This project sought to gain a better understanding of the international student experience at U of T. The project combined data collected about the international student experience directly and analyzed existing data from the Innovation Hub archive of 600+ interviews.
Our Findings
The international student experience at U of T is neither homogeneous nor easily captured in just numbers.
All students in this complex group have unique stories and experiences, which we set out to explore. We took a human-centred, qualitative approach to studying international student experiences. While all of their stories are unique, they share commonalities in the challenges they face and in the way that they brave these challenges.
We found that international students brave the unfamiliar, challenging themselves to be resilient.
The overall findings play out in three themes:
1) Daring Dreams and Discoveries
2) Communicating Courageously
3) Making Bold Connections
We also provide a special section called 'Exceptional Times', which highlights how international students braved the pandemic with incredible resilience. Alongside the themes and insights, we developed 'Building Bravery Design Principles' to guide how to honour the courage and resilience of international students at U of T. Learn more by accessing our report, which is linked below.
