Students learn both about their discipline and how to navigate new cultures 

Adventure abroad can be life expanding. Yet for all the learning opportunity, it can also be daunting to face the unknown. At York, 69 students took up the challenge to live and learn away from home in faculty-led study abroad courses or partner summer schools, in places including Ghana, Brazil and Cuba (Faculty of Health), Colombia and the Netherlands (Glendon College), and Scotland (AMPD).  

For three students participating in the Faculty of Health's HLST 4170: Experience Cuba: Enacting the Human Right to Health & Health Equity, spending two weeks to see what their discipline looks like in another part of the world was eye-opening. Yet it also came with a window into elements of cultural adjustments that can be part of the package when travelling somewhere different.  

Before leaving, the first task for these travellers was to learn about the course and the country. In Experience Cuba, the main focus was on learning about how Cuba’s health care system worked. With their destination set for the city of Holguin on the eastern end of the Caribbean island, programming included classes at the University of Holguin, visits to hospitals and smaller clinics, and daily excursions to local markets and cultural destinations such as the city’s two local museums. Students also stayed in Cuba's long-established private homestays called casa particulares where locals rent rooms to tourists (similar to today’s Airbnb model).  

For recent health policy management graduate Bogdan Hududui, the casa particulares were a highlight of the trip. He stayed with a couple and their children, and ate most breakfasts with them as well as a couple of dinners. Originally from Romania, Hududui says he found the community-oriented lifestyle refreshingly similar to what he knew in Europe. “In Canada, everyone's very individualistic. You don't really know your neighbors. I don't know anybody on my street. But in Cuba, I knew basically everyone, because people would be out and talking on the street,” he says. 

Asya Said, a second-year Global Health major, also enjoyed hanging out with her host family, recalling that they managed to communicate well enough between their limited language skills and hand gestures. “We would talk to them, tell them about our day. Sometimes we would dance with them. We would play cards. There was a lot of interaction with our host family. They loved talking to us, and we loved talking to them. They all had different stories to share,” she recalls. 

Both students said that they also learned a lot about the differences between the health care systems. Hududui says the focus on preventative medicine hit him first. “Canada's health system is very much focused on taking care of you after you already have an illness or a disease. So if you have like diabetes, it's treating everything after that. But in Cuba, they focus on prevention. Because Cuba isn't a very wealthy country, so they prefer you not to need insulin. They tried their best to give you actual prescriptions for diets, and exercise,” he says, adding that he also found greater acceptance of alternative medicines. Said observed that the communal vibe she felt with her host family extended into the health system. "The health system seems to target communities, listening to what the people needed," she says.  

While both students enjoyed the warmth they found in Cuban culture (and climate!), certain elements and realities on the ground took some getting used to. The rolling blackouts that are typical in Cuba were jarring, says Hududui, even when they were on a schedule such as a regular planned six-hour outage. Many places had emergency generators but they were not used that often. Weak sewage systems where the protocol was not to flush toilet paper was also a difference, and the WiFi strength could be unpredictable.  

Said, who does not eat pork, says she was concerned before leaving about meeting her dietary requirements. She did research and was reassured to find eggs and fish and chicken as regular staples. She adds that her initial research did not match the reality she found, in a good way.  

“When I look at the media, they always portray Cuba as very low income, very scary. There was just a lot of misinformation. I was expecting a lot of bad things. But when I got there, it was the exact opposite. Everyone's so friendly, welcoming. You get to explore and see the communities and how they work with each other,” she says. 

In order to deal with cultural adjustments, students were advised beforehand to journal and chat with peers about their experiences. Hududui says that after the initial whirlwind of settling in, it actually hit him on the second day that he would be spending a further 12 days.  At that point he was glad that he had brought familiar elements to remind him of home. "If you like music or podcasts, download a bunch before you head out to Cuba, and listen to what will make you feel comfortable," he advises. He also found that making friends on his trip, both local students and in his cohort, helped him to find plans for downtime like weekends to explore the area's beaches, concerts and clubs.  

