The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) has recognized Queen’s University as a finalist for its Institutional Award for Global Learning, Research and Engagement at its recent annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

Queen’s was selected as one of the final four competitors for the award out of 237 APLU member institutions, alongside Michigan State University, the University of Washington, and the University of Calgary – the latter of which garnered the top prize.

“We have made remarkable progress since the launch of our first-ever Comprehensive International Plan in 2015,” says Benoit-Antoine Bacon, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “To be recognized by the APLU as one of North America’s leaders in global outreach speaks to the strength of our strategy and of our academic community, as well as to the development of a real international culture at Queen’s. We should be very proud of the international impact our efforts have had over such a short time.”

Queen’s emerged as a front-runner because of its broad range of internationalization initiatives designed to position the university as a world leader in multi-national research collaboration, global recruitment, and cross-cultural learning opportunities both abroad and at home.

“Deepening our institution’s relationship with the international community is and will continue to be invaluable to the success of our faculty and students,” says Kathy O’Brien, Associate Vice-Principal (International). “Impactful discovery is increased when researchers are able to collaborate with teams from around the world, and access to international opportunities help students open up new doors for learning and employment.”

The APLU also recognized Queen’s as a top contender for notable academic accomplishments like Arthur McDonald’s Nobel Prize-winning work in physics, and its 10-year, $24 million grant from the Mastercard Foundation’s Scholars Program to develop Ethiopia’s first occupational therapy program in partnership with the University of Gondar.

“As an institution, we must continually seek new and innovative approaches to internationalization,” says O’Brien. “Supporting student and faculty international mobility, engaging our global alumni in meaningful ways, and creating a vibrant and inclusive environment on campus and at the Bader International Study Centre (BISC) are important ways Queen’s can stand out on the global stage.”

The APLU is a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Every year, member campuses enroll 4.9 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.2 million degrees, employ 1.2 million faculty and staff, and conduct $43.9 billion in university-based research.