Global Learning: From Alberta to the World
Equipping Alberta students with the skills needed to excel academically, professionally, and personally in an increasingly interconnected world.
About the toolkit
With growing demand for graduates who bring core skills and global experience, unique international learning opportunities give your institution a competitive edge — attracting talent and preparing students for success in a global workforce.
While students can develop core skills in many ways, global learning opportunities have proven especially effective in enhancing these competencies and boosting job readiness after graduation.
By advancing Alberta’s global learning programs, we cultivate leaders in every sector, and enhance the value of vocational, technical, diploma, and degree-granting programs across the province.
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Global learning transforms lives. For students. For faculty. For institutions.
International learning programs equip Alberta’s students with the global skills, adaptability, and intercultural competencies that today’s employers demand. Students who participate gain real-world insights and perspectives that enhance their employability, leadership potential, and long-term career success. These experiences directly contribute to Alberta’s economic growth by developing a workforce ready to compete and collaborate on a global scale.
Academic success and fulfilment
Unique learning experiences are just the beginning when it comes to the academic advantages of participating in a global learning program
"The combination of academic research with real, professional application in an international context provides absolutely invaluable perspective that classroom learning alone cannot match."
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87%
reported that studying abroad shaped their future educational experiences (IES, 2025)
80%
felt it increased their interest in academic study (IES, 2002)
63%
were influenced to expand or change their academic majors (IES, 2002)
Professional opportunities and skill development
Global learning is preparing Alberta graduates to compete in the global job market
"I did an internship this past summer. I had a lot of projects that were self-managed, so the hiring manager was looking for someone that was very independent. In my interview, I was able to show the independence that I had from my exchange experience."
95%
of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation (IES, 2012)
90%
said that global learning helped them build job skills (Dietrich, A. J.,2025)
60%
noted that global learning helped them obtain work in a broader range of sectors (AFIS, 2018)
Personal growth and self-awareness
Transformation global learning experiences are playing a key role in fostering students' development and deepening their self-understanding
"I felt like I had grown into a better version of myself who was more resilient, more independent, and more confident than I had been prior to the experience."
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96%
study abroad participants attributed an increase in confidence to their time abroad (Study International, 2015)
85%
reported improvement in their ability to work effectively in multicultural teams (CBIE, 2024)
70%
improved their problem solving, and tolerance for ambiguity (Esmi, 2020)
Student Journey Roadmap
Global learning is far more than an enriching travel experience—it is one of the most powerful catalysts for student skill development and career readiness. When students engage in unfamiliar cultural, academic, and social contexts, they naturally build competencies that are difficult to replicate in traditional learning environments.
The Student Journey Roadmap is designed to help professionals support students in recognizing, articulating, and applying these high‑value skills.
Post Secondary Advantage
While travel and global learning should be accessible to all systemic barriers can make these opportunities out of reach for many.
Integrating international mobility or virtual exchange programs into post-secondary education can help bridge this gap. These offer more structured, supported, and affordable pathways to purposeful global engagement.
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Grow your Institution's Global Learning with Alberta's Toolkit
If you are from a post-secondary institution in Alberta looking to access resources especially designed to build and grow your institution’s global learning portfolio, you may login to Alberta’s Global Learning Toolkit here. Use your institution’s assigned login credentials.
If you are having difficulty accessing the toolkit, please contact study.abroad@ucalgary.ca