Message from the Co-chairs
2024 has been another eventful year in the field of education abroad and the importance of being able to connect, collaborate, and support each other through our PLC cannot be understated!
We are so fortunate to be able to benefit from the knowledge and expertise within our PLC community. Over the past year, the Education Abroad PLC and its sub-groups have offered numerous knowledge-sharing presentations and webinars, covering important topics in the field, including climate action and SDGs (a new focus this year); expanding access, diversity and inclusion; building intercultural competence; pre-departure, re-entry and wraparound supports; and data and metrics. Our events, including our Education Abroad PLC Lunch at CBIE 2024 gave us the opportunity to continue building important networks.
We could not do what we do without the dedication and leadership of each of our sub-group co-leads. Thank you so much for your commitment and for so generously giving of your time and expertise. We also want to thank all of our members for their active engagement in, and contributions to, our monthly meetings, the Hub, our annual conference, regional meetings and more. Your participation helps us all to learn and grow and keeps important conversations moving forward, further enhancing our field.
We look forward to continuing our learning and connection in 2025 and hope that our PLC continues to be a safe and inclusive space to celebrate successes, share challenges, and engage in meaningful connection and conversation. We’re grateful for your dedication and support and look forward to another year of growth and accomplishments together.
Sincerely,
Colleen and Shay
Purpose
The Education Abroad Professional Learning Community (EA PLC) provides a forum for professionals in the fields of education abroad and global learning to share resources, ideas, successes, and challenges in a supportive environment. It also aims to identify and work to address the needs of those facilitating education abroad at our respective institutions.
Mission
Facilitate the role of education abroad professionals at educational institutions across Canada, create an informed and effective support network and forum of discussion amongst education abroad professionals Speak on behalf of the Canadian education abroad community and their institutions for the purpose of providing information to CBIE that supports its advocacy efforts.
Objectives
The goal of the Education Abroad PLC is to:
- Establish tools and resources that encourage the free exchange of ideas and information between professionals involved with education abroad (EA) programs at different institutions/organizations
- Encourage the sharing of resources and best practices within the EA PLC community
- Develop and/or promote education and training for education abroad professionals
- Support research activities in the field of education abroad
- Work cooperatively with agencies supporting student mobility
- Identify and work to address the needs of those facilitating EA at our respective institutions
- Initiate discussion on the development of support services for EA programs in Canada
- Collect and disseminate information that aids with advocacy for financial support for EA initiatives
- Support and promote the internationalization of Canadian campuses through EA programs
- Raise education abroad in Canada to a high-profile issue within our institutions and organizations, including CBIE and its partners
Steering Committee
Colleen Packer
Colleen Packer
Director,
Global Learning,
University of Calgary
Shabnam (Shay) Ivkovic
Shabnam (Shay) Ivkovic
Director,
International Strategic Initiatives,
Co-Operative & Experiential Education,
University of Waterloo
Zhi Jones
Zhi Jones
Associate Director,
Education Abroad (Services),
University of Alberta
Sakura Hirata
Sakura Hirata
Marketing & Recruitment Specialist,
Okanagan College
Mila Sokolyanskaya
Mila Sokolyanskaya
Global Education Coordinator,
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Colin Kutchyera
Colin Kutchyera
Accreditation and Graduate Studies Analyst,
Lakehead University
Karima Ramji
Karima Ramji
Associate Director,
International, Indigenous & Strategic Initiatives,
University of Victoria
Rebecca Trautwein
Rebecca Trautwein
Manager,
Education Abroad,
University of Calgary
Elissa Cressman
Elissa Cressman
Manager,
Safety Abroad,
University of Waterloo
Stasa Andric
Stasa Andric
Manager, Global Engagement,
Capilano University
Ada Lee
Ada Lee
Global Development Manager,
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Ruth Wax
Ruth Wax
Manager, Education Abroad,
Univeristy of Victoria
Overview of Membership
401 Members
From 366 members in 2023, the EA-PLC membership has increased, with 35 new members joining in the past year
Members by Province/Territory
Events & Initiatives
hosted virtual events
hosted virtual
events
welcomed guest speakers
welcomed guest speakers from senior leadership positions, industry and academia
presented at CBIE2022
presented at CBIE2023, the Regional Meetings and at GSO knowledge-sharing events
Special Thanks
Thank you to our sub-group co-leads past and present for sharing your knowledge, to our members for your engagement, to the CBIE staff, especially Sophie Jodouin and Melissa Payne, for your support, and to Larissa Bezo for your leadership.
A special thanks to all of our guest speakers, who generously shared their time and expertise with our community.
Thank you to Global Skills Opportunity and the Canadian Higher Education Travel Safety Network for your continued collaboration.
