Cultural Immersion: Fostering International Educational Ties – Faculty of Education

0
Cultural Immersion: Fostering International Educational Ties – Faculty of Education

The Faculty of Education, with a rich history of global engagement, continues to develop international education initiatives with several global partners. Recently, the Faculty hosted educational leaders from bilingual schools in Madrid, Spain, and a group of doctoral students from The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). These initiatives, led by the Faculty’s Office of International Education, aim to foster cross-cultural understanding, professional growth, and international collaboration.

Educational Leaders from Madrid: A Canadian Experience 

In early July, the Faculty of Education welcomed twenty-five secondary school administrators from bilingual schools in Madrid, Spain. The two-week program is a continuation of a multi-year partnership between Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the Ministry of Education Directorate of Bilingual Education in Madrid, which has involved building knowledge of multicultural, multilingual education in Canada, considering leadership strategies, and developing intercultural awareness.

The Madrid group participated in various activities designed to offer insights, awareness, and hands-on experiences, including the following:  

  • Learning from Local Schools: The group visited Burnaby Mountain Secondary and Byrne Creek Secondary Schools to observe teaching methods and converse with local educators and students. These interactions led to rich discussions about exploring and establishing connections between the educational contexts in B.C. and Madrid.

The Madrid educators also participated in classes and collaborative sessions hosted by Faculty members and local educators, including Janice St. Helene, Robert Williamson, Steve Marshall, Kathryn Yamamoto, and Sarine Sadhra. These sessions were platforms for exchanging educational strategies and fostering professional connections. “All the activities and sessions were incredibly insightful and creative,” shares Sara, an English teacher. “It has given all of us new ideas and methodologies that we can implement in our classrooms, in particular, the idea of introducing a plurilingual context into our existing bilingual contexts in Spain.”

“We hope that the participants will be able to develop some confidence in their leadership skills, go home with fresh ideas, and lead changes in their schools,” expresses Kathryn Yamamoto, Lead Facilitator and Director of Instruction, School District 41. 

Hong Kong: A Week of Intellectual Exchange

In May, the Faculty of Education welcomed twenty-three doctoral students from The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) for a dynamic week of learning and collaboration. This Knowledge Exchange program offered the EdUHK postgraduates a hands-on experience through a variety of sessions and events, including interactive workshops led by Faculty members, a lively Research Mingle for exchanging ideas with their SFU counterparts, presentations of their ongoing research to mixed EdUHK-SFU audiences, and a thought-provoking Roundtable to cap off the week, bringing together students and faculty from both institutions.

“Supporting these groups of visiting educators, teachers and students from other countries is an honour and a gift. It is always inspiring to witness the enthusiasm, openness, collaboration, and connection between and among these groups during their visits to SFU.  We look forward to hosting additional groups next year and into the future!”  

– Kristiana Sibson, Manager, International.

These visits underscore the Faculty of Education’s commitment to promoting international engagement and fostering educational experiences with global partners. The feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants from both groups described how they gained new insights, strengthened their professional and academic networks, and benefited from international collaboration.

As the Office of International Education looks to the future, it remains committed to building upon existing global partnerships, developing new ones, and promoting sustainability in international education.

link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *