This winter, members of the Niagara College community will continue their journey to becoming World Ready through two Be World Ready (BWR) Global Learning Experiences (GLE)-formerly known as International Field Studies.
During the BWR GLE, students can use their break week to learn and earn course credit outside the walls of their classrooms.
Students interested in joining a BWR GLE must complete the BWR Course, aimed to foster cultural humility, global leadership and global employment skills of students, preparing them for the experience abroad.
As GLE leaders, NC employees support student coordination, logistics, and inquiries while abroad, in addition to being ambassadors for NC, which presents an opportunity for faculty and staff career growth.
Below is an outline of the Winter 2026 BWR GLEs taking place March 1-8, and leader insights.
Costa Rica
Designed for students in Horticulture and Environmental programs, the Rancho Margot – San José, Costa Rica itinerary offers immersive, hands-on learning in environmental responsibility practices in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions.
Centered around experiential education at Rancho Margot, this GLE includes a Regenerative Farm Tour and interactive experiences focused on native plants and pollinators, composting, microorganisms, agroecology, and chemical-free gardening.
This GLE will be co-led by Professor Martin Smith and Horticulture Technologist Laurie Zuber, both from the School of Environment & Horticulture.
“This BWR experience is giving our students and me the wonderful opportunity to contribute, first-hand, to this off-the-grid regenerative community,” said Smith. “And all of this will take place against a backdrop of Costa Rica’s especially complex cloud forest ecosystem. It is going to feel like being in the Tropical Ecology textbook!”
“My background is in horticulture and large-scale nursery production, so this experience is an opportunity for me to build on my current skills and learn more about sustainable horticultural practices,” said Zuber. ”I am looking forward to bringing this knowledge back to the classroom and the Teaching Greenhouse team at NC.”
Dominican Republic
The Sustainable Development Goals in the Dominican Republic itinerary is a cultural collaborative program between Niagara College and Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo.
Students will participate in collaboration sessions focused on global issues, sustainable development, and culture, fostering academic and cross-cultural exchange. Participants will also learn from global experts, including a presentation by the United Nations Development Programme on the progress and challenges of advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the country.
This GLE will be co-led by Jade Campbell, Director of Labour Relations and Human Resources Programs, and Tim Carter, Program Coordinator and Professor in the School of Justice and Fitness Studies.
“Becoming a GLE leader felt like a meaningful opportunity to connect with students in a more direct and personal way,” said Campbell. “I was inspired by the chance to step outside my day-to-day responsibilities and be part of the students’ learning journey, by supporting their growth, confidence, and global awareness. It is also a chance to stretch my leadership skills and bring a more informed perspective back to my role at the College.”
“I realized long ago the educational and developmental value of immersive experiences abroad, and this has inspired me to share those benefits with anyone I can influence,” said Carter. “It will be exciting to witness the transformation of the students from a collection of individuals into a tight-knit group. While the focus of our GLE is on Justice, our group includes students from eight different areas of study, and I look forward to hearing the perspectives of those outside the field of Justice studies as well.”
Be World Ready Leadership Series
The Office of Cultural & Global Engagement will be releasing the Be World Ready Leadership Series, being developed to support the training and preparation for any future GLE leads in late 2026. It will also aim to collaborate with employees who wish to infuse global engagement opportunities into their roles at NC – in the classroom, on campus, and in our community.
Keep an eye on InsideNC for updates on this launch!
Niagara College’s Be World Ready program
The Be World Ready (BWR) program at Niagara College is designed to prepare students for global success through education, exchange and international experience, including study/work abroad opportunities for all students.
The program also offers professional and personal development opportunities for NC faculty and staff. Fostering culturally diverse learning environments, the BWR program enables students, staff and faculty to understand different perspectives and connect practical skills with a global mindset to help students launch their career.
By actively participating in ‘world-ready’ learning activities, participants have the chance to practice new skills and develop the global competencies that will distinguish them as ‘world-ready’ and ‘work-ready’. Students can also use these learning opportunities to earn entries on their co-curricular record, giving them a competitive edge in their job search after graduation.
For more information about BWR, visit: beworldready.ca
