Peace and Reconciliation Centre’s BMO Collaboratorium
2026–2027 Program Update
The BMO Collaboratorium continues to grow as a hub for community-engaged research grounded in relationship, reciprocity, and meaningful impact.
For 2026, our focus will be on strengthening and completing several large-scale, multi-year research projects currently underway. This intentional period of consolidation ensures that existing collaborations are brought to completion with care, accountability, and lasting value for our partners and students alike.
At the same time, we are actively laying the groundwork for an expanded Summer 2027 BMO Collaboratorium cohort.
For Community Partners
We are currently welcoming conversations with organizations interested in:
- Developing future research collaborations
- Co-authoring grant applications
- Exploring projects for Summer 2027
- Meeting for introductory coffee or Teams conversations
We hope you will consider partnering with PARC’s BMO Collaboratorium. It would be a unique opportunity to advance research that matters to you. We will work collaboratively with you to co-develop research projects that students can play a key role in executing, and that are grounded in your priorities and designed to create meaningful, lasting impact.
By partnering with us, you gain access to university expertise, research infrastructure, and dedicated student researchers, while helping shape the next generation of community-engaged scholars. Our model bridges academic learning with real-world application, supporting projects that strengthen communities and advance peacebuilding and reconciliation.
Beginning conversations now allows us to thoughtfully scope projects, identify funding pathways where appropriate, and ensure that Summer 2027 initiatives are well-designed, well-supported, and responsive to community needs.
For UFV Students
During the 2026–27 academic year, we anticipate being able to continue offering select part-time student research positions, aligned with ongoing community partnerships and strategic initiatives. These opportunities are especially well-suited to students who plan to continue their studies through summer 2027 and are interested in sustained engagement with PARC" and community-based research.
Eligible and interested students are encouraged to reach out to request an introductory coffee or Teams conversation to learn more about part-time or future full-time opportunities in community-engaged work that supports peacebuilding and reconciliation.
As a student researcher, you will be paired with a local community partner to help design and carry out a project that responds to real-world needs. Throughout the process, you will receive mentorship and academic oversight from UFV faculty and staff, while developing practical research, communication, and intercultural skills that extend beyond the classroom.
We look forward to returning to a fuller cohort of research positions in summer 2027, building on the strong foundation of this program and the relationships that sustain it.
The BMO Collaboratorium is designed to provide community organizations with sophisticated research services at an affordable rate, while providing UFV students with opportunities to deploy and enhance the research skills they have been developing in their classes. The BMO Collaboratorium therefore bridges both the expectation and skills gap by providing training, intercultural awareness, and administrative and academic oversight, for passionate undergraduate students and community partners to conduct research that contributes to building a foundation for peace and reconciliation.
The BMO Collaboratorium is unique in the sense that it allows communities to identify and direct the research project that holds the most importance to them. The research carried out through the BMO Collaboratorium seeks to build a foundation for making the world a genuinely better place in which the communities are better able to tell their story, achieve their goals, and meet their member’s needs.
