In November, the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) hosted its first in-person annual conference since 2019. St. Lawrence College’s Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) project was featured at the Colleges and Institute Canada’s panel, “Fostering a Culture of International Learning with Global Skills Opportunity”. Ining Chao, Associate Dean of Global Partnership and Learning Services at SLC, was one of the three panelists and she showcased SLC’s faculty-led program in Ireland.
SLC’s unique approach included developing a General Education course that allowed students from multiple programs to participate, leveraging GSO funding and internal funding to provide equitable access to domestic and international students, and blending virtual and physical mobility to maximize intercultural competence development. SLC faculty Laura Kittner led 23 students from 17 different programs to our partner institution Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) in Ireland to explore Entrepreneurial Thinking in a Global Context. This inaugural GSO project increased participation from underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous students, low-income students, and students with disabilities. The GSO also transformed SLC’s culture to embrace student mobility and instill global citizenship in curriculum.
Two more GSO faculty-led programs will be developed and launched in 2023 and 2024. Students will explore sustainability society in Costa Rica and the concept of one health in Tanzania.