Now entering its second year, the GRE Fund presents a new stream focused on recruiting exceptional postdoctoral researchers through international collaboration, reinforcing York’s role as a leader in globally connected, high-impact research. 

“GRE is a testament to the success of York’s Global Engagement Strategy which strengthened institutional coordination and alignment on strategic international priorities,” says Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor. “The expansion of the Global Research Excellence Fund this year to include the joint recruitment of outstanding postdocs with international partners is another step on our path to ensuring that the best and the brightest come to York to put their talents to work for our students, Canada and the world.” 

A cornerstone of Engaging the World: �첥��Ƶ’s Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy, the GRE Fund was introduced in 2024 to deepen international research ties, boost global impact and elevate York’s standing among top-tier research institutions. 

The inaugural call delivered impressive outcomes, reports York International, including increased research income, new partnerships across priority regions and support for emerging research leaders tackling global grand challenges. 

This year’s expansion is Stream B: Global Post-Doctoral Researcher Award, co-developed with York’s Faculty of Graduate Studies. This new stream enables York researchers to jointly recruit exceptional postdoctoral talent from Canada and abroad, with international partners.

“York has a long history of attracting top globally diverse talent from around the world,” adds Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “We believe in fostering global collaboration – showing that openness to working with the world, even in times of great uncertainty, creates win-win outcomes for all.” 

The GRE program continues to offer Stream A: Strategic Partnership Exploration & Development, providing seed funding for York-led initiatives that build new international research collaborations and expand existing ones. Stream A also supports partnerships with the global South and Indigenous communities overseas. 

“Continued investment in GRE reflects York’s commitment to inclusive, equitable partnerships that deliver impact for Canada and the world. At a time when some countries are stepping back, York is choosing to lead,” says Lisa Philipps, provost and vice-president academic. 

The GRE Fund is managed by the Global Strategic Initiatives team within York International, in close partnership with the offices of the Vice-President Research and Innovation, Provost and President.

Learn how to apply to the GRE Fund. 

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Dr. Proctor holds a PhD in international higher education from the University of Melbourne. He is an honorary fellow of the Melbourne Centre for the �첥��Ƶ of Higher Education (University of Melbourne) and a senior fellow of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA). He is co-editor of The Future Agenda for Internationalization in Higher Education (Routledge, 2018), offering new perspectives from a younger generation of scholars and practitioners on the future of internationalization in higher education. He continues to publish and present widely on post-secondary education and global engagement.

Dr. Proctor is a global board director for the Climate Action Network for International Educators (CANIE). In 2025-26, he will serve as one of four program faculty for NAFSA's Executive Internationalization Leadership e-Institute, as well as delivering training for the European Association for International Education (EAIE) on strategic planning for internationalization. 

We are thrilled that Douglas will be joining �첥��Ƶ to lead York International at this pivotal moment for global research collaborations, transnational education and support for international students.

Sincerely,

Lisa Philipps
Provost and Vice-President Academic  

Amir Asif
Vice-President Research and Innovation

Originally published on YFile.

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By Alexander Maavara

The inaugural funding call of the Global Research Excellence (GRE) Fund has concluded with York providing over $230,000 to support international research collaboration.

Launched in the spring of 2024, the GRE Fund is a key initiative in support of Engaging the World: �첥��Ƶ’s Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy, which prioritizes deepening international research collaborations and maximizing global research impact.

Twenty-four projects across 8 York Faculties and a number of York’s Organized Research Units (ORUs) have been funded. They have received grants of up to $30,000, involving over thirty York faculty and dozens of collaborators from around the world. Projects are deepening international research into sustainable development, climate change adaptation & mitigation, Indigenous pedagogy, AI, disease modelling, critical minerals, LGBTQ+ rights, water sciences, urban infrastructure, migration, and autonomous systems.

