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Fund advancing China studies relaunches with new scope

close up of china on a globe BANNER

The York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) has relaunched the research-focused China Insights Fund (CIF) with a broader scope to reflect the ongoing evolution of China studies.

Bernie Frolic
Bernie Frolic

Originally established to foster research specifically on Canada-China interactions, the CIF’s renewal – made possible by the support of the Asian Business & Management Program (ABMP) – looks to address the dynamic evolution of China studies and the importance of understanding China across historical periods, within its social complexities, and as a key player on the global stage. 

“In a world where perspectives are constantly shifting, gaining in-depth, multifaceted knowledge of China is crucial,” states Professor Bernie Frolic, ABMP executive director. “With this relaunch, the CIF supports research that digs deeper, embraces inclusivity and helps us forge stronger connections across borders.”

The heart of the CIF’s renewal lies in its expanded funding opportunities. York faculty, graduate students as well as YCAR associates can apply for support in several key areas: organizing workshops, symposia and conferences that bring leading voices in China-related research to York; pursuing innovative research projects that align with CIF’s mandate; facilitating international collaborations between York scholars and those at educational institutions in China; and providing field research opportunities that offer vital, on-the-ground experiences for graduate students.

Qiang Zha
Qiang Zha

“This fund is an opportunity to establish YCAR as a hub for forward-thinking research into modern China and its rich historical, cultural and geopolitical significance,” says Professor Qiang Zha, YCAR interim director. “As such, YCAR and CIF are keen to cultivate emerging scholars and promote research that delves into the experiences of Chinese communities in Canada to build Canada’s China competency in the new context.”

By supporting diverse projects, the CIF will generate insights that shape research conversations, contribute to informed policymaking, foster intercultural understanding and strengthen vital international relationships.

YCAR encourages the York community and its associates to explore the potential offered by the relaunched CIF. With significant funding available (a minimum of $5,000 and a maximum of $20,000 per application, depending on the type of application), the CIF provides scholars with an opportunity to make a difference in the field of China studies.

The CIF Committee has identified specific priority themes for 2024, reflecting its commitment to reimagining China studies and fostering research on the Chinese diaspora in Canada. These themes include training future China studies scholars, networking Canadian scholars in this field and exploring the experiences of Chinese students in academic settings.

Review the full application guidelines and submit proposals by Monday, May 27. For additional information, visit the CIF website.

Prof exemplifies York excellence in global health research through worldwide partnerships

Africa map on a globe

By Corey Allen, senior manager, research communications

As a world leader in global health research, York University is fully committed to international collaborations across multiple sectors with academic, government, industry and community partners. Among those highlighting the impact of these partnerships is Professor Godfred Boateng. 

Forging strong relationships beyond geographical boundaries enables the York community to conduct meaningful work that defines the University’s approach to research and innovation: interdisciplinary, collaborative and equitable.  

Among those leading the way in this is Boateng, a quantitative sociologist and epidemiologist who was recently appointed Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Global Health and Humanitarianism. 

Godfred Boateng

One of Boateng’s latest research projects is related to his CRC appointment, which aims to measure and quantify different forms of resource insecurity, including food, water, energy and housing, as well as to advance our understanding of the overall health effects of environmental contaminants, both in the Global South and in Canada. This work exemplifies, he said, the importance of having international partners and collaboration.  

“Partnerships are key and without them, global health research isn’t possible,” he said. “York University’s partnerships in the Global South greatly expand the scope of my research and allow me to reach populations and communities that would not be accessible otherwise.”  

Boateng’s project looks to collect physiological, ecological, and demographic data from informal settlements in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.  

Using high-cost field equipment, the researchers will assess the quality of the air and water samples (stored, drinking and groundwater) found in and around the settlements.  

The data will be used to validate scales, like the Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scale, co-developed by Boateng for use by public health practitioners, non-governmental organizations, government officials, and development agencies to monitor and assess progress on targets set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals around achieving equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water, as well as adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene. 

This is particularly important in sub-Saharan Africa, where flooding due to climate change is a considerable health risk and bacterial infections like dysentery and waterborne illnesses like cholera are widespread.  

The scales would help researchers and health-care professionals to assign a score to the environmental contaminants found in settlement households, which enables them to determine if water, for example, is safe for consumption without the need for further testing.  

