Events and Community Engagement
Signature Event
Distinguished Speaker Series
The Distinguished Speaker Series brings compelling speakers to the Okanagan to share their unique perspectives on issues that affect our region, our country, and our world. The theme of the series is A Civil and Sustainable Society. Established in 2006, the series receives primary support from the Irving K. Barber Endowment.
Community Events
The Roger Watts Debate
The Roger Watts Debate is a partnership of the Department of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science and a community advisory committee. The debate provides a public forum to debate important issues of the day. Students, faculty and the public are invited to watch UBC Okanagan’s top debaters tackle a controversial issue in Canada today.
Roger W. Gale Symposium
The Roger W. Gale Symposium in Philosophy, Politics and Economics is an annual event focusing on a current issue overlapping with the overlapping with the department’s interdisciplinary expertise. The symposium brings various parts of the academy and the public into fruitful dialogue with a wide range of experts.
Minds and Music
The world’s finest music is presented by renowned performers accompanied by informal lectures by faculty and artists about the music.
Research Partnerships 
We partner with local businesses, governments, and institutions by supporting critical research that helps improve and grow communities. Faculty and students from the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences have played critical roles in documenting the traditional Kala language, among many other initiatives.
Psychology Clinic
Located on the UBC Okanagan campus, the Psychology Clinic provides low-cost, high-quality clinical psychology services to UBC Okanagan faculty, staff, students, and the broader Okanagan community. Services include psychotherapy, neuropsychological assessments, learning disabilities and psychoeducational assessments, as well as treatment for broader emotional and psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, and adjustment to life changes.