Said says she would definitely recommend the study abroad opportunity to others, has already told friends about it, and is even considering going again herself. "You learn a lot even though it is in a short span, from students and professors, especially if you’re into travelling and new environments."  

Hududui says the experience helped him better prepare for his career in healthcare to see a different system in action. “It was worthwhile for me because it gave me a different perspective on how a healthcare system can be improved." 

Students who are interested in applying for a faculty-led study abroad course can visit /international/global-learning/faculty-led-study-abroad-courses/ to see what might be a good fit and apply  – deadline is January 23, 2026. 

All accepted students to the course will receive a $1000 bursary from York International, pre-departure preparation and will join a community of like-minded learners ready to learn! You can also follow us on Instagram @yorkugoglobal. 

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�첥��Ƶ students are stepping out of the traditional classroom to experience the principles of sustainability and ecology first-hand at the University’s Las Nubes EcoCampus in Costa Rica.

This summer, 25 students in the Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) had the opportunity to visit the EcoCampus, located within the Alexander Skutch Biological Corridor in southern Costa Rica, as part of an experiential education opportunity.

Supported by the Fisher Fund for Neotropical Conservation, the EcoCampus aims to safeguard the biological, cultural and social values of the communities living in the area.

According to Ana Martinez, associate director of the Las Nubes EcoCampus, the program has had a profound impact on its participants, as it fosters both personal and academic growth.

“Many students find – or even redefine – their passion and drive through experiences enriched by deep cultural and natural immersion, gaining new perspectives on the interplay between the environment, culture and social issues,” said Martinez. “For some, the experience is transformative on a personal level, pushing them out of their comfort zones and instilling a sense of confidence and appreciation for new cultures.”

Several courses are offered as part of the �첥��Ƶ Abroad Program in Costa Rica – Environmental Psychology, Global Eco-Arts Residency, Protected Area Management, Educating for a Sustainable Future and more – for both undergraduate and graduate students. The courses have condensed timelines, with summer courses completed in 10 days and fall/winter courses in nine days. Students can opt to take one course for a shorter trip, or back-to-back courses for a longer stay.

Timothy Ong, a fourth-year student in the Sustainable Environmental Management (SEM) program, describes a typical day studying in Costa Rica as beginning with a prepared breakfast from his homestay parents and getting picked up by a shuttle bus around 8 a.m. to head to his first activity of the day – which could be a hike, a visit to the farm or a trip to the EcoCampus. After an activity and lunch, students head to the EcoCampus for lectures until 5 or 6 p.m., when the bus drives everyone back to their respective homestays.

“In the context of Costa Rica as an international reference for conservation and sustainable development, we explore a number of initiatives that attempt to achieve the ideals of conservation, development and well-being,” said Felipe Montoya, an EUC professor and the director of Las Nubes, who teaches a course called Conservation and Development for Social-Environmental Sustainability and Well-being. “With the analysis of each case, we try to gain a greater understanding of the possibilities and obstacles for achieving these goals in and beyond Costa Rica.”

Students taking Montoya’s course will take part in hiking activities, allowing them to observe natural ecosystems that have evolved away from urban areas and learn about the theory and principles of ecology as they apply to sustainable development in a tropical environment.

Paula Kaston, a fourth-year SEM student, chose to go to Las Nubes because she wanted to witness how the different programs – agroecology, sustainability, Indigenous issues, etc. – are implemented.

“My favourite experience was when we went to the diversification farm,” she said, “because [the instructor demonstrated] so many different ways to be successful in maintaining a sustainable agroecological system.”

As a mature SEM student who will be starting a master in environmental studies next year, Kaston said this experience has given her hope that a sustainable future is possible: “It made me feel like there are a lot of people who are on the ground – feet on the ground, hands in soil – making sustainability accessible.”

Courses offered in the Las Nubes EcoCampus have no prerequisites and are open as electives to all third- and fourth-year undergraduate students and graduate students.

