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The internationalization of higher education brings forth financial, political, and socio-cultural benefits to all stakeholders involved. The Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, along with the Council of Ontario Universities, among others, have made it clear that international students and, more broadly, international education, are of utmost importance to the Ontario university sector. Nevertheless, substantial financial and cultural barriers persist that raise concerns about the transparency, accountability, and competitiveness of our institutions.

Effective teaching is a crucial component of student learning. Great instructors are capable of elevating course content to engage and inspire students, while poor instructors can significantly detract from the learning experience. Though every university will always have some number of excellent and awful instructors, it is worthwhile to look at the institutional mechanisms that attract, grow, and retain the latter ahead of the former. What practices and policies underlie the establishment of a “culture of teaching” on a university campus, and how does a school without such a culture come to develop one? Despite having spent the better part of the past year in Waterloo’s Federation of Students evaluating this very topic on my own campus, I don’t have any hard answers to offer – but perhaps I can provide some general insights.

Financial barriers have a way of taking over discussions about post-secondary access. Perhaps it is because they are tangible and the solutions are (at least logically) straightforward. Students can’t afford to go to university? Let’s make it more affordable. But as the government continues implementing revolutionary reforms to the Ontario Student Assistance Program, we must continue to prioritize the issue of access in this sector. This year’s access policy paper discusses students’ vision for a comprehensive provincial access strategy--one that prioritizes non-financial barriers to university.

Hey Everyone,

It is amazing to think that we are already in the month of March and that our year will be wrapping up shortly. We at OUSA really look forward to the next couple months as SC approaches its final time with the organization and we begin to start transition. I know speaking from my role as OUSA President that it is going to be a difficult goodbye but I also look forward to the amazing things the incoming team will do. 

With the release of the highly skilled workforce report and a significant focus in the sector on work-integrated learning, I feel that there are two things missing from these conversations that need to be addressed.

I really wanted to celebrate Black History Month this year--you know, #BlackFutures. I really wanted to write an informative blog and empower people to learn more about Black history in Canada. But I’ve been doing research. And in thinking about what I wanted to write about and trying to come up with something that would be relevant to the post-secondary sector and informative to readers, I kept coming across this saddening assertion:

Black people in Canada are a heterogenous, disparate group brought together by the shared experience of racism and discrimination.

“Political Science Internship Opportunity…” the subject line catches my attention as I scroll through my inbox. As a fourth year student, graduating in just a few months, the question of what I will do after graduation still has no answer. Excited at the mention of a potential opportunity to gain relevant experience, I click on the email.

So the time has come, today is my last day at OUSA. It’s been almost 10 years now since I have graduated from high school and started my undergrad education at the University of Lethbridge (still the best university by the way). I have had so many wonderful experiences and most of all, I have met so many interesting, passionate, and kind people along the way.

Hello there!

My name is Deborah Lam (but you can call me Deb) and I’m very excited to join the OUSA team! 

I completed a degree at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Honours Bachelor of Business Administration program with a concentration in Marketing and Brand Communications. Originally, my goal was to become an art director at an advertising agency. I loved to be the creative one behind a marketing campaign. During my undergrad, I was heavily involved in volunteer opportunities that allowed me the chance to plan, promote and facilitate events for undergraduate students. It was during my volunteer involvements that I realized a passion for event planning and organization. There’s nothing more rewarding than putting on an event for students and watching their faces light up with excitement.

Hello everyone and happy 2017!

I hope that you have had a great holiday break and are enjoying the beginning of second semester. OUSA has started off with a busy January featuring lots of meetings, policy updates, and elections happening on our member campuses across Ontario. The well needed break was perfect as we head into the busy new year advocating for the needs of students all across the province.