Universities

'Fighting for the future': Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy speaks with Canadian university students at U of T event

mattimar — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 20:04:56 +0000

'Fighting for the future': Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy speaks with Canadian university students at U of T event

mattimar Thu, 06/23/2022 - 16:04

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Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to students at U of T and at other universities across the country at an event hosted by U of T President Meric Gertler and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Global Lens

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Ukraine

Universities

After a month at the �ؿ�ζSM, Kateryna Luchka wants to know what to expect upon returning to her hometown of Pryluky, Ukraine – a region she described as “very dangerous” given the ongoing Russian invasion of her country.

So, she put the question Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly.

The exchange took place at an event Wednesday – hosted and organized by U of T’s president and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy – that brought together students at U of T and 11 other Canadian universities (see the full list below) face-to-face with Ukraine’s leader via live video link.

Wearing military fatigues and sitting at a desk between two flags, Zelenskyy delivered a short address before participating in a question-and-answer session with students across the country.

He recalled attending a U of T-hosted international summit on the future of Ukraine in 2019, when he likened Ukraine’s underdog status to that of the championship-winning Toronto Raptors – a comparison that takes on an entirely different meaning three years later.

“Today we are fighting for the future of our children and grandchildren – for the possibility of building the new country,” he said, speaking through an interpreter, of Ukraine’s efforts to repel one of the world’s largest armies from its borders.

“We shall prevail against all the odds for the free and democratic future.”

He added that Russia’s four-month-old invasion has wrought hundreds of billions of dollars in damage, erasing much of the progress Ukraine has made toward improving infrastructure, attracting foreign investment and increasing digitalization.

Kateryna Luchka, who is part of an exchange initiative between U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (KMA), asks President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a question during the livestream event.

As for displaced students like Luchka – who is part of an exchange initiative between U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (KMA) – Zelenskyy said security remains the government’s immediate priority.

“By standing up for our country and ensuring strong security aspects, we lay the foundation of the country that will become different after the full-fledged aggression,” he said.

He also encouraged students who have studied oversees to come back and “build an independent Ukraine.”

Luchka, for one, said she intends to return home.

“I hear people say that it’s better to stay [in Canada] because we can be more useful to the people of Ukraine – but I want to go back to Ukraine,” she said.

“We are the future generations. We will help rebuild our country.”

U of T President Meric Gertler, who co-hosted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, said Canadian universities, including U of T, are welcoming students from Ukraine whose studies have been disrupted by the war (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

U of T President Meric Gertler said he was deeply honoured that Zelenskyy took the time to speak with students at U of T and at universities across the country.

“President Zelenskyy, you and the people of Ukraine have earned the admiration of people across Canada – and around the world – for your leadership and your courage in this time of crisis,” he said.

“Universities across our country have responded to your call of action. Many of them, including the �ؿ�ζSM, are welcoming students and faculty from Ukraine – and because we are inclined to build bridges rather than walls, we have also forged strong partnerships with leading universities in Ukraine.”

With the support of a $3.2 million donation from the Temerty Foundation, U of T is welcoming more than 200 students from Ukraine whose studies were disrupted by the war. The first group of 20 students from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (KMA) arrived last month through an exchange program with U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science. A second cohort of students is scheduled to arrive in September. Three KMA faculty are also at U of T as visiting professors.

There is also an exchange program run by the department of computer science, in the Faculty of Arts & Science, and the Vector Institute for Artificial Intelligence that has brought 29 students to U of T, as well as a U of T Mississauga program that is bringing 20 students.

In addition, Peter Loewen, director of U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, announced during the event that up to 30 students from the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) would be arriving on campus this fall to study in the Munk School’s Master of Global Affairs & Master of Public Policy programs. The students from KSE will have their tuition covered by U of T and are eligible for financial support from Mitacs, a Canadian non-profit organization, for their living expenses.

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, introduced President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, said Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine are delivering a lesson to the world about the importance of fighting for democracy.

“They’re teaching us that you can stand up to someone bigger than you, even when the odds are stacked against you, if you believe in why you are fighting, and if your cause is right and true,” said Freeland, who is the MP for University-Rosedale.

Canada has set aside $1.87 billion in aid for Ukraine – $1.5 billion of which has been delivered – and would stand with Ukraine for “as long as it takes,” she added.

