Looking inward to propel Indigenous students forward at Saskatchewan Polytechnic – ENC

November 27, 2024

International Education Week showcases the impact that international education has in preparing students for the world and supports international engagement efforts both at home and through travel. Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Global Engagement Plan pinpoints study abroad opportunities for its students as a key objective. Travel-based study give students a wealth of opportunity beyond their curricular program learning and today’s employers are increasingly looking for graduates with global skills. Studying abroad can provide students with experience and perspective that benefit both employer and employee including intercultural communication skills, greater flexibility and increased global knowledge.

Typically, 40 to 50 Sask Polytech students experience intercultural learning through study abroad each year. Until recently, Indigenous participation lagged non-Indigenous student numbers. To determine why, Sask Polytech’s director of international partnerships and projects, Angela Wojcichowsky, conducted a research-based project with her team in 2020-21. “Our goals were to identify barriers Indigenous students encounter with study abroad opportunities,” she says, “and then develop and implement a strategy to support student mobility for this demographic.”

Read More: https://educationnewscanada.com/article/education/level/colleges/2/1113899/looking-inward-to-propel-indigenous-students-forward-at-saskatchewan-polytechnic.html