In August 2019, Employment and Social Development Canada selected us, with Universities Canada, to develop an Outbound Student Mobility Program that would help Canadian students, especially those that don’t typically participate in international study opportunities, acquire in-demand global skills through opportunities to study or work abroad as part of Canada’s new International Education Strategy. No one could have predicted that eight months later, swift border closures and travel restrictions would bring the global skills trade to a grinding halt.
So, how can students develop global competencies and benefit from intercultural experiences when they can’t leave the country? That’s the question we asked Canada’s colleges and institutes.
While the launch of the full program was delayed, we asked our members to propose mobility-focused innovation projects to fund through the pilot’s Innovation Fund! In total, we provided funding to 47 colleges and institutes to implement 69 projects, including piloting virtual mobility, testing new wrap-around support services, developing risk management policies, enhancing recruitment strategies, and developing new institutional partnerships! Here’s a snapshot of what we saw:
- At Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies up to 20 Indigenous and low-income students will participate in a three-week virtual summer exchange with the IÉSEG International Summer Academy. The project will ultimately increase Indigenous student awareness and preparedness for international work and study opportunities!
- At Portage College research is being conducted to better identify barriers to international education and to increase awareness of and access to outbound opportunities for students from rural, northern, and remote communities.
- At BCIT, the Indigenous mobility initiatives team is consulting with Indigenous leaders, students, and stakeholders to better design mobility programs that align with Indigenous perspectives, aspirations, cultural and traditional values, as well as the needs of Indigenous communities.
- Collège Montmorency and Cégep Marie-Victorin are working on a unique inverse mobility project designed for students returning from international experiences. The 3-part video modules focus on concerns such as reverse culture shock, intercultural skills, and employability and networking skills.
- Earlier this year, Vanier College launched a project with the Tianjin Vocational Institute in China in which students formed groups online to identify and solve community-based issues with low-cost 3D printing solutions.
- A joint project between Humber College and Nova Scotia Community College will produce Canada’s first baseline study of college and institute risk management strategies for international mobility. The results of the study will be compiled to develop a Risk Management Toolkit for post-secondary institutions.
- Students in ocean technology at Marine Institute of Memorial University are gaining important cross-cultural training in climate-change resilience and sustainable ocean management through close, virtual collaboration with their counterparts in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering at Barbados Community College.
- The Global Mobility Peer Support project, run jointly by College of New Caledonia, North Island College, and Aurora College, is providing a platform for students who have not yet experienced a study abroad program to engage with study abroad alumni with the goal of facilitating peer support and addressing perceived barriers to study aboard experiences.
Mobility remains a vital element of getting Canadian students ready to join the workforce with global competencies. The Outbound Student Mobility Pilot program will help thousands of young Canadians, especially those for whom international experiences are less accessible, develop valuable intercultural competencies and access enriching employment opportunities. Already, thousands of learners will benefit from these innovative projects!
As we wait for international travel to resume safely, we hope to launch the next phase of this project with a mix of in-person and virtual opportunities. Colleges and institutes have always been nimble and adaptive to changing global circumstances and this challenge is no different. Watch the recording of last week’s information session and stay tuned this spring for more on what comes next!