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91��ܽ (SFU) welcomed more than 130 international delegates last month for the 8th annual Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (SCL) Conference, marking the first time the conference has been held in Canada.  

Hosted by SFU’s Faculty of Environment and SFU International, with support from the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the event brought together researchers, students, and practitioners from across the Pacific Rim to explore this year’s theme: Living with Water across the Pacific Rim. 

“This is not the time to retreat inwards,” said SFU president and vice-chancellor Joy Johnson during her opening remarks on June 17. “It is a time to look outwards, to collaborate, learn from each other, and move forward together.”

Water was highlighted throughout the three-day program as a critical connector across climate adaptation, food security, energy, biodiversity, and urban planning. The conference also emphasized the importance of place-based knowledge, Indigenous-led solutions, and cross-sector collaboration in addressing the region’s most pressing climate challenges. Leveraging SFU’s global leadership to drive innovation in climate solutions and sustainable cities. 

Delegates from over 25 leading institutions, including the National University of Singapore, University of Auckland, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, University of Melbourne, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, participated in the conference’s dynamic mix of keynote talks, field visits, working groups, and cultural sessions. 

Ten interdisciplinary working groups advanced collaborative research on issues ranging from climate justice and biodiversity to smart cities, aging infrastructure, and circular economies. The conference’s grounding in Indigenous knowledge and leadership was a defining feature. Highlights included a cultural welcome by the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, as well as keynote addresses from urban planner and filmmaker Kamala Todd and Indigenous governance scholar Zoe Todd. 

Conference attendees also took part in local field visits across the Metro Vancouver region, including the Cleveland Dam, a district energy facility, and x̱aw̓s shew̓áy̓ (New Growth Garden)—offering firsthand insight into sustainable urban and ecological practices in the region. 

“91��ܽ proud to be advancing global conversations on sustainable cities, climate action, and Indigenous leadership,” said Andréanne Doyon, Academic Lead for the conference and Director of SFU’s School of Resource and Environmental Management. “The connections built here will shape research and policy well beyond this week.” 

A major academic output of the conference will be the development of an edited volume in Springer’s Water Security in a New World series, slated for publication in 2026/27. 

The APRU SCL Conference is an annual opportunity for researchers across the Pacific Rim to engage in action-oriented dialogue and joint scholarship. With SFU’s growing leadership in sustainability and global engagement, the university’s role as the 2024 host signals a deepening commitment to interdisciplinary, international collaboration. 

The 2026 APRU SCL Conference will be hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.