For local governments, this would streamline water, air, and housing quality assessments and provide valuable information to inform health-care policy and decision-making.  

“Our project will also produce the necessary data for comparative studies, so that this evidence can be used in other contexts, including in some Indigenous communities in Canada that face similar resource insecurity challenges,” said Boateng.  

Boateng and his former professor, Dr. Fidelia Ohemeng, during the York delegation’s visit to Ghana. Ohemeng taught Boateng during his undergraduate studies at the University of Ghana
Boateng and his former professor, Fidelia Ohemeng, during the York delegation’s visit to Ghana.

The project is slated to start this summer with 300 households in Accra, Ghana, alongside Boateng’s partners from his alma mater, the University of Ghana, and the University of Cape Coast, before moving onto research sites in Nigeria, Kenya and Malawi, and subsequently to Colombia and Mexico.  

Last month, Boateng was also part of a York delegation that visited Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. The Africa trip helped the University engage with prospective students and explore partnership opportunities with local universities and research institutions.  

For Boateng, studying global health helps bridge the inequality divide.   

“It’s important to identify the sources of health disparities and the structural determinants of health, so that proper interventions can be put in place,” he said.  

“Global health research, when applied, can not only enhance the quality of life for the world’s most vulnerable populations – women, children and seniors – but it also has life-saving potential for people worldwide. It’s teamwork at its best.”  

Learn more about York University’s Global Engagement Strategy.

York-led research team invents sustainable de-icing solution

airplane at gate BANNER

By Diana Senwasane

York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering Professor Alidad Amirfazli, along with a team of Jiangsu University of Technology (JSUT) researchers in China, have created a sustainable solution for de-icing with applications on planes, ships, infrastructure and more. 

From aircraft to ship decks to cars to power lines and much more, ice can pose extreme danger. The unsafe and risky conditions ice creates has led a York University researcher to investigate new ways of effectively preventing ice accumulation.  Amirfazli and the JSUT researchers are in the early stages of what they believe will be both an innovative – and sustainable – de-icing solution.  

Prussian Blue
Prussian blue

In a paper published earlier this year, the researchers detail their invention of a coating that combines superhydrophobic properties, which repels water, with Prussian blue, a compound made of complex inorganic salt typically used in paint, to effectively prevent and remove ice from surfaces.  

“The developed coating harvests energy from sunlight to warm the surface,” said Amirfazli. “Its repellency properties reduce the chance of water staying on the surface and freezing, essentially ceasing icing.”   

Amirfazli said the unique addition of Prussian blue to the coating is more cost effective, avoids cracking and improves durability. 

The innovative solution is born out of a long-standing research collaboration between Amirfazli and his former postdoctoral student Professor Wen Li, now based at Jiangsu. The duo worked on several projects, including a previous paper on de-icing where they combined a superhydrophobic coating heated with electricity.   

Amirfazli has spent years studying various coating strategies for de-icing, but it wasn’t until this international research partnership that this solution emerged.   

Prussian blue is able to harness the energy of sunlight, effectively replacing the electric component and the use of wires, which was previously proposed as a de-icing solution.   

Under Amirfazli’s supervision, the JSUT research team will continue to test their coating solution for de-icing, which could have widespread application in multiple sectors, like aviation, energy systems, construction, infrastructure and more.  

“This solution can reduce icing of surfaces that cause hazardous conditions such as steps and walkways, reducing the probability of slipping, or mitigating the icing on wind turbines, which can reduce power production in winter months,”  said Amirfazli.  

Alidad Amirfazli along with a team of Jiangsu University of Technology researchers
Alidad Amirfazli (second from the right) with a team of Jiangsu University of Technology researchers.

While the coating is a long way from being in market, this is a significant step for the team of researchers.   

“Throughout my career I have benefited from collaborations and knowledge sharing with many colleagues from around the world,” said Amirfazli. “Knowledge has no boundaries, creating an inherent strength for human ingenuity. This project is a perfect example of that.”

York University program offers teaching practicum in Japan

mount fuji

York University’s Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate program offers students a unique experiential education opportunity: participate in an international teaching practicum in Japan, in partnership with Meiji University, where they can practice teaching in an English immersion program.