For more information about courses at �첥��Ƶ’s Las Nubes EcoCampus, who is eligible and how to register, visit the .

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Students from �첥��Ƶ have an opportunity to collaborate with students from Japan’s Mukogawa Women’s University this month as the result of a  (GNL) award granted to Lisa Sandlos, a contract faculty member in �첥��Ƶ’s School of Gender, Sexuality & Women's Studies and the Faculty of Education, by the GNL team at York International.

GNL is an approach to teaching and learning that enables people from different locations worldwide to work together on knowledge-making processes and research projects. It provides cross-cultural opportunities for students who might not have the chance to study abroad – a definite benefit in today’s global economy.

Sandlos will be pairing students in her summer course GSWS/DANC4528 3.0 – Feminism, Dance and The Body: Performance, Movement and Transformation – with students in a course at Mukogawa Women’s University taught by Naoko Murakoshi, who offers a seminar focusing on somatic movement, education and dance. The two women studied together in a professional training program at the School of Toronto Dance Theatre (now called the Dance Arts Institute) and were faculty colleagues at �첥��Ƶ for several years before Murakoshi returned to teach in her native Japan.

Thanks to a Hyogo Overseas Research Network fellowship, Sandlos was able to travel to Japan this spring and plan the GNL exercise with Murakoshi in person.

“Because we are considering bodies, movement and dance, it was helpful to be together in a physical space with her students,” Sandlos said. “I was there doing research, but I also taught five classes and gave a lecture on gender, sexuality and sexualization in competitive dance.”

Murakoshi noted, “It was good to have Lisa here so we could create the GNL plans together. The process is very important, and we wanted to share our thoughts.”

The �첥��Ƶ course, which began at the end of June, is six weeks long. Sandlos introduced the GNL component during the second class, and provided another assignment option for students who preferred not to participate.

As part of the GNL component, both students in each pair will create a video “about any aspect of their identity that they wish to share,” Sandlos said. “They will then observe their partner’s video and write a reflection on what they observe and what they have experienced. They will also reflect on what the body can tell us, especially through movement and dance.”

Once the students begin the project, they will be able to work either asynchronously or synchronously, but the 13-hour time difference will likely play a part in their decisions.

Through this project, the two professors hope their students will gain an understanding of the cultural and social dimensions of movement.

“Ideas about the body are social and cultural and aren’t fixed,” Sandlos said. “When we communicate cross-culturally, we realize that people collectively create their understanding about the world and the body. Movement is culturally coded and we need to understand the level of diversity that exists in order to communicate effectively.”

Murakoshi noted that bodies are socially conditioned. In Eastern philosophy and Japanese culture, she explained, small gestures can carry great meaning.

“This exchange will help the students start to reveal their own biases and understand that how they perceive things is societal,” said Murakoshi. “This is revealed clearly when they exchange movement, and I want them to experience that with peers.”

Sandlos hopes students will find the GNL project informative, not only as a cross-cultural exchange but as experiential education, which was her impetus for creating it.

Originally published in YFile.

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Francesca Boschetti, associate director of the �첥��Ƶ English Language Institute (YUELI) in the School of Continuing Studies, gave a talk at the Languages Canada Annual Conference in Vancouver showcasing her groundbreaking work in globally networked learning.
A collaborative approach to research and teaching that allows students, instructors and researchers from around the world to work together, globally networked learning holds a special place in Boschetti's heart because of her own journey as a language student and advocate for multiculturalism.

"I grew up in Italy and studied multiple foreign languages throughout my schooling and into university, where I concentrated on language teaching and learning," explains Boschetti, who has spent her career figuring out how to best weave internationalization initiatives into language programs in the Canadian university setting.

Boschetti's talk, titled “Globally Networked Learning: Internationalization at Home in English Language Classes,” focused on setting up virtual exchanges to provide students from universities in different parts of the world with an opportunity to connect with each other and enhance their intercultural communication and networking skills.