Faith Moghaddami, a student at the University of Calgary, asks President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a question during the livestream event.

Anya Broytman, an incoming master of arts student in European and Russian affairs at the Munk School, asked Zelenskyy about his role models and noted he has been compared in the media to figures ranging from Winston Churchill to Harry Potter.

“We know who Voldemort is in this war and we know who Harry Potter is – so we know how this war will end,” Zelenskyy quipped.

He then stressed that he takes the most inspiration from the “ordinary people” of Ukraine who have stood up to the Russian army, using tractors or even putting their bodies on the line to stall armoured vehicles.

Broytman, who also recently completed her undergraduate studies at U of T’s Trinity College, said after the event that she took the rare opportunity to ask Zelenskyy a more personal question to “get a glimpse of his inner world.”

“It’s so incredible to see that someone who is in this dire situation, facing incredible pressure and incredible tragedy – that he can maintain his humanity and his sense of humour,” she said. “I think that’s really remarkable.”

Originally from Moscow, Broytman moved to Canada with her family as a teenager.

“I have friends in Russia who have democratic values and who want to live in a free country, but, for the time being, they can’t even come out and protest under risk of imprisonment or fines,” she said.

“It was important to take advantage of the fact that I’m in a free country and that I can speak for those people in Russia who oppose what’s going on, who are also hostages and victims of the war – and to try to give them a voice.”

Emma Patterson, a second-year master’s student in European and Russian affairs at the Munk School, asked Zelenskyy how he has balanced martial law with preserving democracy, and how the prospect of European Union membership is influencing Ukraine’s government.

Zelenskyy responded by saying it was necessary to decree martial law for the first time in an independent Ukraine to lead the war effort. “When the war is going on, there is no time for dialogue or discussions, unfortunately,” he answered. “There is no time for this because you’re not [just] counting seconds or minutes, but human lives – the number of survivors and the number of dead.”

As for EU membership, he said the next few days would be decisive and that hopes in Ukraine were high that it would be formally granted candidate status.

Patterson says she was honoured to represent U of T and speak to Zelenskyy, a leader she views as an inspiration.

“As someone who studies democracy, [I’m interested in] how they’re able being to maintain it during a time of war when priorities are shifting and everything is changing,” she said.

Peter Loewen, director of U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, said up to 30 students from the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) would be arriving at U of T this fall to study at the Munk School (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

In response to another question from Faith Moghaddami, a student at the University of Calgary, Zelenskky said that Ukraine isn’t just fighting a war on the ground but also a battle of information. He likened the internet to a weapon that shows the world the casualties Ukraine has suffered and the damage Russian forces have left in their wake.

“This is a powerful instrument,” he said. “I don’t want our partners to be offended, who do transfer very powerful pieces of weaponry to us – but I have to be honest, there’s a big question: What matters more and what kind of weapon protects us more?

“Information – the word – sometimes can give a bigger blow than some types of weapon[s].”

As he’s done while addressing legislatures around the world, Zelenskyy reiterated his plea for support – weapons, money and humanitarian aid – and he thanked Canada for helping Ukraine.

“Canada is helping us as much as it can,” he said. “It’s very important that yourselves, students from many other countries, would pass on this message to their respective countries to pressure their political management to give Ukraine what it needs.”

As for Luchka, she said she hopes to one day help make changes in Ukraine’s educational system, adding that she feels inspired by her time at U of T so far – and by the opportunity to speak with Zelenskyy.

“I know that the president wants the students to return to rebuild our country because if not us, who else,” she said. “I think he gave me hope for the future that we hold the power and that we can make the changes. Firstly, we need to end the war.”

Watch a report about the event on CBC’s The National

Here is the full list of participating universities on the livestream (in addition to U of T):

University of Alberta
University of Calgary
Dalhousie University
University of Manitoba
Université de Montréal
University of Prince Edward Island
Queen's University
University of Saskatchewan
University of Waterloo / Wilfrid Laurier University (joint event)
Western University

Although they did not take part in the livestream, U of T Scarborough also hosted a YouTube viewing party, as did Guelph University, McMaster University, Toronto Metropolitan University and other universities across Canada.

