For seven years ending in July, York history Professor Adrian Shubert worked as York International’s first associate vice-president international to make York a leading international institution. That work, along with Shubert’s dedication and passion, will be rewarded at the upcoming 43rd annual Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) conference in Toronto, where Shubert will receive a 2009 CBIE Excellence Award for his leadership in internationalizing education.
“I think the award is a recognition of the reputation York earned over the last seven years of doing exciting and innovative work in all aspects of internationalization,” says Shubert. “Of course, it’s always nice to be recognized individually, but I understand this as an award to the incredible staff at York International and to the many faculty members across the University who contributed their time, expertise and connections to our initiatives.”
Right: Adrian Shubert
The CBIE Internationalization Leadership Award is given to individuals in recognition of their outstanding leadership in the internationalization of Canadian education and/or the international education profession. Shubert is one of three recipients of this year’s award, an honour given to York’s former vice-president & provost Sheila Embleton in 2005. Shubert will receive the award during CBIE’s Canadian International Education Conference, which runs from Nov. 8 to 11.
In deciding on the award winners, the judges look for an individual who has made an impact on internationalization that goes beyond the home institution or organization and involves and motivates other individuals and institutions. They search for someone who demonstrates creativity with available resources or in finding new resources, and who occupies a leadership role such as department or faculty head, program or student services director. The award goes to someone with evidence of sustained leadership with a minimum of 10 years in the field, at mid-career or later.
Shubert, who joined York in 1985, has extensive experience in administration and governance, having served as the director of the Department of History’s undergraduate program for two years starting in 1991. He was chair of the department from 1994 until 2000, when he became the interim associate director of the Canadian Centre for German & European Studies and coordinator of the newly established European Studies Program for a year.
His teaching and research interests have focused on European social history, in particular the history of Spain. He is the author of Death and Money in the Afternoon: A History of the Spanish Bullfight, (Oxford University Press, 1999) and the co-author of The West and the World: Contacts, Conflicts, Connections (Gage Learning, 2002), the Grade 12 history text for the new secondary school curriculum, and Spain at War: The Spanish Civil War in Context, 1931-1939 (Longman, 1995).
He is also the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship (1997-1998), and in 1999 was named a Commander of the Order of Civil Merit by King Juan Carlos of Spain.