Looking back at Student Affairs and Services in Canada: International Study Visit 2025

18/06/2025

© Sven Engel/DSW

From 5–11 June 2025, ECStA members took part in an international study visit to Canada, organised in cooperation with the Canadian Association of College & University Student Services (CACUSS).

Study Visits

The programme began in Montréal with study visits to Dawson College, McGill University, and Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). 

These campus tours included insights for student service facilities in Canada as well as an exchange of information with student services staff across different fields, such as residence halls, student well-being and mental health, social and cultural affairs, and international student support. 

  • In Dawson College, a discussion with the director of student services allowed for insights into the public school that provides the first level of post-secondary education. 
  • With 30% of their student body being made up by students from more than 150 countries, the visit to McGill University was especially interesting in terms of international student support.
  • As the largest public French-language university in Québec, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) provided very interesting impressions from this perspective.

CACUSS Annual Conference 2025

The ECStA delegation then attended the CACUSS Annual Conference from 8-10 June, 2025 in Halifax, the largest gathering of student services professionals in Canada. With around 800 participants and a wide range of sessions, the conference provided an opportunity to gain insights into the current trends and challenges in the field under the theme "Keeping the wind in our sails, cultivating joy in our purpose."

The CACUSS programme also included campus visits to Nova Scotia Community College, Saint Mary's University, and Dalhousie University. These visits further contributed to knowledge sharing between student affairs and services institutions from Europe and Canada. 

The study visit was concluded with a reflection session, where participants shared their evaluations and discussed how these insights from Canada could be adapted to local needs in Europe. 

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