Setting teachers up for success when they’re at the front of a classroom is at the heart of every teaching program. York U’s TESOL Certificate program provides a 50-hour teaching practicum that allows participants to observe and apply what they have learned in a range of English language teaching contexts, including internationally. The Meiji University partnership provides a field experience in a global setting and enables participants to explore their new skills while enjoying the rewards of teaching abroad.

This year’s field experience with Meji University took place in March. TESOL students Denise Suarez, Kelvin Luk and Veronica Ward-Bone travelled to Japan where they worked with 50 students and five faculty from Meiji University. They were able to do so through funding support from York International Mobility Award and the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS).

York language students with Meiji University students
From left to right: York students Kelvin Luk, Veronica Ward-Bone and Denise Suarez with Meiji students.

Under the supervision of Antonella Valeo, professor and TESOL Certificate Program coordinator in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics of LA&PS, York students participated in a week-long course with formal English language classes led by Meiji instructors.

The York TESOL students helped provide lessons and support, while living together with Meiji students and faculty at a seminar house in a mountain setting just north of Tokyo. Teaching and learning inside and outside the classroom, the experience provided the York students with an opportunity to learn how to run a class, as well as how to support other instructors as teaching assistants.

“Getting to observe the teachers’ different instruction methods and activities, while seeing how the students respond to it in a new context, improved and expanded my own perspectives on teaching,” reflected Suarez.  

“It was amazing to see the students’ quick progress in their English proficiency as they became more comfortable talking to us in the new setting,” added Ward-Bone.

“The most valuable things I got out of the trip were the teaching practice in real classrooms and the opportunities to learn about Japanese culture through authentic interactions with Meiji students,” said Luk.

According to Valeo, that is an important part of this opportunity. “This unique international experience helps students broaden their perspectives and experience teaching abroad with personalized support and mentoring,” she says. “For many students, it is a life-changing experience that stays with them long after graduation.”

Students continue Japanese speech contest winning streak

Microphone on stand

York University students from the Japanese Studies Program in the Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics (DLLL) built on recent success by winning top prizes at the 35th Canadian National Japanese Speech Contest (NJSC).

In March, four undergraduate students from the program earned top prizes at the annual Ontario Japanese Speech Contest. Among them were Hei Tung Chloe Shek, who received the grand prize, and Wonkyung Lee, who was awarded first place in the Open category.

NJSC contestants who are first-prize winners in each category of the year’s respective provincial Japanese speech contests are invited to travel across the country to compete together in a national competition.

Shek and Lee participated in this year’s contest on March 24 at the Embassy of Japan in Ottawa, where the current Japanese ambassador to Canada and a former Canadian ambassador to Japan were among the five judges of the competition.

njsc2024_shek_receiving_mistui_award
Shek receiving the Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Award

Shek, a linguistics student, won first place in the Advanced category for her speech “Views and allies of ‘young carers,’” which described her personal experience as a young caregiver to her disabled father and emphasized the importance of positive thinking.

She also was the recipient of a brand-new prize called the Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Award, which includes a return ticket to Japan and an official invitation to visit the main branch office of the Mitsui trading company in Tokyo this summer.

Lee, a financial and business economics student, won second place in the Open category for her speech titled “Liquor or Coffee,” in which she used the metaphor of sake and coffee to view people’s lives from unique perspectives.  

DLLL associate professors Noriko Yabuki-Soh and Norio Ota coached the students leading up to the national contest. Yabuki-Soh also served on the 2024 NJSC’s organizing committee. “The level of the national Japanese speech contest is extremely high, and this year’s competition was no exception,” Yabuki-Soh said. “We are so proud of Chloe and Wonkyung.”

York announces new initiative to advance global research

Global Research Excellence Seed Fund image

York University has launched the Global Research Excellence Seed Fund (GRE Fund), a new initiative that will strengthen the University’s research partnerships worldwide and enable faculty members to forge deeper global connections across communities, academia and industry.

“Building international, values-driven partnerships underscores York University’s dedication to working together cross-culturally to address critical world issues,” said Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor of York University. “The GRE Fund is an investment in the transformative work of the York community and will provide mutually beneficial opportunities for our researchers, students and partners to continue to translate research outcomes into social and economic benefits in Canada and beyond.”

