Thursday, March 16, 2023

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM

110A

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Details

Educational institutions at all levels are incorporating outbound mobility to enhance their international education programming. However, COVID-19 has shown us the susceptibility of international programs to world events, and continues to raise the question “When will international travel of students in international programs resume to pre-pandemic levels?” As we continue to nurture our international partnerships, we need to ponder the question of student readiness to travel abroad. A key motivator for students traveling abroad, in addition to the opportunity to live and work in a different country, is the intercultural competencies they can gain. Cultural awareness and understanding, and openness to difference, are among the top education abroad outcomes. In this session, we will provide insights into how the University of Victoria (UVic) collaborates with IEC to engage students in work abroad through its Co-operative Education Program. We will showcase how participating students use IEC to obtain work permits for their work terms, and how they develop their intercultural competencies using UVic’s Intercultural Competency Development Curriculum (McRae and Ramji, 2016). With increased interest in the Asia-Pacific region, there are opportunities to highlight the potential for co-op placements while students learn intercultural competencies that support their academic and labour market outcomes. Learning Objectives: • Learn about UVic’s intercultural competency development curriculum • How students can develop their intercultural competencies during their time abroad to prepare them for the future of work • How institutions can leverage IEC youth mobility agreements to develop work abroad opportunities for students in these countries Target Audience: International co-op advisors, outbound mobility coordinators, program faculty Target Audience Level: Intermediate

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Presenter(s)

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Chairperson