Global

Stay connected, find community: International student shares tips from her guide to studying in Canada

davidlee — Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:29:23 +0000

Stay connected, find community: International student shares tips from her guide to studying in Canada

davidlee Mon, 09/09/2024 - 11:29

Cutline

Ngọc Anh Thư (Tina) Huỳnh, a �山ǿ�� Pearson scholar from Vietnam, wrote a Vietnamese-language guide for international students studying in Canada (supplied image)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Global Lens

Back to School 2024

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship

Rotman Commerce

St. Michael's College

Subheadline

“That's the great thing about being an international student in Canada ... Everyone is friendly. You can just reach out to anyone for help”

Unlike many first-year international students at the University of Toronto, Ngọc Anh Thư (Tina) Huỳnh already has plenty of experience living and studying in Canada – and the inevitable cultural shock that can come along with it.

She even wrote a book on it.

A Vietnamese student who has been attending school in Ontario since Grade 8, Huỳnh has cultivated the cultural fluency, study habits and – it must be said – winter survival tactics needed to thrive in Canadian classrooms.

After writing a guide for other Vietnamese students, she’s been helping her fellow Lester B. Pearson International Scholars adjust to life in Canada by sharing tips in a group chat on everything from what to pack to navigating the airport.

“It kind of reminds me of when I first came to Canada, because I had the same feeling – I was really nervous,” says Huỳnh, who is studying at Rotman Commerce in the Faculty of Arts & Science as a member of St. Michael’s College.

Born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, Huỳnh moved to Canada at age 13, starting her studies in Windsor, Ont. with a Vietnamese host family and later continuing her education at a school in nearby London, where she lived in residence.

Far away from her family and the familiarity of home, Huỳnh says she had to learn how to be independent. But she soon discovered that connecting with others eased the transition.

“What I found helpful was to find a community,” she says. “It could be a group of friends – maybe from your old country, or just someone you meet [here] ... You need someone by your side.”

She also discovered that Canadians were eager to make newcomers feel at home.

“That's the great thing about being an international student in Canada,” says Huỳnh. “Everyone is friendly. You can just reach out to anyone for help.”

A polyglot with fluency in Mandarin, Korean, Spanish and French in addition to Vietnamese and English, Huỳnh says she is quick to pick up new languages, but it still took her a while to get the hang of Canadian slang. For example, she recalls scratching her head when a Tim Hortons cashier threw around strange words like “loonie” and “toonie.”

“I was actually really confident with my English. But then it was destroyed because … communication styles were so different,” she says, encouraging international students to not be deterred by initial language barriers.

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, Huỳnh responded by building international connections through business. She founded an online venture to retail Korean merchandise to customers in the United States and Canada, which later expanded to serve more than 10 countries globally.

“It was really hard to purchase face masks or any medical supplies, so I thought of starting my business as a way to earn profits to support people during that time.”

The experience, while challenging, proved rewarding, with Huỳnh eventually donating a portion of her earnings to those in need.

In addition to her entrepreneurial ventures, Huỳnh began to consider how her journey could benefit others. With a deep love for writing, she drew on her notebooks to organize her thoughts on navigating culture shock, adapting to new learning environments and finding community.

Huỳnh’s insights formed the basis of her published book: Cẩm Nang Du Học Canada (A Complete Guide to Studying in Canada).

“I figured it may be a good idea to share all of my knowledge and understanding from my experience with high school students and their parents who are looking for this information.”

Huỳnh founded an online venture to sell Korean merchandise to customers in the U.S. and Canada, which later expanded to serve more than 10 countries (supplied image)

As a Pearson Scholar, Huỳnh is now hoping to build more connections and share her experiences as part of a global community of future leaders.

“I've already connected with a lot of amazing people – a lot of amazing students, alumni, even professors,” Huỳnh says. “The Pearson community is so supportive.”

Here are some of Huỳnh’s tips for international students arriving in Canada:

Stay connected to home: “Stay connected with your family and friends, because maybe you don't notice how much you miss them when they're right next to you. But when you're away from them – especially like for me, half the Earth away – it's really nice to talk to your parents, talk to your siblings, your friends, and just share your life.”
Find comfort in food: “For homesickness, one of the most healing ways, at least for me, is through food. And I think for Toronto, at least, I don't think people have to worry too much about having difficulties finding restaurants for their own culture.”
Dress smart for winter: “My advice would be to stick to thermal clothing – those are just very thin and cling close to your body. When I tell people about that, they’re surprised because thermal clothes are so thin compared to puffy layers of jackets. But trust me, they’ll keep you warmer."\
Take notes in class: “I know that in a lot of countries, especially Asian countries, people are probably used to teachers outlining everything. But it’s different in Canada … Professors can go really fast in lectures, so scribbling some notes – even if you have ugly handwriting – is a great way to learn and revise for exams.”
Embrace Canadian culture: “If you’re walking on the street, and a stranger says, ‘Hi’ – don’t freak out. They’re just being nice!”

