Dear colleagues,
We’re pleased to announce the launch of Zoom(ing) to Teams, an initiative that will move UFV from Zoom to Microsoft Teams for classroom teaching, webinars, and virtual collaboration.
This transition, which will be completed in August 2027, reflects our ongoing commitment to giving faculty, staff, and students technology that is effective, integrated, and sustainable. By expanding a platform many of us already use, we can strengthen collaboration while making better use of the tools UFV already has in place.
The transition begins with a pilot program running through the 2026 fall semester, open to all faculty, instructors, and staff who want to explore Teams for teaching and learning. If you’re interested in participating, please email asktlc@ufv.ca.
A larger pilot program will follow in the winter 2027 semester, and both pilots will help us understand classroom use cases and gather feedback to guide the broader transition.
As of August 16, 2027, all online interactions (teaching, meeting, student support, communication, webinars, conferencing, etc.) will be done through Teams.
Zoom will remain available throughout the transition, so there’s no disruption to current teaching.
Why Teams?
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A familiar experience: Teams offers many of the same features you rely on in Zoom, including virtual meetings, breakout rooms, screen sharing, chat, recordings, webinars, and participant engagement tools.
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Better integration: Teams works seamlessly with Outlook, OneDrive, Word, PowerPoint, and the other Microsoft 365 applications already used across UFV, for a more connected experience.
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Sustainable and efficient: Reducing duplication across platforms lets us streamline support, improve consistency, and steward university resources responsibly.
What to expect
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Training and support: Sessions, guides, and resources will be available to help you feel confident using Teams for teaching, meetings, and webinars. This support will come directly from the Teaching & Learning Centre’s Learning Designer team.
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Feedback is welcome: Your input will shape this transition. We encourage you to share your experiences, questions, and suggestions as we go. We recognize that any technology change takes adjustment, and we’re committed to making sure faculty and staff have the resources and support to succeed.
Please send any questions by email to asktlc@ufv.ca. We’re confident Teams will provide a strong foundation for virtual teaching and engagement at UFV.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Stay tuned!
Sincerely,
Awneet Sivia – AVP, Teaching & Learning
Katie Tuck – Chief Information Officer