top of page

Postdoctoral Fellowship Job Posting
Forced Migration: Student Integration in Higher Education and Review of Canadian Exhibits

SSHRC-Funded Project: “UnborderED Knowledge” (Research Cluster 2: Creative co-creation with displaced students)


Host Organization: The University of British Columbia (UBC)


Location: UBC, Point Grey Campus (must be in person)


Term: 1-Year Full-Time Appointment starting October 1, 2026

​

Application deadline: September 17, 2026

​

Reports to: Dr. Sofia Noori Ph.D., Refugee Education Area Coordinator, UBC


Co-Supervisor/Mentor: Dr. Robert Evans Ph.D., Canadian Museum for Human Rights


Salary: (1 FTE) $55,000

​

UnborderED Knowledge is a SSHRC-funded project that seeks to widen, deepen and institutionalize equitable access to education and research opportunities for people with lived experiences of forced migration in Canada. 

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

UnborderED Knowledge invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow based in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia (UBC), with additional remote support and mentorship from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The Fellow will contribute to three interconnected areas of research and knowledge mobilization: conducting an independent research project analyzing available supports and programs for refugee students re-entering postsecondary education in Canada; mapping museum exhibitions addressing forced displacement; and co-organizing the 2027 World Refugee Day Symposium at UBC.

​

The position is designed in alignment with SSHRC guidelines for postdoctoral training and knowledge mobilization. The Fellow’s primary responsibilities are outlined below.

​

1. Design, conduct, and publish a one-year study examining the experiences of refugees whose secondary and/or postsecondary education has been interrupted by forced displacement. The study will mainly investigate the relationship between postsecondary re-entry in Canada and the availability, accessibility, and effectiveness of supports provided by postsecondary institutions, government ministries, community organizations, and refugee resettlement services. This will help UnborderED Knowledge’s broader objective of identifying pathways, practices, and institutional supports that facilitate the successful re-entry of refugees with interrupted educational experiences into Canadian postsecondary institutions.

​

2. Develop an environmental scan (similar to a literature review) of exhibits (physical, digital and hybrid) displayed in Canada from 1975-present that address the theme of forced displacement with a special, but not exclusive, emphasis on youth, education and students. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of what Canadian cultural institutions have showcased on this theme, including detail of the history (story behind) the exhibits, the reception of the exhibits, and what the exhibits entailed. The Fellow will examine critical, institutional, and broad public responses and the impact of the exhibits. Where evidence is available, the Fellow will also analyze individual visitor responses and the methods and instruments used to assess these responses. Rhese research efforts will help UnborderED Knowledge’s future work in knowledge creation and mobilization efforts.

​

3. Contribute to the planning, coordination, delivery, and post-event reporting of the of the World Refugee Day Symposium at UBC- Vancouver campus in June 2027, which focuses on the impact of ‘home’ on the educational experiences of forcibly displaced youth in secondary and post-secondary academic institutions. Drawing on knowledge generated through the research activities described above, the Fellow will contribute scholarly expertise to the symposium. The Fellow will also assist with the curation of a gallery featuring photographs from two Photovoice research collections.

Alignment with UnborderED Knowledge and Cluster 2

​

ALIGNMENT WITH UNBORDERED KNOWLEDGE AND CLUSTER 2

This fellowship supports:

  • advanced postdoctoral training and career development

  • interdisciplinary higher education and museum research

  • knowledge mobilization within and beyond academia

  • equity, inclusion, and lived-experience-informed scholarship

  • policy and practice innovation in systems affecting displaced students and researchers

 

PROJECT FOCUS

The successful candidate will:

  • lead a study on identifying and assessing various pathways available for refugee-experienced newcomers to re-enter postsecondary institutions in Canada

  • conduct an environmental scan on exhibits (digital, physical and multi-media) in Canada from 1975 - the present that focus on forced displacement

  • organize, participate, and carry out knowledge mobilization efforts at UBC, especially the World Refugee Day Symposium

  • plan, organize logistics, execute, and ensure post symposium reporting of a large-scale event involving multiple stakeholders and cultures.

  • conduct and publish literature and program reviews, including tools for evaluating effectiveness of public knowledge mobilization efforts like exhibits

 

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Research Leadership (Postdoctoral Level)

  • Design, execute, and critically analyze scholarly and grey literature, programs, and supports available for refugee re-entry to postsecondary institutions in Canada

  • Conduct mapping of exhibits shown in Canada (from 1975-present) with a focus on forced migration

  • Create exhibit of photos using researcher materials at UBC’s World Refuge Day Symposium

  • Chair panels at UBC’s World Refugee Day Symposium

  • Ensure ethical research practice consistent with SSHRC and institutional standards.

