Saskatchewan Polytechnic's campus in Prince Albert. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Learning abroad

International learning experience available for Indigenous and low-income Sask-Poly students

Nov 19, 2021 | 4:13 PM

Saskatchewan Polytechnic has announced they are partnering with the Global Skills Opportunity program to provide Indigenous and low-income students more global learning experiences.

Global Skills is the Canadian government’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program and will be funded by Employment and Social Development Canada. There will be $700,000 available to fund 200 students and make studying or working abroad more accessible for students at Saskatchewan Polytechnic and Parkland College.

Thevi Pather, associate vice president international at the Saskatchewan Polytechnic told paNOW the federally funded initiative is intended to support Canadian students to acquire global competencies so they can be prepared for a global workforce both abroad and locally.

“We want to give students an opportunity to experience firsthand wherever possible what it means to live and work in a different cultural context,” he said. “We recognize that not all students are going to be able to afford that and in fact, in a study we did last year and focusing primarily on Indigenous and low-income students the number one barrier to participation that was noted was funding and the federal government acknowledges that.”

The students will develop skills such as problem solving, adaptability, resilience and intercultural competency. They will also bring back new perspectives to share with their classrooms, community and workplace. The project exchanges will happen in countries where Sask. Polytech has partnership memorandums of understanding, including China, India, Mexico, Uganda, Vietnam and Ukraine.

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Pather said much like other post-secondary institutions in Canada Sask. Polytech have committed to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations to ensure that opportunities are made available to all students, including Indigenous students.

“We recognize that Indigenous students by and large do not participate in study abroad opportunities and some of the research supports that,” he said. “It is also noted in the research that students from low-income families, first generation immigrants for example, don’t necessarily participate in study abroad opportunities. Recognizing that funding is the number one barrier we figured that we can look at supporting these students.”

He added it does not mean students who do not meet the criteria cannot apply. Students who want to apply can contact the international office and someone will inform them of the opportunities.

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12