“…enriching student learning by supporting innovative and effective educational enhancements.”

The Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund (TLEF) was created in 1991 to enrich student learning by supporting innovative and effective educational enhancements.  This fund provides large grants ($10,000 to $50,000 is typical) that can be used to implement initiatives.

Successful proposals target enhancement of teaching and learning that benefits a significant number of students directly (e.g., enhancement of curriculum, services, and resources) and/or indirectly (e.g., training of faculty and staff in new learning technologies).

This fund is rarely applied to by students and requires significant planning ahead.  Applications are usually due in November and the funding is not made available until the following April.  There is only one application date/year.  If you have an initiative that you would like to complete as a summer job in the following year then apply in the fall.  A staff or faculty member is required for the application but it can be a student driven initiative.  The applications must target the enhancement of teaching and learning of students at UBC.  TLEF prefers to not provide funding for large capital expenses but they will provide some funding for those purposes.

Students in engineering are highly encouraged to team up with a professor and apply to this fund.  In recent years the Engineering Student Team Council was awarded a grant to implement initiatives which will help student design teams provide value to engineering students.

TLEF has a very informative website that also provides a complete listing of previously awarded grants.  A workshop is also run to help walk people through the process of applying to the fund.

Website and application form are found at http://www.vpacademic.ubc.ca/tlef/index.htm