The Jamaica Diaspora Taskforce Action Network (JDTAN) presents The 11th Annual Advancement in Education Summit 鈥� A 4-day professional development conference for Jamaican & Caribbean teachers.

2026 Summit Theme:
Resilience:The Imperative

In an era characterized by rapid technological shifts, socio-economic challenges, and the lasting impacts of global disruptions, the mandate for educational systems has evolved. True pedagogical excellence now requires more than academic rigor; it demands structural and individual resilience.

This year's theme asserts that resilience is no longer optional鈥攊t is an聽imperative. The 2026 Summit will equip educators with robust strategies to cultivate adaptability in their students, maintain institutional integrity in under-resourced environments, and pioneer sustainable solutions for the future of Caribbean education.

Event co-sponsored by The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora at 91亚色

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Shaping the Future of Education

Advancing equity, innovation, and global impact through teaching, research, and community partnerships

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Faculty of Education ranks in the top 250 globally for the Times Higher Education World University Ranking for the Education Studies Subject, 2026

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Faculty of Education ranks in the top 200 globally of the 2025 QS World University Ranking for the Education and Training Subject

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The Faculty of Education ranks among the top 15聽schools in Canada for the Times Higher Education World University Ranking by Subject, 2026

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Research Funding
$16 million

Dean's Message

Leaders supporting future leaders in education

At 91亚色's Faculty of Education, we are committed to shaping the future of education through excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement. Guided by our shared values of social justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization, we continue to create meaningful opportunities for learning, collaboration, and positive change.

This Impact Report highlights the collective achievements of our students, alumni, faculty, staff, and partners. Together, we are advancing knowledge, preparing future educators and leaders, strengthening communities, and contributing to educational innovation locally and globally.

As we reflect on our progress, we remain focused on building a more equitable and sustainable future through education. Thank you to everyone who contributes to our shared vision and helps extend the impact of our work.

Robert Savage
Dean, Faculty of Education

Key Highlights

Celebrating achievements that drive our mission forward

• Strategic Plan 2023-2027
• 91亚色 Education Alumni Network (YUEAN) named 2025 Network of the Year
• Investment in Education Pays Off at 91亚色
• New Look at Learning
• Leaders Supporting Future Leaders in Education Video Series

Our Impact

Discover how we鈥檙e driving meaningful impact across education, research and communities鈥搇ocally and globally

Advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization 鈥� Driving systemic change in schools and communities

• 91亚色 U celebrates Canadian changemaker Jean Augustine, full funding of endowed Chair in her name

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• Waaban program continues to turn Indigenous knowledges into teaching credentials

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• From crisis to prevention: 91亚色 U leads shift in approach to homelessness

Preparing Future Educators 鈥� Empowering the next generation of teachers, leaders and changemakers

• Faculty of Education responding to need for careers in skilled trades

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• Empowering FSL Educators Through Collaboration with Camerise: The OER Creation Workshop at Glendon Campus

Research that Matters 鈥� Generating knowledge that informs, practice, policy and real-world transformation in education

• Study led by 91亚色 U tracks decade-long rise in high school absenteeism

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• 91亚色 research challenges how healthy aging is defined

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• 91亚色 research results in guide to support children鈥檚 museum educators

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• 91亚色 U scholar supports national study advancing Black health

Teaching and Learning 鈥� Transforming learning through innovative teaching, research informed practice, and student-centred education

• Brampton couple takes community work to next level through 91亚色 U鈥檚 BEd in Technological Education program

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• PhD student brings Indigenous food to Ontario hospital menus

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• NEW Custom Certificate Program for Educators Outside of Ontario

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• 91亚色鈥檚 Y2 Innovators program builds confidence, community for Black students

Alumni Impact 鈥� Celebrating graduates who are shaping education and communities locally and around the world

• Fighting food insecurity from afar

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• Education Alumni Recognized in 91亚色鈥檚 2026 Top 30 Under 30

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• Revitalized alumni network leads to new mentorship program

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Global Impact 鈥� Driving positive change worldwide

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• Faculty of Education bringing leadership, consulting to the world

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Second-year Bachelor of Education student, Natasha Reodica talks about her experience this past summer in Freiburg, Germany.

