Global Skills Opportunity (GSO) is a comprehensive Government of Canada’s outbound mobility pilot program that aims to widen access to participation to study abroad programming.
Capilano University's two key Global Skills Opportunity-funded initiatives include field school and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programs.
It enables Indigenous students, students with a disability, low-income students as well as other students to have transformative, life-enriching global experiences.
Grounded in UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) themes such as health and well-being, sustainable communities, climate action, and equality, CapU’s GSO initiatives have opened new and innovative pathways for CapU students, faculty, and staff to innovate and engage in transformational learning.
Field Schools and GSO
- Departing in December 2024: Ghana Field School 2024
- Departing in February 2025: Thailand Field School 2025
- Returned in August 2024: A total of 22 CapU students, led by two CapU instructors, Chris Carnovale (tourism) and Debra Rurak (film), participated in the Vietnam Field School 2024.
Fifteen of the 22 field school participants were in the underrepresented group and received the GSO scholarship, which covered the cost of their field school participation.
Returned in May 2023: A total of 22 CapU students, led by two CapU instructors, Chris Carnovale (tourism) and Greig Gjerdalen (tourism, outdoor recreation), participated in the Vietnam Field School 2023.
Nine of the 22 field school participants were in the underrepresented group and received the GSO scholarship, which covered the cost of their field school participation.
"This field school was not only incredibly beneficial to my degree as a tourism student, learning about the impacts of tourism and the benefits of community-based initiatives, but it also taught me the beauty of collectivist cultures and togetherness that I think we often forget about in our busy every-day lives back at home."
— Anika Steiner, Bachelor of Tourism Management student, Vietnam Field School 2023 participant
Learn how to become the next GSO scholarship recipient for the upcoming field schools.
CapU COIL and GSO
CapU Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is about embedding a virtual international experience within an existing course and encouraging idea sharing, intercultural learning and global competency building amongst students and faculty across the globe.
CapU faculty pair up with a complementary international partner institution to design a COIL experience.
CapU COIL projects:
- Jane Ince and Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (AUAS), The Netherlands: CMNS 395 Public and Media Relations (Fall 2024)
- Roy Jantzen and Robert Gordon University (RGU), Scotland: TOUR 104 Marine Tourism and Interpretation (Spring 2024)
- Azita Shafai with Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec Monterey), Mexico: IBUS 341 Introduction to Supply Chain Management and Sustainability (Fall 2023)
- Lou Villalba with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC), Spain: BADM 101 - Introduction to Business (Fall 2023)
- Michael Thoma and VIA University College (VIA) , Denmark: CapU’s pilot virtual exchange: Global Coproduction Film Project 2021: Arms Across the Atlantic (2021-2022)
Ready to collaborate with an institution outside Canada or wish to learn more about creating a COIL experience? Interested in taking a COIL course while studying at CapU? Or, would you prefer to connect with a CapU faculty member to explore a COIL project idea?
Email coil@capilanou.ca and let's get started!