To illustrate her approach, Boschetti discussed the globally networked learning project she launched in collaboration with York International and YUELI in Winter 2022 – a year-long virtual exchange between English for Academic Purposes students at YUELI and English for Hotel Administration students at Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), a university in the Dominican Republic. Students involved in the exchange interacted through online activities, including message board chats, group discussions on Zoom, and friendly competitions and games.

"Cross-cultural communication and collaboration have a transformative power," says Boschetti. "Witnessing our students thrive in the classroom, honing their language skills, forging new friendships and gaining invaluable cultural insights reaffirms my commitment to fostering an inclusive, globally connected learning environment."

In her presentation, Boschetti detailed how the institute identified a university partner, designed programming, collaborated with instructors and engaged different cohorts of students. She shared the best practices, learning outcomes, strategies and challenges they encountered.

Many attendees approached her afterwards, seeking advice on how to successfully launch similar programs at their own institutions, which is exactly the response she was hoping for.

"As we thrive to enrich the student experience," says Boschetti, "initiatives such as virtual language exchanges serve as catalysts for meaningful engagement and intercultural dialogue."

Originally published in YFile.

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The COVID-19 pandemic made student mobility and exchange programs challenging, but Hugo Chen, director of international collaborations and partnerships for �첥��Ƶ's Faculty of Science, found a way to provide students with a global engagement opportunity nonetheless, by turning to globally networked learning (GNL). Now, post-pandemic, the GNL initiative – his Faculty’s first – is still going strong.
GNL, also known as collaborative online international learning virtual exchange (COIL-VE), refers to an approach to research, learning and teaching that enables students, faculty and non-academic researchers from different locations around the world to participate in, and collaborate on, knowledge-making processes and concrete research projects. It dovetails nicely with York’s University Academic Plan and its priority of advancing global engagement, as well as the Faculty of Science’s Strategic Plan with its goal of creating “more opportunities for all students to have international exchange and field course experiences.”  

It also reflects the University’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by contributing to students’ overall mental health and resilience; SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by promoting intercultural understanding and dialogue; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goal, by emphasizing the importance of global partnerships in achieving sustainable development. 

“Many students found the pandemic stressful because they were stuck at home and their opportunities for international exchange were curtailed,” Chen said. “Although I was relatively new to York, I was experienced in international education and knew the benefits of GNL, or COIL-VE, as it is often called.  

“The Faculty of Science hadn’t tried GNL previously, but I want to be an innovator and decided to facilitate some cross-cultural communication.” 

With support from York International, the office that supports GNL initiatives at York, Chen reached out to Xin Wang, an associate professor at Northeastern University in Shenyang, China. The duo, and an administrative colleague there, agreed to organize a series of Zoom sessions to bring students from York’s Faculty of Science together with students from Northeastern’s School of Information Science & Engineering to increase intercultural understanding.  

At York, Chen invited members of the group Global Leaders of York Science (GLYS) to participate. GLYS is a volunteer team that works closely with Chen’s office to support the Faculty’s international initiatives, provide undergraduate students with professional development opportunities to enhance their employability skills and help them develop a global mindset. A total of 35 GLYS members and Northeastern students took part in the initial cross-cultural sessions. They began with an international coffee chat over Zoom in November 2021. 

“My objective was to have them meet and talk about their own experiences,” said Chen, who is a certified sociocultural competency training facilitator. “The important thing was to build understanding and exposure around different cultures.” 

A joint organizing committee comprising students from both universities created a series of virtual sessions, each lasting an hour and a half. The topics they chose included a comparison of their education systems; mental health, including pandemic challenges; artificial intelligence; and the opportunities and risks of globalization. Of course, there was also informal discussion about their favourite books and music, hobbies and interests. 

“I suggested ideas, provided advice and was there to facilitate their conversations,” said Chen. 

After each session, he and his Northeastern colleagues asked students to provide feedback and suggest potential improvements.  

“This was an opportunity to broaden their world views without a huge cost,” said Chen. “Not all students can afford to travel abroad, so this makes international opportunities accessible and inclusive. Having such an experience may also encourage students to study or travel abroad later. There are benefits to exploring different perspectives and this project opens the door to those possibilities.” 

