CNERG: Comprehensive get to know communication model for the new international college students in Canada

Navigating life in Canada as a new international student comes with a range of challenges, especially when faced with critical information spanning health care, banking, job searching, and accommodations. Recognizing that current resources often lack cohesion, this project investigates the communication dissemination strategies and tactics that reaches international students upon their arrival. Aimed at addressing the complex and fragmented communication landscape, this research will identify and analyze existing gaps in how essential information is communicated to students, focusing on methods, frequency, language, and comprehension issues. 

Through focus groups and surveys conducted within the Kitchener-Waterloo region, the research team gathered data on student experiences to shape the development of a new get-to-know communication model, an approach designed to integrate and streamline communications into a cohesive framework. Unlike a checklist, this model offers a strategic framework for college administrators, policymakers, employment and housing agencies, health officials, and other stakeholders to deliver accurate, timely, and accessible information that directly meets student needs. 

This project aims to simplify the international student transition experience by creating a communication model that reduces confusion, provides authentic information, and helps students manage the influx of essential data. In doing so, it will not only support student well-being but also enhance Canada’s reputation as a welcoming and well-organized destination for international students.