  • Ensure consistent and good communication between the two institutions (UBC and the CMHR), Cluster 2 personnel at invited meetings, and with the UnborderED Knowledge Secretariat

  • Ensure knowledge is shared to both supervisors and through presentations at Cluster 2, UnborderED, and institutional meetings through written and verbal formats

 

2. Scholarly Outputs

  • Lead the development of two peer-reviewed journal articles with support of Drs Noori and Evans, or other collaborators/partners. This would include one peer-reviewed journal article examining the institutional pathways of forcibly displaced students re-entering postsecondary education in Canada or policy brief identifying enabling conditions and promising institutional practices related to postsecondary re-entry. The second output will be a scholarly environmental scan/report documenting historical trends, themes, representational practices, audiences, and approaches to public engagement or a peer-reviewed article analyzing how forced displacement, and particularly the experiences of youth and students has been represented within Canadian museums and cultural institutions.

  • Contribute to conference organizing, presentations, exhibit creations, and cluster-wide scholarly outputs (as appropriate).

  • Write reports to communicate the symposium’s success to various community and institutional outlets.

 

3. Policy & Practice Knowledge Mobilization

  • Develop accessible knowledge products including briefs, slide decks, and infographics.

  • Produce 2-3 practical knowledge mobilization outputs, such as an online inventory of Canadian exhibitions and post-secondary re-entry supports and programs, practice brief, policy brief, pathway map, or operational guidance note.

  • Potentially develop a measurement tool or framework for knowledge mobilization efforts (especially exhibits)

  • Potentially development an institutional framework or set of recommendations for supporting students whose education has been interrupted by forced displacement.

  • Present findings to practitioners, institutional partners, and community audiences.

  • Provide research on good practices that centre lived-experience as valuable knowledge for students, researchers, curators and planners

  • Contribute to SSHRC reporting and cluster-wide synthesis activities.

 

4. Organizational & Sector Engagement

  • Collaborate with UnborderED, UBC’s Refugee Education Student Collective and CMHR program teams, in person and online.

  • Engage with post-secondary or refugee youth and campus organizations

  • Deliver at least two workshops or presentations to support practice uptake

​

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

​

Education

  • PhD in education, museum studies, or other relevant discipline

​​

Essential Criteria

  • Recent personal experience of forced migration, including resettled refugee, Convention refugee, refugee claimant, protected person, person holding a humanitarian visa, person holding a temporary resident permit, person from a country for which there is a moratorium on deportation and/or person from a country for which the Government of Canada has implemented a temporary immigration measure.

  • Be legally entitled to work in Canada at the time of the application

  • Be resident in Canada at time of application and for the duration of the employment contract

  • Be able to work in-person at UBC’s Vancouver campus

  • Fluency in English

 

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience working with refugee- experienced youth and in educational settings

  • Strong event planning, management and organization skills

  • Demonstrated experience in qualitative and/or mixed-method research.

  • Demonstrated experience with analyzing institutional programs, supports and exhibitions.

  • Interest and experience in the arts, cultural heritage etc.

  • Experience in scholarly writing and publishing.

  • Commitment to equity, anti-racism, and trauma-informed approaches.

  • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively both in-person and remote.

 

LIVED EXPERIENCE AS RESEARCH EXPERTISE

This fellowship recognizes lived experience of forced migration as foundational knowledge. Lived experience is not treated as supplementary to academic qualifications, but as central to the design, interpretation, and ethical conduct of research within Cluster 2.

 

MENTORSHIP & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Fellow will receive:

  • Direct mentorship from Dr. Sofia Noori, UBC, and Dr. Robert Evans, CMHR, with potential mentorship from other UnborderED and CMHR collaborations

  • Training from the UnborderED Secretariat

  • Opportunities to co-author and lead publications.

  • Support and experience in developing and delivering workshops (in person and remotely)

  • Exposure to design and operational decision-making for World Refugee Day Symposium, hosted at UBC.

  • Career development/networking opportunities in academic and cultural heritage sectors.

 

EQUITY STATEMENT

UBC, CMHR, and UnborderED are all committed to anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and equity-driven practices. This position intentionally centers lived experience of forced migration in research leadership. Applications from racialized scholars, women, LGBTQ2S+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and members of historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged.

 

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

​Online application form

AI-generated materials will not be accepted.

For more information on how to write an academic cover letter and CV, and how to apply for jobs in Canada, please see our training resources: https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/unborderedtraining/chapter/applying-for-jobs/.

bottom of page