Queen’s University International Centre Celebrates 50 years

Published on: 2012/01/16 - in Releases

The Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) is celebrating 50 years of supporting students, facilitating the growth of study abroad, and advancing internationalization on campus.

“QUIC has played a key role in situating Queen’s at the forefront of the international scene among Canadian universities,” says Wayne Myles, Director, QUIC.

Students, administration, Kingston Rotary clubs and a local businessman, Edward Churchill, worked together to create the first international centre on campus in 1962. For its first 20 years, QUIC focused primarily on supporting international students and researchers coming to Queen’s.

In the early 1980s, Senate expanded QUIC’s mandate to include support to Queen’s students wanting to study or work abroad. QUIC also took the lead in creating an internationally informed and a cross-culturally sensitive university community in collaboration with various departments, faculties and schools.

QUIC currently offers support to more than 2,000 international students on campus and a similar number of domestic students who pursue a portion of their education abroad each year. Furthermore, QUIC’s programs also help enrich the learning environment inside and outside the classroom by exposing students to a wide range of cultural and national perspectives.

“QUIC’s staff members and volunteers remain committed to offering innovative programs and services that will enable students to become skilled and competent global citizens who are prepared to meet the challenges of the world into which they graduate,” says Mr. Myles.

The history of the centre is rich with personal stories, and QUIC wants to collect and share them on its website. Throughout the year, members of the QUIC community past and present can go online and submit their recollections.

Those stories will be a central part of QUIC’s celebratory reception that will take place Thursday, October 11, 2012 from 4-6 pm. More details about the event will be released closer to the date.

Visit QUIC’s website and learn more about the centre, its history or contribute to the 50th anniversary recollections.

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Release and photo source: Queen’s University News Centre