Ben Gully (PhD Student)

For three months (November '97 - January '98) I lived in Vancouver, Canada attending the University of British Columbia. The opportunity to study at 'UBC' came about as a result of a trip to Canada last summer. This exposed me to the facilities at the University and the potential benefits of overseas study to my own research. My thesis is concerned with the solvency regulation of life insurance in the UK, examining in particular the role of the investment portfolio in the determination of solvency. The difficulties in constructing an analytical model of solvency are such that I use simulation techniques to model the insurer's asset-liability cash flows. Recently spreadsheets have become a useful means of running simulations. They avoid the need for complex programming language and are therefore far more accessible to the non-computer specialist. The chance to exploit the substantial computer facilities and other university resources at UBC was an invaluable research training opportunity.

Located on the west coast of Canada, Vancouver is set within a region of outstanding beauty. I lived just along from 'Eglish Bay' in a downtown apartment overlooking the sea. The location was ideal with only a ten minute walk to the city centre. Living costs were surprisingly cheap being assisted by the favourable exchange rate. The cost of living is approximately half that of the UK making eating out pretty cheap and especially attractive given the city's diverse range of cuising. This together with its 'Starbucks' coffee culture makes for a very different experience to that back home.

The city of Vancouver has experienced substantial change since the 1960s. In addition to the extensive ex-pat community which now exists, there has been a rapid increase in the amount of immigrants from the Far East, especially China. The Hong Kong hand-over added to these trends, though recent legisltion has served to control this influx. The impact of immigration has been such that parts of the city now have street and shop signs exclusively in Cantonese. Such changes have not been without their problems. However, that said, the City offers its residents immense opportunities, especially in terms of its outdoor and recreational activities. Indeed last year the OECD voted Vancouver 'the' place to live.

Travelling from downtown to UBC takes about 25 minutes by bus. The University campus site is located on 'Grey Point', a peninsula stretching out from the city towards Vancouver Island. The views from the campus are simply breathtaking. In addition to the ocean, there is a mountain backdrop to the north of the city which extends inland towards the Canadian Rockies.

UBC is one of the largest universities in Canada, and the oldest in the Province. Incorporated by the provincial government in 1908, UBC admitted its first students in 1915, moving to its present location in 1925. Currently the University has approximately 34,000 students (including graduate students), with just under 2000 faculty staff. Each faculty has its own library, in addition to the main library, offering access to a vast amount of specialist material.

My status at the University was as a 'visiting scholar' and I was a guest of the Faculty of Commerce. This arrangement was made through 'Jim' Brander, Professor of International Business and Public Policy, at the request of my supervisor Professor Reid. Along with his help on my thesis, Professor Brander also provided me with much needed advice on where and when to ski. While at UBC I was provided with an office, computer facility and was able to attend lectures and departmental seminars. As a result of these activities, I managed to meet up with a variety of graduate students and faculty staff.

My own work centre around computer training at the Operational Research Department. In particular I gained experience in using spreadsheet simulations. This introduced me to '@RISK', an add-in to Microsoft Excel, designed specifically for simulations with application to Finance. Alongside this training I was able to take advantage of the library resources, extending and updating my literature reviews with direct acces to most journals.

My time at UBC was interspersed with a number of travel opportunities around the region. One of the first things you notice is the sheer size of the country. British Columbia extends inland from the Pacific Ocean roughly 500 miles, while it stretches over 1000 miles north to the Yukon Territory from the US border. Last December I spent a couple of weeks travelling around the interior of BC taking advantage of the many ski resorts in the region. The tour included a stay at 'Silver Start Mountain' near Vernon BC (8 hours from Vancouver) and a visit to the world famous 'Whistler' resort, a 2 hour drive north of the city. I also made a few trips across the US border, meeting up with some old friends in Seattle WA, all of whom graduated with me at St Andrews in 1994.

I have many happy memories of my time in Vancouver. I consider my visit to UBC an invaluable experience, providing substantial benefits to my own research. While I miss the place a great deal, I hope to return to the region on a more permanent basis in the near future.