Saint Mary’s University was delighted to welcome a delegation from Caribbean and Latin American institutions to our campus on Tuesday November 21, 2023.

Once on campus, the group had a tour of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory led by Dr Vincent Hénault-Brunet, Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, followed by a guided walk through the Inspiration Hub by the President, Dr Robert Summerby-Murray, and an introduction to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre by Jason Turner, Manager of Student Engagement. 

The group then had the chance to learn about nature-based solutions supporting coastal communities from Dr Danika van Proosdij, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies and Director, TransCoastal Adaptations Centre for Nature-Based Solutions. Their visit finished with a welcome luncheon where each guest had the chance to interact with Saint Mary’s faculty, staff, and students from a wide variety of areas and disciplines.

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) organized the 2023 Collaboration Mission for the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP). This year’s Collaboration Mission is funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and focuses on the theme of Natural Resource Management and Environmental Technology. The delegation consisted of representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru, and Turks and Caicos as well as members of GAC and CBIE.

During the Collaboration Mission, a group of 11 delegates from Caribbean and Latin American institutions travelled around Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick from November 19-24, 2023, to visit universities and colleges, meet with their counterpart representatives and participate in networking events. Saint Mary’s University was chosen as one of the hosting institutions.

The goal of the Collaboration Mission is to encourage formal partnerships between Canadian and Caribbean and Latin American institutions that lead to increased bilateral mobility and research opportunities. The Collaboration Mission is a key feature of the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP). After the tour of the Maritime institutions, the delegation attended CBIE’s Annual Conference in Vancouver from November 26-29, 2023.