Ontario Regional Meeting

Start the CBIE Ontario Regional Meeting by tuning into your inner leadership skills!  This session will offer leadership highlights and strategies from Presidents Lesley Rigg from Brock University and Ana Serrano from OCAD. Together, they will share their personal experiences, approaches, and philosophies on leadership in higher education, offering valuable lessons and perspectives for all aspiring leaders in attendance.

Student preferences are shifting and at the same time a wide range of government policies are on the horizon. As these policies are starting to come into shape, it’s important to assess the state of international student mobility, preferences, and the trends shaping the future of the education sector.
Hear from the ApplyBoard team, as they delve into the data, trends, and government policies around the world that will impact your recruitment strategies. This includes taking a deep look at student preferences, source market trends, destination trends, and the correlated impact we are already seeing.

Presenter: 

• Teeba Alsafar, Associate Director Business Development, ApplyBoard

Niagara College presents a distinctive service approach tailored for our international student body. Central to this approach is the integration of International Student Assistants, serving as primary support within our college community. This session aims to delve into the multifaceted advantages and prospects of this model, spanning from high-level senior leadership insights to strategic operational considerations, and culminating in the invaluable perspectives of the students themselves.

Presenters: 

• Shawna Luey, Sr. Director, International Students, RISIA, Niagara College
• Fernando Gama, Director, International Student Services, Niagara College
• Michelle Silk, International Student Services Coordinator, Niagara College
• Gustavo Comonian, International Student Assistant, Niagara College

Karen Burkett recently conducted an environmental scan of EAP providers at English-medium universities across Canada. This scan started with looking at key international student related data for each university followed by a review of each individual website for their EAP program providers. Key findings from this environmental scan will be presented and situated within a wider literature review. A clear picture of our sector will emerge that highlights long-standing barriers and points to potential opportunities relevant to decision-makers and leaders who work at universities with EAP programs.

Presenter: 

• Karen Burkett, Instructor, Queen’s School of English

We all know how important emotional support is to the success and safety of Study Abroad programs. But how does that care continue once a student (or staff member) returns home? What plans does your school have to meet this important need? And where can you turn for guidance?
Our expert panel takes a look at how to link care between abroad and home and what resources are available. You will hear how Brock University is tackling this challenge, as well as actionable information you can use to help your institution.

Presenters: 

• Marla Terreberry-Portfilio, Associate Director, International Services, Brock University
• Jayne Crawley, Manager, International Learning Programs, Brock University
• Dana Ercolani, Coordinating Nurse, iSOS
• Dr Kennette Thigpen-Harris, Clinical Chief Officer, Workplace Options
• Rob Gould, VP, Student & Canadian Business Solutions, Workplace Options

Presented by the IR-PLC Steering Committee – join us for an interactive and open dialogue, as we bring our IR-Connect event format to you in person. This discussion will look at the intersection of global engagement work at our institutions and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Presenters will share how their institutions align strategic plans and partnership with the SDGs, leveraging global engagement and partnership development for SDG achievement. Attendees will be encouraged to share good practices and exchange ideas for incorporating the SDGs into their current and future priorities or projects.

The session will provide a space for peer exchange of good practices. Participants can expect a highly interactive discussion guided by prompting questions, and walk away with new ideas, approaches, and connections. The session will allow time for informal networking as well.

This session is ideal for IR professionals looking to integrate climate action and sustainability into their work.

Presenters: 

• Kimmy Do, Manager, Global Initiatives, Partnerships and Programs, Humber College
• Natasha Fernandez, Manager, Global Engagement and Partnerships, University of Guelph
• Recep Demir, Manager, Global Partnerships, York University

This presentation will focus on the value and potential of international student recruitment for Ontario universities in markets other than China and India.  We will outline key challenges in Chinese and Indian markets such as the current geopolitical tensions involving India and Canada, and the increased scrutiny of Chinese students as potential threats to Canadian security (Tunney, 2024), alongside the increased concern by India and China themselves about brain drain despite recent economic liberalization of their markets (Taplin, 2023).  These factors, combined with new changes to the Post-Graduate-Work-Permit (PGWP) program (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2024), have had a cooling effect on the largest source of international students.  This is at a time when Ontario universities are facing huge deficits up against the restrictions in domestic tuition increases (Casey and Jones, 2023).