The fund is available in two GRE funding streams: Stream A focuses on strategic partnership exploration and development, while Stream B focuses on advancing multilateralism by supporting the University’s knowledge mobilization collaborations with multilateral organizations and platforms.

The funding ranges from $5,000 to $30,000 per recipient for Stream A and $5,000 to $15,000 per recipient for Stream B.

For the inaugural call, York faculty who meet the eligibility requirements can apply for the fund beginning May 2024 through to April 2025. The fund has rolling deadlines to enable faculty to respond to external opportunities.

Establishment of the fund is the latest action to be realized from Engaging the World: York University’s Internationalization and Global Engagement Strategy (GES), 2022-27, which recognized the importance of creating a seed fund to further international research partnerships.

The fund is a joint initiative of the President’s Office, the Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic, and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, co-ordinated by the Global Strategic Initiatives team at York International. The fund was developed in consultation with York Faculties, researchers and international partners.

To learn more about the GRE Fund, eligibility and requirements, click here.

Staff member illustrates leadership in globally networked learning

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Francesca Boschetti, associate director of the York University English Language Institute (YUELI) in the School of Continuing Studies, gave a talk at the Languages Canada Annual Conference in Vancouver showcasing her groundbreaking work in globally networked learning.

Francesca Boschetti
Francesca Boschetti

A collaborative approach to research and teaching that allows students, instructors and researchers from around the world to work together, globally networked learning holds a special place in Boschetti’s heart because of her own journey as a language student and advocate for multiculturalism.

“I grew up in Italy and studied multiple foreign languages throughout my schooling and into university, where I concentrated on language teaching and learning,” explains Boschetti, who has spent her career figuring out how to best weave internationalization initiatives into language programs in the Canadian university setting.

Boschetti’s talk, titled “Globally Networked Learning: Internationalization at Home in English Language Classes,” focused on setting up virtual exchanges to provide students from universities in different parts of the world with an opportunity to connect with each other and enhance their intercultural communication and networking skills.

To illustrate her approach, Boschetti discussed the globally networked learning project she launched in collaboration with York International and YUELI in Winter 2022 – a year-long virtual exchange between English for Academic Purposes students at YUELI and English for Hotel Administration students at Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), a university in the Dominican Republic. Students involved in the exchange interacted through online activities, including message board chats, group discussions on Zoom, and friendly competitions and games.

“Cross-cultural communication and collaboration have a transformative power,” says Boschetti. “Witnessing our students thrive in the classroom, honing their language skills, forging new friendships and gaining invaluable cultural insights reaffirms my commitment to fostering an inclusive, globally connected learning environment.”

In her presentation, Boschetti detailed how the institute identified a university partner, designed programming, collaborated with instructors and engaged different cohorts of students. She shared the best practices, learning outcomes, strategies and challenges they encountered.

Many attendees approached her afterwards, seeking advice on how to successfully launch similar programs at their own institutions, which is exactly the response she was hoping for.

“As we thrive to enrich the student experience,” says Boschetti, “initiatives such as virtual language exchanges serve as catalysts for meaningful engagement and intercultural dialogue.”

Students shine, win at annual Ontario Japanese Speech Contest

Microphone on stand

Four undergraduate students from York University earned top prizes for their language skills at the 42nd annual Ontario Japanese Speech Contest (OJSC 2024) held at the University of Toronto on March 2.

Eight students from the Japanese Studies Program in York’s Department of Languages, Literatures & Linguistics (DLLL) competed in four different categories – Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced and Open – in front of a large crowd that included contestants from post-secondary institutions across the province, sponsors, government officials, Japanese language education administrators and interested members of the public.

York University’s eight Ontario Japanese Speech Contest contestants, three student helpers and five faculty members.
First row, left to right: Giovanni Di Mauro, Hei Tung Chloe Shek, Keying Ren, Alexa Adams, Wonkyung Lee, Kumiko Inutsuka, Akiko Mitsui and Noriko Yabuki-Soh. Second row, left to right: Eri Takahashi, Secret Shields, Ariel Upiter, Binying Wang, Javier van der Westhuizen, Norio Ota, Risa Hatake and Arianna Carerra.

