Your January 2022 edition
Welcome to the International Insights newsletter, a monthly roundup of news, opportunities and updates with an international focus, curated by Western International for the Western community.
Support Western's World's Challenge Challenge Initiative
Do you know any students who think big and could come up with (or already have) a great idea to make our world a better place? Encourage them to sign up for the 2022 World’s Challenge Challenge by January 30.
Western’s World’s Challenge Challenge program, now in its 10th year as a Western-wide initiative and its fourth year as a global competition, encourages student participants to be leaders in developing solutions to make our world a better place, to be ethical and critical thinkers, and to strive for global impact.
To participate in the Challenge, students form interdisciplinary teams of two to four members, develop and pitch a solution with a global impact that addresses one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Participating institutions hold competitions on their respective campuses and winning teams advance to the annual World’s Challenge Challenge Global Final, hosted by Western and featuring workshops, guest speakers and opportunities for networking.
This year, the program is poised for more growth and greater impact, thanks to newly formed partnerships with campus partners, including the Morrisette Institute for Entrepreneurship. Recent developments include a virtual platform where teams can access resources, connect with mentors and build out their ideas, as well as a series of workshops hosted by Morrisette Entrepreneurship and focused on ideation, case building and pitching.
Staff and faculty members interested in supporting the Challenge as a judge, speaker or mentor are invited to contact the World’s Challenge Challenge organizing team to learn more about opportunities to get involved.
Mitacs expands eligibility, increases funding for collaborative research and innovation
Mitacs has announced it is expanding eligibility and increased funding for collaborative innovation projects, including:
- Work with an SME: increased funding for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and not-for-profits. Qualifying partners pay only 25% of the cost of an innovation project done in collaboration with a Canadian post-secondary institution
- Start an Innovation Project: additional funding for professors, students and postdoctoral fellows involved in collaborative research and innovation projects that advance policy and innovation in Canada
- Jumpstart your project: increased funding for researchers working with an industry or not-for-profit partner who don’t have an intern committed to the project to assist them in attracting current students and recent graduates
To learn more about Mitacs programs, contact Wilson Luo, Western’s Mitacs representative, at wluo@mitacs.ca.
Call for applications for CBIE's SEED
The Canadian Bureau for International Education has announced the call for applications for the Scholarships for Educational Exchanges and Development 2022-23 (SEED).
Western International will submit applications to Global Affairs Canada on behalf of students from ASEAN-member states interested in conducting short-term teaching and/or research activities at Western University with support from a Western faculty member.
If you or your faculty is interested in hosting a visiting research student from an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-member state through this program in 2022-23, please email goabroad@uwo.ca for the internal application form and for further details about this program. Application deadline is February 15, 2022.
Support and resources available for students travelling to Canada
Western International continues to welcome and support students coming to Canada from abroad. Information, updates and recommendations for travelling are available on the International Arrival website.
Students with questions are encouraged to contact our International Student Advisors for support and/or to register to attend one of our weekly Immigration FAQ Friday sessions.
Did you know?
Western International offers new international students the opportunity to be matched with an upper-year Western student (undergraduate and graduate) called an International Peer Guide. Peer Guides are mentors who connect new students to the Western community, answer questions, and provide support by:
- Helping and supporting the transition to Western, London and Canada
- Connecting them to Western and London activities, services and resources
- Organizing one-on-one meetings and small group events to help them build a community
If you know an international student in their first year at Western (or in their first year in Canada) who could benefit from this support, please encourage them to apply for a Peer Guide.
If you have ideas, suggestions or opportunities with an international focus to share, please let us know at wicomms@uwo.ca.
