Centre for Global Education and Internationalization

In close consultation and collaboration with relevant offices and Faculties, develop Sheridan’s internationalization strategy, a roadmap towards achieving internationalization goals, and a holistic oversight on the implementation of these goals.

Lead the adoption of an intentional and purposeful holistic approach to internationalization to help achieve Sheridan’s priorities of academic excellence, rich student experience, learner-centred services, and commitment to scholarship. This involves introducing and supporting internationalization innovative programming across Sheridan.

Provide expert advice on internationalization strategies, practices, research, and related issues to internal and external stakeholders.

Advise on strategic alignment of Sheridan's internationalization initiatives with institutional priorities such as Signature Learning Experiences, sustainable education, and experiential education.

Provide a strategic approach to international partnerships development and management that involves strategic institutional coordination to key programs and initiatives that involve Sheridan's engagement with international community experiences.

Provide a strategic approach to the design of student and faculty mobility programs, both physical and virtual (COIL).

Project: Gender equality policies and training at TVETs in Kenya / Young Africa Works in Kenya – TVET Program

Location: Kenya

Partnership duration: 3 years (May 2021–June 2024)

Funder: Funded by the Mastercard Foundation in collaboration with Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)

Partners: National Gender and Equality Commission – Kenya, along with 26 Kenyan TVET institutions:

• Eldoret National Polytechnic
• Kitale National Polytechnic
• Lodwar Vocational Training Centre
• Baringo Technical College
• Sang'alo Institute of Science and Technology
• Friends College Kaimosi
• Sigalagala National Polytechnic
• Bondo Technical and Vocational College
• Kisumu National Polytechnic
• Mawego Technical Training Institute
• Keroka Technical Training Institute
• Kisii National Polytechnic
• Nyandarua National Polytechnic
• Konoin Technical Training Institute
• Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology
• Nyeri National Polytechnic
• Mathenge Technical Training Institute
• Meru National Polytechnic
• Mukiria Technical Training Institute
• Kabete National Polytechnic
• North Eastern National Polytechnic
• Maasai Mara Technical and Vocational College
• Weru Technical and Vocational College
• Coast Institute of Technology
• Kenya Coast National Polytechnic
• Kenya Technical Trainers College
• Gender Program Advisory Committee (GPAC)
• Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)
• Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
• TVET Curriculum Development Assessment and Certification Council (CDACC)
• Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA)
• Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA)
• Kenya Technical Trainers College (KTTC)
• Ministry of Education (MOE-VTT)

Partnership description:

Sheridan College, in collaboration with Niagara College, will support Kenyan Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in building national gender capacity in line with the Young Africa Works in Kenya-TVET program’s goal of increasing the participation of young Kenyans, particularly young women, in market-relevant skills training programs.

The partnership will, among other things, provide tailor-made gender equality training to TVET administrators, gender champions, policymakers in government, and business leaders. This training program is designed to enhance the technical capacity of the trainees, inform policy-making and inspire an institutional culture for a safe, inclusive, and secure learning environment through the application of gender mainstreaming methodologies. The program also aims to influence the formulation of policies and procedures that increase access to dignified and fulfilling work for young women.

This partnership aligns with Sheridan’s commitment to the achievement of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),   particularly quality education (SDG goal four), decent work and economic growth (SDG goal eight), and gender equality (SDG goal five).

The project is a collaboration between Sheridan’s Centre for Global Education and Internationalization, the Centre for Equity and Inclusion, the Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies , and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Further reading:

• TVET institutions benefit through new Sheridan partnership
• Young Africa Works – TVET 14: Gender equality policies and training – project updates and next steps

Location: Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, England, Netherlands, Kenya, Switzerland

Partnership duration: September 2021–March 2025

Funder: Funded by Global Skills Opportunity, the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Program

Project Description:

The Reimagining Student Mobility project has received $500,000 in federal funding through the Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) to allow over 600 Sheridan students to pursue rich international educational opportunities. The project introduces a range of online and in-person learning initiatives with educational partners around the world combined with enhanced supports and training to remove barriers to international mobility.

The goal of this project is to expand mobility across disciplines, leading initiatives in FHASS/TESOL, FAAD, FAST, and PSB. The project also seeks to increase student participation in outbound mobility, particularly among target groups who are traditionally underrepresented in student mobility opportunities. The project operationalizes these goals in the following ways:

Eight Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses were developed that allow Sheridan students to connect and learn with students and faculty in Brazil, Denmark, Egypt, England, Netherlands, Kenya, and Switzerland. These courses span across many Sheridan faculties and engage in COIL in diverse ways. Sheridan students may connect synchronously and/or asynchronously with partner students on projects, discussions, lectures, and more.

Four study abroad excursions are planned, starting in Spring/Summer 2023. These trips will take Sheridan students on two-week educational experiences in Spain, Brazil, Denmark, and Kenya. The trips also offer students substantial financial support with up to $10,000 in bursary funding.

A wraparound support system is developed to ensure students get the most out of their virtual and physical mobility experiences. This includes the Effective Intercultural Communication module which was created to help students navigate the intercultural communicative spaces they will find themselves in. To help answer student questions about COIL and how to make the best out of these virtual mobility experiences, our Library and Learning Services department has developed a COIL 101 Libguide for students.

The project brings together Faculties (PSB, FHASS, FAAD and FAST) and departments across Sheridan, such as Centre for Global Education and internationalization (CGEI), Library & Learning Services, Student Affairs, the Center for Indigenous Learning and Support, the Office of Accessible Learning, the Office of the Registrar, and more to create an inclusive, holistic, and sustainable student mobility model across disciplines.

Further reading:

• New federal funding to help more than 600 Sheridan students gain career-boosting international experience

Sheridan’s approach to COIL recognizes international and intercultural education as a key learning experience that supports individual transformation and empowerment. It serves to sharpen the direction and purpose for our strategic vision through its emphasis on the following six key focuses:

1. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID) is a focus that is at the heart of Sheridan’s approach to COIL. Sheridan views COIL itself as a tool for the advancement of EDID in its high accessibility, inclusion of and engagement with diverse perspectives, and capacities for decolonization.
2. Sheridan’s usage of COIL is with the express purpose to build Sheridan students’ S-Sense capacities. Within Sheridan’s approach to COIL as a Signature Learning Experience, thinking, relating, and innovating come seamlessly together to enable students’ academic, intercultural, professional, and personal evolution.
3. COIL allows Sheridan to further diversify our international partnerships and expand virtual mobility opportunities across all Faculties with the goal of offering our community ample opportunities to engage with diverse world views and knowledges and expanding our global impact.
4. COIL at Sheridan is significantly aligned with its approach to sustainability. Sheridan uses COIL by emphasizing multiple dimensions of community and ecological well-being, Western and Indigenous foundations, and respectful partnership.
5. Sheridan views COIL as a catalyst for accelerated impact through enhanced interdisciplinarity providing a key structure through which multiple disciplines can critically engage with one another across the borders to create synergistic and innovative outcomes.
6. Sheridan uses COIL to unleash the potential of its students and faculty by creating a structure for increased experiential learning through professional opportunities, research collaborations, and work-integrated learning experiences.