�山ǿ�� ranked fourth in the world in research-focused NTU World University Rankings

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 15:51:19 +0000

�山ǿ�� ranked fourth in the world in research-focused NTU World University Rankings

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/06/2024 - 11:51

Cutline

(photo by Matt Volpe)

Topic

National Taiwan University

Rankings

Research & Innovation

Subheadline

The National Taiwan University ranking evaluates universities based on research output and impact

The University of Toronto climbed one spot to fourth place globally in the latest National Taiwan University ranking, which evaluates universities based on their research output and impact.

�山ǿ��’s strong performance in the 2024 edition of the NTU World University Rankings, released this week, puts it in elite global company. The four other schools in the top five were Harvard University, Stanford University, University College London and the University of Oxford.

Among public universities, �山ǿ�� placed second globally and first in North America.

“This ranking is yet another reminder that the research produced at the University of Toronto is truly world-class,” said Leah Cowen, �山ǿ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives.

“It also reflects our reputation for research excellence and impact across a broad range of fields – from medicine to the social sciences.”

The NTU ranking analyzes scholarly papers and research citations, scoring each institution based on productivity, impact and excellence. The top 1,000 universities were ranked this year with more than 1,500 considered.

In addition to the overall ranking, NTU ranked universities by six broad fields and 27 specific subjects.

�山ǿ�� ranked among the top 50 institutions worldwide – and first in Canada – in four of the six broad fields. Notably, that includes a rank of second globally in medicine, the same as last year, and third globally in social sciences – up three spots.

�山ǿ�� also ranked among the top 10 universities globally in five subject categories: clinical medicine (second), neurosciences and behaviour (third), social sciences (third), psychiatry and psychology (fourth) and biology and biochemistry (sixth).

Two other Canadian universities made the top 100 in the main NTU ranking: University of British Columbia (37th) and McGill University (57th).

Overall, �山ǿ�� continues to be the highest-ranked Canadian university and one of the top-ranked public universities in the five most closely watched international rankings: Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

�山ǿ�� ranked 1st in Canada, 26th globally by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:12:46 +0000

�山ǿ�� ranked 1st in Canada, 26th globally by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 08/19/2024 - 14:12

Cutline

(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

Shanghai Ranking Consultancy

The University of Toronto is ranked first in Canada and 26th globally in the latest edition of ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s worldwide university ranking.

Among public universities, �山ǿ�� placed sixth in North America and 15th overall in the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities, released last week. The ranking’s creators evaluated more than 2,500 universities to determine the 1,000 included in this year’s publication.

The Shanghai ranking comes on the heels of �山ǿ��’s strong performance in two other rankings this year: U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities Rankings and the QS World University Rankings, which respectively ranked �山ǿ�� 17th and 25th overall.

“These results are a testament to the University of Toronto’s global reputation for scholarly excellence and high quality, impactful research across a wide range of disciplines,” said Trevor Young, �山ǿ��’s vice-president and provost.

“The credit goes to our entire academic and research community and their commitment to furthering knowledge, while working tirelessly to address some of the most complex global challenges of our time.”

The Academic Ranking of World Universities is based on six weighted measures of research and academic performance collected from third-party sources. They include: the number of alumni and faculty winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals; the number of highly cited researchers in 21 broad subject categories; the number of papers published in the prestigious journals Nature and Science; articles cited in major science and social sciences citation indices; and each institution’s per capita academic performance across all faculty members.

�山ǿ��, which ranked 24th in the 2023 edition of the ranking, was joined by two other Canadian universities in the top 100: the University of British Columbia (47th) and McGill University (74th).

The five highest ranked universities were Harvard University, Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Cambridge and the University of California, Berkeley.