'Watershed moment': U of T president says universities to play key role as world recovers from COVID-19

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:26:19 +0000

'Watershed moment': U of T president says universities to play key role as world recovers from COVID-19

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 11/01/2021 - 15:26

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In his inaugural address as chair of the board of the Universities Canada, U of T President Meric Gertler said universities will play a critical role as Canada and the world navigate “the beginning of the end” of the pandemic (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

What role must universities play as Canada and the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic? How can post-secondary institutions contribute to a society where difficult issues can be discussed and debated without fostering political polarization? How can campuses foster diversity? How can they address the global climate crisis?

These were some of the questions addressed by �ؿ�ζSM President Meric Gertler in his recent inaugural address as chair of the board of Universities Canada. He took over the role from Sophie D’Amours, rector at Université Laval, and will serve for a two-year term.

In his remarks, President Gertler – who previously served as the board’s vice-chair – said the role of universities is especially important today as Canada and the world look to navigate “the beginning of the end” of the pandemic.

“The scale of the economic and human suffering has been immense, and the challenges ahead are daunting,” he said during a luncheon keynote. “And yet, with many of our campuses coming back to life this fall, and with in-person activity continuing to ramp up, there appear to be grounds for cautious optimism.

“Indeed, we find ourselves at a watershed moment, as we transition to a changed society and a changed world.”

President Gertler noted that the successful reopening of many university campuses across the country carries a significance which extends well beyond the post-secondary community.

“At its most prosaic level, our success in reopening our campuses to in-person teaching, learning and research has demonstrated to the rest of society that it is possible to return safely,” he said. “The fact that we have had few if any serious outbreaks of COVID-19 on our campuses is a testament to the tremendous work that so many have put into preparing for a safe re-inhabitation of shared spaces – classrooms, labs, libraries, cafeterias and residences.

“More significantly, our campuses have been at the vanguard in this respect – demonstrating to other employers, governments and individual workers that this can be done, and largely without incident. Many of us have pioneered vaccine mandates, the safe return to congregate living and assembling indoors in higher densities – well before other sectors have followed suit.”

He also emphasized that virtual learning – despite its necessity during COVID-19 – will never be a perfect substitute for face-to-face interaction, as evidenced by the scores of students once again living in residence and the many international students who have endured significant obstacles to travel to Canada for their studies.

He added that the reopening of campuses may also help tackle some of the downsides of the pandemic-induced reliance on virtual communication and social media, including greater political polarization, growing tribalism and an erosion of people’s ability and willingness to listen to, disagree with, and learn from one another.

“The return to our campuses offers the prospect of restoring this critical capacity, because it signals the return of the academic forum in a literal sense,” he said.

David McKay, president of the Royal Bank of Canada, congratulated President Gertler on his new role as chair of Universities Canada.

“Since you took over as president of the �ؿ�ζSM in 2013, we’ve worked on a number of functions in our community [and] across the country, and I’ve enjoyed working with you – most recently and most closely on the Business Higher Education Roundtable, where you were co-chair with me on the important work around work-integrated learning, inclusion and skills for the future of youth,” McKay said.

“I certainly have benefited from your guidance. I know Universities Canada and your peers benefit from that guidance as well. You’re an incredible leader within our community, within the school system and within youth in this country.”

Founded in 1911, Universities Canada is a non-governmental organization dedicated to furthering the mission of universities to tackle pressing global challenges, strengthen their surrounding communities and transform lives. It also aims to provide presidents of Canada’s universities a forum to advance the cause of higher education, research and innovation.

“Universities Canada leads such an important cause in the service of Canadian higher education and advanced research,” President Gertler said.

“It plays a vital role in setting the agenda and trajectory for Canada’s future economic and social wellbeing.”

Referencing What Universities Owe Democracy – a recent book written by Ron Daniels, president of Johns Hopkins University and former dean of U of T’s Faculty of Law – President Gertler stressed the importance of equality of access and said universities must ensure that admissions processes focus on active recruitment of students from historically underrepresented groups.

The president, who earlier in the day announced a suite of sustainability measures the university is taking, including divesting from fossil fuels, also addressed the global climate crisis in advance of the upcoming 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

“Universities can and must play an outsized role in helping our planet combat this existential threat,” he said. “Our teaching, research and innovation will figure prominently in this effort. But so too will our campuses and the way we manage our operations.”

