The University of Prince Edward Island has published a comprehensive report of the impact that the Global Skills Opportunity program has had on the university and its ability to support students.
“This incredible program has allowed us to send more students abroad than initially anticipated…The GSO program funding has afforded many of our students the ability to participate in international experiences that they may not otherwise have had an opportunity to take part in,” says Sherilyn Acord, Manager, International Liaison Officer, UPEI.
One hundred and fifty-five UPEI students will have participated in GSO international learning experiences between May 2022 and March 2025 — 57% more students than the university had initially forecast. More than half of those students identify as Indigenous, having a disability or being low-income.
“The GSO program “empower[s] students, especially underrepresented students, with the ability to learn in another country while building the skills and connections to help them enter the workforce at a later date.”
“These international experiences help students become more culturally aware and adaptable, while also contributing to other skills such as communication and problem-solving. Students become more independent when abroad alone, but also learn how to work as a team when abroad as part of our Maymester faculty-led cohort programs – which have proven to be a huge success thanks to the GSO funding”
Read the full report, and learn more about the students’ experiences in Costa Rica, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Belgium, Barbados, Finland and more.