SEED and ELAP exchange students, along with other exchange students, at Niagara Falls.
SEED and ELAP scholarships promote global learning and mobility through international exchanges
November 7, 2019
Working towards the internationalization of our campuses, we are continually exploring new ways to help students from around the world visit, learn from and contribute to the Humber community.
For the past few years, with assistance from Global Affairs Canada, we’ve worked with academic partners in Peru, Jamaica and Vietnam to host a series of semester-long student exchanges here at Humber. The exchanges were made possible through two EduCanada scholarship programs, the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) and the Canada-ASEAN Scholarships and Educational Exchanges for Development (SEED), which provide funding for non-Canadian students to study or research in Canada.
The success of these exchanges highlights how opportunities for global mobility and partnerships can positively influence our campuses – and impact the lives of the participants.
Fostering global learning and mobility
The ELAP and SEED scholarships are designed to provide opportunities for postsecondary students in Latin America, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia (ASEAN) to travel to Canada and conduct short-term study or research at a partner institution.
The scholarships are intended to strengthen ties between Canada and these regions and build global leadership in areas such as sustainable development and human rights.
Through long-term relationships with Jamaica’s University of Technology (UTECH), the National Economics University in Vietnam and Peru’s Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Humber has successfully applied to the programs and has hosted a number of student candidates over the last few years. The programs provide resources for travel, accommodation and living expenses. This year, we were able to welcome four students to spend a semester at Humber.
Experiencing and contributing to internationalization at Humber
International exchanges bring new cultural knowledge and global perspectives to the Humber community, and provide career and often life-changing impact for the student participants.
“Being able to study in a foreign country has enriched my education and opened new doors to learn about cultural and background differences firsthand,” says Amanda Rowe, of Jamaica’s UTech. “The new experiences I have gained, and the networking opportunities will help my career plans […] and contribute to my success.”
Pham Thi Nhat Linh is on exchange from the National Economics University in Vietnam. “Being here with the SEED scholarship is a huge advantage for me and studying here at Humber has really urged me to come back […] and try to get further education here in Canada,” says Pham. “This is a precious opportunity to live independently, in a totally different environment, to define yourself, broaden horizons, make good friendships and gain unique experiences.”
Also visiting Humber this year through the ELAP program are Paloma Najarro and Andrea Arriola from the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola in Peru.
Fostering tomorrow’s globally-minded leaders
We’re very pleased to welcome these students into the Humber community and wish them the best of luck on their learning journeys ahead. Special thanks to the Government of Canada—as well as our partners at UTECH, Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola and the National Economics University—for making these exchanges possible and helping us foster globally-minded leaders of tomorrow.
To learn more about how Humber is working with the Government of Canada’s ELAP and SEED programs, please contact Rebecca Fitzgerald, Associate Director, International Mobility and Partnerships at rebecca.fitzgerald@humber.ca.
(Left) Linh Pham, international student on exchange program from National Economics University, Vietnam.
(Right) Amanda Rowe, international student on exchange program from University of Technology (UTECH), Jamaica.