Overall, �山ǿ�� continues to be the highest-ranked Canadian university and one of the top-ranked public universities in the five most closely watched international rankings: Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings, ShanghaiRanking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

PhD researcher draws on refugee experience to study plight of asylum-seekers in Canada

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 16:08:31 +0000

PhD researcher draws on refugee experience to study plight of asylum-seekers in Canada

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 08/14/2024 - 12:08

Cutline

Jona Zyfi, a doctoral candidate at the Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies, is using a human rights lens to explore the links between technology and migration (supplied image)

Cynthia Macdonald

Topic

Our Community

Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Graduate Students

Subheadline

"We’re using criminal justice mechanisms to deal with what should be an administrative process"

Jona Zyfi’s life has so far been an “adventurous story” full of fear, hope, resilience and relief.

At age seven, Zyfi was smuggled into Australia under a false name as a child refugee claimant. At 16, after a forced return to her native Albania, she emigrated to Canada carrying only a suitcase and teddy bear.

Now a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Criminology & Sociolegal Studies, Zyfi is examining how public policy shapes the plight of asylum seekers and migrants in Canada. Her work is shedding valuable light on some of the little-known – and sometimes shocking – injustices faced by refugee claimants in a country widely thought to be among the most welcoming and multicultural in the world.

“The work that I do is very much informed by my lived experiences,” she says. “It’s where I find the strength to do it.”

Why is Zyfi examining the refugee experience through the lens of criminology and not political science?

“Lots of people have asked me that,” she says. “Even I had moments when I’d wonder, ‘Am I in the right department?’ But the deeper I go into my research, the more confirmation I get that I am doing the right thing.”

This is due to the phenomenon of “crimmigration,” a term that’s used to describe how refugee claimants are often subjected to processes normally associated with the criminal justice system.

“Immigration is an administrative field, while the criminal justice system is a lot more heavy-handed,” Zyfi explains. “And yet, we’re using criminal justice mechanisms to deal with what should be an administrative process. That doesn’t make sense.”

In some ways, she says, Canada’s approach to refugees is a good news story.

In the last decade, for example, the country has welcomed more than 40,000 Syrian refugees, and has been in the vanguard of acceptance for those fleeing persecution on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.

But there is darker side, too. Many Canadians are unaware that children can be held in detention with or without their parents and that adult asylum seekers who can’t be accommodated in holding centres have been detained in provincial jails alongside those serving criminal sentences.

Canada is also one of the few countries in the Global North where there is no legal limit on detention, meaning that claimants can spend years in jails or holding centres before their cases are heard.

“They rarely get access to legal aid and many of them can’t speak the language,” Zyfi says. “So they don’t even understand what’s happening. They’re unaware of their rights and terrified of being deported.”

Zyfi says she is particularly interested in the role technology plays in immigration and asylum processes and application assessment procedures. In an effort to reduce dependence on migrant detention, some asylum seekers are now granted temporary freedom but monitored in ways that are highly controversial.

These methods include the use of electronic ankle monitors as well as voice reporting via cellphone – both of which can fail if batteries or cell reception run out. Facial recognition software is also gaining in popularity.

But even a small technical mistake, Zyfi argues, can place a claimant’s life in danger. “There’s this idea that technology is going to solve all our problems,” says Zyfi. “It’s going to make faster decisions, better decisions. The decisions are faster, but that doesn’t always mean that they are better.”

Zyfi’s concern about the rights of asylum seekers is born from her own experiences.

Born shortly after the fall of communism in Albania, her early life was spent amid the anarchy and civil insurrection that followed the collapse of the country’s economy. “We had to hide under the tables, because bullets could fly through at any minute,” she recalls. “One flew through our balcony window. The arms depots were open; anybody could get bullets, a grocery bag full of grenades, whatever they could find. It was a free-for-all.”

Using a false name, Zyfi made her way to Australia with her mother and sister via a human smuggling network. But the family was expelled from Australia in 2005 when Albania was deemed to be a safe country of origin. “I remember my mother packing up our entire life in a shipping container,” she says.

Four years later, Zyfi came to Canada and two years ago, after a lengthy series of applications and various immigration statuses, she was finally granted citizenship.

Now, she is firmly committed to making life better for other migrants and refugees, including by giving them a bigger say in decisions that affect them. In policymaking, “our stories are not being incorporated in a meaningful way,” she says. “To me, that is the saddest part.”

The groundswell of private support for Syrian refugees – Zyfi herself was an enthusiastic sponsor – shows that caring for survivors of global crisis is a Canadian value. But she says that civil society alone cannot provide the support needed, and the government can do more – not only for immigrants deemed to be economically desirable, but for those whose lives are in jeopardy.

