Global Spotlight of the Month: Centre for Global Studies (CFGS)
Centre for Global Studies (CFGS)
Since 1998, the Centre for Global Studies (CFGS) innovative and interdisciplinary research and action on complex issues at the nexus of the local and global, how local concerns have global effects and how global issues manifest at the local level. Ranging from social justice, climate action, democracy to water rights, wildfire and transsystemic knowledge systems, CFGS seeks collaborative answers to some of the world’s most pressing and entrenched challenges. These initiatives reflect the spirit that animates CFGS, connecting research and practice to empower communities, inform policy and generate solutions grounded in local knowledge and global responsibility.
Fellowship Program
CFGS offers fellowships for graduate students (Masters and PhDs), UVic faculty and visiting fellows to advance research in a collaborative, interdisciplinary setting.
Researchers and graduate students are invited to apply for topics of a global dimension. These topics may include, but are not limited to global governance, international environmental challenges, social and ecological justice issues, and culture and identity.
Research with Impact, Policy, Education, Action
The CFGS hosts 13 collaborative projects which span across faculties and departments as well as with communities, practitioners, partners and universities around the globe. These projects reflect the main research areas of CFGS.
Did you know?
UVic and the Centre for Global Studies is a UN powerhouse!
CFGS hosts 3 United Nations Initiatives: 2 of the 40 UNESCO Chairs across Canada, and 1 UNITAR training center.
United Nations initiatives
UNESCO Tri-Chair in ECD
The UNESCO Tri-Chair in Early Childhood Education, Care and Development (ECD) has a primary focus on the promotion of capacity in sub-Saharan Africa for the care and well-being of young children.
It is co-chaired by Dr. Alan Pence (CFGS Associate Fellow), Prof. Hasina Banu Ebrahim (University of South Africa) and Prof. Barry (Université Cheikh Anta Diop).
UNESCO Co-Chair in Community-Based Research (CBR)
The UNESCO Co-Chair in Community-Based Research (CBR) and Social Responsibility in Higher Education, supports North-South-South and South-South partnerships that build on and enhance the emerging consensus in knowledge democracy.
It is co-chaired by Dr. Rajesh Tandon (one of only five UNESCO Chairs globally to participate in UNESCO@80 dialogue!) and Dr. Budd Hall (Officer of the Order of Canada since 2022).
CIFAL Victoria
CIFAL Victoria is the first accredited International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders on North America's west coast in partnership with the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR).
CIFAL advances innovative educational solutions for the and the .
Events
The CFGS hosts conferences, workshops and speakers all year-round to promote critical citizenship in a complex and rapidly changing global environment. Last year, CFGS hosted 86 activities that bridged the divide between academia and the community as well as informed policy, decision makers and citizens on important issues.
BIG Summer Institutes is heading to Brussels
The Borders in Globalization (BIG) Summer Institutes are heading to Brussels this year! They are offering specialised, practitioner-oriented professional development programmes designed for border professionals, policy makers and advanced scholars working at the front lines of global change.
Fun Fact
CFGS tracks our SDGs!
For instance, SDGs 2, 4, 10, 12, 17 are at the heart of CFGS’s most recent projects, and Balance Co-Lab. Both of these initiatives seek to provide space for self-determination and upskilling based on local priorities in a globalized world: one the expansion of a University for Waste Pickers program from Brazil to Canada and the other by bringing community- and university-based partners together to support decision-making and impact assessment informed by Indigenous knowledge and values.