GRE-funded collaborations are already advancing York’s global reach. One project has seen Faculty of Health professors Christo El Morr and Vijay Mago organize an international symposium in March 2025 titled “Shaping the AI Landscape: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Technology, Society and the Future of Marginalized Communities” in partnership with and hosted at IIT Palakkad. Bringing together philosophers, social scientists, and AI researchers, including those from many other leading Indian institutions like IIT Bombay and IISc Bangalore, the symposium was a tremendous success. It generated insights into the social impacts of AI and great potential for further collaboration.

Another notable international research collaboration is with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in astrophysics. Supported by GRE and considerable external funding, Faculty of Science Prof. Rahul Kannan and his MIT collaborator jointly recruited a Postdoctoral fellow from New �첥��Ƶ.

More than half of the York faculty members engaged are early-career or mid-career researchers.

“Supporting our emerging research leaders is vital to the long-term success of the institution’s research enterprise,” states Amir Asif, Vice President of Research and Innovation. “GRE aligns with �첥��Ƶ's Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy by fostering investigator-driven research internationalization. This approach leverages our faculty’s expertise, collaborations, and global networks to address pressing global challenges. GRE empowers our investigators to take strategic risks in establishing new or strengthening current partnerships by addressing funding gaps at various stages.”

GRE is supporting projects in 23 countries, with 14 projects engaging Global South or global Indigenous partners. GRE funding is being leveraged to support everything from exploratory discussions and workshops with new partners to grant proposal development and joint personnel training. A key goal of the GRE Fund is to ensure that we facilitate tangible outcomes within a two-year time horizon and partnerships with leading international collaborators. GRE-supported projects have applied for over $16 million in Canadian and international funding opportunities, with over $500,000 in external funding already invested back into the collaborations. GRE projects have facilitated collaborations with top-ranked universities, United Nations agencies, NGOs, media, and arts & cultural organizations in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

“Initiatives like GRE signal York’s global aspirations and vision to partners, peers, governments, and funding bodies that York is committed to supporting collaborations that advance cutting edge and transformational research” says Vinitha Gengatharan, Assistant Vice-President, Global Engagement & Partnerships. “We hope to follow up on GRE’s inaugural success to deepen research ties and build on York’s global reputation by launching the next iteration of GRE in 2025. I greatly appreciate the Associate Vice-Presidents for Research's efforts to adjudicate and guide the GRE initiative to early success. I thank our faculty community, ADRs, research services teams, and international partners for their invaluable input in developing the GRE fund.”  

GRE is designed and implemented by the Global Strategic Initiatives team, a cross-portfolio unit within York International that works closely with the Office of the VP Research and Innovation and the Office of the President to advance the Global Engagement Strategy's research internationalization and reputation priorities. To learn more about the ground-breaking work being supported by the GRE Fund, Click Here.  

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�첥��Ƶ and the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto hosted the public forum and a reception to mark 75 years of diplomatic relationship between Canada and the Philippines

From academics to laypersons, more than 100 Filipinos from all walks of life gathered at �첥��Ƶ recently, to attend a public forum on achievements and challenges that are unique to members of the diaspora in Canada.

The panel discussion followed by a reception was facilitated by �첥��Ƶ and the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, marking the 75th anniversary of Canada-Philippines diplomatic relations.

The turnout for the October 28 event at York’s Tribute Communities Recital Hall indicated attendees’ interest in learning more about their own community, while taking it as an opportunity to meet fellow diaspora members, even though it was a weekday.

Welcoming the guests and panelists, immediate past Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Phillips noted that as an academic institution, diversity and inclusion are York’s core values and that through teaching, research and community-engagement activities, the University is embracing differing perspectives and fostering global fluencies and cross-cultural knowledges. “Through global partnerships on shared goals and values, York is committed to addressing global challenges and supporting a more inclusive and sustainable planet for all.”

In her remarks, Philippine Consul General Angelica Escalona said, “Many Filipinos I met since I arrived here told me that their migration experience to Canada was not easy. But migrating to another land is never easy. It takes hard work, adapting to a new culture and way of life, learning new knowledge, skills and possibly another language, as well as personal and financial sacrifices. But most of all, it is a commitment … a commitment to a better future. A commitment to contribute to Canadian society. I am happy that even though their start was not easy, many Filipinos in Canada eventually became successful. Others, whose parents were Filipino migrants, also became very successful.”

