This summer, the University of Windsor welcomed a cohort of top international undergraduate students through the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship (GRI) program, connecting global talent with local research expertise.
At UWindsor, the interns worked on a diverse set of projects across health, engineering, sustainability and the social sciences. Topics ranged from quantum machine learning and biosensor development to smart infrastructure design and the experiences of international students in Canada.
Chris Busch, Associate Vice-President, Enrolment Management and Senior International Officer, said the program illustrates the value of connecting students from different backgrounds with local research opportunities.
“Interns have applied creativity, precision and global thinking to some of the world’s most urgent challenges,” said Busch.
Faculty from multiple departments supervised the student researchers, with additional support from the Office of Research and Innovation Services (ORIS), the International Student Centre (ISC), and the Global Engagement Council.
The program encourages cross-disciplinary work and provides participants with early exposure to academic research in a Canadian context.
President and Vice-Chancellor Robert Gordon noted that the internships often lead to co-authored publications and ongoing collaborations between researchers in Canada and abroad.
While the internships represent just one part of UWindsor’s international engagement efforts, they contribute to a broader strategy focused on research partnerships, talent development, and international mobility.
The GRI program is funded and administered by Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization that supports research and innovation in collaboration with academia, industry, and government.