APF Canada Welcomes Second Cohort to its Asia Connect Student Working Groups Initiative

The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) is delighted to announce that it has finalized the second cohort of its new Asia Connect Student Working Groups initiative. Through this initiative, APF Canada encourages post-secondary students and young professionals in Canada to a) focus on contemporary issues that matter to the Canada-Asia relationship, and b) share the findings of their work with a wider Canadian audience.

Each working group spends approximately 15 weeks investigating a specific issue related to politics, diplomacy, trade, economics, the environment, education, human rights, culture, or other area. In addition, through their work, students hone professional skills like critical thinking, project management, leadership, communication, public speaking, and teamwork.

The current cohort of 10 working groups includes students and recent graduates of the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of the Fraser Valley, Thompson Rivers University, and the University of Montreal. These groups will complete their projects in May 2017 and present their key findings at our second Asia Connect Student Working groups showcase competition. Check back soon for information about the date and venue.

APF Canada launched the Asia Connect Student Working Groups initiative in September 2016 with five groups, which focused on:

  • Economic, environmental and health risks of the haze crisis in Indonesia
  • History textbook controversies in Japan
  • Using new technologies to tackle corruption in Indonesia
  • Canada-Asia Trade after the TPP
  • Raising awareness and taking action on the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar

If you have any questions or are interested in sponsoring at the showcase competition, please contact Jenny Sung at jenny.sung@asiapacific.ca.