Titled “Public Forum on the Filipino Diaspora in Canada: Celebrating Successes and Addressing Persistent Challenges,” the panel of Filipino and Filipino-Canadian leaders and changemakers shared their thoughts on the success of Filipino professionals in Canada and the barriers that persist.

Panellists – Manitoba Senator Flordeliz (Gigi) Osler; Justice Steve A. Coroza, Court of Appeal for Ontario Professor Glenda Bonifacio, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Lakehead University and Dance Professor Patrick Alcedo, School of Arts, Media, Performance and Design (AMPD), also highlighted contributions for the diaspora members in academia, politics, arts, culture and society. Professor Philip Kelly, Associate Dean for Research, Graduate & Global Affairs moderated the panel, while Assistant Professor Marissa Largo, Visual Art and Art History, AMPD served as the emcee for the evening.

“Tonight’s discussion, led by our speakers and panellists has given us much to think about. Hopefully, the points raised will form a springboard from which we can build platforms and programs for action, to make policies that are responsive to building better communities for our community here,” said Deputy Consul General Kerwin Orville Tate, addressing the audiences.

The Philippine Studies Group at York Centre for Asian Studies organized the public event with the support of York International, which leads the University’s global engagement initiatives and partnerships.

In her remarks closing the event, Associate Vice President Vinitha Gengatharan at York International said that the challenges overcame by the panellists resonated with many, including herself, who immigrated to Canada at an early age. “We learned so much from your insights and experiences as you navigated your careers and professions enriched by the unique cultures, systems, and contexts of both Canada and the Philippines.

The event concluded with a reception, where community members also had an opportunity to meet with diplomats and panellists and share with them personal experiences in an informal setting.

Speaking to OMNI Television’s Paula Saraza during the reception, Philipps said there is a strong representation of Filipino students at York. “We're very proud to have more than 400 Filipino heritage students here at York… some have come directly from the Philippines. That number has been growing and we hope to see it grow further.”

In the same , Consul General Escalona pointed out that it’s an excellent time to highlight the fact that the Canada-Philippines relationship is the strong people-to-people linkages. “What we actually want to see is, more Filipino Canadian leaders. More Filipino Canadian trailblazers.”

Originally published in News@York.

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By Elaine Smith

&�Բ�����;“�Ę’ is the message our Global Learning Fairs aim to convey to students,” said Ashley Laracy, associate director of global learning for York International (YI). “Since we recently held our first in-person fair since the pandemic lockdown, we want to make students aware of the opportunities that abound. We hope that this will spur them to begin their applications, submit them by the Jan. 23 deadline and prepare to study or work abroad in the 2023-24 academic year.”

The in-person Global Learning Fair featured a number of York student exchange programs, some of York’s exchange partners, summer abroad programs and internship opportunities, and current and former exchange students eager to share their excitement about the experience. Representatives from the Faculties of Environmental and Urban Change, Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, and Science also took part.

The event held at Vari Hall was followed by two virtual sessions to link students with program and university representatives based around the globe. Laracy noted that .

�첥��Ƶing abroad is beneficial to students in a number of ways, Laracy added.

“Our world has become increasingly global, and students who take advantage of study abroad opportunities experience this first hand,” she said. “Spending time in another culture allows them to experience and understand different perspectives on the world, gain skills for the global workplace and increase their employability, since global experience is always desirable. In addition, they may experience a different education system, make friends from different cultures and learn to navigate their way through a new locale. It is an enriching experience, both personally and professionally."

Farzana Rohit calls her 2022 summer study abroad course in Greece “the best experience in my life so far.”

The fourth-year student went abroad for Greece: A Modern History and can’t say enough good things about the course and the trip, enthusiasm both she and fellow student Simon Younan shared this month with interested students the in-person Global Learning Fair. “I wanted to do something different and it was the best decision I ever made,” said Rohit, a philosophy major.

