Canada/European Union Cooperation Programme in Higher Education

History

In 2004 faculty members from this Department (Prof. Jarek Gryz, Prof. George Tourlakis, and Prof. Peter Cribb) and from the Fachhochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (Prof. R. Herpers), initiated an application to the Canada/EU program to support a project that envisaged these basic elements:

1. the articulation of credit transfer for courses taken by Canadian students at any of the European partners, and by European students at any of the Canadian partners
2. the preparation of students for a term abroad through a summer school program (including some language preparation)
3. the exchange of students for a full term (or more) of study

Dalhousie University and the University of New Brunswick joined as Canadian consortium partners and the Fachhochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, the Warsaw University of Technology, and the University of Crete joined as consortium partners in Europe.

In late 2004 the Government of Canada and the European Union approved funding for the project, for a period of three years. The project has been renewed in 2008 and we have sustained funding for student visits to our European partner universities until 2011.

Why Study Abroad?

Personal growth! Get that extra edge!

As an individual you will learn a lot personally from an experience living and working in another culture.

Canada is a highly multi-cultural society and it's business activities are one of the most internationalised in the world. An experience like this will likely assist your career. And remember that software and computer systems are marketed around the world, so including culturally aware features in software, for example, makes emminent sense.

Support for Students

From the point of view of the York University student the key elements include:

• Credit transfer for approved courses taken at any of the European partner institutions.
• Generous financial support for living expenses while abroad, amounting to about C$4500.
• Assistance with travel arrangements.
• Assistance with settling into the host country (e.g. finding accommodation)

Worried About Language?

Don't be!

Naturally you should be interested in learning the language of the country you visit and we'll help organise some language training. But you'll find that our partners make special efforts to accommodate English in academic matters.

Perhaps unfortunately for native English speakers - who all too easily miss out on enriching their lives through learning a second language - it is a fact of life that English is the universal language of science (and quite a lot else!). We expect you'll find that some local language facility plus English will serve you well enough.

Too Good to Miss

We think so!

Try a Summer School first, if you like, to get an idea of what it will be like.

Or contact one of us (Prof. Jarek Gryz, Prof. George Tourlakis, Prof. Peter Cribb) to find out more.