UBC and Langara College formalize partnership to strengthen student pathways and success

Wednesday, September 02, 2026

Building on a long-standing transfer relationship, the two institutions are working to improve student mobility, expand access, and support learner success across B.C.

The University of British Columbia and Langara College are strengthening their collaboration to improve student mobility, expand educational access and support student success, formalizing their shared commitment today through the signing of a memorandum of understanding.

The agreement builds on a relationship that already helps hundreds of students move successfully between the two institutions each year. Over the past decade, an average of approximately 500 students has transferred annually to UBC from Langara, making Langara UBC's largest source of transfer students and demonstrating the strength of B.C.'s transfer system.

The agreement outlines several areas of collaboration. UBC and Langara will work together on coordinated recruitment efforts to attract and support domestic and international students, while also enhancing transfer opportunities, exploring transfer scholarships, and creating opportunities for new academic pathways and programs. The institutions will further strengthen connections among faculty and staff through research, professional development, and other joint initiatives.

With each school having a campus within the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, the agreement reinforces a shared commitment to reconciliation and to working with Musqueam and other Indigenous Nations and communities to support learners and strengthen educational opportunities.

"Post-secondary education is strongest when students have different ways to begin their education and clear pathways to advance their knowledge," said UBC President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. "This agreement builds on a successful partnership and helps create more opportunities for students to move between institutions, pursue their goals, and contribute to a strong and thriving British Columbia."

“snəw̓eyəɬ leləm̓ Langara has long been one of the strongest starting points for students with their sights set on UBC and other leading universities,” said Langara President and CEO Dr. Paula Burns. “This agreement recognizes the quality of the academic foundation students build at Langara, the strength of our transfer pathways, and our shared commitment with UBC to making post-secondary education more accessible and connected. When students begin at Langara, they are joining a close-knit learning community that prepares them to succeed, contribute, and take their next step with confidence.”

The agreement reflects a shared vision for a more connected post-secondary system in B.C., with institutions working together rather than in isolation to help meet the evolving needs of communities and the province.

For students like Cai Brown, Langara provides an additional pathway into higher education, fertile ground for exploring new interests, and a strong foundation for continuing studies at UBC.

Brown left high school in Burnaby thinking they would study sciences and enter a medical specialty, but their time at Langara revealed a strong preference for field work over lab work. They transferred into UBC's Bachelor of Indigenous Land Stewardship program, where they have just begun second year.

"Langara has low barriers and small class sizes, and it's easy to branch out and try new things. That's what led to me taking a course I wouldn't otherwise have taken," said Brown. "It's a great way of preparing yourself and making the transition easier."

Together, UBC and Langara are working to make post-secondary education more accessible and helping more students find the path that best supports their goals, regardless of where they begin their educational journey.