The University of Ottawa is committed to increasing the scope and scale of its international presence and influence. To achieve this goal, it offers mobility programs to all members of the University community so they can gain skills and enhance their professional development, with internationalization in mind. The Gazette takes you back to the original concept as it was pitched to professors and support staff.
“Program participants get to expand their intercultural skills, develop a new perspective on themselves and the world, and acquire professional competencies for self-improvement and to help them become better global citizens,” said Mélanie Langevin, Mobility and Partnerships Officer at uOInternational.
The program in a few words
The mobility program can take place in different ways: job shadowing, observation periods, best practice sharing, or specific courses at the partner institution. For professors, it could also consist of teaching in the partner institutions, sharing expertise, and developing teaching skills.
Equipped with these new skills and knowledge, these participants can better serve an increasingly international University community, promote student mobility, and strengthen the University’s relationships with its international partners.
The length of these stays can range from five days to two months for support staff, and from two-to-five months for professors.
Program funding
It goes without saying that the University financially supports the participants. Two types of international mobility bursaries are offered:
- the Erasmus+ bursary (for the entire uOttawa community)
- the uOInternational bursary (for support staff members only)
Testimonial from a participant
“This mobility experience was enriching, not only in terms of knowledge, but also on a human and personal level. It allowed me to build and sustain collaborative relationships, and to share them with my team when I returned.”
“Since my role on campus involves developing language courses and programs for international students, this mobility experience will serve as a starting point for building partnerships for short-term programs that are useful for international students. Additionally, academic support to international students and campus integration initiatives are central to the work done by my team. My participation in this exchange showed me how Middle East Technical University and other universities integrate their international students. I can now leverage the knowledge I have gained to support international students in our sector. Thanks to this mobility experience, I can better guide my team in welcoming future participants in similar exchange programs.” - Evan Lavoie, OLBI Manager, who participated in an international mobility program with the Middle East Technical University (METU), Turkey.
To learn more about the program, visit the mobility website or send an email to uOInternational.