“Historically, immigration has been key to the Canadian economy. It has also been a fundamental tenet of nation-building and multiculturalism,” Zyfi says. “But we are doing the bare minimum. We have the capacity to do so much more.”

Foreign-born CEOs more likely to acquire assets across borders - particularly in their home countries: Study

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:53:05 +0000

Foreign-born CEOs more likely to acquire assets across borders - particularly in their home countries: Study

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 07/22/2024 - 12:53

Cutline

(photo by ER Productions Limited/Getty Images)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Rotman School of Management

�山ǿ�� Scarborough

Subheadline

Researchers suggest the phenomenon is likely driven by local knowledge and connections, as well as a desire to “give back”

CEOs who have moved away from their country of origin are more likely to make international acquisitions, with a preference for targets in their birth country, a new study by researchers at the University of Toronto shows.

Using a sample of nearly 1,300 corporate acquisitions over a 14-year period, Ron Shalev, an associate professor of accounting at �山ǿ�� Scarborough who is cross-appointed to the Rotman School of Management, and his co-authors compared acquisitions, financial and other corporate data with biographical information on the companies’ CEOs at the time of the purchases.

“Foreign-born CEOs are taking an increasing leadership role in the corporate world,” says Shalev of the research. “In our sample, 24 per cent of the acquiring companies have foreign-born CEOs.”

The study, published in the Journal of Accounting Research, was co-authored by Milan-based researchers Antonio Marra of the Università Bocconi and Angela Pettinicchio of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and SDA Bocconi School of Management.

After examining the data, Shalev and his colleagues found that foreign-born CEOs were 43 per cent more likely than domestic-born ones to acquire across borders – and that the phenomenon may be explained by a preference for acquiring in the countries of their birth. When considering all potential international targets that might be on the CEO’s radar, the researchers found that foreign-born CEOs were 17 times more likely to go after a buy in their country of origin versus another cross-border acquisition.

That difference was explained by the CEO having a leg up by knowing more about the country and having local connections. They are also driven by a desire to “give back” to the place where they came from, the researchers say.

The researchers also found that foreign-born CEOs were more than twice as likely to make an acquisition in a former colonizer of their birth country as they were to choose any other potential international target. “The idea is that if a CEO wants to bring pride to the birth country, she would acquire targets in the country that colonized it in the past,” says Shalev.

How are companies involved affected by CEOs tendency to acquire targets in their birth country? The acquiring company’s shareholders see a 1.3 per cent difference in excess returns on acquisitions in the CEO’s birth country, while shareholders of the target company enjoy a 2.9 per cent excess premium due to the purchase.

“This is not something that should prevent the hiring of a CEO,” Shalev says of the findings.

Instead, he says it’s simply an aspect a company’s board should be aware of and, if the CEO has a target in mind in their birth country, to take a harder look at the proposal. “In many cases these acquisitions will be good for the acquirer firm – but not always.”

�山ǿ�� ranks 17th globally, first in Canada in U.S. News & World Report university rankings

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:17:12 +0000

�山ǿ�� ranks 17th globally, first in Canada in U.S. News & World Report university rankings

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 07/08/2024 - 14:17

Cutline

(photo by Matthew Volpe)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Global Lens

Global

President Meric Gertler

Rankings

U.S. News & World Report

Subheadline

The research-focused 2024-2025 Best Global Universities Rankings placed �山ǿ�� 10th among public universities worldwide and fifth among public institutions in North America

The University of Toronto has been ranked 17^th in the world, up one spot from last year, in the latest global university ranking by U.S. News & World Report.

The 2024-25 edition of the Best Global Universities Rankings, which focuses on research performance, also placed �山ǿ�� 10^th among public universities worldwide and fifth among all public institutions in North America.

�山ǿ�� remained Canada’s top-ranked university in the closely watched international ranking.

“This latest ranking positions the University of Toronto among a small group of elite institutions that are making important new discoveries and generating critical new knowledge across a range of fields,” said �山ǿ�� President Meric Gertler.

“Our researchers and scholars can take pride in this recognition of the impact they are having on a global scale.”

Using data from Clarivate Analytics, U.S. News & World Report assessed 2,250 universities through the lens of research performance, as measured by indicators such as global and regional reputations, citations, scholarly publications, international collaboration and citation impact.

