SCIC Member Feature: University of Saskatchewan International Office
The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) is one of the top research-intensive, medical doctoral universities in Canada, a member of the 15 most research intensive universities in Canada (the U15), and is home to world-leading research in areas of global importance, such as water and food security and infectious diseases. USask, situated in the vibrant city of Saskatoon on Treaty Six territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis, and on one of Canada’s most beautiful campuses, is grounded in the character of a dynamic, forward-looking province. Guided by our University Plan: The University the World Needs, we work together across disciplines and with our communities to find creative solutions to the most pressing global challenges. The International Office (IO) is one of four units within the Office of the Vice President Research (OVPR) and is responsible for coordinating and administering university-wide international activities.
A visiting delegation, including the Head of Canada Partnerships for UK Research and Innovation, visited USask this past summer to learn more about USask’s research and our relationships with the UK. |
In Fall 2022, USask and the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute partnered to host the Prairies Regional Conference, “Engaging India – Engaging Canada: Interdisciplinary Perspectives” a two-day conference that was both in person, on our main campus, and virtual. |
The International Office is guided by the overarching USask’s Mission, Vision, and Values and by the OVPR Guiding Principles of collaboration, creativity, excellence, integrity, and results. We provide support for international relations, international partnerships, research and funding, and the effective co-ordination of USask international activities. The IO supports the USask campus community to engage in international research, funding opportunities, global community service and sustainable development projects, with the aim to build collaborative partnerships around the world. The IO fosters, creates and coordinates research and partnership initiatives in support of the university’s International Blueprint for Action 2025 (our guiding plan for internationalization at USask) and works to provide UN Sustainable Development Goals advocacy.
Current programming initiatives include:
- Creating and nurturing USask’s International Partnerships.
- Hosting institutional level visiting delegations and dignitaries and supporting outgoing university leadership led delegations.
- Providing support to relevant units at the provincial and federal government level and for embassies, consulates and international entities to connect with USask.
- Managing USask’s Internationalization Awards, part of the Blueprint awards to recognize the achievements of faculty, staff and students who provide outstanding contributions to the internationalization of USask.
- Growing international research connections by providing support for USask researchers with proposal development, team building, scale up, and compliance.
- Managing the internal International Travel and Project Grants, another key component of the Blueprint to provide seed funding for USask faculty and staff engaging in international partnership and research collaborations. These grants support USask researchers to address SDGs and help advance the pillars of USask’s Sustainability Strategy, built on the SDGs.
- Supporting and hosting International events such as the People Around the World (PAW) Annual Conference, Country Conversations, funding program information sessions, match-making roundtables and more, including hosting a number of events with partners in India to facilitate research cooperation with the Global South. We thrive on cooperation and have also co-hosted gender equality workshops with SCIC to mobilize knowledge and awareness among higher education institutions in Saskatchewan as well as jointly organized Indigenous Knowledge in Agriculture, Arts, Education and Health webinar series with the Magic 7 higher education consortium to exchange findings and practices with Philippine co-presenters and hundreds of participants at each of the webinars.
In Summer 2023, we celebrated “Excellence in Partnership” with Omayal Achi College of Nursing (Chennai, India), one of our longest uninterrupted partnerships. | Canada’s new Indo-Pacific Trade Representative visited USask in late 2023 to learn more about USask’s international research and partnership opportunities. |