The students had classes at �첥��Ƶ for two weeks, then embarked on the trip, which had a packed agenda.

“It was experiential learning, visiting historical sites and museums and immersing ourselves in Greek culture,” she said. “Every day, it was as if we were in an alternate universe. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

In Summer 2023, there are more than  that students can explore and choose from. Faculties, in collaboration and with the support of York International, offer immersive education experiences in Colombia, Czechia, Ecuador, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the United States and in the Las Nubes EcoCampus Costa Rica, among others. Led by faculty members from across �첥��Ƶ, these programs allow students to study in a different country for several weeks with a group of their known peers and no credit transfer is required.

Ritwika Gupta represented Brunel University, located in London, England, at the fair. She said the university is best known for its medical school for international students and for its sport science program.

“We are a new partnership with York,” she said. “We have three York exchange students this year and the interest will only grow. We want to hear accents from all over the world on our campus.”

Ontario Universities International is a provincial program that provides students with the opportunity for exchanges with universities in the German state of Baden-Württemberg (OBW) and the French Rhône-Alpes (ORA) region.

“Our program is supported by provincial funding and there are scholarships up to $3,500 available for all �첥��Ƶ students,” said Agnes Poleszczuk, the program’s York-based co-ordinator and an alumna of the program herself. Students can study for a semester, undertake a research project, or learn a language during the summer at one of the programs’ partner institutions.

Exchange student Mathilde El Ogb is spending a year at �첥��Ƶ as part of her bilingual bachelor’s degree program in history at the University of Toulouse in France and was eager to share her enthusiasm for student exchange programs.

“I’m very glad to be here because it is an opportunity to take courses that they don’t have at my university,” said El Ogb, who has classes in 20th century Canada and Latin American history this semester. “I’ve made a lot of great friends and it’s cool to be surrounded by such a big landscape.”

Kaitlyn Celentano, a second-year York media arts student, is exploring opportunities for studying abroad.

“I always wanted to do this; it’s super cool to be able to travel through school,” Celentano said. “Film is a very global business and there’s history about the way film is being made in different places, so you can see what goes on. I’m looking at places where English is the main language; there is a huge film business in the United Kingdom, for example.”

During the online sessions, students had the opportunity to dig deeper into the opportunities at many individual schools worldwide.

Malmö University in Sweden is a new �첥��Ƶ partner institution, said Maria Pihel, the university’s international co-ordinator.

“We’re here to recruit more interest,” Pihel said. “Our main educational programs are professional, so it’s harder to find matches, so we are also looking at internships and placements to give students international experience in different ways.”

Laracy of York International noted, “With more than 300 global partners worldwide, I am confident that we have a program for all �첥��Ƶ students.”

She encourages students to explore stepping outside of their comfort zone, engage in one of York’s global learning programs and gain skills through the experience that will set them apart from their peers on the job market.

Originally published in YFile

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When Brittney Remnant was invited to introduce two Canada Gairdner International laureates to an audience of high school students visiting �첥��Ƶ to hear their lectures on Oct. 28, she was excited.

“I ran to the principal investigator in my lab and asked, ‘Is this real?’" said Remnant, a fourth-year honours biomedical science student at York. “The Gairdner Awards are kind of a big deal.”

�ճ���� are Canada’s only major international scientific prize. Twenty-four per cent of the 402 recipients have gone on to be awarded a Nobel Prize. Awards have been given out since 1957. Today, the Gairdner Foundation awards seven awards annually, which include five Canada Gairdner International Awards for biomedical research, the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award and the Canada Gairdner Wightman Award.

“�첥��Ƶ has been part of the official Gairdner celebrations for more than a decade,” noted Ronald Pearlman, York professor emeritus and former associate scientific director for the awards program. Pearlman was instrumental in expanding the high school program nationwide.

Gairdner awardees, chosen by two separate juries of experts, travel across Canada, presenting research seminars and doing outreach to inspire future generations of scientists. After participating in online events during the pandemic, the laureates were able to engage with students and researchers in person this fall.

