Securing and advancing Waterloo’s global leadership
Addresses objectives: T3A Leverage employer, industry, government, and alumni networks T3B Recruit and retain future ready talent
With the largest co-operative education program in the world, Waterloo’s Work-Learn Institute is the only institute in the world dedicated to researching co-operative and work-integrated learning (WIL). Research supports the development of innovations like Waterloo Experience (WE) Accelerate, the EDGE program and the Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF), which in turn secures Waterloo’s global prominence in work-integrated learning and co-operative education.
The impact of this research program is evident on the world stage. In 2021-2022 three members of the Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) leadership team held key leadership roles within each of the three national and international leadership groups focused on co-operative and experiential learning: the World Association for Co-operative Education (WACE), Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL), and the Co-operative Education and Internship Association (CEIA) for North America. WACE moved its secretariat to Waterloo and is now a Canadian not-for-profit, global association with by-laws and governance structures. Waterloo’s leadership is also demonstrated through its’ international consultation work to support and inform WIL in post-secondary education institutions in the United Arab Emirates, Peru, Rwanda, and Indonesia.
Jump to: DT Goal 3 | Developing Talent Goals
Moving forward: In 2023, as Waterloo celebrates its 65th year, Waterloo will host the global WACE conference. This international conference will further showcase Waterloo’s global leadership with representatives from over 40 countries and 100 institutions invited to share learnings that advance the understanding, practice, and leadership of co-operative education and work-integrated learning world-wide.