Presenters: 

• Karuna Ausman, International Marketing & Recruitment Specialist, University of Waterloo
• Anna Guo, Associate Director, International Student Recruitment, Brock University
• Grant Leach, Director, Marketing and Recruitment, University of Waterloo

Join to learn how one of North America’s largest post secondary institutions is setting international students up for success on its campuses through a targeted fund for faculty andstaff. U of T’s International Student Experience Fund (ISEF) is achieving institution-wide impact through the shaping, seeding, and amplification of ‘local’ innovative projects.

The presentation will feature a case study of the U of T’s International Student Experience Fund (ISEF). The session will be organized around ‘Lessons learned’ from the conception of the Fund in 2018 to the present. Lessons will be sequenced chronologically, as ‘steps’ in the roadmap/ blueprint for setting up your own fund. Steps will include: building a case/ securing support; scoping the fund (setting proposal guidelines, funding tiers, eligibility criteria); setting up an adjudication framework; project monitoring; reporting/ demonstrating impact. Session slides will follow this sequence.

Presenter: 

• Michelle Beaton, Director, International Relations, University of Toronto

This presentation will share an important project that Queen’s University School of English has embarked upon, which involved transitioning from a passive and reactive academic advising service, to a more proactive model typified by one key policy — one-to-one opt-out meetings for every student with the student advisor. This session will share details of the methodology used, student feedback from before the change and after, and discuss the pros and cons of such a change. Participants will leave this session with a concrete idea of the effectiveness of ‘mandatory’ opt-out meetings, and how to implement it in their respective academic contexts.

Presenter: 

• Steven McWilliams, Instructor, Queen’s School of English

The University of Guelph will present best practices for assisting students in identifying and articulating transferrable skills gained through study abroad experiences. Categories such as communication skills, critical thinking skills, discipline-specific skills and personal development and interpersonal skills will be further examined through specific skills and examples.

As a campfire session, attendees will be expected to engage in conversation regarding transferrable skills gained through study abroad, using these transferrable skills to market study abroad, and how to best educate the participants in leveraging this experience for future employability.
Attendees will develop an inventory of transferrable skills, based on various categories, specific skill sets, and practical examples within the study abroad context. They will also discuss how to use these transferrable skills to promote study abroad and supports re-entry programming. Lastly, the session will be relevant to attendees who may be interested in engaging in a community of practice around the predeparture, re-entry, and wrap around supports as part of the Education Abroad Professional Learning community.

Presenters: 

• Mike Lafleur, Education Abroad Advisor, University of Guelph
• Jaqueline Veres, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, University of Guelph

Attracting and vetting the right international students is crucial. World Education Services (WES) stands out by offering credential evaluations that mitigate fraud risks and help you understand international education qualifications. This session will demonstrate how WES evaluations strengthen your admissions process, ensuring you admit qualified individuals with legitimate study. We’ll also highlight key trends in student mobility, with an emphasis on a top sending region. Discover how WES not only enhances your institution’s global appeal but also fortifies your admissions against academic fraud, supporting your internationalization efforts securely and effectively.

Presenters: 

• Aditi Kadakia, Head of Production, WES
• Ariel Mihael, Director of Educational Standards, WES
• Aliyyah Nazeem, Business Development Manager, WES

In this session, we’ll delve into the intricacies of engaging with in-country recruiters. We’ll provide a transparent look at our strategies, including tailored training initiatives, integration of technology, and cultivation of strategic partnerships, which have empowered our in-country recruiters to serve as effective representatives for our institution on a global scale.

