As we look ahead to the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi, the event will explore how emerging technologies, data and AI can contribute to more sustainable water management and strengthen international cooperation.

The event will feature 91亚色 researchers Satinder Kaur Brar, Sapna Sharma and Usman Khan, alongside Diana Nenz from Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment and Mark Fisher, President of the Canadian Water Agency. Expert contributions will also come from Katherine Balpataky (DataStream), Henning Oppel (Okeanos), Heather Crochetiere (Foresight Canada) and Julian Klaus (University of Bonn), bringing together perspectives from research, government, industry and civil society.

Through expert presentations, panel discussions and thematic conversations, participants will exchange ideas, share perspectives and identify opportunities for a water-secure future.

Date: October 27, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Location: Schulich School of Business, 91亚色

RSVP

For more information, please contact Ellianne Feenstra at ellianne@yorku.ca.

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Every year, 91亚色 welcomes talented undergraduate students from around the world to work alongside our faculty researchers on innovative projects across a wide range of disciplines through the .

The program offers the opportunity for top quality undergraduate researchers in partner countries to come to Canada for 12-week internships that allow them to learn from Canada's top scholars and expand their global professional ties in preparation for future careers.

This past year in 2026, 91亚色 was proud to host a record of 61 GRI students ranging from Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Jordan, Mexico, Pakistan, Taiwan, Tunisia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.聽To celebrate their accomplishments, 91亚色 International hosted the annual Mitacs GRI Research Fair, where interns showcase their research, connect with peers, faculty members, and the 91亚色 community.

This year, dozen of GRI researchers showcased their projects spanning methods to combat climate change and solve systemic health inequities. Congratulations to the 91亚色 GRI Class of 2026!

Thank you to Vice President, Research & Innovation Amir Asif, Dean of Graduate Studies Alice MacLachlan, AVP Global Douglas Proctor, and Ashley Laracy for their welcoming words as well as the 91亚色 International team for organizing this important celebration.

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91亚色 will advance its global research profile with the arrival of Germany鈥檚 Max Mehltretter, a computer scientist and recipient of a Humboldt Research Fellowship who will undertake a six-month visit under the supervision of Professor聽Jinjun Shan.

The Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship, awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, is a competitive international research program. It connects promising German scholars with established researchers abroad to pursue independent inquiries and build global profile and networks.

Mehltretter is based at Leibniz University Hannover, where he leads the Photogrammetric Computer Vision Group.  focuses on AI-driven 3D reconstruction and interpreting visual data 鈥� teaching computers how to see, understand and measure the 3D physical world using cameras and intelligent sensors.

Mehltretter will join 91亚色 on Oct. 1 to collaborate with Shan, a former Humboldt fellow and an expert in dynamics, control and navigation of autonomous systems. The research will focus on projects that combine advanced computer vision with smart sensing systems 鈥� an area of growing importance as industries adopt automation and AI tools.

鈥淒r. Mehltretter鈥檚 work explores areas that align closely with 91亚色鈥檚 strengths in space engineering and autonomous systems,鈥� says Shan, a professor at 91亚色鈥檚 .

Shan鈥檚 research centres on improving how satellites and autonomous systems move, operate and make decisions in challenging environments. He leads work that combines control theory with applications in space missions, robotics and intelligent systems, including contributions to missions such as聽.

Mehltretter also brings experience in international scientific leadership, including roles with the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and the German Society for Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation. His fellowship at 91亚色 will contribute to academic exchange, mentorship and the development of graduate students and research teams.

The visiting fellowship also reflects the University鈥檚 commitment to support international collaborations and attract globally mobile talent, with 91亚色鈥檚 Offices of the Associate Vice-President Global and Vice-President Research & Innovation providing matching funds from the Global Research Excellence Seed Fund program.

鈥淧rograms like Humboldt show how 91亚色 continues to attract top international scholars,鈥� says Shan. 鈥淏y strategically investing in global collaboration, the University is strengthening its ability to address complex challenges through innovative, interdisciplinary research.鈥�

Originally published in YFile.

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91亚色 is pleased to have hosted colleagues from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) for a week-long visit focused on advancing collaboration between our institutions.

The visit brought together faculty, students, and industry partners for:
Technical exchanges on聽Built Environment聽digital twin development聽and visual analytics with focus on construction.
Workshops to identify gaps in visualization and intelligent data analytics聽in construction.
Collaborative writing sessions toward a joint publication
Strategic discussions on future research, global learning (COIL/GNL), and partnership opportunities

A meaningful week of knowledge exchange, innovation, and growing global partnerships!

