Island Studies Journal (ISJ) is a scholarly journal dedicated to the inter-disciplinary study of our “world of islands.” Published twice a year (May and November), the first issue appeared in May 2006. Editor-in-chief is Dr. Godfrey Baldacchino, Canada Research Chair in Island Studies, based at the Institute of Island Studies, UPEI. The international Editorial Board is made up of island studies scholars from over 50 universities and institutions.

This year, the new Mentorship@upei initiative, launched through the Coordinator of Student Retention and Engagement, provides an avenue for faculty and staff to interact with new students, recognizing that many of them have basic questions or anxieties about adjusting to university, or simply require a person whom they know they can talk to. As universities everywhere, especially in the Atlantic region, identify enrolment and retention as critical challenges and a front for ever-greater competition, the imperative is clear to enhance the overall level of student engagement and success. This begins with the individual student, and with a human touch, and provides us collectively with an opportunity to show that at UPEI students truly do come first. To date, more than 80 staff and faculty colleagues have signed up to participate in the Mentorship program, and there is room for more....

The Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island (ECO-PEI) is a community based action group that has provided information and support to various departments at UPEI. ECO PEI has also assisted with a UPEI Environmental Policy Forum, various presentations and regularly provides information booths on campus.

David Taylor, Sustainability and Energy Manager at UPEI has recently developed commercial workshops with ECO PEI to educate Island businesses on how to reduce energy.

Located in an area of high vulnerability for weather-related phenomena (storms, surges, coastal erosion), PEI's north shore is a natural laboratory for the study of the effects of climate change. The UPEI Biology lab, under the direction of Dr. Pedro Quijon, is giving the first steps towards the assessment of sandy shore invertebrates as monitoring tools of climate change.

This project is a collaboration among faculty of the Departments of Biology, Physics, Island Studies, and Environmental Studies, as well as Environment Canada.