Connecting Lakehead University with Students from Around the World
English Language Program Connecting Lakehead University with Students from Around the World
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON
Recently, Ju Hee Hwang had to do a presentation in English in front of her classmates.
Just weeks earlier, the English literature major from Korea would have been terrified, but not this day.
“Lakehead’s Academic English Program helped me improve my English,” she said. “I felt very proud of myself after the presentation.”
Ju Hee is one of a group of 20 Korean students from Gyeongsang National University (GNU) in Jinju, Korea taking Academic English class at Lakehead University. The group arrived in March and will be studying here until late June.
“I have already gained a lot of confidence in my English skills,” adds Hyo Min Lee, a French language literature major at GNU. “Even though I can’t speak English fluently, I am not shy anymore to start a conversation with people I meet.”
To maximize their learning experience and connection to the community, the students also participate in local multicultural, historical, outdoor, and art activities during their stay.
Lakehead’s English Language Program recently earned accreditation from Languages Canada, which opened up opportunities to attract students from around the world and to partner with world-class educational institutions.
Since that accreditation, Lakehead University and GNU have been discussing a variety of partnership collaborations, including a Visiting International Student Program (VIP) and Student Exchange Program.
“It’s fantastic to see these groups of students coming from more and more diverse regions,” said Leigh-Ellen Keating, Director, Lakehead International.
“Our aim is to have students from as many cultures as possible in our programs. It broadens their experience as well as that of students already here at Lakehead.”
This September, 17 students from Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan will be attending Lakehead for the fall semester.
Lakehead University was pleased to welcome Dr. Koske Shimizu, Professor of International Relations with Ryukoku University’s Department of Global Studies.
Dr. Shimizu was here to visit the campus in advance of his students who will be taking part in Lakehead’s VIP this September. They will study in the English Language Program and take an academic class related to international relations and global studies.
While here, Dr. Shimizu graciously participated in the Public Lecture series hosted by Lakehead’s Political Studies. To a packed room, he spoke about Nishida Kitaro, a prominent Japanese philosopher. Dr. Simizu criticized Nishida’s politics by employing his philosophy in a presentation titled ‘The Kyoto School and the Westphalian Language: a tragic story of being and language in non-Western international relations’.
Reflecting on his visit, Dr. Shimizu commented, “Lakehead University is definitely the best place to send our students. My experience in Thunder Bay left me absolutely speechless.”
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Media: For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kelly Arnold, Media Relations and Marketing Assistant, at (807) 343-8177.
Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.
Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.
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