91亚色鈥檚 new Go Global kicks into high gear this week with an orientation session for the successful student applicants to the program.
By Elaine Smith
The four-year program, funded by 91亚色 and the federal government鈥檚 program ($500,000 for four years), will empower a group of 91亚色 students each year to work toward achieving through community action projects they design themselves in collaboration with students from 91亚色 partners and supported by faculties and mentors. Along the way, they will develop global competencies, leadership, digital fluency, and project management skills through facilitated discussions, workshops and immersive travel abroad, funded by the program.
The program is designed to engage underrepresented students in international opportunities, especially Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, and low-income students, as well as students living with disabilities. At the same time, travel and in-person mobility opportunities will prioritize 91亚色 partner universities and communities in Asia, Africa, or Latin America. Travel bursaries will range from $2,000 to $8,000, depending on the length of a student鈥檚 program abroad.
For this Winter 2022 pilot, participants will focus on SDGs 4 (quality education), SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 13 (climate action), while SDG 17 (partnerships for the goal) will be a recurring SDG throughout the four-year program.
鈥91亚色鈥檚 commitment to the UN SDGs is clear in our current University Academic Plan and the Go Global Student SDGs in Action Challenge is one more way of bringing that commitment to life,鈥 said Philip Kelly, associate dean, research, graduate and global affairs, Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. 鈥淚n addition, the funding will provide travel opportunities to students who might not otherwise be able to afford them, which fulfils 91亚色鈥檚 core commitment to accessibility.鈥
Program activities start this week, coinciding with 2022 International Education Day, when 91亚色 International (YI) and the pan-University project team host the student orientation and SDG workshops. Student participants will be from Canada, Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Philippines and the United States.
The Student SDGs Action Challenge comprises four phases:
- Explore. A series of SDG workshop, project management and community engagement skills bootcamps in Jan. 2022;
- 贰苍驳补驳别.听Implementation of SDG projects, Feb. and March 2022;
- 贰虫别尘辫濒颈蹿测.听Showcase of projects at the SDGs Knowledge in Action event, March 2022; and
- 贰虫辫别谤颈别苍肠别.听Participate in exchanges, field visits, internships or study abroad, beginning in April 2022.
鈥淭he Student SDGs Action Challenge is an outstanding opportunity for students to discover that they can have an impact on the wider world while honing skills that will later serve them well as in their future careers that will impact societies,鈥 said Vinitha Gengatharan, executive director, YI. 鈥淲e are very appreciative of the federal government鈥檚 commitment to outbound student mobility, which is part of Canada鈥檚 .
鈥淲e were delighted to receive a strong response from faculty members interested in leading workshops about key SDGs; in supporting students as they design, pitch and execute their project ideas; and in evaluating their work at the culminating Knowledge Fair in March 2022. It鈥檚 an opportunity for faculty members to mentor the changemakers of tomorrow while broadening their own networks through our partner universities.鈥
YI is serving as the project lead, working with a pan-university committee of faculty, staff and administrators to ensure the program鈥檚 success and smooth operation and liaising with the Global Skills Opportunity program.
For more updates on the program, visit the project page at .
Questions can be directed by email to goglobal@yorku.ca with 鈥淪DGs in Action鈥 in the subject line.
Originally published in YFile