Part 2 – Student Support and Well-being: How are We Doing?
The 2025 introduction of the International Education Code of Practice in British Columbia provides essential guidelines for institutions to provide comprehensive information and support to international students throughout their educational journeys in the province. While compliance with many items in the code are straightforward, some may warrant a more nuanced understanding and approach. Institutions are asked to promote and ensure student safety, well-being, and health. Specifically, we are asked to “ensure all students and institution staff are provided with information that promotes an inclusive culture across the learning environment, and work with learners and staff to recognize and respond effectively to discrimination and racism”. Of course, these are principles that we easily agree with but what might this look like in practice?
BCCIE is hosting a two-part workshop series titled “Beyond Compliance: building inclusive learning environments in international education” to explore how our institutions are promoting an inclusive culture that recognizes and responds to discrimination and racism and what we might need to enhance our approach. These workshops will build on each other and participation in both sessions is recommended, though not a requirement. To learn more about the workshop on March 19th, please click here.
In this interactive session participants are invited to consider how students experience our stated commitments to inclusion. What does the data tell us about students’ experiences? How do we go beyond saying “you are welcome here” and ensure that students experience a sense of belonging, safety and well-being? We will explore how diversity does not necessarily result in inclusion and how we support both international and domestic students navigating increased diversity in an uncertain geopolitical environment. Together we will explore strategies and resources to address increasing polarization and EDI backlash and provide students with resources to navigate experiencing or witnessing discrimination and racism.
Presenters
Kyra Garson – Intercultural Coordinator, Thompson Rivers University
Kyra is an educator and faculty developer who is passionate about intercultural learning, inclusive pedagogies, and combating discrimination in educational spaces. Her research interests include critical pedagogies, multicultural group work and critical internationalization studies. Kyra’s doctoral study entitled “Are we graduating Global Citizens?” received the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education’s dissertation of the year award in 2014. In 2011, the Canadian Bureau for International Education selected her to receive the Internationalization Award for her work with faculty to intercuturalize the curriculum. In 2017, she was awarded the Distinguished Leadership Award by the British Columbia Council for International Education. In 2020 she received TRU’s Excellence in Interculturalization Award.
Rohene Bouajram – Associate Director of Strategic IBPOC Initiatives, The University of British Columbia
Rohene Bouajram is the Associate Director of Strategic IBPOC Initiatives at UBC, where she provides strategic leadership and direction on embedding equity and inclusion and advancing anti-racism in policies, initiatives, and programming for students. Bridging her Zimbabwean-Canadian identity, Rohene champions dignity, respect, and trust, encouraging individuals to defy societal odds and rewrite narratives in systems not built for all. Passionate about breaking generational cycles and cultural biases, Rohene aims to redefine leadership by motivating future leaders to create meaningful change. With academic pursuits in China, Finland and Canada and a career spanning over two decades in higher education, Rohene has led initiatives in strategic program development, equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), systemic change, and leadership. She shares her expertise on global stages, national advisory committees, her national column, The Many Faces, and her podcast, Unspeakable Leadership. When Rohene is not advocating for transformation, she enjoys travelling, running, reading, and cherishing her role as a mother.
Connect with Rohene here:
For more information, please contact events@bccie.bc.ca.