Fleming College

 Trent University and Fleming College have partnered to co-host a national conference on environmental education.

The 11^th annual Canadian College Environmental Network (CCEN) and Canadian University Environmental Science Network (CUESN) conference will take place May 23-24, 2013 at both Trent University and Fleming College’s Frost Campus in Lindsay. This year’s theme is Reaching Out: Shaping the Future of Canadian Post-Secondary Environmental Education.

The conference will include keynote speakers and panel sessions on three main topics:

1. Internationalization:  Many programs are developing initiatives aimed at attracting international students, providing opportunities for international experience, or enabling international research collaborations.  What should environmental programs consider as they go international?

2. College-university relations:  Provincial governments are expecting colleges and universities to collaborate in program delivery and student transfers; many institutions are pursuing their own collaborative initiatives.  What are the opportunities for college-university collaboration, and what are some models of successful practice?

3. Academic-community relations:  Governments are increasingly expecting graduates to be “ready” for the workplace; institutions are also pursuing opportunities to link with communities, through community-based education, co-op programs, and other initiatives.  How can environmental programs successfully navigate this evolving terrain?

There will also be sessions on two areas of focus for environmental programs: agriculture and water.

Thursday, May 23 at Trent

Symons Campus, 1600 West Bank Dr., Peterborough 

– 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m – Keynote speaker Alex Usher (Higher Education Strategy Associates)

– 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – Session 1: Internationalization with Susan Isaac (Association of Canadian Community Colleges), Nina Di Stefano (Association of Universities & Colleges of Canada), Chris Metcalfe (Trent University)

– 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. – Session 2: College/University Relations with Karen Maki (Trent University), Tom Whillans (Trent University), Eric Sager (Fleming College/Trent University), Katie Aitken (Yukon College)

– 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. – Session 3: Environmental Programs & the Community, with Todd Barr (Trent Centre for Community-Based Education), Josh Feltham (Fleming College), Stephen Hill (Trent University), Elizabeth Teleki (Trent University student), Brianna Salmon (Peterborough Green-Up)

Friday, May 24
Frost Campus, 200 Albert St. S. in Lindsay10:45 a.m. to noon – Two concurrent sessions on 1) Agriculture with Ralph Martin (University of Guelph), Derrick Turner (Assiniboine College), Linda Skilton (Fleming College), and Stephen Bocking (Trent University); and
2) Water with Gord Balch (Fleming College), George Terry (Ontario Clean Water Agency), and Chris Murray (Lakehead University).

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– 12:45 p.m. – Keynote speaker Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner of Ontario

Canadian Canoe Museum, Peterborough6 p.m. – Dinner with guest speaker Kevin Callan, Fleming faculty member, outdoor adventurer and author.

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“The conference connects college and university professors, administrators and staff to discuss national environmental issues and how post-secondary educators can respond to address these issues in their courses and programs,” said Linda Skilton, Chair of the CCEN and Dean of Fleming College’s School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences. “It also provides an opportunity to discuss partnerships with other institutions across Canada in particular college and university partnerships including program pathways and applied research.”

As Stephen Bocking, Chair of the CUESN and Chair of Trent University’s Environmental Resource Science/Studies Program explained, “with the Canadian post-secondary system in rapid evolution, we believe there is a need to get together and collaborate on how best to meet the many demands and opportunities that environmental programs face.”

Conference attendees come from more than 30 post-secondary institutions from across Canada. These range from the University of Northern British Columbia to Cape Breton University and from Yukon College to Nova Scotia Community College.

For more information on the conference, please visit:  http://www.ccen-rcce.ca/events.html#2013conference

The CCEN is an organization established to bring together environmental educators at colleges, CEGEPs, technical institutes and similar organizations that offer educational programs in any type of environmental field. The CUESN has fulfiled a similar role for environmental science programs in Canadian universities. The annual CCEN/CUESN conference is a core activity for these organizations. Through the conferences, the CCEN and the CUESN help to explore a range of issues and challenges for environmental educators.

About Trent University
One of Canada’s top universities, Trent University is renowned for encouraging the dynamic interplay of research, teaching and learning, which enhance and energize each other in the classroom and beyond. Trent distinguishes itself through excellence in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences as well as professional and graduate programs. Trent is dedicated to preparing students to make significant contributions to an increasingly complex world by providing them with a distinctive liberal arts, science or professionally- focussed education, which is enhanced by global perspectives, experiential learning and interdisciplinary approaches to personal and professional development.

About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Community Development and Health, Continuing Education, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Justice and Business, Skilled Trades and Technology, General Arts and Science and Visual Arts. Fleming College has more than 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 63,000 alumni.

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For more information:                 

Laura Copeland, Communications Officer, 705-749-5530 x 1370 or copeland@flemingc.on.ca

An Kosurko, Communications Officer, 705-748-1011 x 6182 or ankosurko@trentu.ca