Your February 2022 edition Western's Global Honour distinction gives new grads an edgeAs she prepares for her upcoming graduation, fourth-year Medical Sciences student Isabelle Keng believes she has something that sets her apart from the majority of new graduates – a distinction on her transcript letting potential employers know that she has worked to develop cultural awareness and valuable skills such as communication, empathy and language, while pursuing her undergraduate degree. “I completed the Global and Intercultural Engagement Honour and it was definitely worth the effort,” said Keng. “It was actually easier than I thought to complete and it’s something tangible to prove that you’re interested in being a global citizen.” The goal of the Global Honour is to cultivate global-ready graduates with the intercultural skills required to navigate and succeed personally and professionally in an interconnected, globalized society, said Grant Saepharn, International Learning Coordinator at Western International and the Global Honour staff lead. “Participating in the Global Honour allows students to develop valuable language and intercultural skills that are often sought after by employers and required to succeed in the 21st century job market,” he said. Radboud-Western Collaboration Fund Call for Proposals Proposals are now being accepted for the 2022-23 Radboud-Western Collaboration Fund. The Collaboration Fund was established in 2020 to facilitate and support joint initiatives that will strengthen the two universities’ strategic priorities through innovative education as well as multi-disciplinary leading-edge research to create academic and societal impact. The Collaboration Fund encourages proposals for one-year joint projects (up to $25,000 CAD) in the areas of research and teaching, as well as opportunities for short-term mobility visits. Submission deadline: April 1, 2022. AWB Call for Proposals Academics without Borders (AWB) is looking to develop and support projects that enable volunteer experts to engage in capacity-building activities at institutions of higher education in low or middle-income countries. Rather than an application for funding, this is a call for proposals for AWB projects. Sustainability of the project is key and partner institutions must have the resources to engage with the project and to ensure its sustainability once the activities of the project have ended. Submission deadline: March 7, 2022 CAUT Supporting Scholars at Risk The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) recently published an article, Supporting Scholars at Risk, which included comments from Joanna Quinn, Director of the Centre for Transitional Justice and Post-Conflict Reconstruction at Western and a member of the Scholars at Risk Canada Section National Steering Committee. Scholars at Risk is an international network of institutions and individuals working to promote academic freedom and to defend the human rights of scholars worldwide. As a member of the Canada section of Scholars at Risk, Western opens the door to scholars facing severe human rights abuses in their home country so that they may continue their work in a safe environment. Did you know?At the end of 2021, we asked international students at Western to respond to the International Student Barometer, a worldwide survey distributed by an independent research agency (i-graduate). Students were asked to share their input to help improve programs and services for current and future students and help raise awareness of the international student experience for the broader Western community. The survey had 1561 responses (25.8% of international students). Watch for more detailed information and key insights coming soon. If you have ideas, suggestions or opportunities with an international focus to share, please let us know at wicomms@uwo.ca. |