UNews - Canadian Bureau for International Education

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ seeking partnership opportunities as part of Algeria-Canada Colloquium

trevor.kenney — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 19:01:09 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks is in Algeria with representatives from 12 other Canadian institutions, participating in a first of its kind colloquium between Canada and Algeria.

Organized by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), the Secretary General of the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) and senior Canadian government officials, the colloquium objectives are to explore best practices for higher education in both countries, with a focus on quality assurance, research, institutional performance and improving the student experience.

Weeks says many of the U of L’s research strengths have emerged due to economic and social challenges and opportunities in Alberta. Despite the physical distance between Alberta and Algeria, the U of L has the ability to collaborate on issues facing both jurisdictions.

“Oil and gas sectors play an important role in Algeria’s economy, and like in Alberta, create similar challenges,” says Weeks. “The U of L has built important capacity in areas like water, energy, natural sciences and remote sensing that matches well with capacity at Algerian institutions. I believe there are tremendous opportunities to build partnerships that enhance research capacity for both Algeria and our institution.”

The CBIE delegation will meet with Mr. Mohamed Mebarki, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Topics of discussion will include: Government of Algeria’s goals to invest in higher education research, institutional performance and partnerships; current challenges in improving access to postsecondary schooling; and an overview of growing sectors in the country.

Building international connections is a key component of the strategic direction to enhance relationships with external communities found in Destination 2020 - the U of L’s strategic plan.

CBIE is Canada’s national organization dedicated to making Canada a global leader in international education by mobilizing expertise, knowledge, opportunity and leadership. CBIE’s pan-Canadian membership comprises 150 colleges, institutes, universities (including the U of L), school boards and language schools, which enrol over 1.2 million students from coast to coast.

A copy of CBIE’s news release regarding the Algeria-Canada Colloquium can be found at http://www.cbie-bcei.ca/news/education-partnerships-are-main-focus-as-algeria-canada-colloquium-gets-underway/.

U of L inks international agreements

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:59:31 +0000

Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine – The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge today expanded its linkages in the Ukraine by signing agreements with two research universities.

On behalf of the U of L, Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (IFNMU) to collaborate on research studies in occupational and environmental exposures to ionizing radiation. These studies will include the effects of industrial pollutants.

On Tuesday, Weeks signed an MOU with the R.E. Kavetsky, Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (RCRM) to study the epigenetic effects on the workers at the Chernobyl power plants including cancer occurrences.

Epigenetics is the study of how an individual gene can go wrong or not work properly over a person's lifetime, and in in response to environmental conditions or other factors. (Epigenetics means beyond genetics in Latin).

Weeks also signed an MOU with the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Oil and Gas (IFNTUOG). This MOU focuses on collaborative efforts in the areas of remote sensing, geomatics, water quality monitoring and water resource management. This collaboration includes the possible exchange of faculty and graduate students in these fields.

Weeks is currently participating in a mission in Ukraine led by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) aimed at formalizing linkages between Canada and Ukraine, and their post-secondary sectors. The trip includes Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Deans representing Universities from across Canada.

Ukraine connections solidified

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:36:19 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has formalized linkages with two Ukrainian research institutions to perform collaborative research in the area of occupational and environmental effects of ionizing radiation.

Earlier today, Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks signed, on behalf of the U of L, a memorandum of understanding with the R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (RCRM).

Research performed under the agreement will include studying the epigenetic effects* of ionizing radiation on the workers at the Chernobyl power plants, including resultant cancer occurrences.

In addition to research linkages, future collaborations could also include the exchange of faculty and students between the three institutions.

Weeks is currently participating in a mission in Ukraine led by the Canadian Bureau for International Education aimed at formalizing linkages between Canada and Ukraine, and their post-secondary sectors. The trip includes Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Deans representing Universities from across Canada.

The U of L is a demonstrated leader in epigenetic research. Last week, U of L researcher Dr. Olga Kovalchuk was the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair dedicated to examining the effects occupational radiation exposure has on men and women working in nuclear industries. Learn more here.

* Epigenetics (which means 'beyond genetics' in Latin) is the study of how individual genes and components of individual genes can change in response to environmental conditions or other factors. In addition to the hard-wired traits in DNA, epigenetic changes can occur in response to a change in lifestyle or other trigger (in this case, radiation exposure) and can be passed from one generation to another.

