By Dylan Marks
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) has announced plans to update its senate policy on international institutional partnerships known as Policy 95. This update is aimed at strengthening the school’s global engagement efforts.
Proposed changes also include broadening specific definitions of International Institutional Partners and Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and Specific Activity Agreement to align more closely with the TMU 2025-2030 Academic Plan. The policy update also seeks to clarify responsibilities for managing and carrying out international partnerships and collaborations.
According to TMU’s website, Policy 95 is “The Development and Approval of International Partnerships and International (and National) Mobility Programs.”
This policy outlines TMU’s approach to establishing and maintaining international partnerships that align with the school’s academic and strategic priorities. Specifically, it addresses MOU and International Institutional Agreements that support initiatives such as student and faculty mobility regarding collaborative international Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) activities and international development projects.
In an interview with The Eyeopener, president and vice-chancellor of TMU Mohamed Lachemi stated, “One key priority is to continue to build international relationships that create access to global engagement and opportunities for all our students.”
“We believe in the power of student mobility enhancing their understanding of global issues,” he emphasized.
These agreements, which must undergo regular reviews and may only last five years, are evaluated to ensure continuous alignment with TMU’s priorities. According to an article from TorontoMet Today, TMU is seeking the community’s consultation on what Policy 95 aims to achieve through public transparency and public access to documents.
For students, the policy update increases opportunities by putting forward partnerships that allow student mobility as well as international learning experiences. These result in students having access to credit transfers, joint programs and global networks.
Fourth-year politics and governance student Fion Li said that the policy update is very important for TMU as it helps to increase the school’s recognition as one that is supportive of working towards international partnerships.
“I would say that [the policy update] is very important for any Canadian university but especially schools like TMU that aren’t as internationally well known,” Li said. “And I feel like part of their considerations when they go to draft this policy is how will they actually put their money where their mouth is and engage in a meaningful way?”
Policy 95 was originally approved by the university on June 2, 1993, and then officially approved on March 2, 2010. The current first draft of the Policy 95 update was released to the public on Dec. 18, 2024.
The first draft of the policy update reads, “TMU will establish and support international partnerships and collaborative activities at the institutional level that adhere to the University’s priorities, the values stipulated in the Senate Policy Framework.”
“The review of Policy 95 was undertaken to fill the current Senate policy framework and to ensure alignment with the current university priorities, values and institutional strategies” Lachemi explained.
He noted that policies are reviewed regularly, adding that, “there have also been institutional and leadership changes since the last review, the full review that took place in 2010.”
Along with a change to the name of the policy, now ‘International Institutional Partnerships and Collaborative Activities,’ The update also aims to help streamline TMU’s approach to international collaboration while optimizing the impact of global partnerships on the school’s academic and creative goals as a whole.
“All current agreements remain active…we are not opening the existing agreements,” Lachemi clarified.
He added, “Agreements will be reviewed and renewed as they approach their expiration day, and all current agreements remain active”
The update to Policy 95 is being introduced now as a way to better align the policy with TMU’s strategic priorities reflected in similar updates to the TMU Academic Plan, Strategic Research Plan and International Plan, according to the TorontoMet Today Article.
With the changes pending, there are two town halls scheduled this year on Jan. 28 and Jan. 30 to allow members of the TMU community to review and comment on the draft policy updates. This is to allow feedback to be incorporated into the final draft, which will then require Senate approval.
It is still unclear when or if the Policy 95 update will be approved by the TMU Senate.
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