Waterloo is an active participant in the WACE Global Challenge, a program supporting international experiences for students, which won an award for helping to advance the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The annual PIEoneer Awards, which honour exemplary efforts in global education, named The World Association for Cooperative and Work-Integrated Learning Education (WACE)’s Global Challenge program as the recipient of the Real-Life Learning Award. The award recognizes organizations offering innovative learning programs or products that include an immersive international learning environment.

The awards, announced at a hybrid online and in-person event in London, England in September, honour innovation and achievements worldwide. The PIEoneer Awards recognize both individuals and organizations for pushing professional standards, evolving their engagement or redefining the international student experience.

The awards are presented annually by the independent media, recruitment and events company called Professionals in International Education (The PIE). The company connects a global community of professionals working in international education.

Global Challenge and Waterloo’s Co-operative and Experiential Education unit

Since 2020, the WACE Global Challenge has facilitated work placements and internships for students to work on projects linked to advancing the SDGs. The experiential learning project connects multi-disciplinary student teams from universities across the world to conduct research and provide recommendations to organizations in response to the SDG. In the process, it helps students improve their social, environmental and economic impacts through work-integrated learning.

More than 500 students from 34 universities in 42 countries have participated in the program including several students from the University of Waterloo.

We are proud to be involved in the Global Challenge. Being part of the group that facilitates this type of WIL program delivery solidifies our commitment to building awareness of the SDGs in both our students and our employers.

Shabnam Ivković, director of international strategic initiatives in Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) at Waterloo

Both Ivković and Dr. Norah McRae, associate provost of CEE and current WACE vice-chair of Strategic Operations and head of the WACE Secretariat, are active in WACE and were recognized by the organization for their involvement in the Global Challenge program.

“WACE is excited to announce that Global Challenge is the winner of the 2022 PIEoneer Real-Life Learning Award,” reads a statement on WACE’s organizational website. “The PIEoneer awards recognise innovation and achievement across the global education industry. WACE congratulates all other finalists and the winners of these prestigious awards.”

How students participate in the Global Challenge

To participate in the Global Challenge program, Waterloo students must be enrolled in the EDGE program at Waterloo. EDGE, which operates under the CEE umbrella, provides students in non-co-op programs with an opportunity to develop skills, explore career options and market themselves to employers. Students pair the Global Challenge experience with an elective PD (professional development course) and work towards a work and community experience milestone.

To earn an EDGE certificate, students need to complete six milestones. Three of those milestones are a combination of work and community experiences that students can earn through work-integrated learning courses, paid work experience (off or on-campus) and volunteer work experience (on or off-campus). Students can utilize the Global Challenge experience to achieve a community experience milestone.

By participating in the Global Challenge, students can better understand the SDGs, gain a strong global perspective, enhance their employability through industry experience and build skills in cross cultural communication.

The Global Challenge program is an example of many work-integrated learning opportunities that are central to CEE’s mission to strengthen Waterloo’s sustainable and diverse communities by equipping and empowering learners for the future of work.