Introduction to project

Becca Gray (she/her) is completing her Master of Education from University of British Columbia Okanagan. Through a variety of experiences over the past decade, Becca has become increasingly passionate about supporting international students as they pursue opportunities to study, work, and live in Canada. She has over ten years of experience supporting international students socially and academically in their transition to Canada and educational institutions.

Through the avenue of the capstone project, Becca has worked to put together a research-informed and practice-based mentorship program that supports international students in their transition into post-secondary as undergraduate students, and out of of post-secondary as career professionals. It is her hope that this forthcoming program could be a starting point for institutions to take a more proactive and supportive role in ensuring international students are successful in their studies and subsequent careers in Canada.

Importance

International students numbers have been continuously rising in Canada over the last few decades and it is imperative that there are systems and programs in place to ensure they are supported and successful in their various transitions they will have surrounding their post-secondary education and professional career (Guo & Guo, 2017). This work needs to be grounded in best-practice, a deep understanding of the experiences many international students will have, and an interest in supporting the diverse students from around the world who come to Canada for an education and potentially to work. The successful transition of international students looks like retaining them until completion of their studies, and ensuring they are set up to be able to pursue a career.

While there have been several studies of international students in higher education across the West, these studies are usually focused on the US, UK, and Australian contexts of education and programs that exist (Akanwa, 2015). The research that has been done in the Canadian context is fairly limited and often behind other countries in understanding the needs of diverse student populations. In seeking to create a program that would benefit international students in their transition to and from university, relevant research in both the Canadian and broader contexts were examined. This also highlights the need of further examining the experiences of international students in Canada.

Focus

The main focus and goal of this project is presenting how post-secondary institutions can better support international students during their time in Canada. International students in Canada come from around the world to study, and have various nuances, expectations, and needs. The focus of this research project is how programs can be implemented to support international students as their pursue a post-secondary education and subsequent career(s).

While there are often high efforts in recruiting students (Akanwa, 2015), there needs to also be a focus on retaining international students until graduation, and ensuring they are successful in pursuing a career should they wish to stay in Canada. Within this project, there are many opportunities to narrow the scope to provide specific supports to a specific group of international students. The main focus of this project is to provide a general preview of a program that can be developed and implemented to support international students in Canada pursing an education and a career.

Intentions

The intention of this research project is to provide information, suggestions, and direction to others who may be looking at ways to best support international students at their institution. The project focuses on creating a research-based, practice-informed program that strives to support international students at every point of their education and career growth in Canada. As mentioned earlier, supporting a successful transition means that international students are retained as higher rates than current trends are showing, and ensuring they are able to pursue a career in Canada after graduating.

This project proposes a program which can be adjusted based on specific goals, structures, and student needs. It can be implemented at an institutional level, or focused on a smaller group. The program features three key stages, all of which can be built as a stand alone program. The aim is to provide every institution with international students a starting point for how they can be supported in their success. Another intention is to elevate the variety of research while also highlighting gaps that call for more work to be done to support international students.

Mission and values

The values that drive this work are accessibility, community, and reciprocity. The aim of this program is to ensure supports are available and accessible to all international students who may need or want them. The value of community highlights the importance of finding a sense of belonging and utilizing networks to create connection and find opportunities. Reciprocity emphasizes the idea of helping others that ensures program longevity and reflexive practice. These values support our learning outcomes which are focused on connecting, co-learning, and creating and seeking goals.

It is through these values that we work toward a mission of ensuring international students are supported, successful, and thriving in their studies and work. This work will need to continue as long as there are international students in Canada.