New funding from RBC will help expand a unique interdisciplinary degree program and launch a complementary Hub for sustainability integration.
The RBC Foundation announced today a $2-million donation to the University of Waterloo to bolster the Bachelor of Sustainability and Financial Management. The program, the first of its kind in Canada, prepares accounting and finance professionals with additional skills beyond practicing accounting and financial management including environmental law, social equality, carbon emissions and ecosystem science.
In addition to the new program, the funding will also establish a Professorship in Sustainability and Financial Management, a network of mentorship and experiential learning opportunities and a hub for sustainability integration where students will collaborate with outside organizations to solve real-world problems under the guidance of Waterloo faculty.
“We see enormous opportunity for sustainable finance to drive the changes our society needs – including a healthier planet and more inclusive, more prosperous communities,” said Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Waterloo. “Our partnership with RBC spans more than four decades and this new investment builds upon that collaboration to provide our students with the experience and expertise they will need to tackle the challenge of creating a sustainable future.”
Over the past 40-years, RBC has hired approximately 3,000 Waterloo co-op students and partnered with the University of Waterloo on many programs and projects. More than 1,000 Waterloo graduates are employed by RBC including its President and CEO Dave McKay (BMath ’87, DMath ’18).
RBC announced the funding for Waterloo at the Perimeter Institute as part of a $3.5-million investment to all three post-secondary institutions in Waterloo region. The funds, powered by RBC Future Launch, will help develop world class programs with real-world learning opportunities, to help support a more sustainable and inclusive future for green collar work and the skilled trades.
“By investing in our students, we are investing in our future. Supporting skilled trades and green skills learning is key to preparing youth for the jobs of tomorrow,” said Claude DeMone, Regional President, Southwestern Ontario, RBC.
Over the next five years, the investment will help recruit top talent to support and lead the BSFM program, train over 350 highly-skilled students, create a network of mentoring and experiential learning partners, deliver real-world solutions to more than 30 (non-profit, government and industry) partners, and host at least three conferences to share knowledge with industry, government, and academia.
