Information for Faculty

We are currently accepting academic experience proposals for the 2025-2026 academic year. Please click here for more information. The deadline to submit a proposal is August 1, 2024.

Academic Experiences Overview

UTM Abroad Academic Experiences are developed by academic departments, taught by UTM faculty, and linked to the International Education Centre which facilitates the UTM Abroad program. Courses are offered during the semester, or year, with an embedded global experience during the break periods (e.g. Fall/Winter Reading Week), or embedded in a summer course. Pedagogically, UTM Abroad Academic Experiences capitalize on their international location, connecting the global experience to the course material. The International Education Centre’s budget assumes responsibility for additional costs associated with a faculty member’s participation in a UTM Abroad Academic Experience, whereas the ancillary costs associated with a student’s participation are sought annually through the ancillary budget process.

Course Formats

UTM Abroad courses could be offered in any of the following formats:

• A semester or full-year course with a mandatory embedded international experience during a study break or an embedded experience during the summer. These courses would generally be smaller, seminar-style field courses at a 300 or 400 level for approximately 10-15 students with the international experience as a requirement;
• A semester or full year course with an optional embedded international experience during a study break or an embedded experience during the summer. These courses would generally be larger, lecture style courses with an alternative assignment that would provide 10-15 students with the option to participate in the international opportunity on an application basis. Those students who do not partake in the international experience would complete an assignment locally. International experiences may be offered each year, or on a defined cycle (e.g. alternating years).

Course Descriptions

Courses that will offer UTM Abroad international experiences will include in their course descriptions, the following statement:

As part of this course, students may have the option of participating in an international learning experience that will have an additional cost and application process.

Benefits of Partnering with UTM Abroad

By partnering with the International Education Centre to offer courses under the UTM Abroad, faculty would gain access to a one stop solution that can facilitate the course planning and the implementation of international component by offering the following:

• Assistance with the course governance approval process associated with the international component of the course; 
• Addition of the INT course designations for approved courses;
• Assistance with itinerary, logistics and budget planning;
• Assistance with the compulsory academic ancillary fee governance process;
• Marketing under UTM Abroad (e.g. website, tabling, recruitment fairs, etc.) and provision of marketing materials;
• Participant registration, fee collection, overall communication and student support;
• Coordination of safety planning, audits, training and on-site support at no cost to the department;
• Coordination of accessibility planning, audits, accommodations and on-site support;
• Financial support for one faculty member participants travel costs; 
• Student needs-based bursary program;
• On-site administrative staff support (upon request);
• On-call support from the IEC while the group is abroad.

Sample Course Timeline

Faculty Expectations

For the successful implementation of the international component of UTM Abroad Courses, faculty will work closely with the International Education Centre including participation in the following:

• Planning meetings to develop or update the course description, create the itinerary, build the budget, and review promotional materials;
  • Approximately 3 to 5 meetings plus ongoing email communication as needed.
• Applicant selection through the review of applications, participant selection, and individual or group interviews (where applicable);
• Staff approval based on UTM Abroad's pre-selection of support staff (where applicable);
  • Approximately 1 or 2 meetings with selected staff in preparation for travel.
• Orientation meeting(s) for students prior to departure;
  • 1 or 2 sessions depending on course requirements. 
• Participation in the international component at the same standard as the students (flights, accommodation, activities, etc.);
• Feedback meeting with UTM Abroad upon completion of the international component;
• Participation in the site audit prior to the trip (optional, associated costs must be covered independently).

Academic Experience Proposals

Interested faculty must complete a Faculty-Led Proposal detailing their objectives and requirements for the global learning initiative component of the course through the UTM Abroad Staff and Faculty Portal.

We are currently accepting proposals for the 2025-2026 Academic Year. Proposals are due by August 1, 2024. 

For additional information, please contact us at utmabroad@utoronto.ca.

Testimonials

Students in BIO210 (Foundations of human anatomy and physiology) are able to connect to common global health issues and compare them to the issues in our local health care by making direct first-hand observations in an international setting. It is through this unique international opportunity embedded in the course curriculum that students are able to widen their perspectives and identify the “real-world” importance of different course concepts as well as understand these concepts on a deeper and more critical level.
– Sanja Hinic-Frlog, Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Biology

Teaching as part of UTM Abroad has been the most meaningful experience of my UTM faculty career. The experience of supporting students in the pursuit of in-depth, concentrated learning abroad has re-invigorated my love of teaching. The students unanimously call the course “life-changing”. And out of this shared experience have emerged deep intellectual and personal ties between me and a whole cohort of UTM students, ones that will likely last a lifetime. This is how learning at a university ought to happen. 
– Professor Erik Schneiderhan, Faculty, Sociology