Humber College has been recognized for its commitment to global citizenship with the Gold Award of Excellence from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP).  

“This achievement recognizes Humber’s success in nurturing global citizens with the skills and knowledge to contribute in meaningful ways to our interconnected and rapidly evolving world,” said Rebecca Fitzgerald, Humber’s associate director of International Mobility and Strategic Partnerships. “Through applied education, Humber prepares students to be innovative and strategic problem solvers who take a systems approach to addressing shared global challenges, working together to build more sustainable, equitable, and collaborative communities.”

Humber’s mission statement is to develop global citizens with the knowledge and skills to innovate. That commitment is demonstrated by the annual Beyond COVID-19: Global Systems Gap Challenge, which was highlighted by the WFCP in Humber receiving the Gold Award of Excellence.  

The six-week virtual challenge, offered in partnership with the City of Toronto, has post-secondary students from around the world working in teams to research a complex global issue. The goal isn’t to find a solution but to use a systems thinking mindset to identify systemic gaps in current solution efforts.  

More than 1,100 post-secondary students, mentors, trainers and industry experts from more than 35 countries and six continents participated in the challenges in 2020 and 2021. Participants represented more than 70 academic disciplines.  

Each week, the teams took part in skills building workshops, global networking and professional development mentorship opportunities. The challenge culminated with an employability workshop to help the participants identify and demonstrate the skills they developed to potential employers.   

“(The challenge) pushed me out of my comfort zone and gave me tools to think about urgent global issues from different perspectives,” said Anastaiia Mikhlina, a student from JAMK University of Applied Sciences in Finland. “At the end, I feel very happy to have been a part of this challenge and my team because it brought me to a new level of understanding, empathy and communication.”  

Humber also delivers global citizenship education through the college’s Global Citizenship Certificate, global academic opportunities, its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), systems thinking, and sustainability in the Humber Learning Outcomes.   

Another example of the college’s work to develop global citizens is Humber’s participation in the WFCP’s Youth Camp. This year, Humber sent students Ann Ravina and Chantay Thorpe to the camp that ran June 12-17 in San Sebastian, Spain.

The two worked with their peers from around the globe to consider issues of importance before crafting a declaration on behalf of the world’s youth that was presented to the WFCP congress. They participated in workshops and activities focusing on themes of migration, sustainability, EDI, and the future of work.  

Ravina, who’s a second-year student in Humber’s Biotechnology program, called the experience “life changing” and one that transformed her world view. After the camp, she wants to be more of an advocate for those in need and, as an international student herself, hopes to mentor other Humber students from around the globe.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said.

Thorpe, who’s in the final year of the Bachelor of Commerce – Digital Business Management program, was introduced to a variety of different perspectives on these issues and the progress that’s been made in other countries by her youth camp peers. That international exposure had her wishing she had taken part in Humber’s Semester Abroad Exchange Program and she encouraged other students to explore the opportunities available to them through Humber Global.

“This was an incredible experience and I’d do it a thousand times again if I could,” said Thorpe.

Humber’s Gold Award of Excellence from the WFCP adds to its recognition as a global leader, and comes after receiving gold in the Excellence in Global Engagement category at CICAN’s annual Awards of Excellence ceremony earlier this year.