Celebrate International Education Week 2023

International Education Week (IEW) is recognized and celebrated worldwide every third week in November. 

To celebrate International Education Week, we have a full week of in-person and online events across both Waterloo and Brantford campuses to highlight opportunities for global engagement and begin planning for a future exchange term!

We also want to take a moment to celebrate the stories of student recipients of the Global Skills Opportunities Travel Grant.

International Education Week Events

Monday, November 20

International Eats

11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Waterloo Fresh Food Company

Stop by the Fresh Food Company for a delicious international lunch! On Monday the feature lunch is Chicken Tagine and Basmati bowl – Morocco

WUSC Booth - Collaboration with GDDSA

12 p.m. - 4 p.m. | Brantford One Market Student Commons

Laurier's World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Local Committee will be promoting engagement in collaboration with the Game Design and Development Students' Association to spread awareness about the 5 Pillars of Student Refugee Program Sponsorship.

Tuesday, November 21

International Eats

11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Waterloo Fresh Food Company

Stop by the Fresh Food Company for a delicious international lunch! On Tuesday the feature lunch is Piri Piri pork chop – Portugal 

WUSC Booth - Campaign for Her Future

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Waterloo Concourse

Laurier's World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Local Committee will be selling Peace by Chocolate bars to raise funds for the WUSC Her Future Campaign. Through the Her Future campaign, WUSC is contributing to girls’ empowerment to pursue educational pathways in crisis-affected areas. Canadians and people living in Canada can take small, everyday actions to have a tangible impact on the lives of girls in fragile, conflict and crisis situations globally.

Film Night

7 - 9 p.m. | Brantford Laurier International (OM-310) Get your tickets here!

Laurier International and Prof. Laurie Jacklin's HR-261 Multiculturalism class invite you to attend a screening of One Big Hapa Family. The film is a live action and animated feature documentary by Jeff Chiba Stearns. WUSC & GDDSA will also have an art booth and game booth.

Tandem Karaoke

8 - 11 p.m. | Waterloo WILFS

Hosted by the Tandem Language Program and the Languages and Literatures program, sing your heart out in your favourite language at this Karaoke/open mic night at WILFs! There will be some free appetizers provided, so come early! 

Wednesday, November 22

WUSC Booth - Campaign for Her Future

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Waterloo Concourse

Laurier's World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Local Committee will be selling Peace by Chocolate bars to raise funds for the WUSC Her Future Campaign. Through the Her Future campaign, WUSC is contributing to girls’ empowerment to pursue educational pathways in crisis-affected areas. Canadians and people living in Canada can take small, everyday actions to have a tangible impact on the lives of girls in fragile, conflict and crisis situations globally.

WUSC Ceremony

10 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Brantford One Market Atrium

The WUSC Local Commitee invites you to join them to celebrate their achievements, learn about the WUSC vision, mission & 5 pillars of support, and enjoy poetry & dance. 

Drop-in Lunch

12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. | Brantford Laurier International Get yout tickets here!

International Eats

4 - 10 p.m. | Waterloo Fresh Food Company

Stop by the Fresh Food Company for a delicious international dinner! On Wednesday the feature dinner is Thai Pork Green Curry over jasmine rice - Thailand

Thursday, November 23

International Eats

11 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Waterloo Fresh Food Company

Stop by the Fresh Food Company for a delicious international lunch! On Thursday the feature lunch is Butter chicken and chickpea bowl– India

Student Exchange Program Information Session

Book Launch: Love Songs in Motion: Voicing Intimacy in Somaliland

4 - 5:30 p.m. | Waterloo DAWB 4-105

You are invited to join Dr. Christina Woolner, Laurier and WUSC Committee Alum, for the launch of her newly released book: “Love Songs in Motion: Voicing Intimacy in Somaliland”.

As part of International Education Week, the Laurier WUSC committee, and Laurier International alongside Global Studies, Religion and Culture and Community Music will be hosting an afternoon of conversation, reading, music and tea and desserts.

“Both music and love are conspicuously absent from the public soundscapes of Hargeysa, Somaliland. But behind closed doors, people listen to love songs. In doing so, these lonely love sufferers and love hopefuls make sense of various challenges. Using accounts from a cross section of Somalilanders, I show that these solitary listening practices open into uniquely intimate and transformative opportunities for dareen-wadaag (feeling sharing).”

This event has been sponsored by: Laurier International, WUSC, Global Studies; Religion and Culture, Music

Attendance is limited. Register here. 

International Experience Canada Information Session

3 - 4 p.m. | Online (you need to register on Navigator to receive the link)

Learn about International Experience Canada (IEC), a Government of Canada travel and work mobility program for Canadian and foreign youth, aged 18 to 35. The IEC's agreements with foreign countries and territories make it easier for you to get work permits with their partners. Work abroad to help fund the trip of a lifetime. Gain new skills, learn new languages, experience different cultures and explore places that you never thought you could!

Friday, November 24

Student Exchange Program Information Session

10 - 11 a.m. | Offered online on Zoom

Meeting ID: 983 9607 8380
Passcode: 416873

International Eats

4 - 9 p.m. | Waterloo Fresh Food Company

Stop by the Fresh Food Company for a delicious international Dinner! On Friday the feature dinner is Cabbage roll bowl – Ukraine

Other Ways To Get Involved 

International at Home Programming

International at Home programming focuses on bringing global learning and engagement opportunities to you. The programs allow the Laurier community to connect with each other, as well as partner institutions around the world, to build intercultural knowledge and skills, make new connections and foster new friendships. All without leaving the comfort of home!

Tandem Language Program 

Through the Tandem Language Program, you’ll share and learn language and culture with a peer. Partnerships are based on language proficiency and interest, giving you the opportunity to develop skills in a new language while learning in a social way. 

• Learn more about the Tandem Language Program and register now. 

Intercultural Certificate 

Expand your intercultural knowledge and skills by completing the Intercultural Certificate. Modules in the certificate cover topics including concepts of culture, exploring your own culture, intercultural communication, cultural adaptation, and more. And all students who complete the Intercultural Certificate will receive credit on their Laurier Experience Record. 

• Learn more about the certificate, including how to register. 

Laurier International Cultural Conversations 

Open to international and exchange students, Laurier International Cultural Conversations (LICC) is embedded in HR261: Multiculturalism, taught by Laurie Jacklin, and pairs students for conversations around multiculturalism, race and ethnicity, migration theory, and more. It’s also an opportunity for international and exchange students to share more about their experiences. 

• Learn more about LICC, including how to register.