The two-day Ontario Regional Meeting took place in June at Humber College in Toronto. The event attracted over 280 seasoned and new international education (IE) practitioners from institutions across Ontario.
Global Affairs Canada opened the meeting with a dynamic and engaging consultation session that gave space for the community’s input into the forthcoming international education strategy. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) was also present, offering updates on the international student program and answering curated questions from the participants.
A notable highlight of day one was the president panel discussion, which allowed participants to hear from two esteemed professionals in our field, the President of Niagara College and the President of Humber College. They generously shared their perspectives on personal career growth and the factors that influenced their paths in international education.
During this panel discussion, Dr. Ann Marie Vaugh emphasized the significance of international education as a source of hope for some student populations, emphasizing the need to safeguard their aspirations. The panellists concurred that establishing strong connections with the community and enlightening them about the value of international education can profoundly impact a student’s educational journey.
‘Partnerships’ was a recurring theme during the event, and the first day concluded with an insightful presentation by Professor Janaka Ruwanpura, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President of Research at the University of Calgary. He shared with the audience the university’s endeavours in fostering and assessing partnerships, highlighting the significance of strategic collaborations in our field.
To cultivate connections and facilitate networking, a lively mocktail hour gave participants the chance to interact and exchange ideas while enjoying creative non-alcoholic beverages and was followed by a delicious BBQ dinner hosted in the beautiful arboretum at Humber.
Day two’s agenda brought forward the perspective of faculty and students, and concurrent sessions delved into topics that covered the full span of activities in international education. Specifically, sessions explored developing intercultural competencies among faculty, exploring trends and opportunities in international student recruitment, implementing strategies for international student engagement and success, and exchanging best practices for developing faculty-led learning abroad programs. In addition, there were informative sessions dedicated to exploring the role of technology in education, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to promote innovative teaching and learning, and how to provide immersive international learning experiences.
The Ontario Regional Meeting offered a platform for participants to exchange ideas, gain insights, and forge connections with colleagues across the province, and it would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors BorderPass, CIP Study Abroad, Flywire, Guard.me International Insurance, iCent, mypartyalbum and World Education Services (WES).
CBIE would like to thank this year’s host institution and the organizing committee for their hard work and innovative approach to making this event a resounding success.
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