�山ǿ�� ranked among the top 10 universities in the world in eight subject areas: clinical medicine (third), endocrinology and metabolism (third), cardiac and cardiovascular systems (fourth), surgery (fourth), arts and humanities (fifth), social sciences and public health (fifth), oncology (eighth) and psychiatry/psychology (ninth).

Among Canadian schools, �山ǿ�� ranked first in a total of 28 different subjects.

This year’s ranking included four new subject areas – bringing the total to 51 subjects – and covered an additional 250 schools.

Two other Canadian universities joined �山ǿ�� among the top 100 globally in the most recent U.S. News & World Report ranking: the University of British Columbia, which ranked 39^th, and McGill University at 56^th.

The top five universities globally in this year’s ranking were: Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, the University of Oxford and the University of California, Berkeley.

�山ǿ�� also ranked first in Canada, second among North American public universities and among the top 25 institutions globally in the QS World University Rankings released in early June.

Overall, �山ǿ�� continues to be the highest-ranked Canadian university and among the top 25 universities globally in the five most closely watched international rankings: QS World University Rankings, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities, Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy’s Academic Ranking of World Universities and National Taiwan University World University Rankings.

‘Not in my wildest dreams’: Refugee Jaivet Ealom on his journey to become a �山ǿ�� grad

mattimar — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 14:05:45 +0000

‘Not in my wildest dreams’: Refugee Jaivet Ealom on his journey to become a �山ǿ�� grad

mattimar Mon, 06/24/2024 - 10:05

Cutline

Jaivet Ealom, who arrived in Canada in 2017 after fleeing Myanmar four years earlier, stands in front of �山ǿ��’s Convocation Hall (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Political Science

University College

Subheadline

A member of the persecuted Rohingya minority in Myanmar, Jaivet Ealom fled the country in 2013 and travelled across three continents in search of asylum – surviving a near-drowning and several detentions along the way

As a teenager in Myanmar, Jaivet Ealom says he could hardly have imagined one day graduating from the University of Toronto with a double major in economics and political science.

“Not in my wildest dreams,” he says, noting that he’s now taking steps “to bring everything I’ve gained and learned” to help others who are suffering around the world.

Ealom’s incredible journey to �山ǿ��’s Convocation Hall began in 2013 with a harrowing escape from the Southeast Asian country where, as a member of the persecuted Rohingya minority, he faced systemic discrimination and was denied citizenship rights.

He left everything he knew behind, travelling through six countries and across three continents in search of asylum – and surviving a near-drowning and multiple detentions along the way.

(photo by Lisa Lighbourn)

Arriving in Canada in 2017, Ealom later began studies in �山ǿ��’s Faculty of Arts & Science as a member of University College. He also co-founded the Rohingya Centre of Canada and a refugee-focused non-profit called Northern Lights Canada, is a member of the Refugee Advisory Network of Canada and has attended forums for the UN Refugee Agency on resettlement.

Amid his advocacy work, he also found time to write his first book: Escape from Manus Prison: One Man’s Daring Quest for Freedom, detailing his triumphant journey.

As he crossed the stage inside Convocation Hall last week, Ealom says a sense of relief washed over him – the closing of one chapter and beginning of another.

He says his time at �山ǿ�� has helped him make sense of his tumultuous journey – and define his goals for the future.

“I only understood the symptoms of the problem because I have been the one on the suffering side,” Ealom says, adding that he initially viewed the issue purely as a humanitarian one.

“Academia helped me understand that it’s also a political problem and the refugees are a result of policies and discriminatory law.”

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

After graduation, Ealom plans to dive into his policy work and advocate for representation of the Rohingya people in Myanmar’s politics following decades of persecution and disfranchisement.

He is currently working with a group of about 40 to form the Rohingya Consultative Council, which is hoping to feed into the National Unity Consultative Council – an advisory body to the National Unity Government of Myanmar.

“The Rohingya are the only group who don’t have a representative body there,” says Ealom, adding that through the Rohingya Consultative Council he hopes to achieve two goals: have a seat at the table; and define and build capacity for who sits in that seat.

He says he feels a sense of responsibility to use his privilege – and his �山ǿ�� education – to do what other members of his community may not be able to do on their own: achieve equality and justice for the Rohingya community in Myanmar.