The success of the program was apparent in the comments students provided on their post-GNL surveys. 

“Engaging with students from different countries was enlightening,” wrote one student. “It’s fascinating to see how our approaches to science and education differ and, yet, how much we can learn from each other.” 

Another student added, “This program opened my eyes to different cultural perspectives and has given me friends from across the globe. I’m still in touch with my group members and we often discuss our academic and personal life.” 

Since 2021, Chen and his colleagues in China have run the program annually, with participants drawn primarily from GLYS. The composition of the group changes each time, with a mix of returning and new participants, and it continues to be popular. 

“One of the program’s most gratifying outcomes has been the formation of ongoing relationships and friendships among the participants that have transcended the program’s duration,” said Chen. “This speaks to the depth of the students’ engagement and the program’s success in forming meaningful international ties.  

“We also hope the students will choose York for their further studies.” 

Originally published in YFile.

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A French immersion high-school teacher who joined �첥��Ƶ's Glendon College pursued a  project to help his students build connections and advance their academic journeys.

A frequent participant in a global scholars program with his students from elementary and middle schools, teacher Jafar Hussain has long understood the value of students building cross-cultural connections. So, when he was seconded to York’s Glendon Campus as a course director, he decided the global approach was equally important in the university classroom.

He dove right into a GNL project with students in his Teaching & Learning French in a Core French Context class. GNL is an approach to research, learning, and teaching that enables students, faculty, and non-academic researchers from different locations around the world to participate in, and collaborate on, knowledge-making processes and concrete research projects.

“I wanted to bring my students a new perspective on what learning could look like,” Hussain said of his plans for his students. “My own experience with K-12 students and such programs demonstrated that these experiences are fruitful and enriching.”

His class, taught in French, comprised bachelor of education (BEd) students in their final year of the concurrent teacher education program who will be teaching French as a second language. With assistance from York International, Hussain connected with Professor Caroline Andrade at the Universidad Desarollo in Chile and her Spanish-speaking education students who are planning to teach English as a second language.

Since all of the students were future language teachers, the professors broke them into groups with students from both universities and gave them an assignment: introduce yourselves, discuss an issue that affects language learning and create a joint podcast to explain it. They also asked each group to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create an image for their podcast as a way of teaching responsible use of AI.

“Part of developing global competency is navigating communications barriers, and we knew that here, everyone spoke some English,” Hussain said. “The real goal of the assignment was to bring them together. What was important was the experience of working together to try to accomplish the goal.”

“None of us had done an internationally focused project so far and some people were skeptical, but Jafar told us from the beginning to focus on the experience and not worry about the outcome,” said Ana Kraljevic, a student in the class, who is hoping to pursue a career in education policy and leadership.

Kraljevic’s group explored language insecurity, its root causes and solutions.

“Language [or linguistic] insecurity refers to any sort of apprehension a new learner has about speaking the language, whether that is a fear of being judged or not being competent,” said Kraljevic. “We’re learning French and our Chilean counterparts are learning English, so we have similar experiences. Language insecurity is a huge, complex phenomenon and we want to reduce it for future students.”

Rosamaria Conenna, a BEd student who majored in French studies and has a minor in Spanish, also enjoyed the project. Her group chose to discuss accentism: the way accents are perceived in society and how they affect language learners.

“It can be discouraging if you have an accent because when someone hears it, they often default to your primary language and deny you the opportunity to practise,” she said. “It can be disappointing if you have an accent, especially when you know what you’re saying is correct.

“We want our future students to know that having an accent is perfectly OK, and that it should not discourage them from practising the languages they learn.”

Conenna’s group, like the others, connected via WhatsApp to pair and discuss personal experiences to convey their own stories authentically. Each pair recorded a segment of the podcast, which was hosted by a team member who introduced the topic, the group and provided information about research on the subject.

