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François Carrier has been named Western’s first executive director of global engagement, effective Nov. 9. Carrier will lead Western’s newly created Global Engagement group within the Office of the President, working closely with the provost, vice-president (research), deans and other senior leaders to advance the priorities in Western in the World, the university’s global engagement plan. “We are delighted to welcome François to the Western community,” said President Alan Shepard. “His strategic leadership and support will be invaluable as we continue to expand our international partnerships and strengthen Western’s global reputation and impact.” Carrier brings more than 20 years of experience in higher education and expertise in international research collaborations. He currently serves as director of international research and experiential learning at the University of Ottawa, where he has developed and implemented global research collaborations, expanded institutional partnerships and created more international learning opportunities for students. He was previously executive director of programs at Polar Knowledge Canada, a federal agency focused on Arctic research, where he led a multidisciplinary team of scientists and professional staff. Prior to that, Carrier was director of the Office of International Research at McGill University, where he oversaw a portfolio of international projects and partnerships.  

Relationships integral to meaningful international impact 

Western’s global engagement plan seeks to prepare students, staff and faculty for success around the world and drive impact through international research and partnerships. “Western is a university with a great reputation for both its academic programming and the excellence of its research,” Carrier said. “I look forward to building its global ties, deepening and diversifying those connections, while always maintaining a personal connection.” The Montreal native believes successful global engagement is rooted in the one-to-one relationships that foster meaningful partnerships, collaborations and international initiatives. “It ultimately comes down to people and those one-to-one interactions,” Carrier said. It’s a perspective shaped early in his career as a civil engineer leading international development projects across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, and as a master’s student working on solar water pumping projects in developing countries. Collaborating with communities, researchers and organizations taught him technical solutions alone are not enough. “Technology is not an end in itself,” he said. “As an engineer, you have to be aware of its impact on society. I learned early on to pay attention, listen to the anthropologists, the sociologists and community members to ensure the technology we brought would be well received, maintained and durable over time.”  

Focused on finding solutions

Seeking to better understand the organizational and leadership aspects behind complex global challenges, Carrier pursued an MBA and eventually a career in higher education administration, where he identified opportunities to link research, education and international collaboration. Despite a shift in his career, Carrier’s engineering background continues to influence his working philosophy. “I’m practical, hands-on and focused on finding solutions,” he said. “I enjoy bringing people together around a shared objective. Taking a bottom-up approach helps to meet institutional priorities at what I call the ‘sweet middle,’ where interests and resources coincide.” Carrier describes his new role at Western as “very entrepreneurial” and an opportunity to help others turn their ideas into reality. He sees faculty and students in the same light. “Faculty members are very entrepreneurial. They have their own networks, and sometimes they just need a little help from central administration to realize their ambitions,” he said. “Students are also very ambitious, with a lot of ideas, and there’s a sea of untapped opportunities through which to engage them.” That includes access to more global learning experiences. “International engagement should not be the privilege of a few,” he said. “It has to be made accessible to all.” Through his new unit, he plans to work with university leaders to establish “a lasting model” across faculties and divisions, a system to build research partnerships that position Western as a globally connected, research-intensive institution with meaningful international impact. “I want to add value to existing efforts and come up with original ideas that may not have been considered,” he said. “This role offers a really unique opportunity, where you have a chance to build something lasting.”   Learn more about how Western is preparing future leaders and global citizens.