback project: Indigenous student talking circle
- Mari Paz Vera
Events
Teaching, Learning and Research (TLR) Symposium
The VCC Teaching, Learning, and Research Symposium strives to provide a platform for sharing best practices, research findings, innovative ideas, and diverse perspectives on teaching and learning in post-secondary education. The annual symposium is also a space to nurture a community of practice among educators, staff, students, researchers, administrators, and other collaborators who are interested in enhancing teaching and learning in post-secondary education. As a community college dedicated to values of inclusivity and accessibility, our symposium is free of cost to participants.
Theme: Teaching and Learning with Heads, Hands, and Hearts
Presentations: Watch videos
Keynote speakers: Dr. Awneet Sivia and Carey Newman
Presentations: Watch videos
Keynote speakers: Dr. Gwendolyn Point and Dr. Vanessa Andreotti
Theme: Designing for Today's Post-Secondary Landscape.
Presentations: Watch videos
Keynote speakers: Dr. Sarah Eaton and Dr. Michelle Pidgeon
VCC Student Showcase
Each year students from across the College are invited to showcase their learning through digital posters and lightning talks during the Teaching, Learning and Research Symposium.
Research Support
The internal myVCC Research site centralizes all the information that VCC employees need to engage in research, explore opportunities, and enhance their research related skills. The News & Events section highlight workshops related to research, new funding opportunities, and other resources and tools to build and enhance VCC’s research community.
If you have questions, contact Alicia Copp, MLIS, PhD, Coordinator of Research, Scholarly Publishing and Library Instruction at acopp@vcc.ca