Dr. Mathew Novak (Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Saint Mary’s University) visited the Wrocław University of Economics and Business (UEW) in Poland in May as part of the Erasmus+ faculty exchange program. The week-long visit offered Dr. Novak valuable opportunities for cross-cultural collaboration, professional development, and a path for future research collaboration. These international experiences help foster a better understanding of places often overlooked, as Dr. Novak explains:
“Wroclaw is largely unknown to Canadians and even many Europeans know little about the city despite its stunning architecture, youthful culture, and growing economy. Such lesser-known cities, tucked away from the usual tourist routes, are quickly becoming my favourite places in Europe, especially as the more familiar capitals grapple with the effects of mass tourism,” says Novak.
During his visit, Dr. Novak delivered lectures and a seminar discussion on topics titled “EU Spatial Management,” “Real Estate Management,” and “Urban Space Planning.” The following is an excerpt from Dr. Novak’s teaching reflection:
“While I offered the option to cover Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for business analytics, all three course instructors were interested in hearing about urban development dynamics in Canada. In each session I provided an overview of how Canadian and American cities are evolving from their historical founding to their contemporary conditions, including the actors and policies involved. Comparisons were made between urban forms and functions between European and North American cities. I then tailored the content to the theme of each course, focusing on the urban planning policies and practices employed for the Urban Space Planning course and land ownership and development issues for the Real Estate Management course. In EU Spatial Management, I focused on the housing issues plaguing Canadian cities.
Teaching provided insights into how classrooms operate in different contexts, revealing many similarities as well as some distinct differences in learning. Students were typically engaged in the material, answering my questions peppered throughout the classes and asking their own. I was impressed by the quality of their responses to my queries, offering thoughtful insights and demonstrating a great deal of knowledge about North American cities despite many never having traveled to the continent. Their participation in the class discussions is even more impressive since their courses are normally delivered in Polish.”
Beyond teaching, part of Dr. Novak’s visit was dedicated to meeting UEW faculty members and visiting their programs and facilities. UEW has an active entrepreneurship centre and the Business Process Simulation Centre, a cutting-edge teaching and research lab. Interactions with researchers and graduate students sparked ideas for collaboration, new research questions, and perspectives that are currently lacking in the existing urban planning literature.
Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Novak recounts the knowledge gained during the exchange this way: “The exchange provided a wealth of knowledge for my personal research and teaching portfolio. I was somewhat hesitant to visit a university with a focus on business, but was very pleased to see how well I fit in as a geographer, demonstrating the universality of the discipline and its role on campus. It has validated my push to bring spatial thinking and techniques to other department on campus, including my work to integrate GIS into the MBAN curriculum.”
If you would like more information on opportunities for international faculty exchanges, keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities posted in the Community Bulletin or contact Miyuki.Arai@smu.ca.