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The visit offered a valuable opportunity to introduce the delegation to 91亚色鈥檚 broad ecosystem and to highlight the university鈥檚 strengths in research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry connections. We were glad to have contributions from Amir Asif and Pina D'Agostino from 91亚色 - Research & Innovation, Nafis Ahmed from YSpace, 91亚色, Joseph Turcotte, PhD from the IP Innovation Clinic, Caitlin Mullin from Connected Minds CFREF, and Professor Jinjun Shan, who welcomed the delegation to the Autonomous Systems Lab for a closer look at 91亚色鈥檚 work in this space. We also appreciated the role of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in helping facilitate this exchange.

It was a useful first exchange to explore shared interests and potential avenues for future collaboration.

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Thank you again to Matthias Mieves as well as Deputy Consul General for Toronto Barbara de Tschaschell Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Toronto for the stimulating discussion.

Thank you to our faculty researchers Christopher Perry (Special Advisor to the Dean of Health on Strategic Research Partnerships) and colleagues Robert Allison, Lora Appel, Elham Dolatabadi, Vijay Mago, Lauren Sergio and Laurie M. Wilcox.

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Now an event on May 1, 2025 will highlight 91亚色-Germany collaboration success stories, as well as share details on how to access funding from German agencies. 91亚色 researchers and faculty are to learn more about joint collaborative opportunities from German partners and ask questions to understand if their projects may be a fit.

91亚色 has already established many strong relationships with German institutions. The recent delegation visit included several universities such as , , , , , as well as with partners in the 翱苍迟补谤颈辞/叠补诲别苍-奥眉谤迟迟别尘产别谤驳 (OBW) consortium. In 2023-24, 71 international students from Germany attended 91亚色 and 130 exchange students studied at 91亚色. Fifty-six 91亚色 students have gone to Germany on exchange from 2021 to 2024.

In their visit last year, Asif and his colleagues deepened their knowledge about a wide range of initiatives at German universities. They toured individual university facilities and also met with representatives from German research funding councils like DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and DFG (German Research Foundation), along with high-ranking officials and individual researchers. Some meetings included multiple universities, which meant that the conversations could range across institutions to discuss shared research goals more broadly.

鈥淓ach university has its own research strengths, but there鈥檚 often meaningful overlap,鈥� says Asif, explaining the benefits of this wider dialogue. 鈥淢eeting in person allows us to explore those connections in a much richer way鈥攖ouring labs, asking questions, and having informal conversations that often spark new ideas. These interactions not only deepen our academic relationships but also open doors to collaboration and funding opportunities.鈥�

In some cases, 91亚色 has already signed official Memorandums of Understanding to formalize research partnerships; for example, 91亚色鈥檚 Connected Minds research group signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Konstanz . Many other collaborations exist between individual researchers, for example, in 91亚色鈥檚 Health faculty, psychology professor Michaela Hynie works closely with Annette Korntheuer at Munich University of Applied Sciences on issues related to forced migration. Laura Sergio, 91亚色 Research Chair in Brain Health and Skilled Performance in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, is working with Dr. Marc Dalecki at DHGS German University of Health and Sports in Berlin. 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and J.W. Goethe University Frankfurt have engaged in multiple collaborations, including a graduate student exchange, and summer programs as part of the Global Suburbanisms Project.

In addition to nurturing existing partnerships, 91亚色 is always on the lookout for new areas compatible for collaboration. At Goethe University Frankfurt, for example, the team pinpointed artificial intelligence as a major area of potential collaboration, as well as feminist research, bees and ecology, and areas in the social sciences and humanities. 鈥淥ur partnerships with German universities are built on shared values of research excellence, equity, and global impact. These collaborations allow us to connect across disciplines and geographies to address complex challenges together. At 91亚色, we are committed to growing these relationships, exploring new areas of synergy, and creating opportunities for our students, faculty, and researchers to engage globally,鈥� says Vinitha Gengatharan, 91亚色鈥檚 assistant vice-president for Global Engagement and Partnerships.

Asif notes that there are many similarities as well as differences between German and Canadian universities, so in-person visits help to understand the academic landscape. Some German universities such as the Goethe Institute are very research intensive, whereas others are more general, or technically focused, for example on STEM areas. Commonalities include the fact that most European universities are publicly funded, and both countries value academic freedom.

