Dr LD Beukes, Head of Teaching Practice in UP’s Faculty of Education, visited one of Canada's largest research-intensive universities, the University of Alberta, in August 2015 to strengthen existing collaborative ties and explore new avenues of partnership between the two universities.

During his visit, he met with Lucy De Fabrizio and Lorraine Parry of Alberta’s International Office to discuss the possibilities of student exchange programmes, particularly in the field of teaching practice. He also had a very insightful meeting with Dr Clive Hickson, Alberta’s Associate Dean for Undergraduate Student Services. Pretoria and Alberta’s teaching models regarding teacher training were compared and valuable insights were obtained both ways. The two institutions realised that they face much of the same challenges, such as dysfunctional schools and mentorship issues.

A meeting with the Director of Alberta’s Centre for Global Education Terry Godwalt centred around curriculum material, student video conferences – which may prove to be a very helpful tool in the institutions’ partnership – overarching global programmes and online learning cycles. These themes hold great potential for further international collaboration and links to Alberta’s vision to educate the 21st century learner  for the 21st century world by creating global classrooms.

Research collaboration,  undergraduate studies and elementary education were discussed with Prof Doherty  and Dr Jerine Pegg, who were fascinated by UP’s approach to teaching practice.

Global citizenship was the theme of Dr Beukes’ discussion with Prof Lynette Schultz  and Karen Pashby, with the possibility of a collaborative partnership to establish an understanding and enacting citizenship in response to pressing global issues. In this regard, citizenship becomes a movement toward an active participation in co-creating new social, economic, educational and political contexts that  multi-directionally define and locate  the immediate needs of people  in today's highly globalised  contemporary context, Dr Beukes explains.

“The idea is to expose students to theories and practices that will deepen their insight into problems and to identify knowledge clusters in order for them to critically and productively engage with the immediate and global environment,” he adds.

His meeting with Bill Howe, Jennifer Allen and Heather Raymond representing the Edmonton Public School Board was fruitful, leading to more possible research collaboration.

When meeting with Alberta students, Dr Beukes realised that students in the global world experience similar apprehensions, frustrations and problems.

“I think that our model, especially regarding teaching practice, compares well with the international model and that our students are even better equipped to enter the teaching profession due to the fact that they are exposed to teaching practice for such a long, uninterrupted period of time. The professional portfolio that our students build during their practical period also impressed the hosts,” Dr Beukes points out.

This fascinating and intellectual stimulating visit to the University of Alberta is set to increase collaborations between the two institutions and open exciting new doors for staff and students at UP’s Faculty of Education alike.