New Global Skills Opportunity initiative to help Nipissing University students gain career-boosting international experience

North Bay, ON— Nipissing University students will have the opportunity to gain life-changing global skills and experiences through a new initiative funded by the Government of Canada’s Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) program.

Nipissing University has received $483,000 through the GSO program for its Transcultural Interdisciplinary Learning Experiences (TILE) initiative which will provide financial support for Nipissing students to participate in valuable international learning experiences.

“This funding will help make international experiences more accessible to all of our students so they can enrich their studies with diverse perspectives and gain intercultural competencies that are so vital for success in today’s global environment,” said Pat Maher, Dean of Teaching at Nipissing University.

Funding for the TILE initiative, which runs through 2025, will initially be used to connect students virtually with peers and faculty abroad at five partner institutions through a series of webinars. This summer, TILE will expand to include field courses, offering students and faculty the opportunity to take part in short, 10-14 day study abroad experiences. Beginning this fall, semester and year-long exchange opportunities will also be supported through the initiative.

Nipissing’s partner institutions include the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, (Norway), Karelia University of Applied Sciences, (Finland), Tecnológico de Costa Rica (Costa Rica), University of South-Eastern Norway (Norway) and Ateneo de Davao University (Philippines).

Global Skills Opportunity is a national outbound student mobility program that is expected to enable more than 16,000 Canadian college and undergraduate-level university students from across the country to acquire the global skills employers want and the Canadian economy needs. A key component of the Government of Canada’s International Education Strategy, Global Skills Opportunity is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and is administered jointly by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada.

While open to all students, the program targets groups for whom international experiences have traditionally been less accessible — specifically Indigenous students, students from low-income backgrounds and those with disabilities. It also aims to diversify destination countries where Canadian students pursue international learning.

Compared to similar countries, fewer Canadian students – only about 11% of university undergraduates and 3% of college students – participate in work or study abroad experiences during their studies. The new program stands to change that. By empowering post-secondary institutions to implement innovative solutions to barriers to participation, Global Skills Opportunity will expand the horizons of Canadian students from coast to coast and improve Canada’s competitiveness on the world stage.

“Global Skills Opportunity is breaking down financial, social and logistical barriers that have prevented too many underrepresented students from participating in global study and work opportunities,” said Paul Davidson, president, Universities Canada. “Through this ambitious and ground-breaking program, thousands of young Canadians will have transformational experience abroad. Their newfound global perspective and skills will inform the way they live and work for decades to come.”

Students interested in participating in Nipissing’s TILE initiative should contact francinet@nipissingu.ca.

For more information, visit: www.GlobalSkillsOpportunity.ca
#GlobalSkillsCA

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Contact:

Meghan Venasse
Manager, Communications
Nipissing University
705-474-3450 ext. 4615
meghanv@nipissingu.ca