Northern College signs MOUs with universities in Egypt and Dominican Republic

Northern College, which has campuses in Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Moosonee and Timmins, announced Feb. 26 that it has signed two memorandums of understanding with Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development in Egypt and Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in the Dominican Republic, aimed at curriculum and resource sharing and possible student and faculty exchanges.

The agreements outline a framework for future work between the institutions, but Northern College did not provide specific program details, timelines, or participation numbers in its announcement.

According to Northern College, the memorandums set out a framework for sharing resources, curriculum and expertise with the two universities. The college also said the agreements are intended to support “transnational education programming and activities.”

Northern College president and CEO Mitch Dumas said the agreements are meant to help the institutions “learn from each other, share experiences and support student and faculty mobility globally.”

The college’s announcement included comments from the partner universities. Dr. Jonathan Palatz, PUCMM’s director of international relations and strategic alliances, described the collaboration as supporting “innovation” and “student mobility.”

Northern’s executive director of global engagement, Dr. Ahmed Baghdady, said the college views building relationships with institutions abroad as part of its approach to “borderless education.”

Northern College was established in 1967. Its catchment area covers 160,000 square kilometres and includes over 65 communities, including 18 First Nations, according to the college. In addition to its four main campuses in Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Moosonee and Timmins, the college also operates access centres, including along the James Bay coast.