Partnerships & Global Impact

Advancing Western’s Global Reach and Influence

Western International builds strategic partnerships and supports institutional engagement that strengthen Western’s global presence and create opportunities for students, faculty and researchers. Through international collaboration, scholarship programs, visiting scholar initiatives and institutional partnerships, we help expand opportunities for global learning, knowledge exchange and international engagement.

Supporting Global Collaboration, Scholarships & Visiting Scholars

• Facilitated the arrival and transition of 116 Visiting Research Only (VRO) students from 22 countries, strengthening international collaboration and contributing to a more globally engaged campus community.
• Administered scholarship and funding programs that create opportunities for international mobility, institutional collaboration and global engagement, including the Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES) program.
• Worked with campus and external partners to implement international funding initiatives and collaborative projects, including Global Affairs Canada scholarships, Mitacs Globalink and the launch of the $450,000 Biomedical Engineering Capacity Development Initiative (BCDI).
• Implemented a revised Global Affairs Canada scholarship application and selection process, resulting in a 50% increase in applications representing 20 countries.
• Through BCDI, two doctoral students from the University of Rwanda and two master’s students from Université Cheikh Anta Diop received funding to pursue graduate studies in Biomedical Engineering, strengthening institutional partnerships and long-term international collaboration.

Funding & Scholarship Support

Strengthening Global Partnerships & Institutional Engagement

Global Partnerships at a Glance

• Maintained a network of 236 active agreements across 62 countries, creating opportunities for international learning, institutional collaboration and global engagement.
• Supported 52 new agreements across 28 countries, including 27 new agreements across 21 countries and the renewal of 25 existing agreements, strengthening student mobility, academic and research partnerships and expanding opportunities for students, faculty and international collaboration.
• Coordinated more than 30 senior delegations representing 24 countries, strengthening relationships and identifying new opportunities for partnership and collaboration.
• Worked closely with faculties, departments and administrative units across the university to advance international initiatives, partnership development and strategic priorities.
• Connected Western faculty, researchers, students and international partners to foster knowledge exchange, collaboration and shared opportunities.
• Hosted faculty-led program information sessions and Communities of Practice to encourage collaboration and strengthen international engagement across the university.

Sector Leadership & Global Reputation

Western International upholds the Internationalization Statement of Principles for Canadian Educational Institutions (CBIE) and advances the university’s engagement in key global networks, including Academics Without Borders, the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Scholars at Risk and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Through these partnerships and commitments, Western International helps strengthen Western’s global reputation while contributing to international collaboration, knowledge sharing and broader conversations about internationalization, equity and global engagement in higher education.

Student Researcher Voice

Programs like the QES are important because they train a new generation of leaders who can collaborate across borders to address global challenges.

Amanatou Beye Gueye

Queen Elizabeth Scholar and visiting researcher from Senegal

Read Amanatou’s story