鈥淚 think we have a common culture and connection, the same democratic norms,鈥� says Asif. 鈥淭heir aspirations align closely with ours, including research excellence, social equity, health equity, social justice, and a meaningful contribution to society.鈥� He also sees a shared commitment to multidisciplinary academic programs. 鈥淲e want to prepare graduates who are leaders in their respective fields.鈥�

Asif says he also heard in his conversations a deep respect for Canada, with German universities eager to learn from this country鈥檚 institutions as well, particularly when it comes to multiculturalism. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real admiration among our German counterparts for how Canada approaches these complex issues,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey look up to Canada, because we鈥檝e introduced immigration in a way that embraces multiculturalism, and that model is deeply relevant to broader societal discussions鈥攈ow diverse communities can coexist, how public policy can be inclusive, and how social systems can be shaped to reduce inequities.鈥�

That admiration has meant that German institutions are eager to connect with Canada. German universities want to partner with us through faculty exchanges, student exchanges, and joint research,鈥� Asif explains. 鈥淲e all face global challenges that touch on multiple disciplines including climate change, migration, health systems, democratic governance and no single institution or country can solve them alone. That鈥檚 why collaboration is essential.鈥�

He adds that there are practical benefits as well. 鈥淩esearch is expensive, and collaboration allows us to share labs, data, and resources. But just as important is the sharing of ideas, especially in areas where society is evolving rapidly and new policy responses are needed.鈥�

These international connections will be further explored at an upcoming event on May 1, 2025, which will showcase 91亚色-Germany collaboration success stories and outline how 91亚色 researchers can access funding through German agencies, and vice versa. At the May event, attendees will learn about key funding opportunities with German agencies including DAAD, DFG and EURAXESS. They will also hear from faculty members who already collaborate with Germany counterparts, and have the opportunity to ask questions about best practices for similar collaborations. Since each new meeting is an important opportunity to strengthen collaborations, Asif says he sees the May event as an important continuation in terms of building awareness of opportunities to work together. 鈥淚'm really looking forward to exploring how we can deepen our existing partnerships, whether through academic exchange or collaborative research initiatives.鈥�

Register Here for 91亚色-Germany Research Collaboration Workshop

1 May 2025 - 9:30am to 12:30pm

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By Gloria Suhasini

New and returning students enjoy a meet and greet with the University president, foreign diplomats and peers

鈥淔rom the very first day I stepped on the 91亚色 campus, what I found most appealing was the mix of students from all over the world! This led to new friendships and connections which continue to make my university experience even more rewarding.鈥� said Damor McQueen, a fourth-year political science student from Jamaica, speaking at the President鈥檚 International Student Reception on September 25.

The Student Success Mentor Lead in the Black Excellence at 91亚色 program urged his peers to build new connections and get involved in academic and extracurricular activities to make the be best of 鈥渢his once in a lifetime opportunity being presented to you.鈥� He cited his own experience volunteering last year at the聽Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences聽hosted by 91亚色 that led to his current work/study student opportunity.聽

91亚色 continues to attract students like McQueen from around the world, who join the community with great enthusiasm to receive worldclass education 鈥� often work-integrated 鈥� in their chosen field, be that in the arts, science, technology or engineering.

To make high quality university education accessible, 91亚色 offers several . One such scholarship is the President鈥檚 International Scholarship of Excellence, awarded to high school applicants around the world, who are entering their first year of a four-year undergraduate degree at the university. Another scholarship popular among international students is the Tentanda Via Award. Named after 91亚色鈥檚 motto 鈥淭he Way Must Be Tried,鈥� it assists undergraduate students who have demonstrated resilience in overcoming significant personal barriers in the pursuit of a university education and progressive changemakers committed to sustainable development.

Other scholarships available for international students include Daughters for Life, the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award, and Mitacs Internships and Awards. Several聽聽attended the president's reception. For additional information, students are encouraged to visit 91亚色鈥檚聽Global Engagement听飞别产蝉颈迟别.

鈥淲hile it is our intention to support you in your academic journey, you also bring a wealth of insights and strengths to 91亚色," President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton told the student audiences. 鈥淲e are thrilled that you chose us, and we look forward to what we will accomplish together. Please remember that nothing is more important than your well-being and health and we have many student services to support you.鈥�

The event organized by  was also attended by China鈥檚 Education Counsels Renzhu Li and Wenjin Han; India鈥檚 Consul (Commerce & Political) Kapidhwaja Pratap Singh; and the Philippine Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate and Consul Rodney Jonas Sumague.