This past summer, 8 Bachelor of Education students took their learning beyond the classroom through 91亚色鈥檚 Summer Exchange to Freiburg, Germany. For four months, they studied at the University of Education (PH Freiburg) alongside students from across Europe, Africa, and Asia, gaining fresh perspectives on teaching and learning.

Living in the heart of the Black Forest, our students immersed themselves in German culture, picked up new languages, and traveled to eight countries during their exchange.

The Summer Exchange to Freiburg is open to 91亚色 BEd students, typically in their first year of the program, and offers university credit courses in English, German, or French. The program blends academic study with cultural immersion, helping teacher candidates build independence, cultural awareness, and global networks. All skills that enhance their future classrooms.

To learn more about eligibility, courses, and application details, visit the Summer Exchange to Freiburg program page.

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91亚色 has stepped up to address the growing demand for qualified technological education teachers, an urgent need identified by the Ontario government.

Since 2017, the university鈥檚 faculty of education has offered the bachelor of education (B.Ed.) in technological education (tech ed) program in 10 broad-based areas, helping to fill the critical shortage that is expected to worsen if left unaddressed.

Passion meets purpose

The B.Ed technological education program equips graduates with the skills and knowledge to teach in high schools across the province. It鈥檚 also designed to encourage trade professionals to combine their passion for their sector with their desire to teach.

This approach is exactly what attracted Camille and Chadwin Bartley to the program. The couple, who have been partners in life and business for nearly two decades, started their post-secondary education for the first time in fall 2024.

鈥淢y decision to become an educator stems from a desire to nurture and encourage young minds to pursue their passions fearlessly. I believe teachers play a pivotal role in shaping the future, and I am eager to take on this responsibility,鈥� said Camille, who has been a hairstylist from the age of 16. She was also instrumental in inspiring Chadwin to pick up the clippers and learn the craft 15 years ago.

A key admission requirement, whether applying for the concurrent or consecutive program, the candidate must have work experience 鈥� along with industry licensing where applicable 鈥� in one of these areas: communication technology, computer technology, construction technology, green industries, hairstyling and aesthetics, health care, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing technology, technological design or transportation technology.

While the concurrent B.Ed. is offered to 91亚色 students in a related degree program, the consecutive B.Ed. is open to those like Camille and Chadwin, who meet one of four eligibility criteria in a technology field aligned with the program.

Learning for impactful teaching

Having had the opportunity to work with local high schools and connect with school administrators who encouraged them to pursue teaching, the couple took the leap and joined 91亚色.

鈥淥ur teacher education will be impactful for students, and it鈥檒l be beneficial for our lives as well,鈥� said Chadwin.

He and Camille are already well-established in the industry, with a clientele that includes celebrities like Toronto Raptors player RJ Barrett. However, their passion is to promote barbering and hairstyling to youth as a skilled trade and a pathway to successful careers.

鈥淚 was in the music industry, managing artists, and I thought I could become Camille鈥檚 business manager. But it wasn鈥檛 practical, since she ended up working more than I did,鈥� recalled Chadwin. Wanting to be an equal partner in every sense, he decided to become a hairstylist, gaining hands-on experience in the beauty industry.

Chadwin became an apprentice with Camille鈥檚 employer and eventually became a licensed hairstylist and barber.

鈥淭he rest is history. I bought my first clippers for about $300 鈥� eleven months later, we opened up our first salon in downtown Brampton and we鈥檝e been working together ever since.鈥�

In 2018, the couple launched a charitable organization called the Bartley Skills Development Program. Through the charity, they have taught youth across the Greater Toronto Area barbering and hairstyling.

鈥淲e started noticing that a lot of students are coming wanting to learn how to do hairdressing and barbering, but it wasn鈥檛 provided in their local high schools,鈥� noted Chadwin. 鈥淏ecause I became successful through the skilled trade, I鈥檓 now able to impart those skills to those who are interested in learning.鈥�

Confidence in classroom teaching

Camille has a similar view.

鈥淲hen I鈥檓 speaking to students and I see a young person driven towards the beauty industry, it really excites me to pass on the knowledge that I have,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause I know how impactful it鈥檚 been in my life, and I know what it can do for someone that takes it seriously.鈥�

For Camille and Chadwin, enrolling in the B.Ed technological education program is taking their community work to the next level, as formal teacher education will help them teach larger groups of students in a classroom setting with confidence.