Join us as we explore the challenges and opportunities inherent in working with in-country recruiters. Through practical examples and in-depth discussions, attendees will gain valuable insights into navigating this vital aspect of international recruitment. Don’t miss this opportunity to shine a spotlight on those who are out of sight but certainly not out of mind. This session offers a unique opportunity to learn from our experiences and discover strategies to enhance collaboration and maximize recruitment outcomes with in-country recruiters.

Presenters: 

• Alisha Koumphol, Manager, International Recruitment & External Operations, Brock University
• David Venneri, Recruitment Manager, Trent University
• David Zhou, Manager International Recruitment, Algoma University

This is an in-person Student Advising – Conseil aux étudiants (SACE) Connect session hosted by fellow international student advising colleagues who are also the SACE Steering Committee members. SACE Connect is an interactive session for international student advising professionals to discuss current matters related to IRCC policies.

In this session, we will be discussing recent immigration policy updates and the challenges advisors may face when advising international students. Through the interactive discussion among student advising professionals in the community, we will reflect on the best practices and explore resources we can utilize to help us navigate these challenges. Some of the topics may include International Student Program Reform and Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) policy and implementation.

This session, divided into two parts, will examine the recent immigration policy changes affecting international students. In the first part, we will present an overview of announcements from IRCC and Ministry of Colleges and Universities made within this year. In the second part, based on the questions collected from the participants, we will engage in a discussion to reflect on the recent policy changes, and share best practices to proactively develop strategies to brace for the changing landscape of the governmental policies.

Presenters: 

• Melinda Meng, International Student Immigration Specialist, Seneca Polytechnic
• Lifen (Ashley) Wu, International Student Advisor, Ontario Tech University
• Mayoori Malankov, International Student Advisor and Immigration Specialist, York University

As an instructor, have you ever felt that existing textbooks can struggle to engage and meet the needs of your students? We certainly experienced this concern and as a result embarked on a journey to create our own textbook. While the development was an evolving one, fraught with challenges, ultimately, we settled on a fully integrated, interactive ESL e-textbook that we published in-house using Pressbooks and the interactive H5P plug-in. This presentation will outline the process we underwent in writing the e-book for our Intensive English Language Program (IELP), as well as describe and demonstrate key elements, such as how H5P interactions engage learners and foster independent learning. We will share our experience using Pressbooks and the H5P tools and show excerpts from our e-textbook(s), which are now in use in our Level 4 and 5 classes.

Presenters: 

• Eldon Friesen, ESL Academic Development Coordinator, Brock University
• Donna Pearce, ESL Student Development Coordinator, Brock University

CBIE will present key findings from a national data collection exercise on learning abroad that was held in the spring of 2023. This initiative aimed to deepen understanding of the Canadian outbound mobility landscape and surface trends to inform evidence-based decision-making and foster an inclusive and supportive ecosystem for future learning abroad programming. The presentation will offer insights from data contributed by post-secondary institutions across Canada. To contextualize the lived experience, data collected from students and alumni learning abroad participants will also be presented.

Presenter: 

• Melissa Payne, Director, Membership, Research and Learning, Canadian Bureau for International Education

This presentation explores Ontario’s international education policy landscape since 2005 through illuminating the shifting terrain of the international education policy landscape influenced by the (re)emergence of diverse discourses. The presentation highlights that international education in Ontario is constructed as a policy solution to policy problems beyond the education sector; the multiplicity of policy actors who come from diverse scales, levels, disciplines, and contexts; and the emergence of nationalistic discourses which threaten the core principles of internationalization. International education policy context in Ontario can be highly political and influenced by non-education policy spaces and discourses.

Presenter:

• Dr. Amira El Masri, Director, McMaster Global

Experience one of the top visited attractions in Niagara Falls aboard Niagara City Cruises! Transportation will be provided from Brock University down to the famous Niagara Falls for the boat tour. After the tour, visitors will get the opportunity to explore on their own for a few hours before boarding the bus back to Brock University.

For more information on this attraction, please visit Niagara City Cruises.