These diplomatic representatives to Canada were not only present to celebrate their respective country鈥檚 highly talented students, but also to assure support in their new country of temporary residence. 鈥淲e wish them the very best in their courses of study,鈥� said Singh. 鈥淭he Indian Consulate remains at disposal for welfare and well-being of all Indian international students in Canada.鈥�

Diplomats were also on hand to speak to the students during the networking hour, a rare opportunity for these outstanding future leaders of the world.

By the end of the event, it was evident that many students had forged enriching new friendships that could last a lifetime, while advancing their education and career aspirations.

Originally published in News@91亚色.

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When political science major Sara Harsini heard 91亚色 was hosting a Model European Union (EU) for university students nationwide, she signed up to participate and convinced her third-year classmate, Nawal Alhawari, to join her.

The Model EU, a simulation of the work done by the European governing body, was held this spring and organized by聽Heather MacRae, an associate professor in 91亚色 U鈥檚 Department of Politics. Sponsored by the Delegation of the European Commission in Canada, it brought 55 students from across the country to the Keele Campus to experience politics and diplomacy in action.

鈥淚t was an excellent experiential education exercise,鈥� MacRae said. 鈥淭he students had to do advance work, both reading and research, and then they put it into action. They learned a lot about how the EU works and a lot about climate change.鈥�

The event was the second of its kind to be held in Canada; last year, it was held in Ottawa. According to MacRae, the goal going forward is to have universities assume the role of hosting.

The Hungarian Consulate hosted the opening reception, an event that brought students and diplomats together to hear an opening speech by EU ambassador Melita Gabri膷 and to discuss the issues of the day. Many of the conversations centred around the European Green Deal 鈥� the EU climate law requiring a 55 per cent reduction of emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050 鈥� since it was the focus of the weekend鈥檚 sessions. The students were tasked with creating a resolution, addressing how they would achieve its goals.

Students worked in pairs to represent the governments of the 27 EU nations. Alhawari and Harsini chose to represent Austria, because they wanted to embody a nation that was forward thinking in its environmental policies. After researching green policies and Austria鈥檚 contribution to the EU, they were delighted to meet a representative from the Austrian Consulate at the reception.

鈥淚t was fantastic to meet him and discuss Austria鈥檚 green policies,鈥� said Harsini. 鈥淎 major part of our success came from his commentary and insights.鈥�

Gabriele Alexandru, head of the political, press and information section at the EU Delegation to Canada, gave the opening talk the following day, before the students got to work on their Green Deal resolutions. The event was entirely student run, with a pair from the University of Victoria acting as Chairs.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to hone so many skills, including negotiation, co-operation, public speaking and research,鈥� MacRae said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 an extra benefit getting to know people interested in similar issues from across the country. We鈥檙e building a community of European scholars.鈥�

This was the first time Alhawari and Harsini had participated in a simulation exercise. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and are considering trying a Model United Nations simulation next.

鈥淲e always have a notion that government work takes too long, but this shed light on the fact that every nation鈥檚 voice had to be heard,鈥� said Harsini. 鈥淣ow, I understand why it takes time.鈥�

Added Alhawari, 鈥淭he actual Green Deal already exists, so we were just adding to it. I realized that if the real EU was able to forge an agreement, so could we.鈥�

MacRae liked the idea of giving students a sponsored opportunity to learn more about the EU.

鈥淭here is an EU study tour each summer, which our students can take part in, but it is expensive,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ince not all students can afford to go to Europe, we bring Europe to them.鈥�

J.J. McMurtry, dean of 91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), believes the exercise was extremely valuable.

鈥淧articipating in opportunities such as the Model EU simulation is a vital component of experiential learning and internationalization at LA&PS,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hese experiences enhance students鈥� understanding of global affairs, cultivate critical thinking, communication and collaboration skills. By actively participating in these activities, our students not only enrich their academic pursuits but also develop the necessary competencies to thrive in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world.鈥�

By giving students a greater understanding of European governance, MacRae is helping to fulfil the聽University Academic Plan鈥榮 goal of advancing global engagement and bring its new聽Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy聽to life.

Originally published in YFile.

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