Building on the success of its inaugural Speaker Series, York University’s Faculty of Education, Centre for Refugee Studies, and Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) Project will co-sponsor a second annual colloquium with Windle International Kenya to be held virtually from September 2021-March 2022 (5 events total).
The colloquium will once again feature speakers with diverse experience and expertise related to schooling and key contemporary global challenges. Speakers will either (1) analyze the implications of challenges like climate change, anti-Black racism, and continuing border imperialism for refugee and host communities in Canada and/or East Africa; (2) highlight the unique knowledge that refugee communities, and the experts from organizations that work with them, bring to education in service of a better world; or (3) offer new lenses through which those involved in refugee education—as refugees, organizational staff, scholars, or community-members-can use to make sense of the moment.
The BHER Speaker Series remains the first of its kind hosted at the Faculty of Education that equally features experts from York University and from institutions that are comprised of or work with refugees. We will include speakers from Canada and from East Africa, in conversation or on an alternating basis. This will foster a reciprocal and engaged model of learning.
Together, this series will:
- deepen connections between refugee communities, educational leaders, and scholars within and across institutions;
- foster a sense of reciprocity and connection between Toronto- and Kenya-based communities;
- recognize and validate the unique expertise refugee communities and organizations that work with refugees have in dealing with education in time- or resource-constrained situations;
- educate all attendees on a range of topics relevant to refugee education and key contemporary challenges.
To accommodate this transnational conversation, lectures will be held at a time convenient for participants on Eastern Standard (ET) and East Africa Times (GMT+3), for approximately 1.5 hours.
RECIPROCAL LEARNING BEYOND CRISIS BHER Speaker Series 2021-2022
| DATE | TITLE/THEME | SPEAKERS | … | … |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, October 6 10am Toronto 5pm Nairobi | Borderless Higher Education for Refugees: Lessons from the Dadaab Camps Book Launch | Co-editors: Wenona Giles (York University), Lorrie Miller (The University of British Columbia) Book Co-author Discussants: Abdikadir Abikar, Abdullahi Aden, Dacia Douhaibi, Dahabo Ibrahim, Grace Nshimiyumukiza, HaEun Kim, Hanan Duri, Isabella Mbai, Josephine Gitome, Marangu Njogu, Megan Youdelis, Mohammed Duale, Nombuso Dlamini, Rita Irwin and UBC colleagues, Roxanne Cohen,Steve Alsop, Seraphin Kimonyo | LEARN MORE | WATCH NOW |
| Wednesday, November 3 9am Toronto 4pm Nairobi | BHER the MIC: A Creative Showcase by Dadaab Youth | Moderators: Molade Osibodu (York University), Philemon Misoy (Windle International Kenya) | LEARN MORE | WATCH NOW |
| Wednesday, December 1 9am Toronto 5pm Nairobi | Science Education in Climate Crisis | Steve Alsop (York University), Roxanne Cohen (York university), Deka Gaiye (BHER), Silas Otieno Asaka (FAIDA) Discussant: Sharareh Kashi (York University) | LEARN MORE | WATCH NOW |
| Wednesday, February 16 9am Toronto 5pm Nairobi | Together for Peace in Somalia Film Screening and Rebuilding Somalia Panel | LEARN MORE | WATCH NOW | |
| Wednesday, March 16 9am Toronto 4pm Nairobi | Higher Education in Comparative Perspective: Opportunities and Challenges | LEARN MORE | WATCH NOW |
