Professor Ted Robak has been involved with a lot of international recruitment projects at UNB throughout the years, and he has won a national award for his efforts. Robak is the recipient of the 2009 Internationalization Service Award, which is presented annually by the Canadian Bureau for International Education. He has worked abroad in China, Thailand, India and Spain.
“There are so many similarities and differences around the world. There are cultural differences, economic differences and political differences. By bringing those differences to the forefront for the students, they have a more global and wider understanding. I always enjoyed bringing that kind of knowledge to the university. It was good for me as well as for the university,” Robak says.
While Robak was a professor in the Forestry and Environmental Department, he started his internationalization efforts by traveling all around the world and developing partnerships with different countries. He then became the director of the International Relations Office in 2004 and was in charge of the international initiatives for students and staff of the university.
“Students weren’t aware of the opportunities presented to them for going overseas on exchanges and why it was important. The exchange opportunities and the research opportunities brought to campus a greater understanding of global issues. We felt that it was important to put more emphasis on these things on this campus.”
Professor Robak says it was a great honor to win the award but he could not have done it alone. “It was a group effort. It’s an award for UNB and this campus. For people who put time into this vision and people who wanted UNB to be a more international campus and an environment that encourages people to think more globally.”
By the end of Professor Robak’s term as Director of International Relations, the Student Abroad program grew from just over 20 students to 100 students and counting.
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