He noted that ambitious goals on the part of universities – such as U of T’s pledge to make the St. George campus climate-positive by 2050 – will make a substantial difference.

“To conclude, as university leaders, let’s focus on enhancing the ability of our institutions to break down barriers, educate citizens, foster debate, engage difference, prize truth and discovery, create sustainable communities and open portals for social mobility. For everyone.”

President Gertler to begin term as vice-chair of Universities Canada

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:08:03 +0000

President Gertler to begin term as vice-chair of Universities Canada

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 10/28/2020 - 12:08

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(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

Undergraduate Education

Universities

Meric Gertler, president of the �ؿ�ζSM, has been named vice-chair of the board of Universities Canada, a national advocacy organization that represents Canadian universities.

An internationally renowned scholar and one of Canada’s most highly cited geographers, President Gertler’s research focuses on how urban economies have become leading sites of innovation around the world.

He begins his term this week and will serve with chair Sophie D’Amours, rector of the Université Laval in Quebec City.

“I am delighted to have this opportunity to collaborate with Professor D’Amours and all of our colleagues across the country in pursuit of our shared goals,” President Gertler said in a statement.

“Universities Canada plays a vital role in the advancement of higher education and research, and in helping to shape a prosperous, sustainable and inclusive future for all Canadians.”

President Gertler has long experience in working collaboratively with partners in post-secondary education to strengthen Canada’s universities and enhance their broader social and economic contributions.

He recently completed a two-year term as chair of the U15 group of Canadian research universities and continues to serve on the Executive Committee of the Council of Ontario Universities. As a board member and former co-chair of the Business/Higher Education Roundtable, he has championed the expansion of experiential learning opportunities for students and promoted more extensive research collaboration with Canadian businesses.

He also initiated the ongoing collaboration among the presidents of Toronto’s four universities, which has led to projects such as StudentMoveTO, the first-ever study of students’ daily commuting experiences in the GTA, and StudentDwellTO, a study of the affordable housing challenges facing students in the Toronto region.

Under President Gertler’s leadership, U of T has played a greater role in city-building, expanded global opportunities for students and scholars and focused on reimagining undergraduate education during a time of unprecedented change in the economy. The university’s many achievements during his tenure include: the launch of the School of Cities, an interdisciplinary hub for the university’s many urban experts; the establishment of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society; and the creation of the Lester B. Pearson Scholarships, which bring some of the world’s brightest young minds to Toronto from around the world.

Following his one-year term as vice-chair, President Gertler will begin a two-year term as chair of Universities Canada.

Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada, said in a statement that President Gertler’s expertise will be invaluable.

“Meric’s expertise, leadership and commitment are great assets for the university sector,” he said. “I look forward to working even more closely with him as Canada’s universities support the country’s COVID-19 recovery.”

How can universities build a better future for Ontario?

lanthierj — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 13:05:25 +0000

How can universities build a better future for Ontario?

lanthierj Wed, 02/15/2017 - 08:05

Topic

If you have ideas about how Ontario’s universities can help ensure a bright future for the province, the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) wants to hear from you.

The COU, the voice of the province’s 21 universities, says it wants to see how universities can work with others to help build stronger industries, strengthen growing service sectors, support artists, protect Ontario’s natural heritage and promote good health.

To get the conversation started and the ideas flowing, the COU has created a quick and simple online survey to tap ideas of students, parents and others.

Along with the survey, the COU is also holding one-on-one meetings and roundtables across Ontario with business and cultural leaders, public sector service providers, researchers and municipal leaders.

“We’re asking people ‘what keeps you up at night?’” says David Lindsay, president and CEO of the COU. “Disruptive technology, demographic shifts and globalization bring tremendous opportunities but all that uncertainty can also make people anxious.”

The campaign has the support of university presidents across Ontario, including U of T president Meric Gertler.

“Universities are vitally important to this province and this country,” President Gertler said. “They produce well-educated graduates and prepare them for a lifetime of success. They connect their host cities with the world, and enable these places to reinvent themselves over time. At the same time, they’re an important stabilizing force within their local economies.

“To build on these strengths, and to help us excel nationally and internationally, I’m encouraging all members of the U of T community to get involved. Take the survey or start a discussion on these important issues. We need to know what you think.”

