Background
International students enrich the culture and vibrancy of our communities. Many begin their studies as a pathway to citizenship in Canada, often carrying the burden of expectations of their families, while facing additional obstacles that are atypical of the domestic learner experience.
Recognizing these challenges, the City of Brampton and Sheridan College convened a Roundtable in fall 2021. Using a collective impact approach, it brought together a wide range of community leaders interested in developing an integrated strategy to help international students thrive.
Over the past six months, this planning committee worked to define the problems being faced, identify gaps and barriers, share existing research, knowledge and lived experiences, and propose ideas and solutions.
Upcoming Summit: Add your voice
We invite you to join us for a two-day summit (July 25–26, 2022) in which we will share our work to date, hear directly from international students and subject matter experts, and put our collective wisdom to work to draft recommendations and commitments on key themes.
Our discussions will form the basis of a forthcoming community Charter to support international student success that will include shared principles, actions, and a mechanism for accountability.
Who should attend
Anyone in the community who touches the lives of international students or who is interested in improving the international student experience in Canada. This could include:
- International students
- Residents of Brampton and Peel
- Postsecondary institutions
- Private career colleges
- Community organizations
- Cultural communities
- Health sector
- Settlement sector
- Elected representatives
- Civil servants
- Policy makers
- Employers of international students
- Immigration and recruitment agents/consultants and lawyers
- Police and fire departments
- Landlords
- Developers
- Real estate agents
- Bylaw enforcement
Benefits of attending
By attending the summit, you'll have the opportunity to add your voice to our robust, community-driven work aimed at improving the international student experience. Your participation signals your commitment to deepening your understanding of the challenges that international students face, learning best practices and exploring new ideas.
Our collective input will form the basis of a Brampton Charter — a new action plan that will outline our shared principles and vision for success, a series of concrete actions and a mechanism for accountability to drive positive, meaningful and lasting change.
Further reading
Before attending the summit, you may wish to review the following resources to further your understanding of the challenges faced:
Research resources
- Invited & Forgotten: International Students in Crisis (Indus Community Services & Punjabi Community Health Services)
- The Realities for International Students: Evidenced Challenges (One Voice Canada)
- International Students Needs Assessment Report (Peel Newcomer Strategy Group)
- Value-for-Money Audit: Public Colleges Oversight (Office of the Auditor General of Ontario)
- Value-for-Money Audit: Private Career Colleges Oversight (Office of the Auditor General of Ontario)
- International Students’ Lived Experiences: A Review of Literature (Amira El Masri & Noah Khan, Sheridan College)
News releases from the City of Brampton and Sheridan College
Meet your summit facilitator
Roopa Desai Trilokekar is an Associate Professor (Postsecondary Education) in the Faculty of Education at York University. She comes to an academic career after 20 years of experience as a professional in the field of international education in Canada, India and the United States. Her research focuses on government policy on international education, its links/impact on higher education and the international student experience.
Most recently, she has completed a project with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) titled "What distinguishes the international student experience in the Canadian labour market? A comparison of Two Provinces." She is also working on a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) funded project looking at the "international students as ideal immigrants" global policy discourse across Australia, Germany and Canada.
Roundtable members
The organizers wish to thank the following individuals whose collective efforts have built the foundation for the summit:
Co-chairs
- Gurpreet Malhotra, CEO, Indus Community Services
- Bill Boyes, Fire Chief, City of Brampton
Members at large
- Baldev Mutta, Chief Executive Officer, Punjabi Community Health Services
- Dr. Janet Morrison, President & Vice-Chancellor, Sheridan College
- Rowena Santos, Councillor, City of Brampton
- Janice Sheehy, Commissioner, Region of Peel
- Dr. Kate Bingham, Acting Medical Officer of Health, Region of Peel
- Chief Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Regional Police
- Dr. Rardi van Heest, Vice President Medical Affairs, Research & Academics at William Osler Health System
- Sharanjeet Kaur, Director, Executive Projects and Operations. William Osler Health System
- Todd Letts, CEO, Brampton Board of Trade
- Jaspreet Kaur Bal, Ontario Vice President, World Sikh Organization
- Sinthusha Panchalingam, Clinical Director, Canadian Mental Health Association, Peel Dufferin
- Jaspreet Singh, Founder, International Students’ Association
- Dr. Amira El Masri, Director, Center for Global Education and Internationalization
Secretariat
- Jaskaran Sandhu, Principal, State Strategy
- Rajan Sandhu, VP Strategic Alignment and General Counsel, Sheridan College
- Christine Szustaczek, VP External Relations, Sheridan College
- Nauman Khan, AVP Government Relations, Sheridan College
- Keera Smiechowicz, Executive Assistant, Sheridan College
Register to attend
Please note:
- Keynotes and best practice panel presentations will be livestreamed. Break-out discussions to draft recommendations on identified themes will happen in person only.
- To facilitate a diverse range of perspectives, registration is limited to five people from any one organization.
- To assist in planning and finalizing food orders, a one-time conference fee of $25 will be collected per person at the time of registration. However, 100% of funds collected will be directed towards an emergency support bursary for international students. Anyone facing financial hardship may email summit@sheridancollege.ca to submit a request to register for free.
Co-hosted by:
Generously supported by guard.me International Insurance.