GLO FAQs

Q. Who can apply for GLO funding?

Full-time Mohawk College faculty, staff and admin can apply for funding to lead GLO-funded trips. All GLO-funded trips must include Mohawk College students. Faculty/staff/admin trips that do not include Mohawk College students are not eligible for GLO funding. Only full-time Mohawk College students in good academic standing are eligible to travel on GLO-funded trips.

Q: Are multidisciplinary proposals eligible for GLO funding?

Yes! Multidisciplinary trips are encouraged. A trip may be open to students from more than one program area (e.g. Eng Tech, Social Work, Photography, etc.)

Q: In which regions of the world should a GLO trip take place?

GLO trips can take place in any country outside of Canada.

Q. What can GLO funds be used for?

Funding can be spent on the following travel-related expenses for students and trip leads:

• Flights
• In-country transportation (airport shuttle, bus, train, etc.)
• Accommodations
• Trip-related program fees
• Other items required for international travel (e.g. passport, government visa, vaccinations, etc.)

Important information about trip expenditures:

• A GLO grant will cover all program fees or programming costs for trip leads that are a part of the students' global learning experience.
• Trip Leads are responsible for covering any personal spending money and any excursions that are NOT a part of the global learning experience.
• Travellers must adhere to the expectations set out by the college's Travel Expenses & Hospitality Policy (pdf).
• All purchases of flights, program fees, etc., are subject to Mohawk College's procurement rules and Purchasing Policy.

Q. Who chooses which trips get funded and how much funding is given?

The GLO Selection Committee determines which Trip Proposals are approved and the amount of funding for each trip. All Proposals must first be signed off by the applicant's Operations Manager, Associate Dean/Director and Dean before submission.

The amount of funding provided for each trip will depend on the trip details (e.g. location, length, number of participants, activity costs).

Q. Who is on the GLO Selection Committee?

The GLO Selection Committee is made up of staff from (including but not limited to): 

• Mohawk International 
• Academic areas (Faculty and/or Dean/Associate Dean level)
• International Faculty Lead
• Centre for Teaching & Learning 
• Experiential Learning
• Human Resources

Q. What can I expect in terms of pre/post-trip preparation? Would I be compensated for this time?

On average, about 30-40 hours are required for preparations for student trips. A 4.5 hour release would be provided to faculty selected to lead a student trip during the semester in which the trip takes place.

View a list of activities that trip leaders may wish to consult as part of the pre-trip preparations.

Q. How will faculty be compensated for their time abroad?

Ideally, trips are to take place during non-teaching times such as break weeks. There will be no adjustments to the Standard Workload Formula assignment for the time spent abroad and traveling to/from the trip location. Faculty are to use PD days to cover all days that the faculty member is on the trip (time spent abroad and traveling to/from the trip location.)

Faculty cannot receive additional release time or compensation for the time spent abroad and traveling to/from the trip location, beyond what is in the employee’s terms of employment.

There are no allowances for overtime or premium pay. There are no substitutions for vacation days either as time off or paid. If a portion of the trip must occur during teaching/contact hours and back-filling/release time is required, the program are must cover this cost. Faculty are advised to discuss with their Associate Dean.

Q. Can students receive credit for a global learning experience?

If the experience is embedded within an existing course as an Experiential Learning opportunity, the student would receive credit for the experience.

If the student completes the Global Experience General Education elective course in conjunction with their global learning experience, they may receive a credit for that course.

Q. Are there external organizations that can help me develop a global learning experience?

Yes! Some organizations provide general trip planning and logistics support, and others focus on a specific area of interest, such as food security or social work.

Here are some organizations that we are aware of and/or have partnered with before:

Cross-Cultural Solutions (Greece 2019)

Operation Groundswell (Ecuador 2020)

The New World Community (NWC) (Jamaica 2018/2019)

Habitat for Humanity

EF (Education First)

Academics Without Borders (AWB)

Q. How do I evaluate a potential partner for a global learning experience?

Please email us at glo [at] mohawkcollege.ca (glo[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca) and we will assist you. The College has identified several regions for partnership development. Ideally, trips/partners should reside in these regions but other regions may be considered. See the list of regions.

Please note potential partner fees are subject to the College's procurement rules and Purchasing Policy and fees that exceed thresholds may result in a competitive bidding process.

When choosing a partner that is an NGO or volunteer organization, here are some questions to consider.

Does the organization:

• Work with local partners?
• Provide training before you go?
• Provide support through experienced local staff?
• Ask you to fundraise? If so, where does the money go?
• Explain the value of using international volunteers? 
• Have a long-term plan for the communities they support?
• Conduct safeguarding checks for volunteers who work with children? 
• Offer you the opportunity to talk to volunteers who have been on placement?

Source: Responsible Volunteering (ICS)

Q. How can I determine the safety risks in a particular country?

Please visit the Government of Canada's Travel Advice and Advisories website. As part of the College's risk management plan, travel to countries deemed "high risk" may be denied.

This Government of Canada website provides regularly updated information on:

• local safety and security conditions and areas to avoid
• entry and exit requirements
• local laws and culture
• possible health hazards and health restrictions
• natural hazards and climate
• where to find help while you are travelling abroad

Q. Do I need to get vaccinations before I travel?

Please visit the Government of Canada's Travel Vaccinations website to determine which vaccinations may be recommended or required for your destination.

Q. Will I receive any support in managing risks for the trip?

Yes! The College has access to the International SOS (iSOS) Risk Management platform that supports all college trips abroad with risk-related supports. All trip itineraries and traveller information are entered into the platform so that risks can be monitored in the trip location. As well, all travellers must complete the following:

• Download the iSOS Assistance app to their devices in order to receive assistance in the trip location, if needed
• Review travel safety webinars before travel
• Review a country briefing before travel in order to be aware of any risks
• Check in with a college contact every day using a pre-determined mechanism

iSOS also provides access to doctors and security specialists online, on-call and on the ground for referrals, advice and evacuation support and travellers are provided with a phone number to call should assistance be required.