Mary Kane
Offering students a global perspective is increasingly important for Canadian universities, according to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s 2006 internationalization survey. It comes as no surprise then that the University of Ottawa has been examining its own student mobility.
In partnership with various faculties, the International Office is embarking on a new approach: the University of Ottawa’s Marco Polo Student Mobility Initiative. Approved by the Senate in April, the initiative aspires to provide a more solid academic integration between a student’s program of study at the University and that of a host international institution.
In traditional institution-wide exchanges, often students choose first the country in which they would like to study and then find courses to match their program. The Marco Polo Initiative aims to ensure an even greater synergy between the academic experience and student mobility.
“We will be relying on faculty members to identify the international partners with whom we should be working and the courses that best complement their programs,” says Gilles Breton, Associate Vice-President, Academic (International). “This approach means students will know what courses are approved and what credit they will receive at the very start of the student mobility process.”
The initiative includes two components. The first, program-to-program exchanges, will comprise of one or two semesters of international study with courses and credits approved in advance. The second component involves international internships and will include fully credited internships, integrated with the program of study. Internships will take place primarily in developing countries or economies in transition. Students will have the option of completing both an exchange and an international internship.
The International Office is in discussion with the various faculties to explore the most effective linkages. “We need the engagement of professors. The International Office is the administrative support to the initiative; faculty interest and commitment will make it a success,” says Mr. Breton.
The Marco Polo Initiative, an enhancement to the ongoing National and International Student Exchange Program, is expected to be launched for the 2009-2010 academic year.
In keeping with the goals of Vision 2010, the initiative is an opportunity to move the University even more firmly onto the international stage by building on the international networks that faculty members have established.
For more information, contact Gilles Breton (gbreton@uOttawa.ca).
