What is International Development Week?
Held annually since 1988, International Development Week (IDW) is an initiative that has become a tradition in celebrating and acknowledging Canadian contributions to international development work. Post-secondary institutions across Canada, along with many other institutions, organizations, and individuals, come together in February of each year to mark this important work.
What is Happening at NIC?
This February, join NIC’s Office of Global Engagement and hear from employees and students about their various international projects and experiences.
Listen online to instructors talk about their international projects, and join face-to-face sessions with Elders-in-Residence at the Campbell River, Comox Valley and Port Alberni campuses to learn more about the Indigenous languages and cultures in your campus area.
Events
Tuesday, Feb. 14
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NIC I LOVE CO-OP: LEARN ABOUT STUDYING ABROAD IN THE FRENCH ALPS
12-12:45 pm
Online via Zoom
Meet Alec and Samantha, two NIC Business students enrolled in a double degree program from NIC and Université Savoie Mont Blanc. Sam and Alec are currently in Annecy, France completing the second semester of studies and getting ready to complete a 6-month internship/co-op program at sports companies, such as Salomon, Patagonia, the North Face, Vuarnet, and others.
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LET'S LEARN LIQ'WALA: INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE & CULTURAL SESSION
2-3 pm
Q̓ə pix ʔidaʔas, Campbell River campus
In celebration of International Mother Language Day, please join Elder-in-Residence June Johnson along with invited community members, for a brief introduction to Liq’wala , one of the Indigenous languages of communities served by the College. Along with learning a little about the history of the languages and cultures of the Campbell River area, participants will have the opportunity to learn a few words from Indigenous language speakers. The session is open to NIC students and employees. To help with planning, RSVP is preferred, but drop-ins are welcome.
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Wednesday, Feb. 15
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LET'S LEARN NUU-CHAH-NULTH: INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE & CULTURAL SESSION
Wednesday, Feb. 15
11 am - 12 pm
Cafeteria, Port Alberni campus
In celebration of International Mother Language Day, please join Elder-in-Residence Jane Jones along with invited community members, for a brief introduction to Nuu-chah-nulth, one of the Indigenous languages of communities served by the college. Along with learning a little about the history of the languages and cultures of the Port Alberni area, participants will have the opportunity to learn a few words from Indigenous language speakers. To help with planning, RSVP is preferred, but drop-ins are welcome.
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WORLD UNIVERSITY SERVICE OF CANADA (WUSC) INFORMATION SESSION
12-1 pm
Online via Zoom
World University Service of Canada was founded in the 1920s as part of a global network that provided support to displaced students in post-war Europe. Since then, it has evolved into a Canadian global development organization working in over a dozen countries around the world that supports education, economic opportunities and empowerment for youth, their families and their communities (WUSC). NIC has participated for several years in number of different countries in WUSC’s Leave For Change Program.
Join Katia Major, WUSC Senior Program Officer, Recruitment & Mobilization for a session presenting potential volunteer opportunities available to employees. Ali Mayboudi, Associate Dean, Arts, Science & Management, and Jen Wrye, Faculty, Teaching & Learning Faculty Developer, Teaching & Learning Innovation will share their experience engaging in international activities with WUSC.
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Thursday, Feb. 16
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UNIVERSITY MOBILITY IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (UMAP) INFORMATION SESSION
12-1 pm
Online via Zoom
University Mobility Asia Pacific (UMAP) was founded in 1991 as an association of Higher Education Institutions and relevant government and NGO partners in the Asia Pacific region. UMAP’s role is to facilitate greater understanding among members of each other’s cultural, economic, and social systems through collaborative partnerships and increased mobility of university students and staff (UMAP). UMAP promotes student exchanges among more than 220 active colleges and universities in 24 countries/territories in Asia and the Pacific Rim.
Please join Chelsey Laird, Director University Mobility Asia Pacific about opportunities to engage in collaborative intercultural learning with colleagues across the world.
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LET'S LEARN KWAK'WALA: INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE & CULTURAL SESSION
2-3 pm
Puntledge 104, Comox Valley campus
In celebration of International Mother Language Day, please join Elder-in-Residence Evelyn Voyageur along with invited community members, for a brief introduction to Kwak’wala, one of the Indigenous languages of communities served by the college. Along with learning a little about the history of the languages and cultures of the Courtenay/Comox area, participants will have the opportunity to learn a few words from Indigenous language speakers. To help with planning, RSVP is preferred, but drop-ins are welcome.
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NIC Interview Series
Listen to NIC colleagues talk about their international projects and experiences.
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is becoming increasingly important in engaging students in international opportunities and in developing global competencies. In this short conversation, Ryan Blaak, Department Chair Humanities and Social Sciences and History instructor, chats with Margaret Hearnden, Global Learning Facilitator, OGE, about their ongoing professional development experience.
Along with Sara Child, Indigenous Education Facilitator, Ryan and Margaret are taking part in the COIL Virtual Exchange Leadership Institute through Florida International University. The idea behind this Institute is to support institutions as they develop their short and long-term planning of COIL and Virtual Exchange experiences, and to provide opportunities to partner with other institutions.
If you have an idea for a project, listen to this discussion and connect with Sara, Ryan or Margaret to find out how they can help.
How OGE can help
In this podcast, Romana Pasca, OGE’s Manager International Projects, Partnerships and Global Education, explains what opportunities are available for students, faculty and staff to get engaged in international activities and how OGE can help.
Costa Rica
In 2022, with grant support from the Faculty Mobility for Partnership Building Program, Laura Johnston, NIC Faculty English and Indigenous Education, developed an opportunity for Virtual Exchange between First Nations students in Costa Rica and English 096. Laura visited Indigenous communities in Costa Rica with a local instructor Diana Segura Sojo to learn and share knowledge with Elders and Knowledge Keepers with the students.
Brazil
Megan Wilson, NIC Faculty in DIGITAL Design and Development, tells us about her trip to Manaus in Brazil in October 2022, where she visited the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Amazonas. The aim of her trip was to develop collaborative projects between NIC and IFAM students, to discuss with faculty pedagogical approaches to teaching design, and to explore possible opportunities for institutional partnerships.
