History
Our History
It is difficult to trace the CFGS history to a single opening date. There is one story that suggests that the origins of CFGS go back to a letter our Sr. Research Associate, Dr. Rod Dobell, wrote in 1988 to then-President Howard Petch, proposing the creation of something like a centre for study of global change. There is some more documentation of earlier origins, starting with Dr. Dobell’s 1968 visit to the then-President at UVic, Malcolm Taylor.
The vision that was embedded in the UVIC Challenge Campaign initiated by Howard Petch and launched by his successor, David Strong, in 1991, was intended to fund formation of a centre for study of global change. It emphasized:
“the role of the value judgements that translate analysis [science] into social commitment”
And, the role of humanities and social sciences in bringing scholarship effectively into support of community decisions and collective action.
In a November 1991 explanatory document, Dr. Dobell argued that “The mission of the Centre for Global Studies (CGS) is to mobilize the research and outreach resources of the University in a coordinated way toward both greater understanding of, and a more effective social response to, the challenge of global social and environmental change.”
At the Dunsmuir Lodge retreat (7 July 1992) on the proposed Centre for Global Studies, it was suggested that the process of developing the concept of the Centre should be carried forward on the basis of broad-based consultation through the medium of a small committee.
In 1998, the Centre opened its doors with a mission to:
“conduct collaborative, policy-oriented inquiry into the impacts of globalization on a broad spectrum of inter-related issues encompassing international governance and finance, the environment, security, and sustainable development. Building on the university’s existing base of interdisciplinary expertise, the Centre provides a vehicle for linking scholarship with the needs of policy-makers for concise and accessible information and analysis in response to the pressing challenges of global change.”
While the original challenge campaign did not reach the funding target for creation of CFGS as originally envisaged, a quasi-endowment was proposed. In 1996, this fund was created to generate an income from which the operations of the present CFGS continue to be funded. In 1998 the Board of Governors formally approved creation of the Centre, with Dr. Gordon Smith, who had been serving as Special Advisor to President Strong after retiring as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Government of Canada, appointed as its Founding Director.
In February 2002, with the help of many in the university, the Centre began construction of a new wing financed by fundraising efforts of Gordon, Barry, and others at the CFGS.
“confirm[ing] the viability of the Centre concept as the original donors and supporters first conceived it.” - Gordon Smith
Over the first phase of the Centre’s operations, from 1998 to 2010, Gordon Smith and colleagues achieved extraordinary success—and visibility for the University on the global stage—with sustained foundational work on the L20 initiative of former Prime Minister Paul Martin—international meetings of 20 major countries meeting at Leaders’ level—and on creation of the present ongoing G20 structure and analytical support to which it led.
A number of other groups within CFGS achieved substantial success in national and international initiatives over these years as well. The predecessor organization to PCIC and PICS was created within CFGS, and interdisciplinary, inter-university initiatives around the transition to a low carbon society were launched, as well as the International Women’s Rights Project, the International Institute for Child Rights and Development, Digital Fishers, and others. The editorial offices of the international journal Global Governance were also moved here for a time.
Gordon Smith, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Personal Representative of the Prime Minister for G7/8 Summits (1994-97) was named Director in 1998. Gordon served as Director until 2012. The leadership team grew as Barry Carin, formerly Canada’s High Commissioner in Singapore and Assistant Deputy Minister, Trade and Economic Policy, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, joined the Centre as Associate Director in 2001 and served until 2010.
On June 11th, 2010, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, visited campus. Earlier this year she presented Dr. Gordon Smith, executive director of the Centre for Global Studies, with the 2009 Vanier Medal for public service to Canada, which subsequently led to her visit to UVic. In June, the Governor General announced the appointment of UVic President David Turpin to the Order of Canada.
As Gordon Smith neared retirement, a move for major structural reform was initiated from the Office of the Vice-President, Research to more fully integrate the Centre with the university. A successful transition was made with Gordon’s successor in 2012, Dr. Oliver Schmidtke.