Global Citizens Network and Stipend Program

How to Join: Email us!

Join the Global Citizens Network and Stipend Program by emailing your full name, student ID and Education Abroad program to EdAbroad@viu.ca with the subject "Please add me to the Global Citizens Network and Program".  * Ensure you have met the eligibility requirements before requesting to join.

Guidelines

You will have up to 1 semester after you return from your Education Abroad program to complete your hours and submit your completed Activity Log Form.  Use the Activity Log Form as a Guide, through these steps:

1. Explore

Complete the exercises on Global Citizens Network - Explore, and create a plan for how you will engage, which you can add to your activity log and count an hour of time for.

2. Activities

Participate in events from the opportunity directory or propose your own. 

3. Reflect and Submit

Complete a final reflection about your experiences.

Submit the completed package by email to EdAbroad@viu.ca. Once approved, you will receive a stipend cheque of $500 as recognition for your time, engagement in the Global Citizens Network and your intercultural learning!

This program is one of the ways that VIU Education Abroad supports intercultural learning!

In order to participate in the Global Citizens Network and Stipend Program and receive the award towards your education abroad experience, please ensure that you:

1. Are enrolled at Vancouver Island University in a minimum 60 percent course load (9 semester credits).
2. Have participated (or intended but were not able to due to a program cancellation) in an Education Abroad program (Exchange, Field School, Practicum, Internship).
3. Are in “good standing” at VIU.
   1. If you are on probation, have a GPA lower than the minimum required over the previous Fall and Spring semesters, or have a “registration services withheld” flag on your student record, you will not be eligible for the stipend;
4. Complete the hours and submit the required Activity Log Form along with any supporting materials within the semester after your return or before you graduate - whichever comes first.

Those who have outstanding fees, holds or fines owing to VIU will not be eligible for the stipend until their account is in good standing.

The topic(s) you choose should be:

• Related to human culture
• Of interest to you
• Explored with an open and curious mind
• An opportunity to connect beyond borders

Forms

You can use a variety of mediums to share what you've learned from the cultural activities. Some suggestions are:

• Blog Post
• Social Media Post
• Video
• Photo Series
• Reflection
• Any Other Medium!

Some of the opportunities will involve active listening or learning. In those cases, you can simply record your reflections and findings on your Activity Log.
Consider letting us share your experiences with the Education Abroad community!

• Social Media Contributor Guidelines
• Blog Contributor Guidelines
• If you're submitting any photos, also include a signed Media Release Waiver

Members of the Global Citizens Network may select from these pre-approved internationally focused events and activities, in order to complete their Activity Log hours.

Ideas for activities to get you started

Plan a Field School

Plan a 4 day itinerary in a location with a specific theme in mind. Include details such as tours, site-seeing, where you would stay and eat and what you would be seeking to learn (4 hours)

Cook a Traditional Meal

Find a recipe for a traditional meal and attempt to cook it yourself. Share with us what the process was like and what was the end result (2 hours) or go to the Cultural Connections on Facebook, attend a Culture Couch event and tell us what you learned (1 hour)
Better yet, show off your skills by hosting a Culture Couch of your own! Contact Simon.Schachner@viu.ca for more details or to sign up (3 hours)

Research an Interesting Site

Find a site or a natural wonder from across the globe that you didn't know much about and learn all about it. Do some research. Use resources like Atlas Obscura or UNESCO World Heritage to search unique and interesting spots by region (3 hours)

Explore a Virtual Museum or International Art Collection

Use Google Arts and Culture and take a virtual tour of famous museums like The British Museum or the Guggenheim or view famous art collections from The Met and MoMA (2 hours)

Virtually Visit a VIU Exchange Partner School

Use Google Earth to explore the area around any of our VIU Exchange Partner Schools across the globe! Use street view to find funky neighbourhoods, beautiful parks and other places of interest. Can you discover a little about the culture there? (2 hours)

Learn a Language

Download DuoLingo and start learning a new language! Send us a screenshot of your profile and learning tree and gain 1 hour for reaching Level 4 in any category (max 4 hours)

Propose Your Own

If there is a topic you'd love to explore that relates to the theme of Global Citizen, feel free to propose it! Google Arts and Culture is a great resource for a variety of topics ranging from foreign fashion, wedding traditions, sports history, the opportunities are endless! Contact EdAbroad@viu.ca to pitch us your idea.

More to come! Keep checking back

Download the Activity Log Form to Keep Track of Your Experiences

• Activity Log Form

Once your finished, submit you completed Activity Log Form along with all of your corresponding materials to EdAbroad@viu.ca for consideration.

Tips for completing a fillable PDF form

• If needed, download a free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
• Save the document to your computer before you edit it or you will lose your work
• Complete the form. Save changes

Contact us for more information.

Education Abroad Office

Faculty of International Education
Email: EducationAbroad@viu.ca