WIL Authorship Collaborative — Call for proposals

Faculty with student

Shape the future of work – apply to be a member of the WIL Authorship Collaborative

Faculty members are invited to submit proposals to co-develop online, interdisciplinary learning materials that explore the intersection of the current thematic focus—Global Futures—and the future of work. Selected contributors will join a cross-campus authorship group to collaboratively create modular content for use in the Centre for Work-Integrated Learning’s courses and programming.

The work-integrated learning (WIL) curriculum strategy is an innovative approach designed to prepare students for future-facing challenges across disciplines and industries. This strategy is rooted in Waterloo’s commitment to Co-operative and Experiential Education’s (CEE) Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF) and incorporates thematic areas such as the current Global Futures focus. Together, these frameworks guide the development of digital learning assets that help students build critical workplace competencies while exploring key themes at the intersection of work and global challenges. These assets will be used by the Centre for WIL to create new professional development (PD) courses, graduate WIL courses and other Co-operative and Experiential Education programming.

What is WIL Authorship Collaborative?

The Authorship Collaborative is a cross-disciplinary group of faculty and graduate students who partner with the Centre for WIL curriculum team to co-design digital learning assets. Graduate students may participate only if their faculty supervisor is advising on the project. This collaboration allows faculty to shape the Centre for WIL’s future-focused curriculum while sharing their expertise with a wider audience.

The objectives of the Authorship Collaborative are to:

  • Integrate faculty expertise to create student-facing content aligned with thematic priorities, with the current focus on the University’s Global Futures.
  • Enhance students' skills and competencies as defined by the University of Waterloo’s Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF).
  • Equip students with real-world perspectives and experiences to address humanity's most pressing challenges and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

By joining, faculty will engage in a cross-disciplinary community where shared research interests and diverse perspectives may also spark future opportunities for collaboration. See WIL global futures curriculum development for more benefits to participating.

Students and Faculty working together at a table

Become an Authorship Collaborative member

A call for proposals tied to a specific Global Futures theme will be issued 1-2 times per year, inviting new members of the campus community to contribute their expertise to the co-creation of interdisciplinary, future-focused learning materials.

Who should apply
  • Current Waterloo faculty (tenure stream, teaching stream or lecturers) interested in leading a proposal.
  • Faculty members from any discipline whose research or teaching intersects with the selected Global Futures theme and the evolving world of work.
  • Faculty members leading projects that may involve graduate students or postdoctoral fellows in co-creation and instructional innovation.
  • Those looking to expand their instructional portfolio through interdisciplinary, future-focused teaching.

Time commitment and participation expectations

The co-development process runs for 4–6 consecutive months after the announcement of selected proposals. During this time, Authorship Collaborative members will work closely with the Centre for WIL curriculum team to contribute disciplinary expertise and co-develop content.

  • Time commitment: Participants should expect to dedicate approximately 3–5 hours per month for meetings, content curation, review and feedback.
  • Meeting format: All meetings will be held virtually, with hybrid options available when applicable to support flexible participation.
  • Flexibility: While the schedule will be structured, we aim to accommodate varying teaching schedules and workloads. Key milestones and check-in points will be shared in advance.

Participants will be expected to:

  • Attend and engage in collaborative planning and co-design meetings
  • Share relevant materials and research that can inform curriculum development
  • Provide feedback on draft content
  • Complete a final review and approval process

The curriculum team at the Centre for WIL plays a knowledge mobilization role by working alongside the Authorship Collaborative members to translate their expert insights and materials into student-facing content.

Members will be acknowledged as co-creators of the content, with the produced digital learning assets featured in several Centre for WIL courses and/or programs. The Centre for WIL will have exclusive and unrestricted right to use and modify the digital learning assets developed as necessary to meet the needs of the Centre for WIL courses and/or programs that integrate the developed assets. As per policy 73, authorship members will retain the copyright for the intellectual property contributed.  

Submission process

How to submit a proposal

To apply, submit a brief written proposal (600 words or less) using our WIL Authorship proposal template. Your proposal should outline your topic, its relevance to the current Global Futures theme and its alignment with workplace competencies. When complete, submit the proposal using our online form. 

Proposals should seek to address:

  1. Applicant qualification: A brief description of your background and expertise related to the chosen Global Futures theme. If graduate or post-doctoral student(s) participate, please outline their backgrounds and areas of research as well.
  2. Global Future overview: An outline of your proposed Global Futures topic with emphasis on elements that make it relevant in an interdisciplinary context. Why is this an important topic for a broad audience? Why is this an important topic for our students to learn about, given current realities?
  3. Alignment with workplace competencies: An outline of how your proposed topic aligns with one or more of the Future-Ready Talent Framework (FRTF) workplace-relevant competencies and is aligned with the chosen Global Futures theme for the current call for proposal.
  4. Future of work perspectives: An explanation of how the proposed topic(s)/areas of expertise or research align with the future of work. How will learning about this topic prepare our students to be leaders in their fields?

Formatting Guidelines:

  • Submit your proposal as a Word or PDF file
  • Use plain language
  • Keep total length to 600 words or less (excluding applicant information, section headings and references)
  • Use 11 pt font with standard 1-inch margins

Not sure where to start?

If you’d like support or have questions before submitting, we’re happy to help. Book a short consultation or Q&A session with our team by emailing centreforwil@uwaterloo.ca.

Evaluation criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance: The proposal’s alignment with the Global Futures theme and demonstration of meaningful connections to workplace preparedness.
  • Impact and innovation: The ability for the proposed content to bring a future-focused lens and cutting-edge research to the collaborative.
  • Interdisciplinary reach: The proposed topic is applicable across a broad student audience, diverse disciplines and workplace contexts.

Fall 2025 call for proposals (CFP)

Theme: Health futures and the world of work

Health and well-being—including mental health, burnout and workforce dynamics—are now central considerations in how we design, manage and experience work environments, both physical and digital. This theme explores how health-related research can inform new ways of thinking about workplace culture, design, and support systems.

Proposals might examine how organizations foster belonging and community, address health inequities, or adapt to the needs of an aging and diverse workforce, especially in contexts shaped by digital transformation and emerging technologies. Proposals that offer alignment to workplace-relevant competencies will be prioritized. For example, this could include proposals seeking to address:

  • Critical thinking: applying evidence-based reasoning to assess workplace health challenges and make thoughtful, context-aware decisions in evolving organizational environments.
  • Collaboration: fostering the ability to work effectively with others across roles, disciplines, geographies, and perspectives to support healthier, more inclusive workplace cultures.
  • Innovation mindset: encouraging students to question assumptions and explore creative, equity-oriented solutions to organizational health and wellness challenges.
  • Intercultural effectiveness: building the capacity to navigate diverse social and cultural contexts with empathy and awareness, especially as they relate to health disparities, accessibility, and community well-being in the workplace.

Key dates 

  • CFP release date: September 15, 2025
  • Submission due date: October 20, 2025
  • Evaluation period: November 1 to 15, 2025
  • Announcement of selected proposals: November 17 to 21, 2025
  • Orientation and planning meeting: Between November 24 to December 12, 2025
  • Co-development process begins: January 2026

Submit your proposal

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One file only.
100 MB limit.
Allowed types: pdf, doc, docx.
Submit your proposal by downloading and completing the proposal template.