With The PIE’s touch down in North America imminent, we take you through some of the many highlights from a jam-packed agenda, taking place October 13-14 at the Hilton, Toronto.
The program spans discussions on employability, recruitment, well-being, policy-making in both the US and Canada, and much more. Outside of this, there is also dedicated meeting times, walking tours, networking opportunities, drinks receptions and the event concludes with our delegate dinner.
On October 13, a panel on ‘The View from Canada: policy update’ will kick-start the conference as esteemed members of the Canadian sector weigh in on current government policy developments including a new fast-track immigration program.
Joining the panel will be Alain Roy, vice president, international partnerships, Colleges and Institutes Canada.
“I look forward to participating as a speaker during The PIE Live North America where I will share perspectives on the remarkable post-pandemic recovery in Canada’s international education sector and thoughts on why colleges and institutes continue to be the fastest growing study level for international students to Canada,” Roy said.
The panel will provide an opportunity to reflect on “the changing international context, some of the challenges that we face as a sector and what needs to be done to ensure that Canada can continue to leverage its position as a top education destination”, he added
“Namely, what innovations are required for Canada to continue to be attractive for students looking for quality education, career specific training and employment opportunities, and an overall positive experience and integration on campuses and in communities across the country.”
Roy will be joined by Larissa Bezo, president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Bureau for International Education.
Also on the panel is Universities Canada president, Paul Davidson, along with host, The PIE’s own CEO Amy Baker.
On the same day, delegates at the student roundtable can expect to hear from confident and thoughtful international students who have opinions to share on how to better the international student experience – from application to post-grad employment and everything in-between.
‘Truth to power’ is the sentiment of the session, which has proven to be extremely popular at previous UK events.
On October 14, Baker will be joined by another stellar panel to discuss ‘Employment-linked outcomes for international students’.
Economic and labour market forces are the biggest drivers of student immigration and the lucrative promises of post-study work visas and potential permanent residency have dramatically increased student recruitment for some destinations.
Our experts will be discussing if the sector is doing enough to prepare its international graduates for their chosen careers, along with how outcomes can effectively be tracked.
Chris Parrish, co-founder and president of partnerships, Podium Education highlighted the importance of such a discussion at this particular time.
“With tuition at record levels, return-on-investment is now at the forefront of students’ minds when choosing a university,” he said.
“Return-on-investment is now at the forefront of students’ minds”
“At Podium Education, we boost undergraduate student outcomes through hands-on experiential programs that both simulate work experience and provide students with in-demand skills.
“This panel will unpack strategies to design these programs and why it matters in today’s knowledge economy,” Parrish added.
However, the conference schedule is not limited to experts from North America. Speaking on how Imperial College Business School is driving employment-related outcomes for postgraduate students, Joël McConnell, executive director of marketing, recruitment and admissions at ICBS, hinted at what delegates can expect to hear.
“Helping ambitious students meet their short-term career ambitions, and then helping them scale outcomes once they’re placed can be thankless work for business school career services teams. Job boards and CV reviews just aren’t enough, and the strategic value of this aspect of co-curricular programming is increasingly being invested in at leading institutions.”
According to McConnell, to tackle this, ICBS has merged its careers and student life teams to reinforce academic delivery with real world experience and exposure.
McConnell said that the school will continue to support candidates who wish to pursue internships, using the latest market and sector insights and continue to encourage overseas students to take advantage of the UK’s two-year work permit policy.
Completing the panel is Norah McRae, associate provost of co-operative and experiential education at the University of Waterloo and Gary Hallam, vice president, international, and executive dean of the school of business and hospitality at Conestoga College.
Tickets for The PIE Live North America are still available via our website.
