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Update on international planning activity for fall 2021

Category:To: All faculty and contract lecturers, as well as affected staff team leaders
June 14, 2021

I hope you are continuing to be safe and well. As we plan for the fall semester and beyond, as well as review and adjust university programming based on local and global COVID-19 protocols and restrictions, we have some updates to share regarding international activity at Ryerson. 

Further detail and updates on the matters mentioned below, as well as decisions as they relate to international travel and programs will be communicated as soon as possible. We appreciate your patience. 

Student Outbound Travel 

As previously communicated, given the current circumstances locally and the continued Government of Canada restrictions on international travel (external link) , Ryerson has suspended the formal in-person exchange program for fall 2021. Please note a decision has not yet been made regarding in-person exchange for the winter 2022 semester. The university is also preemptively canceling outbound mobility activities for this fall. This category includes all in-person faculty-led trips, study tours, internships, placements, co-op, student research, conferences, competitions, and student group travel.

Faculty and Contract Lecturer Travel 

We continue to urge you to review any upcoming travel plans you may have very carefully. Where possible, please consider postponing or cancelling travel plans entirely, and delaying financial commitments if there is an opportunity to do so. For more information and future travel updates for faculty, please visit Ryerson International’s International Risk Management website

As it relates to issues associated with international visiting researchers, in-person experiential learning for those who are living outside of Canada, or Ryerson staff for whom travel is a critical element of their role, the University will continue to assess the associated challenges. The responsible portfolio holder will communicate more detailed updates to pertinent staff and faculty as is feasible to do so. 

For More Information 

Ryerson International is available to work with faculty and staff members to support the development of remote global learning opportunities for students. Note that, for the 2021 spring/summer terms, Ryerson International is offering a  (PDF file) Global Learning Award: Virtual Edition to support students engaging in remote international activity.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Emma Wright, Manager of Global Learning and Engagement. For faculty and staff international activities, please connect with Sara Berman, Director of Ryerson International. For information about experiential learning, please contact Anita Abraham, Director of Experiential Learning. We also encourage you to reference Ryerson International’s FAQs for additional details.

We trust that all units, departments and faculties will share this information with students as appropriate. Please see Ryerson International’s student Safety Abroad website for more information.

Thank you for your ongoing flexibility as we continue to monitor this situation and to make adjustments to our programming. We value your patience and collaboration, and reaffirm that the health and safety of our community, as well as our partners abroad, remains our top priority. 

Saeed Zolfaghari
Interim Provost and Vice-President, Academic