A global educator who wants to transform leadership in Africa, Patrick Awuah receives �山ǿ�� honorary degree

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 18 Jun 2024 15:41:45 +0000

A global educator who wants to transform leadership in Africa, Patrick Awuah receives �山ǿ�� honorary degree Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 06/18/2024 - 11:41

Cutline

(photo by Steve Frost)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Global

Honorary Degree

Patrick Awuah was unimpressed by the education system in his home country of Ghana – so he decided to do something about it.

To help bring about an African renaissance facilitated by better guidance in all areas of society, Awuah established a new kind of university – or at least one that was uncommon in much of Africa at the time: a private institution teaching liberal arts, ethics and business and technology skills.

“The question of transformation in Africa really is a question of leadership,” said the founder and president of Ashesi University in Ghana during a 2007 TED Talk.

Today, for his outstanding commitment to global education and deeply rooted desire to do good in the world, Awuah will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Toronto.

Born in 1965, Awuah grew up in Ghana’s capital Accra. In 1985, he moved to Pennsylvania to attend Swarthmore College (where he was accepted on a full scholarship). He earned bachelor’s degrees in engineering and economics, and after graduation, worked for several years at Microsoft as a software engineer and program manager. There, he met his future wife, Rebecca, a software testing engineer.

The couple had initially planned to stay in the U.S., but parenthood prompted them to reconsider. “I was going through what I call my ‘pre-mid-life crisis,’” Awuah said in his TED Talk. “Africa was a mess. Somalia had disintegrated into anarchy. Rwanda was in the throes of this genocidal war … I couldn’t just stay in Seattle and raise my kids in an upper-middle class neighborhood and feel good about it.”

Awuah had been struck by the quality of the education he received at Swarthmore, and wished more students in Ghana could experience something like it. “It was a breath of fresh air,” he said during his TED Talk. “The faculty there didn’t want us to memorize information… They wanted us to think critically.”

(photo by Steve Frost)

He saw an opportunity to do something good: he would establish an Ivy League-like university back home. In 1997, to advance his dream, he enrolled at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and the following year travelled to Ghana to do a feasibility study. His MBA thesis became the institution’s business plan.

Situated in a leafy suburb of Accra, Ashesi University opened its doors in 2002 with 30 students. (Its name means “new beginning” in the Fante dialect of the Akan language family.) More than two decades later, it offers four-year bachelor’s programs in business administration, management information systems, computer science and engineering, and boasts more than 1,500 students – slightly more than half of whom attend on a scholarship.

Awuah believes having a diverse mix of students is crucial. “The most important question that we ask our students is what is a good society and how do you organize it?” he told the Swarthmore College Bulletin in 2010. “That conversation is not interesting if you only have students from affluent families in your classroom … We wanted diversity, and we needed to put some financial resources toward achieving that diversity.”

Awuah also believed it was important for Ashesi’s students to gain a foundation in the humanities and social sciences before focusing on their more business-oriented majors. The four-year curriculum emphasizes critical thinking and communication, ethics and integrity. The school also boasts an African Studies program, with offerings in music, archeology and philosophy.

“I am really concerned about the human spirit,” Awuah said in the Bulletin interview. “About character and ethos, about something deeper within people. Those kinds of things really speak to me. That really is the essence of leadership.”

Reflecting on the early days of Ashesi, Awuah said during his TED Talk that there were times when the whole project seemed like Mission: Impossible. But one morning, about a month after the school opened, he received an email from one of the students; it was very brief: “I am thinking now. Thank you.”

“It’s such a simple statement,” recalled Awuah. “But I was moved almost to tears because I understood what was happening to this young man.”

For his commitment to innovation in education and leadership, Awuah has won many international awards, including the MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the “Genius Grant”) and the McNulty Prize (which celebrates leaders who tackle the world’s toughest problems). He is a member of the Order of the Volta – one of Ghana’s highest awards (given to individuals who exemplify the ideal of service to the country) and holds four other honorary doctorates.

A champion of human rights and international law, Harold Hongju Koh receives �山ǿ�� honorary degree

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 20:27:30 +0000

A champion of human rights and international law, Harold Hongju Koh receives �山ǿ�� honorary degree Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 06/14/2024 - 16:27

Cutline

(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Scott Anderson

Topic

Our Community

Convocation 2024

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Law

Global

Honorary Degree

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

As a legal scholar, Harold Hongju Koh’s contributions in international and human rights law have helped transform the conduct of international relations.

As a practising lawyer, he has both served under four presidents in the U.S. government – and litigated against it. And as a professor at Yale University, he draws on his knowledge and experience to teach and mentor the next generation of lawyers.