The survey and province-wide discussions will continue until the end of the 2016-17 academic year. The findings will be made public later in the year through online postings, blogs and reports, culminating in a summit on Ontario’s future and how universities can partner to help Ontarians succeed.

Take the survey

Meric Gertler: research universities – good for what ails America (and Canada)

lavende4 — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 14:55:55 +0000

Meric Gertler: research universities – good for what ails America (and Canada)

lavende4 Tue, 11/08/2016 - 09:55

Meric Gertler

Author legacy

Meric Gertler

Topic

Global Lens

President Meric Gertler

In the days leading up to the American election, Professor Meric Gertler, president of the �ؿ�ζSM, reflected on the role universities can play in addressing a deeply polarized electorate.

With Americans ready to head to the polls, it was fascinating to be in Washington DC recently at the semi-annual gathering of the Association of American Universities.

Fellow presidents of America’s leading research universities (the �ؿ�ζSM is one of only two foreign members) wanted to move past the daily headlines about the U.S. election, to understand the forces that have produced a deeply polarized electorate. Discussion turned to the forces that are driving America’s current malaise, and the role that universities might play in helping address these challenges.

What are these forces? The most compelling arguments are economic.

New York Times commentator David Leonhardt, who spoke at the AAU meeting, argued that for the first time in history, many among the current generation of working-age Americans are worse off, on balance, than previous generations. The median net worth of Americans is lower than it was 30 years ago. Life spans are shorter for many groups, as obesity and other conditions have taken their toll on health. While other segments of American society may have thrived, for the first time for a significant subset of the U.S. population, life isn’t better than it used to be. The roots of Trumpism, Leonhardt explained, are to be found in the declining prosperity of some and the growing economic polarization within American society.

The solutions to this challenge are likely to be complex and difficult, particularly if they rely on redistributing income by making the income tax system more progressive or expanding social transfers. That’s why there is a unique and important role for universities to play at this moment.

First, it is now well established that the longstanding and sustained commitment to publicly funded research has created the foundations for so much of America’s post-war prosperity. The technologies embedded within the smartphone, for example, derive from decades of publicly funded research that spawned multi-touch screens, GPS, the Internet and other core technologies. Scientists working at universities did much of this fundamental research. Similar stories can be told about the science supporting medical breakthroughs or green energy technologies. At a time when the US economy is still emerging from a sustained slowdown (and when Canada is trying to figure out how to enhance prosperity and foster inclusive innovation), public expenditures on curiosity-driven research have never been more important.

Second, education is the single most important leveler of social and economic disparities within our population. By providing the tools and knowledge to function effectively in today’s working world, now more than ever education is the primary pathway to full participation in society, and the most reliable source of long-run prosperity. It is critically important, therefore, that we provide access to advanced education for all academically qualified applicants, no matter what their financial means. And our best institutions should embrace this responsibility as fully as the rest. The �ؿ�ζSM’s access policy – enacted in 1998 – has enabled tens of thousands of lower-income students to study at an institution that is consistently ranked among the top ten public universities in the world. Fully 50 per cent of our domestic undergraduates receive needs-based financial assistance – a figure that compares well to our US counterparts: UCLA is at 28 per cent, UC Berkeley at 23 per cent.

Third, the quality of our prosperity-creating research depends directly on our openness to the rest of the world. Universities need to be able to recruit the best talent – faculty and students – both locally and globally. And they need to work collaboratively with colleagues around the world, contributing to the productive circulation of ideas. At a time when America seems to be turning inward on itself and threatening to weaken its ties with its continental neighbours, the importance of openness cannot be overstated. Research universities are natural champions of this cause.

Access is not incompatible with excellence. On the contrary, access and openness enhance diversity, which accelerates the generation of new ideas, not only in research but in the kind of public policy innovation we will need in order to address pressing social problems such as inequality and polarization.

MERIC GERTLER is President of the �ؿ�ζSM

Universities

'Fighting for the future': Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy speaks with Canadian university students at U of T event

Read more about the event at Reuters

Watch a report about the event on CBC’s The National

'Watershed moment': U of T president says universities to play key role as world recovers from COVID-19

President Gertler to begin term as vice-chair of Universities Canada

How can universities build a better future for Ontario?

Take the survey

Meric Gertler: research universities – good for what ails America (and Canada)