Durham College (DC) has been awarded funding through the 2025 Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program (QES) to participate in a collaborative project that will provide life-changing international experiences for students. DC is among 22 colleges and universities from across the country to receive $6.2 million in funding from the program, which is led by the Rideau Hall Foundation and Universities Canada.

With this funding, DC will launch the Global Student Exchange for Community Resilience project, which will immerse students in cross-cultural experiences. “This opportunity creates a unique, cross-cultural learning platform that connects students with global communities actively addressing climate resilience,” said Kelly O’Brien, Associate Dean of DC’s Faculty of Hospitality & Horticultural Science. “For DC students, it opens doors to international collaboration, cutting-edge knowledge, and invaluable work-integrated learning opportunities.”

Proposed by the International Education Office, The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture, and along with DC’s Horticulture – Food and Farming and Social and Community Service programs, the project’s major goal is to help students understand the impact of climate change on well-being and develop as informed community changemakers capable of driving sustainability initiatives both locally and globally. Additionally, students will develop intercultural competencies, leadership skills, and a holistic understanding of the challenges and solutions related to climate resilience.

“This funding allows our students to see and appreciate firsthand the impact of climate change on less-privileged areas of the world,” said Danielle Harder, DC’s Global Learning Facilitator. “Students will be able to apply the skills they have learned in the classroom in meaningful and impactful ways by working with local communities. They will also grow as global citizens by understanding the interconnectedness of people and problems around the world and seeing their role in creating a more just and equitable future in the face of climate change.”

DC is also excited to partner with the international development organization World Vision and their “Vision for Vulnerable Youth” initiative on this project, which will see DC students and representatives of the Barrett Centre travel across the globe to broaden their education and work integrated experience. The Barrett Centre looks forward to elevating local innovation through its learning portal, while engaging students in the Urban Growers of Tomorrow program. The work-integrated learning experiences will benefit students in DC’s Horticulture – Food and Farming program as well as Social Service Worker, Child and Youth Care, Developmental Services Worker, Behavioural Science – Honours Bachelor and Behavioural Science Technician.

DC will also welcome international learners from World Vision, who will receive scholarships to attend DC to deepen their understanding of Urban Agriculture and global community adaptation to climate change. Seven inbound students from World Vision will attend DC on short-term exchanges and one inbound student from World Vision will attend a full program at DC in the Faculty of Hospitality and Horticulture Sciences.

Janine Knight-Grofe, Director, International Education, notes that this is the first year the QES program has been open to colleges, adding that DC is pleased to be among the first to be able to access the funding for the benefit of students. “We are grateful to have been selected for our proposal that supports DC’s collaborative cross campus internationalization work, including our relationship with the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture.”

Established in 2012, the QES scholarship has been awarded to more than 2,600 students from Canada and 80 countries around the world. It is Canada’s premier academic program for global leadership, collaboration and multidisciplinary learning.