QES annual report 2022-2023
The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES) program resumed international mobility activities this past year and continues to navigate challenges in the post-COVID environment. University partners across Canada continue to offer future leaders unique opportunities to develop their career and research skills through work-integrated learning and advanced research opportunities – with networking, community engagement and leadership skills development opportunities embedded in their internships.
As scholars resumed inbound and outbound placements, QES-supported work-integrated learning and research experiences allowed them to tackle growing global problems ranging from climate change and energy access to food security and gender equality. While our university partners proved their resilience and creativity in keeping projects going during the pandemic, scholars took their research and skills development to new levels now with full resumption of in-person placements.
Current projects include Advanced Scholar opportunities that help advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
The QES program is managed through a unique partnership of the Rideau Hall Foundation, Community Foundations of Canada, Universities Canada and Canadian universities. Since 2015, 2415 scholars have been funded through 106 projects with participants going to/coming from 80 countries. Projects have been designed and led by 46 Canadian universities.
In narrative reports submitted at the end of their award, scholars reported improvements in their knowledge and skills, particularly their communication, technical and leadership skills, because of their QES experience. They also reported an increase in their awareness of the issues facing local and global communities.
This report looks at how the QES program continued to develop a global community of scholars in 2022-2023 through leadership development, networking, work-integrated learning, community engagement and research opportunities. The following pages share an overview of what has been learned and accomplished this past year through evaluation data, anecdotes and lessons learned so that stakeholders can better understand the reach and lasting impact of this critical program in our changing world.