鈥淭hough I know hairdressing 鈥� and I know it well 鈥� I need to learn the aspects of learning how to teach; that is, getting down to the level of a high school student and meeting them where they鈥檙e at. We needed this formal training to take the skills that we already have to the next level.鈥�

They are excited about graduating next spring, crossing the convocation stage as their three young children watch their parents achieve what may be their greatest accomplishment yet.

Interested in the B.Ed technological education program?

Register for one of the following information sessions:

For more information please visit www.yorku.ca/edu/bed-tech.

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Join us at the Ontario Universities' Fair (OUF) September 27-28, 2025, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (daily) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), South Building

FREE ADMISSION

Visit to learn more

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(Published on The Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research Blog, July 8th, 2025)

Following the sixth annual Critical Perspective for Global Health Research (CPGH) workshop in April, the CPGH Steering Committee is delighted to announce that the following 91亚色 researchers have been awarded this year鈥檚 $7,000 seed grants to initiate novel and innovative ideas that take a critical social science approach to global health research:

Rachel Silver

Reconfigurations and Refusals: Forging Futures Beyond Aid in Malawi

In March 2025, President Trump shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), cutting more than $40 billions of dollars of promised funding. In Malawi, the U.S. alone contributed over 13% of the country鈥檚 overall 2024/2025 budget. While aid can meaningfully impact lives, the global aid architecture鈥攖he organizations, funding mechanisms, policies, and programs that scaffold development activities worldwide鈥攊s deeply flawed, often reproducing power hierarchies rooted in colonial histories and relationships. This pilot study conducted by a transnational research team (1) considers if and how aid cuts might catalyze decolonization of Malawi鈥檚 education and health sectors and (2) begins to reimagine possibilities for humanitarian engagement. Our project centers how local development workers theorize alternative arrangements for education within highly inequitable systems. Situated between international funders and community-based recipients, Malawian policymakers, NGO staff-members, and fieldworkers are uniquely positioned to reconceptualize aid mechanisms and forge new resourcing futures. 

Fawzia Gibson-Fall

Researching the Role of Security Actors in Global Health

This project examines the expanding role of security actors in global health at a time of intensifying global crises and shrinking aid budgets. Using qualitative methods such as interviews, archival and media analysis, the study explores the historical, everyday, and geopolitical dimensions of this engagement. It offers timely insights into the health-security nexus and informs future global health governance. The programme of work includes a field visit to Senegal and four in-person workshops: a policy workshop at the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, three research expansion meetings in Canada and the United Kingdom, linking colleagues at King鈥檚 College London and 91亚色. These activities are designed to co-develop policy tools, build networks, and advance this research agenda. Key outputs include visual material for an upcoming scholarly book, Health Warriors: The Global Politics of Military Health in Africa (Johns Hopkins University Press), peer-reviewed articles, and the development of international grant proposals.

The purpose of the CPGH Seed Grants is to support 91亚色鈥揵ased critical social science perspectives in global health research that contribute to the research themes of the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research: planetary health; global health and humanitarianism; and global health foresighting. The Seed Grants are also meant to encourage faculty to develop fuller grant proposals for Fall Tri-Council and other grant deadlines. Recipients will present the progress of their research at next year鈥檚 Critical Social Science Perspectives in Global Health Research Workshop. 

The Dahdaleh Institute and the CPGH Steering Committee would like to thank all the applicants this year and congratulate the 2025 CPGH Seed Grant recipients. 

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91亚色鈥檚 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 awards program is a prestigious annual recognition of outstanding young alumni who are making significant contributions in their fields and communities. This year, the Faculty of Education proudly highlights alumna Blessing Owusu, a three鈥憈ime 91亚色 graduate, as one of the honorees. Blessing is an educator, children鈥檚 book author, and dedicated advocate for equity and inclusivity in education.