The students presented their group work to the entire class and Hussain was “blown away. It all came together beautifully and the students all became more globally aware,” he said. He praised students for their work and shared some words of wisdom. “Remember all the obstacles you imagined beforehand and look at what you produced. When something seems insurmountable, it’s so much sweeter when you get to the end point,” he told them.

Kraljevic is already thinking about how she could do something similar with classes she will be teaching in the future, and the experience has fuelled Conenna’s dreams of teaching abroad.

For Hussain, “Now I have a solid model of what GNL could look like at a university level. There were challenges on both sides, but the learning experience is extremely rich.”

Learn more about York’s .

Originally published in YFile.

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Through its International Scholarships Program, makes it possible for international students to study or conduct research at �첥��Ƶ and other Canadian institutions as a way of assisting internationalization efforts promoting Canada as a top study/research destination abroad. With pandemic travel restrictions now in the rearview mirror, international students are once again taking advantage of study abroad opportunities, and York’s student body is richer as a result. My Duong from Vietnam and Marina Simei from Brazil are among those exchange students who have swelled the ranks at York.

Duong, a third-year economics student from Vietnam National University, had always wanted to go on an exchange and had her eye on Canada as a place she’d like to experience. Her university is one of York’s partners and when she learned about the International Scholarships Program, she inquired into it. After an eight-month process involving her university, York and Global Affairs Canada, Duong received approval for a one-term exchange. By that time, she had only a month to prepare for her semester at York. Luckily, the team at York International (YI), the York office that oversees international exchanges, was on hand to smooth her path.

The Global Learning team at YI was extremely helpful,” said Duong. “I could email tem directly about my application and without them, my trip wouldn’t have been possible. The entire team was very welcoming.”

Once she arrived, Duong was apprehensive about the language, since “using English compared to learning English are two different things.”

She has found her professors to be very helpful and took YI’s advice to email her professors, let them know she was an exchange student and ask for tips on succeeding in class. Joining a study group has helped her meet others, and she enjoyed events organized by YI, by her residence and by the Vietnamese Students Association. She also volunteered for YI’s Global Outreach Program, offering insights about her home university to potential exchange students.

Since Vietnam National University is a York partner, the credits Duong earns here will count toward her degree. She registered for four economics courses and is confident that she is “doing okay.

“I am grateful for the opportunity,” she said. “I appreciate Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development by Global Affairs Canada. As a first-generation student from a developing country, this scholarship has been a cornerstone of my journey, offering me opportunities I never imagined possible. I am also grateful to the team at my home university for helping to make this experience a reality.”

Duong plans to pursue a master’s degree in economics and give back to her country. She has been impressed by the emphasis on sustainability at York.

“I am passionate about environmental economics, especially for Vietnam as a developing country. There is a lot we can do and I want to contribute my share.”

Simei, a fourth-year languages and literature student from the State University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, has enjoyed spending a term at �첥��Ƶ on an Emerging Leaders in the Americas scholarship from Global Affairs Canada.

“I started studying language and literature because I began teaching English in Brazil,” Simei said. “I’d never been to an English-speaking country before and Canada was my choice.

“Being in a really multi-cultural context is amazing. I’ve never been in a place with people from all over the world and I’ve liked that.”

Her credits from York won’t count toward her degree, so “I have used the opportunity to take courses I wouldn’t be able to do at home because they aren’t offered,” Simei said. Her schedule included a couple of dance classes, an art that is her passion; Asian Philosophical Traditions; and Health, Storytelling & Media.

She lived off campus and became part of a contact improvisational dance community, so she made friends both at York and in the community.

“I’m a bit sad that the scholarship is only for one term, because I know there’s a lot more to see, but I’m in need of a rest and I miss my family,” Simei said. “It was a long process to get accepted for this scholarship, but it has been an amazing experience.”

Global Affairs Canada offers a number of scholarships to students for study in Canada and applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now open. Faculty members who have connections at institutions abroad are encouraged to promote these scholarships to their colleagues. More information is available through .

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