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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 

SFU’s Surrey campus serves as a dynamic hub where the campus and community intersect, fostering vibrant connections and meaningful partnerships. Explore how we collaborate with local organizations, businesses, and leaders to create impactful initiatives that enrich both the academic experience and the wider community.  

PARTNERSHIPS  

SFU Surrey works with a number of business, government, Indigenous and community organizations and groups in the region to support and enrich our academic, research and community engagement initiatives and contribute to the social, economic, health, and environmental well-being of the communities we serve. 

FIRST NATIONS & SURREY URBAN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES 

SFU is working closely with the region’s First Nations (Kwantlen, Katzie and Semiahmoo) and Surrey’s urban Indigenous communities (Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee (SUILC)). 

Supported by its relationship with First Nations leaders, and committee work with SUILC, SFU is growing its Indigenous art projects on campus, cultural engagements, and academic and research projects. Through these partnerships, the university is helping to give voice and visibility to Surrey’s Indigenous population and advancing its priority to Uphold Truth & Reconciliation

SFU-SURREY SCHOOLS LIAISON COMMITTEE 

The SFU-Surrey Schools Liaison Committee supports secondary-to-postsecondary education initiatives between the school district and the university. This includes student recruitment and transition to SFU, dual-credit course offerings, summer programs and research projects. 

The committee is comprised of senior leaders from both SFU and Surrey Schools and plays an important role in sharing information and facilitating collaborations.

SFU SURREY – TD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTRE

The SFU Surrey – TD Community Engagement Centre facilitates and supports the mobilization of university and community capacity to identify and address key societal issues affecting Surrey’s City Centre and its surrounding neighbourhoods. 

Learn more about the SFU Surrey-TD Community Engagement Centre

CHARLES CHANG INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP

The Incubator program within the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship is the longest running entrepreneurship initiative at SFU. The Chang Institute is the interdisciplinary home and academic hub for growing the entrepreneurial mindset  at SFU, offering certificate programs, events, competitions, mentoring and startup services to students, staff, faculty, and alumni from all disciplines in the SFU community. The Chang Institute equips aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers with the tools, knowledge, and support system needed to build solutions for the future. 

Learn more about the Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship

SURREY ADVISORY COUNCIL

Established in 2003, the Surrey Advisory Committee (SAC) supports the growth and development of SFU’s Surrey campus and its academic, research and community initiatives and provides feedback to SFU’s senior leadership on matters related to the university’s strategic priorities, academic and research initiatives, communications, engagements with community, and donor and alumni relations.

Amongst others, the SAC includes representatives from organizations such as the City of Surrey, Fraserhealth, Surrey Schools, Surrey Board of Trade and Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association.

PROGRAMS

Our community programs bring SFU students and the community together to carry out programming and build relationships.

ENVISION FINANCIAL COMMUNITY LEADERS IGNITING CHANGE

Community Leaders Igniting Change (CLIC) is a non-prerequisite, community-centred cohort program that teaches leadership skills and is designed to help participants navigate and address the challenges they are facing in their organizations, communities, and/or personal lives.  

Learn more about Envision Financial Community Leaders Igniting Change

REFUGEE LIVELIHOOD LAB

SFU Surrey and the Refugee Livelihood Lab works to shift systemic barriers and generate opportunities for thriving livelihoods. It is a social innovation lab housed within RADIUS at the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University. This program is offered in a hybrid model with sessions taking place in Surrey and across the Lower Mainland.

Learn more about the Refugee Livelihood Lab

REACH

REACH is a partnership of individuals committed to understanding the experiences of refugee children with dis/abilities, their families and those that teach them. Beyond research alone, the REACH partnership seeks to find practical solutions to complex challenges in an effort to translate research into 'on the ground' practices that support improved participation in educational options during the migration process and beyond.

Learn more about REACH

WORKING WITH COMMUNITY

As members on boards and committees, SFU works with several organizations in the region to support community initiatives and engage in academic and research projects, including: 

CITY OF SURREY  

The City of Surrey seeks advice from SFU on issues of community safety and economic prosperity in the region as part of the City’s Public Safe Committee and Investment, Innovation & Business Committee.

LEARN ABOUT THE CITY’S COMMITTEES, COMMISSION & BOARDS

DOWNTOWN SURREY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (DSBIA)

The DSBIA works with SFU and business, government and the community to support the growth and development of Surrey’s city centre.

LEARN ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN SURREY BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 

IMMIGRANT EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL OF B.C. (IEC-BC) 

The Immigrant Employment Council of BC (IEC-BC) is a not-for-profit organization that seeks advice from SFU and provides BC employers with solutions, tools and resources they need to attract, hire and retain qualified immigrant talent.

Learn more about the Immigrant Employment Council of BC

SURREY POVERTY REDUCTION COALITION (SPRC) 

SFU is part of SPRC’s executive committee which, with its community partners, is working to end poverty in Surrey.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SURREY POVERTY REDUCTION COALITION

SURREY LOCAL IMMIGRATION PARTNERSHIP (LIP) 

SFU is long-standing member of Surrey’s LIP and its initiatives to help immigrants and refugees settle and thrive in the region.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SURREY LOCAL IMMIGRATION PARTNERSHIP