Today, for his deep commitment to the public interest and his vigorous advocacy for the rule of law and human rights, Koh will receive a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Toronto.

Born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1954 to Korean parents, one of six children, Koh attended Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in government in 1975. He studied at the University of Oxford, then returned to Harvard for law school, completing his degree in 1980.

During the first Reagan administration, he worked as an attorney adviser to the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice. (He would later serve in various roles under presidents Clinton, Obama and Biden). In 1985, he joined the faculty at Yale Law School, and almost two decades later became its dean.

In the classroom, Koh is known for his energetic and passionate presence. A journalist who had taken one of his classes described him in a 2009 Forbes profile as “a giant of a teacher,” while a group of Yale law students once called him “one of the brightest legal minds of his generation.”

Dr. J. Robert S. Prichard hoods Harold Hongju Koh (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

As a legal adviser to government, Koh has not been shy to speak his mind. A paper he wrote in 1990 challenged the contention, held by the President George H.W. Bush, that as commander-in-chief, he could lead the U.S. into the Gulf War on his own authority. Koh argued that the U.S. Constitution required the president to consult with Congress beforehand.

Described as a rare scholar-practitioner, Koh has been especially active in human rights. In the early 1990s he led a group of Yale students in a successful suit against the U.S. government to free Haitian refugees who had qualified for political asylum in the U.S. but had been detained indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

In a speech in Chicago in 2008, he called the U.S.’s diminished reputation as a global human rights leader “one of the most serious problems we as Americans face today,” citing as the cause a “series of unnecessary, self-inflicted wounds,” such as the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and permitting the torture of detainees. “In just a few short years we seem to have gone from what was a zero-tolerance policy toward torture to what now seems to be a zero-accountability policy,” he said.

As a solution, he recommended that the government recommit to telling the truth and to ending any human rights violated caused or supported by the U.S.. He also urged greater support for the UN and international law, including the International Criminal Court. He concluded by asking audience members to join him in working to “make America America again.”

On the National Public Radio program This I Believe, Koh credited his parents for spurring his interest in human rights, noting that they had grown up in Korea under Japanese rule, forbidden to speak Korean or even use their Korean names. Koh’s father had been a diplomat, and after South Korea’s 1961 military coup, was granted asylum in the U.S., where he took a teaching position at Yale.

“My father savoured freedom like he savoured fresh air,” Koh said. During his own career, Koh traveled to many different countries. “Everywhere I went,” he said, “Haiti, Indonesia, China, Sierre Leone, Kosovo – I saw in the eyes of thousands the same fire for freedom I had first seen in my father’s eyes.”

In his address today at Convocation Hall, which included graduating students from the Faculty of Law and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, he called on them to “understand the difference between a government of laws and a government of individuals,” and urged them to stand for something. “If you find the principle that you will sacrifice for –that you are ready to fight and die for – it will become your calling, and why people remember you.”

Koh has received more than 30 awards for his human rights work. He has been a visiting professor at many universities, including twice at �山ǿ��’s Faculty of Law. He has argued frequently before U.S. and international tribunals, including most recently as Counsel for Ukraine against Russia before the International Court of Justice. For his work, Koh has received lifetime achievement awards from Columbia and Duke Law Schools and the ABA International Law Section. The recipient of 18 honorary degrees, he is also the author of nine books and more than 200 articles.

�山ǿ�� grad ‘moves mountains’ to earn engineering degree

mattimar — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 13:44:40 +0000

�山ǿ�� grad ‘moves mountains’ to earn engineering degree

mattimar Wed, 06/12/2024 - 09:44

Cutline

Vishakha Pujari, who receives her bachelor’s degree in applied science on June 18, shows off the iron ring that’s often worn by engineering graduates (supplied image)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Global Lens

Convocation 2024

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Global

India

Joseph Wong

Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Subheadline

Vishakha Pujari says she is the first person from her rural village in India to attend a foreign university

Vishakha Pujari is profoundly committed to paying it forward.

The first student at the University of Toronto to be supported by a Karta Catalyst Scholarship, Pujari arrived at �山ǿ�� in 2019 from the small Indian village of Walandi – about a five-hour drive from Hyderabad – to study industrial engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

In addition to her schoolwork, she found time to host workshops for students from her high school and even donated some of her scholarship money back to the Karta Initiative – an organization dedicated to providing equitable access to higher education to India’s low-income rural youth.

“If I am getting something, I should make sure I am giving back,” Pujari says.