A leader in inclusive teaching, her master鈥檚 research on Black students鈥� experiences in schools led to the creation of Abena鈥檚 Adventures: A Taste of Home, a children鈥檚 book inspired by her Ghanaian鈥慍anadian heritage that is now used in classrooms to celebrate cultural identity and belonging. She also launched Lessons With Blessing, an online platform offering resources to help educators create equitable, affirming learning environments. These innovative contributions, reflecting her commitment to 鈥渂ringing inclusivity and equity to the forefront鈥� of teaching, research and advocacy earned her a place on 91亚色鈥檚 2025 Top 30 Alumni Under 30 list.

For the complete list of recipients and their profiles, visit 91亚色鈥檚 official Top 30 Alumni Under 30 awards page.

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Article by Deirdre Kelly ()

Photography by Horst Herget

Marnie and Rena Schwartz are a force to be reckoned with. The identical twins, who both earned double degrees (BA 鈥�01, BEd 鈥�01) from 91亚色, have spent more than two decades transforming the Greater Toronto Area鈥檚 dance scene through their ViBE Dance and Fitness Studio.

Founded in 2002, ViBE is no ordinary dance school. From its inception, the Schwartz sisters envisioned a space where creativity trumped competition 鈥� a sprawling 12,000-square-foot studio in Vaughan where students of all ages could focus on self-expression rather than scorecards or trophies. 鈥淲e wanted to create a place where everyone felt welcome,鈥� says Marnie, who oversees the business side of operations. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about joy, not judgment.鈥�

That vision has resonated with thousands of students over the years. ViBE鈥檚 inclusive approach treats every dancer equally 鈥� whether they鈥檙e three years old, or an adult 鈥� and emphasizes fun over pressure. 鈥淲e believe in building confidence through movement,鈥� adds Rena, who leads the artistic side of their business.

Education has always been central to their lives. Their mother, Susan Schwartz (BA 鈥�80), is an accomplished educator and author of teaching manuals used at 91亚色 and beyond. Growing up surrounded by her passion for learning and teaching left a lasting impression on Marnie and Rena, who credit their own time at the University for shaping their approach to leadership and innovative thinking. 鈥�91亚色 taught us how to manage our time and think creatively. It really ignited our passion for lifelong learning.鈥�...

For more, check out the full article in the

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Five outstanding Canadians and members of the 91亚色 community have been appointed to the Order of Canada. The announcement was made on Dec. 18 by the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.

Recognized as one of the country鈥檚 highest honours, the Order of Canada acknowledges outstanding individuals whose contributions, achievements, and impact have brought meaningful change to communities across the country.

Officers

Sylvia Beth Bashevkin (PhD 鈥�81), alumna, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Bashevkin is a Canadian academic recognized for her research in gender and politics. As one of the first to study the obstacles faced by women, her work examines the consequences of women鈥檚 political participation. She鈥檚 also strived to increase opportunities for diverse people to engage in politics.

Members

Carol Ann Cowan-Levine (BA 鈥�67), alumna, Glendon College
Cowan-Levine is a social worker and registered psychotherapist who is recognized for her service to women and youth. Her volunteer work has shaped government, health care institutions and the non-profit sector in Ontario. She has also played a leadership role in the establishment of the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.

Donald A. Dippo, professor emeritus, Faculty of Education
Dippo is an educator, former professor in 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Education and co-founder of the Borderless Higher Education for Refugees program. As a dedicated advocate for education equity, Dippo has increased the access to education for children in Toronto, eastern Africa, and South and Central America.

Richard Rose (BFA 鈥�78), alumnus, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
Rose is an artistic director and producer recognized for his theatrical productions in Canada. His legacy has helped shaped careers, and his leadership has inspired writers and directors around the world. In 2011, he received the Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts, which recognizes the highest level of artistic excellence and distinguished career achievement by Canadian artists.

Ajay K. Virmani, former member of the Board of Governors
Virmani is an entrepreneur and the founding president and chair of Cargojet Airways. He is recognized for his transformation of Cargojet Airways into the largest and most-awarded air cargo airline. In addition to his work in the e-commerce logistics and supply chain industry, he is an advocate for health care and social justice initiatives across Canada.

For information about the Order of Canada program and to view the full list of appointments, visit .

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Join us at the Ontario Universities' Fair (OUF) October 5 - 6, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (daily) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), South Building

FREE ADMISSION

Visit to learn more

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