The Gairdner Foundation organized a series of events, “Gairdner Week” in the GTA. The Gairdner Day at York, the University’s most prestigious science event, is co-organized by York and the Gairdner Foundation. York students, faculty and staff had the opportunity to participate in Gairdner Day events on campus, and other Gairdner Week events off campus. The University’s Gairdner participation in celebrating the success of the laureates reflects a commitment to Access to Success – one of six priorites laid out in York's University Academic Plan – supporting students to reach their full potential, research-intensification and internationalization. 

“York hosts a two-pronged program,” said Pearlman. He worked with Jennifer Steeves, associate vice-president, research, and Barbara Edwards, senior policy advisor from the Office of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation, to arrange the Gairdner day events.

“The laureates talk to high school students in the morning, sharing the stories about why they got into science and how they chose their particular research topic. In the afternoon, there is the York Gairdner lecture, where the laureates talk to faculty and research trainees about their research. In between, we have a small luncheon hosted by the president where select students and faculty get a chance to meet the laureates.”

This year, the high school students enjoyed talks by  David G. Nathan Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, and , senior vice-president RNA Protein Replacement Therapies, BioNTech SE. The laureates have each made transformational contributions to improve human health. Karikó’s work, for example, formed the basis for the mRNA vaccines used to prevent COVID-19 infections.

“It was a spectacular experience,” said Remnant. “I arrived early, and Dr. Pearlman introduced me to the laureates; I also went to lunch with them afterward and to the afternoon lectures. When you are in a scientific field, you do science because you love it, and it was nice to see that reflected by scientists at such a high level. They are doing spectacular things to make a difference and are so down to Earth; they don’t do science for fancy awards.”

Kate Duncan, senior planner, on-campus recruitment and events, organizes the high school program. It brings approximately 300 Grade 11 and 12 students from seven schools across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to campus along with their biology teachers.

“It’s great because it exposes the students to different science pathways beyond medicine,” Duncan said. “The scientists talk about their careers and the challenges they overcame; their general messages are really important for that age group.”

At the York Gairdner lecture, faculty and research trainees heard from Karikó and , the Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology at the University of Toronto and senior scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Yanan Shan, a York PhD student in women’s reproductive health, attended the afternoon program and said, “The two professors gave brilliant talks, and the talk by Katalin Karikó inspired me a lot. … The idea to use modified mRNA for carrying information in vaccines to induce an immune response in the body was very advanced 30 years ago, but she must face a lot of questions and challenges in her study.

“I think it is a great honour and precious opportunity for me to attend this lecture on campus.”

Nilanjuli Ganguli, a York PhD student in environmental studies, was selected to attend another of the Gairdner Week events, a luncheon with the laureates off-campus. She sat with , winner of the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award for his work on improving maternal and child health and nutrition among marginalized and rural populations in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

“To meet someone doing work that is having a global impact is quite meaningful and inspiring,” said Ganguli. “You often think that one person can’t make a change, but if you are smart and strategic about your means and goals, you can make it happen.”

Bhutta gave her his card, and Ganguli, whose research is also based in rural Africa, plans to reach out to him for mentorship.

York Gairdner Day, along with Gairdner Week events, were designed to inspire future laureates at York and GTA high schools.

Originally published in YFile

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By Elaine Smith

As �첥��Ƶ’s hub for entrepreneurs and startups, YSpace is committed to fostering innovation in its many forms and stages.

“We develop programs to help companies get launched and develop traction,” says Nafis Ahmed, entrepreneurship manager for YSpace, which, to date, has supported 410 ventures that have generated $33.8 million in revenue and created 606 jobs. “We have credibility and a network of relationships that we’ve been building for five years that can assist. Once a company joins YSpace, they are part of a select community and can connect with each other and with mentors at any time.”

Increasingly, YSpace programs draw international companies seeking a foothold in Canada in food service, technology and other sectors.

