Upcoming Laurier EdTalks lecture will focus on international education

Nov. 17, 2021
For Immediate Release

Waterloo – The upcoming lecture in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Laurier EdTalks: Reimagining Education series, presented by Laurier’s Faculty of Education in partnership with the Waterloo Public Library, will explore education in a global context.

Avis Beek, an assistant professor in Laurier’s Faculty of Education, will present “The Many Faces of International Education” on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. This event is open to the public and free to attend; however, registration is required. The lecture will be an interactive experience, with opportunities for audience members to ask questions.

“COVID-19 has brought us into an unprecedented era of both global connection and division,” said Beek. “We are navigating an increasingly complex global experience. I am interested in how education, in particular international education, can unify us on this journey. What is the purpose of international education? Who stands to gain from it? How can we move towards intercultural education? Join me as I explore these and other questions in my talk, ‘The Many Faces of International Education.’”

In an increasingly globalized world, international education, which appears in public and private school systems, postsecondary institutions and the private sector, can be a valuable tool to address global challenges. In her lecture, Beek will explore the possibilities of international education as a way to build intercultural understanding and encourage international-mindedness and engagement.

Beek teaches a range of courses in Laurier’s International Education Studies, Bachelor of Education, and Education minor programs. Her areas of expertise include international teacher training, refugee education, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in diverse contexts. Prior to joining Laurier, she was an educator in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Nunavut. She also has written about the development of international-mindedness in high school students and cross-cultural research collaborations.

The second season of Laurier EdTalks lecture series runs until April 2022. Future lectures will focus on re-imagining a Faculty of Education; compassionate education; empowering children and youth to be good citizens; and mitigating opportunity gaps through extracurricular community programs. Find out more about the upcoming events in the series.