EU-Canada Study Tour - Helen Ayres
Presentation: January 2012Introduction:
· 32 students from 23 countries- apart from Cyprus, Greece, Malta and Luxemburg.
· We visited major private and public institutions, government bodies, think tanks and NGOs.
· After spending four days in Brussels we travelled to Ottawa, Québec, Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria.
Outline of study tour/highlights:
· During the study tour we attended a large variety of lectures on a number of different topics including: politics, economics, culture, and social policy.
· We discussed a broad range of subjects from a variety of different angles. There were a number of different talks on each topic which enabled us to compare and contrast the information we were given
· One of the main topics we focussed on is the CETA trade agreement which is currently being negotiated.
· I really enjoyed meeting with the First Nations organisations, including a visit to the Nunavut College and the Assembly of the First Nations. We also had a number of fascinating talks on the development of the North of Canada, including a discussion with the Ministry of Natural Resources in Quebec on Le Plan Nord.
Internship:
· I spent two months in Vancouver working at the Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons, part of the British Columbia provincial government.
· The internship allowed me gain greater knowledge of human trafficking issues, which I had previously developed during my MSc thesis on human trafficking policy within the UK.
· During the internship I wrote the stakeholder newsletter and conducted a short piece of research into child trafficking within British Columbia.
Benefits of the tour:
I. Academic:
· It was very valuable for students to be able to discuss policy areas outside of their academic field; each presentation had a large amount of time devoted to asking questions which was a good opportunity to explore further topics of interest.
· There were also opportunities for those writing dissertations to collect research materials and for those interested in further study at Masters or PHD level to gain ideas for possible theses.
o For example, the student from Romania used her time in Vancouver to research Japanese Canadian identity
· We were able to visit institutions which would have been very difficult to access otherwise; for instance we were able to meet with the Vice Premier of Quebec. On the other hand, we also had a tour of Insite, a safe injection site for drug users in Vancouver, and Portage, a drug rehabilitation centre.
II. Professional:
· It has been extremely useful and interesting to network with the other students on the study tour and Canadian organisations
· The study tour experience will be useful when applying for jobs, particularly in the current economic climate.
· The study tour opened up the possibility of working or studying in Canada in the future.
o For example the student from Bulgaria used a contact that he had made to complete a short placement at an architecture firm in Ottawa (outside the internships with the programme). He will be returning to Canada in February to continue training with this architecture firm.
Organisation of trip:
· The study tour was very well organised, we received all the details in advance and the application process was clear
· Each day was very busy and time and money were used efficiently to gain the most from our time in Canada. We also had a few free days throughout the tour in which to do some sightseeing.
· Dr Alexandre Berlin and the other leaders on tour were very knowledgeable and approachable, enabling us to gain the most from the study tour.
Conclusion:
· Without funding from BACs it would be very difficult for many students to participate in this study tour, therefore in order to select the best candidates who can most benefit from this experience the funding is vital
· The study tour was an extremely valuable experience which enabled me to develop a greater insight into Canadian culture and politics.