News

The University of Waterloo’s Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) is, with a number of its international partners, leading action on ways in which nanotechnology expertise in higher education can advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). These actions have been primarily identified as the development of talent, the advancement of research for global impact, and the promotion of sustainable and diverse communities.

The University of Waterloo is thrilled to announce that it is joining the Academics Without Borders (AWB) Network of Canadian universities and colleges as of 2022. This exciting membership will provide Waterloo with the opportunity to be engaged in advancing the capacity and quality of higher education globally.

On 26 January 2022, Prof. Ian Rowlands – associate vice-president, international – participated in the Government of Indonesia’s Kick-off Meeting of IISMA Partnership Week. Invited as one of four presenters from amongst the Government of Indonesia’s approximately 75 global partners, Prof. Rowlands shared Waterloo’s experience in hosting 30 IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards) students during the Fall 2021 term. More than 200 individuals – from across Indonesia and around the world – attended the two-hour virtual meeting.

The University of Waterloo was represented at the Conference of the Americas on International Education (CAEI) by Waterloo International’s Dr Ian Rowlands and Economics and Water Institute’s Dr Roy Brouwer.

The University of Waterloo’s innovative projects in international education were featured during a presentation facilitated by the High Commission of Canada in Australia to The Australian National University. Waterloo was represented by Waterloo International’s Dr Ishari Waduwara-Jayabahu and the Student Success Office’s Dr Sacha Geer who led a lively and informative discussion with representatives of The Australian National University’s Learning Abroad Community of Practice. In addition to some programming in development, Dr.

Waterloo International was delighted to host Prof. Carsten Maple, Prof. Jo Angouri, and Emily Lim from the University of Warwick on December 16, 2021 for two virtual meetings after the continuing pandemic interrupted plans for their on-campus visit.

We touched on several programs and concepts that provide a great foundation for future conversations and growth, and which closely reflect the goals and vision we have for our continued and deepening relationship with Warwick.

In late October, as part of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom’s series of global webinars on climate action, Waterloo’s Associate Vice-President, International – Prof. Ian Rowlands – led a session entitled, ‘International, inter-university collaboration on global climate change’. 

Waterloo International is excited to be participating in the 2021 Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) virtual conference which will be running from today until Friday, November 19^th. CBIE will be facilitating a dialogue among participants to reimagine community on a global scale and encouraging a consideration of how international education leaders and practitioners will navigate the complexities of a sustainable and inclusive future of education.

The Climate Change Summit (COP26) is now underway in Glasgow, UK, and Waterloo is maintaining its (virtual) engagement in the summit in various ways.

With the University of Waterloo being a member of the University Global Coalition (UGC), the Sustainability Office and Waterloo International collaborated to secure a spot on the UGC’s Annual Gathering this past September.  Joined by international partners the University at Buffalo and Universidad Carlos III Madrid, the half-hour session investigating international climate change networks served as the closing panel of the Annual Gathering.  A story about it appeared in the Daily Bulletin (