Of York’s eight student contestants, the four who earned awards for their speeches were:

  • Hei Tung Chloe Shek, who was awarded the grand prize (placing first in the Advanced category) for her speech titled “Views and allies of ‘young carers’”;
  • Secret Shields, who was awarded second place in the Beginners category for a speech titled “My name is Secret”;
  • Binying Wang, who was awarded third place in the Intermediate category for a speech titled “About MBTI”; and
  • Wonkyung Lee, who was awarded first place in the Open category for a speech titled “Liquor or Coffee.”

Shek, who received a return ticket to Japan as the competition’s grand prize, delivered a speech on her personal experience as a young caregiver to her disabled father, detailing how the rest of her family united and handled the situation, and how positive thinking helped her accomplish many things she did not expect.

As a result of their first-place finishes in their respective categories, Shek and Lee will go on to participate in the Canadian National Japanese Speech Contest at the Embassy of Japan in Ottawa on March 24.

Noriko Yabuki-Soh
Noriko Yabuki-Soh

To help prepare the York students for the contest, DLLL associate professors Noriko Yabuki-Soh and Norio Ota, and faculty members Kumiko Inutsuka, Akiko Mitsui and Eri Takahash coached them leading up to the big day. Yabuki-Soh, Inutsuka and Takahashi also served on OJSC’s Organizing Committee.

“It was delightful to see how those eight students, at different levels of proficiency in Japanese, worked as a team,” said Yabuki-Soh, who believes all of the eight York competitors performed at their best.

“They put so much time and effort into this when they practised their speeches in front of their peers,” she said. “Their hard work has paid off. We are so proud of them.”

Inaugural GNL project brings students together

close up of china on a globe BANNER

By Elaine Smith

The COVID-19 pandemic made student mobility and exchange programs challenging, but Hugo Chen, director of international collaborations and partnerships for York University’s Faculty of Science, found a way to provide students with a global engagement opportunity nonetheless, by turning to globally networked learning (GNL). Now, post-pandemic, the GNL initiative – his Faculty’s first – is still going strong.

Hugo Chen
Hugo Chen

GNL, also known as collaborative online international learning virtual exchange (COIL-VE), refers to an approach to research, learning and teaching that enables students, faculty and non-academic researchers from different locations around the world to participate in, and collaborate on, knowledge-making processes and concrete research projects. It dovetails nicely with York’s University Academic Plan and its priority of advancing global engagement, as well as the Faculty of Science’s Strategic Plan with its goal of creating “more opportunities for all students to have international exchange and field course experiences.”  

It also reflects the University’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, by contributing to students’ overall mental health and resilience; SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, by promoting intercultural understanding and dialogue; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goal, by emphasizing the importance of global partnerships in achieving sustainable development. 

“Many students found the pandemic stressful because they were stuck at home and their opportunities for international exchange were curtailed,” Chen said. “Although I was relatively new to York, I was experienced in international education and knew the benefits of GNL, or COIL-VE, as it is often called.  

“The Faculty of Science hadn’t tried GNL previously, but I want to be an innovator and decided to facilitate some cross-cultural communication.” 

With support from York International, the office that supports GNL initiatives at York, Chen reached out to Xin Wang, an associate professor at Northeastern University in Shenyang, China. The duo, and an administrative colleague there, agreed to organize a series of Zoom sessions to bring students from York’s Faculty of Science together with students from Northeastern’s School of Information Science & Engineering to increase intercultural understanding.  

At York, Chen invited members of the group Global Leaders of York Science (GLYS) to participate. GLYS is a volunteer team that works closely with Chen’s office to support the Faculty’s international initiatives, provide undergraduate students with professional development opportunities to enhance their employability skills and help them develop a global mindset. A total of 35 GLYS members and Northeastern students took part in the initial cross-cultural sessions. They began with an international coffee chat over Zoom in November 2021. 

Participants in Hugo Chen's GNL project connecting through Zoom chat.
Participants in Hugo Chen’s GNL project connecting through Zoom.

“My objective was to have them meet and talk about their own experiences,” said Chen, who is a certified sociocultural competency training facilitator. “The important thing was to build understanding and exposure around different cultures.” 

A joint organizing committee comprising students from both universities created a series of virtual sessions, each lasting an hour and a half. The topics they chose included a comparison of their education systems; mental health, including pandemic challenges; artificial intelligence; and the opportunities and risks of globalization. Of course, there was also informal discussion about their favourite books and music, hobbies and interests. 

