Events and Activities

Cultural Connections

CC Road Trips

Road Trips

Join our Cultural Connections Road Trips and discover Vancouver Island's vibrant communities, local cultural events and attractions.

Being connected, active, and engaged in the local environment is healthy. It can help with the cultural adjustment process for students who are new to Canada or new to the community. Every semester, we prepare a schedule of seasonal weekly Saturday activities available to registered VIU students.

Road Trips
CC Local Hikes

Local Hikes

Each semester we head outdoors and explore some of the most scenic and awe-inspiring local hiking trails Nanaimo has to offer! The Local Hikes program is designed to encourage confidence and creativity in participants, while at the same time aiming to forge a connection with nature and a desire to protect it. John Muir was onto something when he said, "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks". From boosting fitness, to improving mental wellbeing – and even helping us in our social lives, hiking offers all kinds of tangible benefits. Did we mention - it is only $2! 

Local Hikes
VIU - Cultural Connections - Culture Couch

Culture Couch

Tuesdays 5 - 6 pm - Building 255, FirstFloor Commons

The Culture Couch Series is a place to engage in cross-cultural understanding. The symbol of a couch reflects the casual and comfortable nature that we come together within this student-led weekly series. 

The evening often consists of sampling traditional foods, sharing music, and engaging in conversation. By attending, we can gain more understanding about the world and about each other, directly from the lens of our diverse community of Vancouver Island University students. 

Culture Couch
VIU - Cultural Connections - Global Groove

Global Groove

Global Groove is a free monthly concert series produced just for VIU students! Each month features a different musical genre from around the world.  Concerts are the first Thursday of every month, September to April. The series is a proud partnership between VIU Students' Union (VIUSU) and VIU Cultural Connections (International Education). 

Global Groove