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Queen’s has launched its new Global Engagement Strategic Plan 2023-2028, a guiding document for enhancing the university’s ability to generate global impact.

Designed in alignment with the Queen’s Strategy, the plan sets out six objectives for embedding global engagement across the university’s mission, and for creating a thriving global community that welcomes diverse ways of knowing and being from around the world. Its development involved consultation with more than 400 Queen’s students, faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, alumni, and staff, as well as local and global partners.

“As the most urgent challenges of our time transcend borders and geographical distance, Queen’s ability to make a positive difference requires a global mindset in all aspects of university life,” says Patrick Deane, Principal and Vice-Chancellor. “This plan aims to enhance global engagement in our research and knowledge mobilization, teaching and learning, communications, and overall campus environment.”

Some of the key commitments within the plan include expanding global learning and study abroad opportunities, financial and administrative supports for global research, and the Principal’s Global Scholars and Fellows program. The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a critical component of Queen’s definition of global impact as well, and the plan includes actions for advancing them across the university’s mission.

Principles for values-based global engagement

The plan takes a values-based approach to global engagement grounded in six principles, including Indigenization, and equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility (I-EDIAA). These principles are at the forefront of this plan and inform all the institution’s global work.

“One of the core philosophies underpinning our plan is mutually beneficial partnership, which is the cornerstone of an I-EDIAA-informed approach to global engagement,” says Sandra den Otter, Vice-Provost (Global Engagement). “Through thoughtful collaborations with global partners directed at co-creating solutions to our shared challenges, we can strengthen not only our capacity to share and advance knowledge, but also our ability to build a more fair, equitable, and sustainable world for all.”

Partnering in priority regions

The strategic plan identifies four priority regions for expanding Queen’s partnership capabilities, including Africa and the Middle East, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. It also prioritizes building mutually beneficial partnerships with Black and Indigenous communities worldwide, in keeping with the university’s commitment to the Scarborough Charter and Extending the Rafters.

Queen’s will continue to deepen partnerships in all regions for the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe. Bader College is well positioned—through its geographical proximity to mainland Europe and the global orientation of its teaching and learning, research, and sustainability initiatives—to be of particular impact. Over the next five years, the university will continue to clarify and leverage Bader College’s unique role in advancing global engagement at Queen’s.

Implementation and planning

This university-wide strategic plan will involve the whole university community and will be led by the Office of the Vice Provost, Global Engagement and the Office of the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, in collaboration with faculties and units across campus. A full implementation plan will be released by fall 2023.

A series of implementation events will take place in the fall, including a Global Queen’s Day aimed at engaging the entire campus community. Learn more about and read the Global Engagement Strategic Plan.

Note: This story originally appeared in the Queen's Gazette.