“I suggested ideas, provided advice and was there to facilitate their conversations,” said Chen. 

After each session, he and his Northeastern colleagues asked students to provide feedback and suggest potential improvements.  

“This was an opportunity to broaden their world views without a huge cost,” said Chen. “Not all students can afford to travel abroad, so this makes international opportunities accessible and inclusive. Having such an experience may also encourage students to study or travel abroad later. There are benefits to exploring different perspectives and this project opens the door to those possibilities.” 

The success of the program was apparent in the comments students provided on their post-GNL surveys. 

“Engaging with students from different countries was enlightening,” wrote one student. “It’s fascinating to see how our approaches to science and education differ and, yet, how much we can learn from each other.” 

Another student added, “This program opened my eyes to different cultural perspectives and has given me friends from across the globe. I’m still in touch with my group members and we often discuss our academic and personal life.” 

Since 2021, Chen and his colleagues in China have run the program annually, with participants drawn primarily from GLYS. The composition of the group changes each time, with a mix of returning and new participants, and it continues to be popular. 

“One of the program’s most gratifying outcomes has been the formation of ongoing relationships and friendships among the participants that have transcended the program’s duration,” said Chen. “This speaks to the depth of the students’ engagement and the program’s success in forming meaningful international ties.  

“We also hope the students will choose York for their further studies.” 

Lassonde, Schulich form new international partnership

York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering and the Schulich School of Business have deepened their international relationships through a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in Shenzhen, China.

Lassonde and Schulich have opened their doors to students from SUSTech’s College of Engineering with what’s known as a 3+1+1 agreement. Civil engineering, materials science and engineering, or mechanical engineering students will first complete three (3) years of undergraduate studies at SUSTech in China. Then, they will be able to complete their fourth year (+1) at Lassonde. Then, in their fifth year (+1), they can enrol in one of four master’s programs at Schulich: Management, Business Analytics, Artificial Intelligence or Supply Chain Management.

Detlev Zwick
Detlev Zwick
Jane Goodyer
Jane Goodyer

For Lassonde, in particular, the MOU is an exciting development, marking its first international 3+1+1 agreement. Dean Jane Goodyer, who travelled to Shenzhen to sign the agreement, praised the future possibilities of the partnership. “It offers mutual benefits not only for our students but also for our esteemed institutions, creating a unique platform for cross-cultural exchange and learning,” she said in remarks given during her visit. “We welcome these future SUSTech students in our family.”

In the process, up to 10 SUSTech students at a time will be obtaining two degrees within a five-year period: a bachelor of engineering from SUSTech and a master’s degree from Schulich.

Detlev Zwick, dean of Schulich, who also was present for the signing, noted in his own remarks, “The program is designed to open valuable career pathways and opportunities for your students.” He added, “The 3+1+1 program brings together the strengths of your institution with the business and engineering strengths of Schulich and Lassonde.”

This partnership builds on York’s existing institutional relationships in China, including with Peking University, the University of Hong Kong and Fudan University. It came together not only through SUSTech’s College of Engineering Dean Zhenghe Xu’s long-standing connections with faculty from Lassonde but through his relationship with Goodyer, with whom he sits on the executive committee of the Global Engineering Deans Council. The two deans decided to put their heads together and come up with a way to take advantage of the two schools’ natural compatibility, due to both being relatively new and dynamic schools with powerful drives to innovate.

From left to right: Lassonde Dean Jane Goodyer, SUStech Dean of Engineering Zhenge Xu, Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick.
The three deans at the official signing of the 3+1+1 agreement.
From left to right: Lassonde Dean Jane Goodyer; Dean of SUStech’s College of Engineering, Zhenge Xu; and Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick.

“The distinctiveness of this model lies not only in its international aspect but also in its interdisciplinary approach,” says Goodyer. “It combines the strengths of two engineering schools with a business school, creating a pathway for international students to attain both a top-tier engineering degree and a premier business master’s degree. It’s a win-win.”

The 3+1+1 partnership is expected to fully come into effect with the arrival of students at York by Fall 2025.

For questions regarding this program and partnership, contact Professor Richard Hornsey, associate dean academic and students at the Lassonde School of Engineering, at adas@lassonde.yorku.ca.