Monday, November 14, 2016

President's Town Hall Meeting on November 22

The President's Town Hall Meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 22 at 10:30 a.m. at Federation Hall.

At the meeting, entitled “Beyond Innovation,” President Feridun Hamdullahpur will reflect on the University’s accomplishments this past year and will talk about the year ahead.

The centrepiece of the event is the question and answer period with the President.

Members of the University community can share their thoughts and ideas about where Waterloo is heading in a number of ways:

• Questions can be sent in via e-mail to townhall@uwaterloo.ca;
• Questions can be submitted via a question submission form on the President’s Town Hall website; 
• Questions can be sent in via Twitter both before and during the President's Town Hall Meeting by tweeting to @UWaterlooLIVE or by using the hashtag #uwth; and
• Members of the audience can ask questions from the floor during the Town Hall.

The event will conclude with a complimentary light lunch, served in Fed Hall's Columbia Rooms, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Please register to save your seat at the town hall and luncheon. You can also sign up to view the livestream of the event.

How to survive an exchange – and the cold – 8,000 km from home

Today is the first day of International Education Week 2016. International education is highly valued at the University of Waterloo, and Global Prominence and Internationalization has been identified as a goal within the Strategic Plan. Over the coming years, Waterloo will increase the opportunities for international exchanges, international co-op employment and other international learning opportunities, with an overall goal of becoming one of the most internationalized universities in Canada. Waterloo is celebrating International Education Week with a variety of on-campus activities, as well as a series of stories showcasing some of the international experiences of our students, faculty, and staff.

by Michelle Pressé

When Gabriel Bhering was in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, he could often be found studying, practicing English, or polishing his application to go on a Canadian exchange.

He had his eye on one of the top schools for computer science – Waterloo.

“It was easy to figure out where I should go,” says Gabriel. “All I had to do was type ‘Canada’s best universities for computer science’ into Google.”

After spending months pouring over his application, his hard work paid off – Gabriel was accepted.

The third-year computer science student made sure to take advantage of his time abroad by travelling across Ontario and Quebec. He returns to Brazil this December when his co-op term is finished.

“I’m definitely sad to be leaving,” says Gabriel. “At home, you don’t find deer in your backyard.”

The only thing he won’t miss is the cold, which he prepared for before leaving his native Brazil.

“Before I came to Canada, people told me that you can die from the cold here,” says Gabriel. “I know this is true, but last year we didn’t even get a white Christmas.”

While exchange students from other countries bring their own unique ideas and experiences to the Waterloo community, the benefits go far beyond campus.

“When we host international exchange students, we are enriching our own classrooms by learning, first-hand, about the experiences of others,” says Ian Rowlands, Interim Associate Vice-President, International. “We’re also contributing to a global dialogue by equipping these students with new ideas to use when they return home.”

One of the things Gabriel says he will miss the most is how hospitable Canadians are. He says Canadians are quick to invite friends into their homes, but may not always appreciate the same physical displays of affection, which was a little confusing at first.

But that wasn’t his only surprise in coming to Canada.

He wasn’t prepared for how stressful final exams could be, or that Waterloo is home to so many international students.

“When you’re in a class before the professor comes, all you have to do is listen to the people around you,” says Gabriel. “I can’t understand most of the languages being spoken, which was difficult at first, but you eventually make friends.”

Gabriel says the best way to make friends as an exchange student is to simply talk to the people around you. Whether it’s at a sporting event, in class or even just in line for lunch, sparking up a conversation with someone can make being in a foreign country feel more like home.

“It’s important to be immersed in other cultures and the world around you,” says Gabriel. “Your views aren’t the only ones, or even the best ones. We have a lot to learn.”

Take the environmental sustainability survey

The President’s Advisory Committee on Environmental Sustainability invites all members of the campus community to help shape Waterloo’s directions for environmental sustainability on campus by completing a brief online survey. The survey will take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete.

"As Waterloo develops its first Environmental Sustainability Strategy, input from students, faculty and staff is critical," says a memo circulated by the advisory committee last week. "The Strategy will establish goals and objectives for the University to pursue that help integrate sustainability into all areas of the campus. This includes embedding sustainability into curriculum and research, ensuring the University is itself operated sustainably, and engaging employees, students, and the community in sustainability."

"Your input will strengthen Waterloo’s approach by ensuring it aligns with the interests and needs of the University community," the memo continues. "Please complete the survey by Thursday, November 24^th."

In addition, the Sustainability Office will be organizing several opportunities for in-person feedback that all members of the University committee are encouraged to attend:

• Open house: Tuesday, November 15, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., DC Fishbowl (1301)
• Open house: Wednesday, November 16, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., SLC Multipurpose Room
• Focus groups: Monday, November 21, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., DC Fishbowl (1301)

For more information about the survey, the above input sessions, and the development of the strategy, please visit the sustainability website.