Mohawk College is flipping the script on international education with a new initiative that expands access to global learning for every student. The program, Beyond Borders, officially launched on November 18 during International Education Week.
While Mohawk College has offered global learning opportunities to students and employees for several years, Beyond Borders provides a streamlined, holistic and accessible framework that brings these experiences together under one coordinated umbrella.
The program is designed to help learners understand how international issues connect to local realities and to prepare them for a world where collaboration across cultures is essential. At the same time, it barriers to entry, making global learning opportunities more visible, navigable and accessible to a wider range of students.
"Beyond Borders strengthens our ability to respond to local and global challenges," said Thea Laidman, Associate Vice President, International. "Its strength comes from its comprehensive approach and the range of experiences it offers. It ensures global learning isn't a privilege but part of ordinary campus life."
Global learning encourages people to examine how culture, identity, and global systems shape their communities. It promotes curiosity, critical thinking, and the ability to work with people from different backgrounds. These experiences help students develop the mindset needed to succeed in a diverse and interconnected world.
Katie Burrows, Vice President, Students, International and Infrastructure, says the goal goes beyond travel. "Beyond Borders is about transformation. It builds the skills and perspectives that define career-ready, globally engaged graduates. It also fosters empathy and a broader understanding of the world."
Program Highlights:
Global-focused courses
General education courses, including Building Global Skills, introduce global themes in the classroom. A core component of this course is a built-in virtual exchange, enabling students to collaborate with international peers as part of their coursework. Providing access to global learning opportunities without the need to travel. Completion of this course makes students eligible for field studies.
International field studies
Students can participate in a variety of hands-on learning abroad. Beyond Borders will offer two, 10-day interdisciplinary field studies each year for up to 40 students and 4 faculty/staff one in Ireland and one in Costa Rica. This is in addition to any program specific faculty-led field studies.
Awards and bursaries
Financial support will help remove barriers for students who want to participate in field studies, exchanges, and other learning abroad opportunities. For the Beyond Borders field studies to Ireland and Costa Rica specifically, about half of the cost will be covered through awards and bursaries. Additional awards and bursaries are made available, supported largely by private donors, including long-time partner Guard.me.
Laidman notes that Beyond Borders stands out in the college system as programs of this scale are more common at universities. Embedding of the virtual exchange within a general education course provides up to 180 students per year with the opportunity for this type of learning experience, she said. And offering it across all programs gives Mohawk College students an opportunity to gain valuable global experience and a competitive edge.
