As students, families, and universities prepare for a new fall term, the mission of empowering next-generation talent to meet society’s immediate and future needs takes on doubly urgency in light of the changing earthquakes and unprecedented challenges facing the world.
Posted at 11:00 a.m.
Everywhere, inflation, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions are rocking economies. New technologies are proliferating at breakneck speed. A decisive transformation is taking place in the organization of work. And on a planetary scale, the social fabric is being torn apart.
More than ever, we need engaged and adaptable workers and citizens to help us through these transitions and beyond.
That’s why, starting in September, Concordia University is offering every new undergraduate student at least one experiential learning opportunity as part of a course. Starting in 2025, Concordia also plans to offer two experiential learning opportunities to new students during their degree program, whether it’s work-based learning, study abroad experience, research work or community or extracurricular experience.
This is an ambitious project. But given the partnerships that we have established and are in the process of establishing, we intend to be the very first university in Quebec, even one of the first in Canada, to achieve this most tangible objective.
Experience as a solution
Experiential learning opportunities enrich students’ education by giving them access to a carefully curated body of people, knowledge and networks to complement the normal degree program and transcend its boundaries. By being exposed to a diversity of cultures, work environments and performance expectations, students are better prepared to enter the workforce and make this transition more quickly after their bachelor’s degree.
Undergraduate students who take part in internship or co-op programs generally achieve better academic results. Moreover, by taking advantage of practical experience and getting a foothold in working life, they increase their chances of being recruited by organizations and employers.
But the challenge for universities is to deliver experiential learning at scale. We’ve been running successful internship and co-op programs for over 40 years. And we are not the only ones. Universities that prioritize experiential learning recognize that employers of all sizes are looking for bright, talented students not only to meet their immediate workforce needs, but also to prepare the talent of tomorrow.
In addition to enjoying privileged access, the vast majority of employers believe that student interns contribute to strengthening the capacities of their organization, bringing in fact innovative ideas, technological skills and, in the case of Concordia, a great cultural and linguistic diversity.
For all universities, the best performance indicator is the success of their graduates. Concordia students who do work placements or study abroad represent our establishment in a way. We are thus enhancing our reputation for our ability to instil concrete and versatile citizenship skills.
To be effective and viable at scale, experiential learning cannot be transactional.
Experiential learning must constitute a mutual investment and a rewarding partnership where as much importance is given to the student experience as to the advantages derived by employers as well as the host and home universities.
It is crucial to involve graduates, organizations and advocacy groups in order to mobilize their networks and expand potential employment pools. The generous support of donors is also essential.
A shared responsibility
Governments also play an essential role. From a policy impact perspective, experiential learning offers a value proposition that offers ample opportunity to leverage public investments to encourage employer participation or offset the costs incurred by universities in organizing internships and providing professional mentoring.
Investing in internships is an effective tool to support businesses and organizations not only in large urban centers, but also in regions where recruiting labor is sometimes difficult.
And expanding eligibility for work-based learning will ensure that more international students will choose to stay in Quebec or Canada once they graduate.
We are going through a period of unprecedented social and economic upheaval. But by joining forces and building bridges between sectors, we can give more value to university education and contribute to the development of Quebec and Canadian societies by better aligning the undergraduate study experience with global diversity, today’s changing world and tomorrow’s economies. Investing in experiential learning is an efficient way to enrich the future of all of us.