Crossing borders with bold Brazilian program

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:02:52 +0000

Dr. Drew Rendall's psychology lab might be considered atypical in its student makeup now, but as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge continues to push internationalization as a key strategic goal, it may soon become representative of many.

Rendall currently has graduate students from Alberta, Manitoba, Sri Lanka and Brazil assisting with his research projects, the most recent addition coming to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ by way of the Brazilian Science Without Borders (SWB) program.

"This is a real boon for us as a university," says Rendall, professor of psychology in the Faculty of Arts & Science. "Graduate students are kind of the heart of the research enterprise, they are the real engine of it. They collect the data and do a lot of the work, and without graduate students the research enterprise disappears."

Science Without Borders began as an initiative whereby the Brazilian government is looking to send 100,000 students to universities around the world to study in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The goal is to revolutionize the country's research and development system.

"Brazilian science has shown great improvement over the last decade but we face many challenges," says Ednei Barros dos Santos, a Brazilian PhD student who has taken advantage of the SWB program to come study under Rendall at the U of L.

"We have a very low proportion of doctors in relation to our population, and there is a low frequency of international collaboration."

Doctoral student Ednei Barros dos Santos just recently returned from a three-month field study in Argentina.

Dos Santos discovered Rendall while researching his master's degree in zoology. After reading his papers, he decided to contact Rendall to see if he was open to supervising his PhD studies. The two met while Rendall was on field study in Argentina and not long after, dos Santos applied to the SWB program for funding.

"My research focus is on song variations of the house wren. I'm going to compare the male songs of two different populations, one here in Canada and the other in Argentina," says dos Santos. "We are trying to understand what is the relation between song variation and different mating systems and migratory behaviour."

That his master's work in Brazil, where he researched language in animal species, could be so closely related to Rendall's studies some 11,000 kilometres away, speaks to the value of international collaboration.

"This program provides an incredible opportunity for Brazilian students to be exposed to scientific innovation at Canadian universities, and will help to spur growth in science and technology sectors in Brazil," says Trish Jackson, the U of L's acting manager, International Centre for Students. "The students we are hosting are a wonderful addition to the institution; they have serious academic intentions, and will certainly make an impact when they return to complete their studies in Brazil."

The SWB program initially provided study opportunities for undergraduate students, placing more than 1,200 in Canadian universities alone. The U of L has 14 students enrolled from the program, including three who began last September and 11 more since January. Currently, a second call is going out for prospective doctoral students, and it is incumbent that faculty members provide the program with details of their research opportunities so that they might be able to participate. The PhD program is one of eight graduate programs offered by the School of Graduate Studies.

"We're excited to take part in this program. It's proven to be very successful at the undergraduate level and is likely to draw exceptionally high quality students," says Dr. Matthew Letts, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. "The program provides full support for PhD students from Brazil, including tuition, travel, book and living expenses, but potential supervisors need to enter the doctoral research opportunities they wish to provide into the CBIE (Canadian Bureau for International Education) Placement Database to be considered for participation."

That dos Santos was accepted by SWB is heartening to Rendall, given that his research is not as applicable as many of the funded students.

"Brazil is very interested in training students who can come back and contribute fairly directly to agricultural initiatives, to resource extraction initiatives and to the information systems industry, for example," says Rendall. "The thrust of what Ednei is working on doesn't have immediate and obvious implications but I think it's pretty encouraging that they are taking a fairly broad approach to this. It shows that they are also interested in training some basic scientists who will come back and contribute to science broadly, and that's exciting."

For more information on the program, contact Dr. Matthew Letts (matthew.letts@uleth.ca) or Dr. Helen Kelley (helen.kelley@uleth.ca)

GET THE FACTS

· Science Without Borders was just one of the initiatives discussed when ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ President Mike Mahon visited Brazil in May as one of 30 Canadian university presidents who took part in an educational tour

· Dos Santos is wrapping up a three-month field study of house wrens in Argentina and will be back studying at the U of L in February

· The second call for SWB doctoral students runs from Feb. 1 to May 31 for January 2014 intake. The third call runs from June 1 to Sept. 30 for May 2014 intake

· Researchers can access the SWB database at the following web address: web.cbie.ca/smi/index_e.html

UNews - Canadian Bureau for International Education

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ seeking partnership opportunities as part of Algeria-Canada Colloquium

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