As Western students return to classes for a new academic year, many are reflecting on summer experiences abroad. From international study trips to research projects to exchanges at other universities, Western students explored multiple countries this summer.
New locations offered unique perspectives and introduced students to diverse cultures. The desire to explore the world is growing, with an increase of more than 70 per cent reported in international exchange applications at Western.
Western News highlights a few of the fascinating places students visited this summer:
Thailand
Ivey Businss School student Ben King, an HBA’26 candidate, was on exchange at Thammasat University in Thailand. (L to R) Iyanu Dosunmu and King on a United Nations field trip. (Submitted)
Germany
Engineering students took a two-week trip to Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, an institution building research partnerships with Western. The trip offered hands-on exposure to modern manufacturing through factory and research facility tours. Cultural experiences in Heidelberg, the Black Forest, Karlsruhe and Strasbourg were also popular among students. (Submitted)
France
The Faculty of Education’s two-week Alternative Field Experience in Orléans, France offers teacher candidates in the French as a Second Language specialization the opportunity to strengthen their language skills and cultural understanding while experiencing daily life as locals through homestays, university courses and cultural excursions. “The lessons I learned in Orléans will stay with me forever and continue to shape the way I teach, learn and experience the world,” said Faye Guadalupe, a teacher candidate and trip participant. (Submitted)
Vietnam
Two Ivey EMBA participants, (L to R) Weina Chong and Ann Wu, wearing traditional Vietnamese conical hats during the Ivey EMBA Discovery Expedition in Vietnam. The Discovery Expedition brings participants to either Chile or Vietnam to learn about international business practices and operations first-hand. (Emman Price/Ivey)
Italy
Each year, 80 to 90 students from Western travel to Rondine and Arezzo, Italy for an immersive experiential learning program combining Italian language and culture with intercultural learning. Through local experiences and engagement with Rondine Cittadella della Pace, students explore dialogue, peacebuilding and conflict transformation alongside an international community. (Submitted)
Austria
A two-week faculty-led study trip to Vienna, Austria gives students the opportunity to experience the city’s culture and history while earning a management and organizational studies credit in a condensed format. Students also collaborate with peers from the Vienna University of Economics and Business. (Submitted)