May 17, 2021
Waterloo’s global community of innovators
Waterloo built a vast global network of research, industry and alumni partners under President Hamdullahpur’s decade of leadership
As the University of Waterloo embraces a future of rapid change, it will be supported by global connections made during President Feridun Hamdullahpur’s decade of leadership.
> Joanne Shoveller
> Vice-president, Advancement
“President Hamdullahpur has advocated for Waterloo worldwide, building relationships with alumni, governments, industry leaders and many other allies,” says Joanne Shoveller, vice-president, Advancement. “His vision to build an international community of innovators has inspired a vast network of Waterloo champions, which includes alumni and donors in more than 150 countries across the globe.”
With its reputation for research and teaching excellence, Waterloo has always attracted ambitious students, faculty and staff from around the world. Internationalization brings diverse talent from around the world to campus, while giving students and researchers more opportunities to build relationships globally.
Global connections encompass academic, research, industry partnerships as well as international learning opportunities such as work placements, exchanges, field programs and co-operative education. Waterloo researchers, who secured $21 million in international research awards in 2019-20, engage with scholars around the world.
“President Hamdullahpur has been a tireless champion of building Waterloo’s global connections,” says Ian Rowlands, associate vice-president, International. “He engages so effectively with colleagues from around the world. He enthusiastically describes the breadth and depth of the University’s activities, learns about partners’ priorities and finds linkages for impact.”
> Ian Rowlands
> Associate Vice-president, International
The number of co-op work terms that happen outside of Canada increased 70 per cent between 2013 and 2019. One company in Japan, Curvegrid Inc., was founded by University of Waterloo alumni who now hire Waterloo co-op students to help them develop blockchain technology in their Tokyo-based company. Curvegrid Inc., won the Impact in International Excellence award in 2020 as part of Waterloo’s Co-operative and Experiential Education Employer Impact Awards.
> Norah McRae
> Associate Provost, Co-operative and Experiential Education
“We are thankful for President Hamdullahpur’s longstanding commitment to champion co-operative education on a global scale,” says Norah McRae, associate provost, Co-operative and Experiential Education. “It enables the University of Waterloo to clearly establish ourselves as thought leaders in this field and ensures our students have quality work-integrated learning experiences that prepare them for their futures.”
Alumni like Curvegrid’s co-founder Jeff Wentworth (BASc ’06), are part of a global alumni network that has grown under President Hamdullahpur's decade of leadership. In the past ten years, the University has launched seven alumni chapters outside of Canada in places like New York City, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Another alumnus Calvin Choi (BA '01), CEO of AMTD Group, created a multi-million dollar fund to support future global leaders. Through the Hong Kong-based AMTD Foundation, Choi partnered with Waterloo to develop talented professionals who are poised to make an economic and social impact on the world.
“As we rebuild our lives and communities in the wake of the pandemic, we will have the support of international partners who know the value that Waterloo brings to the world,” Shoveller says. “These relationships are thanks to President Hamdullahpur’s efforts, for which we are all deeply grateful.”