On June 18, Pujari is set to cross the stage in Convocation Hall – and then head back to her new job as a software design analyst in Montreal. While her parents are unable to attend due to the cost of flying to Toronto, they hope to watch the convocation livestream. Pujari, meanwhile, says she plans to meet up with her mentors at �山ǿ�� and possibly have dinner with friends.

Reflecting on her time at �山ǿ��, which included a one-year co-op, she recalls the initial culture shock of moving from Walandi to Toronto – a city that she had never visited before.

“It was the second time I was on a flight,” she says. “I’m from a village so we don’t see many tall buildings there. My residence had 28 floors, so it was all a new experience.”

Pujari grew up the youngest of three siblings on her family’s sugarcane and soybean farm. She learned the value of hard work from her parents, who woke up at 5 a.m. each day to tend to their land before going to neighbouring farms to earn extra money.

When she was 12, she attended a government-run school, located about 80 kilometres from Walandi, and spent nine months of the year living on the campus – a long period of separation from her parents.

Pujari first learned about the Karta Initiative when she was 16 – and says the program’s emphasis on integrity, perseverance and community service resonated deeply.

She became a member after undergoing a rigorous selection process and, over the course of two years, received mentorship, academic support, and opportunities for personal development.

Receiving her acceptance to �山ǿ�� and the Karta Catalyst Scholarship was a life-changing moment – one that meant all her hard work and sacrifices paid off.

“It was really exciting and scary,” she says. “My parents were really happy because no one from our village has gone to study at a foreign university.”

Karta Scholars receive funding for tuition and living expenses, personal and professional development, internship placements, and career transition support. In addition to working with their academic advisers, scholars are also connected with a faculty mentor and participate in numerous enrichment activities with other scholarship students at �山ǿ��.

Although she was accustomed to living apart from her family, being in Toronto brought new challenges.

“The classes I was used to had no more than 40 students,” she says. “When I came here, I was like, ‘Oh my God, there are so many people.’ For a moment, I was like, ‘Am I an introvert?’”

She worried that her English-speaking skills weren’t up to par.

“It was exciting to meet students from different countries, but at the same time overwhelming,” she says.

At the same time, she was unable to travel back to India to see her parents and siblings for three years due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Pujari found guidance and reassurance in the form of mentors. In her first year, she met Joseph Wong, �山ǿ��’s vice-president, international, and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and the two kept in touch with throughout Pujari’s time at �山ǿ��.

They would discuss everything from challenges Pujari was facing to her future plans – which she says may include pursuing a master’s in business administration and starting her own business.

“Her resilience is so impressive,” Wong says, noting the many obstacles Pujari overcame to become a �山ǿ�� student. “It’s pretty incredible what she’s done, and to hear now that she’s graduating and has a job lined up is really gratifying.”

Pujari also received mentorship from Chirag Variawa, director, first-year curriculum and associate professor, teaching stream, in �山ǿ��’s Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. He says her “unbridled curiosity, determination, and intelligence” is nothing short of inspirational.

“Over the years, I've seen her grow into a professional who moves mountains not just with the strength of her character, but the goodness of her heart as well – and that's exactly what the world needs,” he says.

Through it all, Pujari says her family has been among her biggest supporters.

“My father used to come with me to workshops in Mumbai, which is 12 hours away from our village,” she says. “My sister was also really supportive and helped me with my English.”

“They’re really excited and happy I’m graduating.”

Global

Stay connected, find community: International student shares tips from her guide to studying in Canada

Here are some of Huỳnh’s tips for international students arriving in Canada:

�山ǿ�� ranked fourth in the world in research-focused NTU World University Rankings

�山ǿ�� ranked 1st in Canada, 26th globally by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

PhD researcher draws on refugee experience to study plight of asylum-seekers in Canada

Foreign-born CEOs more likely to acquire assets across borders - particularly in their home countries: Study

�山ǿ�� ranks 17th globally, first in Canada in U.S. News & World Report university rankings

‘Not in my wildest dreams’: Refugee Jaivet Ealom on his journey to become a �山ǿ�� grad

Read more about Jaivet Ealom in �山ǿ�� Magazine

A global educator who wants to transform leadership in Africa, Patrick Awuah receives �山ǿ�� honorary degree

A champion of human rights and international law, Harold Hongju Koh receives �山ǿ�� honorary degree

�山ǿ�� grad ‘moves mountains’ to earn engineering degree