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This week, Ken Steele \u201ctakes off\u201d to Saskatoon to speak with Larry Rosia, the president and CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, about his institution\u2019s four pillars of internationalization. They sit down in SP\u2019s pilot training flight simulator for a conversation.

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Internationalization has been a top priority for many institutions in Canada.\xa0 Reports from the World Economic Forum and the Conference Board of Canada emphasize the importance of cultural competency as a workforce skill for the future, and it\u2019s especially important in a globally exporting province like Saskatchewan.\xa0 In order to internationalize the whole institution, SP has a four-pillar strategy:

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1)\xa0 Faculty & Student Exchanges, sending representatives abroad to study, teach and engage in applied research and project work. Not everyone wants to travel abroad, and the institution can\u2019t afford to send everyone abroad, though.

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2)\xa0 Incoming International Students, recruiting students from priority countries to diversify classrooms in Canada. \u201cHaving a different lens, a different perspective, a different culture lend their ideas to a problem is really interesting,\u201d and helps to spark innovative thinking on campus.\xa0 \u201cThe solutions to today\u2019s problems and tomorrow\u2019s problems are interdisciplinary and intercultural.\u201d

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3)\xa0 International Applied Research Projects engage SP with partners abroad, and students from various locations can collaborate and innovate via technology on a shared project.

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4)\xa0 International Project Work, such as providing pilot training to meet a country\u2019s needs.

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Ultimately, internationalization is critical because Canada needs immigration to sustain its population, and our students need to learn how to work with diverse cultures. They will graduate and work with companies that do business internationally, and if they have global competencies they will be more attractive to future employers. Larry emphasizes that \u201cSaskatchewan runs on Saskatchewan Polytechnic,\u201d and that cultural diversity is one of its differentiators and strengths.

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Dr Larry Rosia (@LarryRosia on Twitter) has a background in telecommunications engineering, and holds a PhD in academic leadership from the University of Calgary. For more than 35 years, he has worked in higher education as an instructor, program chair, marketing manager, and senior administrator.\xa0 Larry served as Dean of the School of Construction at SAIT from 1999-2012, and has been President and CEO of Saskatchewan Polytechnic (formerly SIAST) since 2012.\xa0 He authored a 2009 book, \u201cThe Successful College President: Strategies for Leading in a Complex Environment.\u201d\xa0 Larry also sits on the boards of many organizations including Polytechnics Canada, Skills Canada Saskatchewan, the Chair Academy International Leadership Board, the International Mineral Innovation Institute, and the Saskatchewan Post Secondary International Education Council.

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Next week, Ken\u2019s conversation with Larry Rosia continues. So you don\u2019t miss it, be sure to subscribe! \xa0http://eduvation.ca/subscribe/

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Special thanks to Saskatchewan Polytechnic for arranging the onsite videography.\xa0 If you would like to host an onsite episode of Ten with Ken, please see http://eduvation.ca/twk/site-visits/for more information.

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