Upcoming C2UExpo will bring hundreds of people to Lakehead University in Thunder Bay
Lakehead University is ideally suited to host the C2UExpo, which stands for Community-College-University-Exposition, as evidenced by numerous examples of rich and authentic community-campus research initiatives that participants will learn about while in Thunder Bay.
May 17, 2023 – Thunder Bay, Ont.
Organizers at Lakehead University are getting ready to welcome approximately 350 conference delegates to Thunder Bay for C2UExpo 2023, being held from June 5 to 8.
The detailed conference program is now available here: https://ec.lakeheadu.ca/c2uexpo/welcome.
The theme for C2UExpo 2023 is Connected Communities. Collective Change.
The conference is expected to generate approximately $800,000 in total increased spending in the City of Thunder Bay through accommodations, meals, shopping opportunities, conference planning, logistical support, etc.
Lakehead University estimates that nine direct and indirect jobs will be created in local businesses supporting visitors attending the conference. Seventy-five percent of delegates are joining the conference from outside Northwestern Ontario – with many coming from as far away as New Zealand, Brazil, Italy, the United States, and South Africa.
“In addition to the economic benefits this conference will bring to the City of Thunder Bay, C2UExpo 2023 is a great opportunity to showcase the impactful research collaborations Lakehead University is undertaking with our community partners,” said Anne Klymenko, Director, Research Services, and Co-Chair of the C2UExpo 2023 Steering Committee.
“The conference is being organized by a Steering Committee comprised of leading researchers and community changemakers who have worked hard to develop an innovative program that will promise an immersive dialogue exploring challenging questions about the future direction of community-campus partnerships,” Klymenko said.
Lakehead University is ideally suited to host the C2UExpo, which stands for Community-College-University-Exposition, as evidenced by numerous examples of rich and authentic community-campus research initiatives that participants will learn about while in Thunder Bay.
Conference delegates will have the opportunity through the Community Showcase to visit the Thunder Bay Shelter House, Salvation Army, Roots Community Food Centre, and Algonquin Avenue Public School to see social innovation in action. A sustainability walk at Lakehead University’s campus is also planned.
The exposition brings together community-based organizations, Indigenous groups, researchers, and students from academic institutions, grass-root organizations, policy-makers, and knowledge mobilization experts from the region and beyond.
They will engage in meaningful interactions while developing a deeper understanding and appreciation of community-engaged research approaches and models.
Participants can attend many different discussions, where they will learn how to build sustainable, resilient, and impactful collaborations, learn about the fundamentals of community-based research, how to engage in meaningful research relationships with Indigenous communities, among many other interesting discussions.
“This exposition will be of interest to anyone who is passionate about the power of collaboration to co-create positive societal changes in our communities, who wants to learn how to engage in research collaborations, or who is interested in community-service learning opportunities with post-secondary institutions,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee.
The C2UExpo will provide opportunities to strengthen community-campus research and learning partnerships that will address critical and topical issues facing Northwestern Ontario and Simcoe County.
To learn more about the C2UExpo, visit ec.lakeheadu.ca/c2uexpo/welcome or contact Sheena Allard, Lakehead’s C2UExpo Coordinator at c2uexpo@lakeheadu.ca. Registration will be open until Friday, May 26.
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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.
