Queen's a finalist for prestigious global engagement award

Queen's a finalist for prestigious global engagement award

By Dave Rideout

October 13, 2017

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Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)
Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)

Queen’s University is one of four finalists for the Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research & Engagement, an annual honour handed out by Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). The award recognizes an institution at the leading edge of inclusive and comprehensive efforts to internationalize their campus.

"Queen's in the World"
Queen's in the World

Also nominated are the University of Calgary, Michigan State University, and the University of Washington. The winner will be announced during the 2017 APLU Annual Meeting in Washington, DC that runs from Nov. 12-14.

“Increasing Queen’s visibility and relevance internationally has been, and continues to be, a central strategic priority,” says Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “To be recognized by the APLU as a North American leader in global research and outreach is an indication that our efforts are paying off and that we are heading in the right direction.”

Queen’s has been selected as a finalist because of its broad range of internationalization initiatives and achievements.

Kathy O'Brien, Associate Vice-Prinicipal (International)
Kathy O'Brien, Associate Vice-Prinicipal (International)

“In 2015, we launched our first-ever Comprehensive International Plan that set ambitious four-year targets for international research engagement, mobility, student recruitment and enrolment, and campus-based international activities,” says Kathy O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International). “Already, we’ve exceeded our objectives for international enrolment and for intercultural training programs on campus, and we’re on course to meet our 2019 goal of increasing undergraduate exchange participation by 25 per cent.”

The APLU also recognized Queen’s as a top contender for notable academic accomplishments like Dr. Arthur B. McDonald’s Nobel Prize-winning work in physics, and its 10-year, $24 million grant from the Mastercard Foundation’s Scholars Program to develop Ethiopia’s first occupational therapy program in partnership with the University of Gondar.

“Queen’s is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where interdisciplinary and cross-cultural learning and research are fundamental,” says Ms. O’Brien. “Scientific breakthroughs are often achieved through international knowledge sharing and partnerships, and our students need to acquire the skills and connections that will help them succeed on the global stage once they graduate. This recognition from the APLU further inspires our efforts to position Queen’s as a world leader.”

The APLU is a 237-member research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.