WITH the full support of City Council, Surrey City Lab will make its debut this September. This three-year partnership with KPU and SFU will deliver a program that will engage the region’s post-secondary students in real world issues affecting Surrey, offer civic-related courses that contain City of Surrey priorities, and expand interdisciplinary and integrated opportunities for KPU and SFU students to learn and work together.
“Surrey City Lab is another example of the innovative partnerships the city has forged with our higher education institutions,” said Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner. “This made in Surrey project is a unique opportunity that will allow for a student experiential learning initiative focused on City of Surrey priorities and challenges.”
The Surrey City Lab joins a small, but rapidly growing, global network of pioneering cities adopting university partnerships to advance civic strategic priorities. The program will allow for co-created projects between students and City staff and will include direct curriculum connections to City of Surrey priorities and challenges. Both partnerships will focus on interdisciplinary and experiential projects that benefit the community.
“KPU is committed to transforming lives and empowering positive change,” said Dr. Salvador Ferreras, Provost and Vice President Academic. “As Canada’s only polytechnic university, KPU’s programs link thought to action. Surrey City Lab will challenge our future leaders to provide positive solutions to real-time community issues. We are delighted that our students will have access to an even more enriched experiential learning opportunity through the transformative work of Surrey City Lab.”
“SFU is committed to engaging with our communities and to providing students with real world learning opportunities” said Steve Dooley, Executive Director, SFU Surrey campus. “As a Surrey City Lab partner we look forward to building on these commitments and to contributing through them to help Surrey advance its priorities and tackle its most pressing issues.”
The proposed City funding for the Surrey City Lab is $138,000 over the full three-year pilot ($31,000 from each Partner in Year 1, increasing to $49,000 from each Partner in Year 2, and $58,000 from each Partner in Year 3). The three Partners are committed to funding the Surrey City Lab equally for these initial costs, which will provide for the Coordinator salary, events, material costs such as office expenses, and City Studio network fees.
Additional information can be found here.
