Shaping our global future

Dean Alexie Tcheuyap often says "Arts is everywhere", and he's not wrong. It isn't just a reflection of the breadth of our disciplines, it's the impacts Arts researchers have on global challenges. Here are three examples from Waterloo's 2025 Global Futures update.

Waterloo’s international students gain earnings advantage over their Canadian-born peers, according to research

Dr. Mikal Skuterud became interested in labour markets in high school while working in a large warehouse alongside many recent migrants to Canada. During his undergraduate degree in labour studies, Skuterud took several economic theory courses, which confirmed he was on the right career path.

For more than two decades, Skuterud’s research has focused on the economics of Canadian immigration. Today, he is considered one of the country’s leading subject matter experts.

In a recent study tracing the economic impact of University of Waterloo students across two decades, Skuterud and his collaborators found that contrary to unsubstantiated theory, international students who study in Canada don’t see their skills underutilized once they join the Canadian labour market.

“This is a sign that signals the potential of the country’s International Student Strategy to help boost economic growth,” Skuterud says.