ACE March Newsletter - Academic without Borders
Mar 1, 2021 | Academic Centre of Excellence
Academic Centre of Excellence - March Newsletter
Teaching & Learning Highlights
Academic without Borders
Academics without Borders (AWB) is a network of Canadian universities and colleges that have come together to collaborate on projects in partnership with institutions of higher learning in the developing world.
The AWB Network provides important linkages between institutions, their faculty and staff with a common commitment to global development. Canadore College entered into an agreement to become a member of AWB in January 2021 in order to facilitate and enhance opportunities for Canadore academic faculty to contribute their expertise to projects.
Such initiatives and projects are a key element of an institution’s approach to holistic internationalization. Project linkages established through the AWB have potential to mature and strengthen over time to include broader institutional partnerships.
A fundamental operating principle of AWB is that areas in which assistance is needed must be identified by universities or the ministries of higher education in the countries in which they work. These institutions are the owners of the projects and take the lead in project design and implementation. AWB assists our partners in fulfilling their defined needs and established goals by providing requested expertise. However, member institutions like Canadore College can also proactively propose projects.
Faculty and staff at member institutions are given priority as project volunteers on all projects. Along with a detailed orientation, volunteers who participate in AWB projects are provided with travel expenses reimbursement (flights, accommodations, meals, etc.), medical insurance, and vaccinations.
Recently, in 2020, AWB members contributed to a project at a university in Uganda which focused on building medical research capacity on maternal and infant health through Micro Research Training workshops. Similarly, in 2018, a professor from Seneca College spent six weeks as an AWB volunteer at Bahir Dar University in Ethiopia teaching advanced research methods to a cohort of the then newly launched PhD in Law program.
With Canadore College’s participation in AWB, academic faculty at the college can now participate in AWB coordinated projects. Canadore College academic faculty are encouraged to consider signing up for the AWB newsletter so that they may be informed when a new call for proposals is issued, as well as receive AWB Network News. In this manner, you will be made aware of all opportunities, as they are vast and abundant. This is an exciting opportunity for all to be engaged in!