“Given Toronto’s diversity of cultures and the Greater Toronto Area’s growing reputation as the leading Canadian entrepreneurial hub, it is an extremely attractive proposition for international businesses interested in breaking into the North American marketplace,” says Amir Asif, York's vice-president of research and innovation.

Enhancing internationalization is a major priority and a multipronged effort at the University.

“Internationalization and global engagement include supporting global entrepreneurship. YSpace is a perfect vehicle for making that happen,” adds Vinitha Gengatharan, executive director of York International, the University’s globalization arm.

YSpace began its international outreach in 2020 with an accelerator program for Chilean food and beverage companies eager for an introduction to the Canadian marketplace. YSpace worked with the Pro-Chile Trade Commission to mentor startups entering the United States about the differences in marketing their products in Canada.

“The companies said they wished they had received similar guidance when they were trying to get traction in the United States,” says Judy Chang, YSpace program adviser. “Understanding the cultural nuances and different regulations is invaluable.

“As we helped the Chilean companies, we realized we could apply this knowledge to other countries by offering similar workshops, mentorship and a networking-cum-pitch opportunity."

YSpace tailors its approach to working with newcomers – whether they are startups or mature small enterprises – to their needs. The hub’s recent work with Korean companies, for instance, grew out of an inquiry from an entrepreneur with a Korean background who connected YSpace with the Korean Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA)

KOTRA asked YSpace to put together a 12-week program focusing on assisting Korean companies to validate an approach to the Canadian marketplace, engage in conversations with potential investors and understand the appropriate way to sell products to local consumers. The program also included a mentorship component, giving each company the opportunity to work one-to-one with a successful entrepreneur who could review their plans.

“The ultimate goals we set for them were to determine if Canada was a good market for them and what they could bring to Canada was unique,” says Ahmed. “Once they decided it would be viable, we wanted them to create a pilot for building a customer base.”

Ellen Kim, research analyst and project associate at KOTRA Toronto, says, “We developed a great partnership with YSpace by co-hosting the 2021 Canada Acceleration Program for Korean startups. The YSpace team and community have actively offered amazing support to the Korean startups so they can have better ideas about entering the Canadian market. Mentors from YSpace have built such a meaningful relationship with each Korean startup, which contributed a lot to the success of our three-month program. Unlimeat and HeyIam – two promising Korean startups – found great partners and business connections in Canada by joining this program.

“We hope our partnership strengthens the bilateral ties between Korea and Canada,” adds Kim.

The KOTRA program culminated in a pitch evening for five companies – one food services company and four technology businesses – that offered them the opportunity to test their offerings and their newly acquired understanding of the Canadian business milieu with investors. Now, these companies are fine-tuning their offerings based on the feedback they received and deciding when or if they will enter the Canadian marketplace.

“It was a great opportunity for KOTRA to co-operate with YSpace in 2021,” says Sunjoon Mun, manager of KOTRA Toronto. “We hope many Korean startups find their business opportunities in Canada with the continuous support of YSpace."

The team at YSpace encourages international startups to take advantage of their offerings.

“By working with us, startups new to the Canadian market gain access to reliable resources and a vetted network of mentors and supporters,” says David Kwok, director of YSpace. “We have an exclusive  with over 30 different offerings unique to our members.

“Our roster of experts and seasoned entrepreneurs comprises people who are community driven. These vetted networks will provide pro-bono support. Meanwhile, working with the University provides companies new to the Canadian marketplace a level of credibility with potential partners and access to top talent,” says Kwok.

Kwok says that in addition to its training programs, YSpace can connect startups with policymakers or government for additional insight on procurement processes and also put them in touch with a steady stream of York talent from more than 100 countries, pursuing a wide range of professional or research-oriented programs, and at various stages in their careers.

“We continue to refine and tune our own systems and strategies to help international companies better in the long run,” adds Kwok.

YSpace is York’s entrepreneurship hub at Innovation York in the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation. Innovation York facilitates and maximizes the commercial, economic and social impacts of research and innovation, and creates a culture of engaged scholarship and experiential learning. Visit  to learn more.

Originally published in YFile

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