Equipping the Next Generation of Canadians to Succeed in a Complex World
Rapid global change poses both a challenge and opportunity to Canada. Emerging countries are playing a larger role in world affairs and will become increasingly important for Canada’s prosperity. The next generation of Canadian private- and public-sector leaders will need to be equipped with the necessary skills, experiences and understanding to succeed in a more complex and competitive world. International academic mobility for young Canadians could be an important part of a strategy to meet this objective. There are indications, however, that Canada performs relatively poorly on this score. Relatively few young Canadians travel abroad for study, co-ops, or work placements as part of their education. Meanwhile, many peer countries – including the United States, Australia, and members of the European Union – have made global education a national priority.
The Study Group on Global Education was formed in May 2017 under the auspices of the Centre for International Policy Studies (University of Ottawa) and the Munk School of Global Affairs (University of Toronto) to examine Canada’s performance and potential in outbound international education. It is comprised of academic and business leaders, people with senior government experience, and individuals directly involved with students and outbound learning initiatives (see membership overleaf).
In particular, the Study Group will examine:
- The value proposition of expanding the number of young Canadians going abroad for learning experiences;
- Canada’s track record, peer countries’ experiences, and obstacles to increasing Canadian outbound academic mobility; and
- Possible directions that governments, educational institutions and private-sector organizations could collectively consider going forward.
A draft of the Study Group’s final report will be discussed at a roundtable hosted by the Governor General at Rideau Hall in September 2017. The Study Group will not produce detailed policy solutions, but rather, will seek to identify promising options for advancing this issue.
Members of the Study Group on Global Education (as of June 10, 2017)
Roland Paris (University Research Chair in International Security and Governance, University of Ottawa) – co-chair
Margaret Biggs (Matthews Fellow on Global Public Policy, Queen’s University) – co-chair
Ann Buller (President, Centennial College)
Lisa Butler (Chief Talent and Diversity Officer, Manulife)
Marie-Claude Dumas (Executive Vice-President of Global Human Resources, SNC-Lavalin Group)
Robyn Fila (Program Manager, Centre for Asia-Pacific Initiatives, University of Victoria)
Claude Généreux (Executive Vice-President, Power Corporation and Power Financial)
Zabeen Hirji (Chief Human Resources Officer, Royal Bank of Canada)
Nicole Lacasse (Associate Vice-Rector, Academic and International Activities, Université Laval)
John McArthur (Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, and Senior Advisor, UN Foundation)
Santa Ono (President, University of British Columbia)
Katie Orr (Director, NSCC International, Nova Scotia Community College)
Sue Paish (President and CEO, Lifelabs)
Morris Rosenberg (President and CEO, Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation)
Robert Summerby-Murray (President, Saint Mary’s University)
Rebecca Tiessen (Associate Professor, University of Ottawa)
Stephen Toope (Former Director, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto)
Valerie Walker (Vice President, Policy, Skills and Talent, Business Council of Canada)
Stephen Wallace (Secretary to the Governor General)
Research Associate: Jessica Cadesky (University of Ottawa)
Coordinator: Stéphanie Plante (stephanie.plante@uottawa.ca)