Dr. Aamir Taiyeb Joins Lakehead as Vice-Provost, International

Advancing internationalization will be the top priority for Lakehead University’s new Vice-Provost, International, Dr. Aamir Taiyeb.

An international education leader with 15 years of experience in marketing and recruitment, policy, and partnership development, Dr. Taiyeb most recently served as Director, International Analytics, Experience and Initiatives at Canadore College. Before that, he managed the EduCanada brand, Canada’s official brand for international education, with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC). A graduate of the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (PhD’19), Queen’s University (MPA’09), and Wilfrid Laurier University (BA’07), Dr. Taiyeb is multi-lingual and speaks fluent English, French, Spanish, and Urdu/Hindi.

 “We’re excited to welcome Aamir to Lakehead at a time when international recruitment is both challenging and full of opportunity for innovation,” says Dr. Gillian Balfour, Provost and Vice-President (Academic). “His experience will be a real asset as we strengthen our global partnerships, support student mobility and academic excellence, and continue to grow our international presence.”

As vice-provost, Dr. Taiyeb will lead Lakehead’s international strategy, overseeing partnerships, student mobility programs, global engagement initiatives, and the university’s efforts to expand its international footprint. Bringing Dr. Taiyeb on board marks the next step in growing Lakehead’s global presence and fostering a more internationally connected campus community.

“I see an institution in Lakehead University that is a significant force for positive change in the local communities of Thunder Bay and Orillia,” Dr. Taiyeb says. “My vision is to work towards further harnessing this potential for Lakehead in a manner that allows it to punch above its weight when it comes to internationalization.”

Having a clear vision will be important as the university continues to adapt to changes in the postsecondary sector and federal policies that have affected international student enrolment across Canada. One key opportunity Dr. Taiyeb sees is improving international student success by strengthening their connection to the community and encouraging greater local involvement in helping them thrive.

“When I say community involvement, I mean developing internationalization strategy actions that align with the aims, goals, and aspirations of the people, place, and time they’re designed for,” he explains.

“For example, an internationalization strategy for Lakehead that is most successful as possible must speak to the needs of each of the following constituents: Lakehead international students, of course, Lakehead faculty and staff, but also the municipalities of Thunder Bay and Orillia, employers, Chambers of Commerce, medical facilities, places of worship, community centres, foodbanks, banking centres — really a ‘whole-of-community’ approach. In other words, both horizontal and vertical policy coordination are needed.”

It’s the relationship between community and university that is central to international student experience, and will influence and impact a university's ability to grow, recruit, and retain its student population. Finding ways to achieve regular, sustained, and sincere dialogue with the local community will be a priority for Dr. Taiyeb.

“Having excellent ‘town-gown’ relations is important for all postsecondary institutions and their local communities but even more so in communities outside the major metropolitan areas of Canada,” he says. “Over time, I earned a reputation for being an advocate for international students in my local community, and I hope to continue that approach through engagement within the communities of Orillia and Thunder Bay.”

Dr. Taiyeb also plans to draw on his background in data and analytics to help shape the university’s international strategy.

“Understanding where there may be potential to do more is vital,” he says. He sees value in conducting an internationalization audit to review data related to international efforts and identify where it could be strengthened. He’s also interested in encouraging faculty members to become internationalization champions within their departments.

“I feel that our academic faculty members are the key here, and utilization of existing international relationships, engagements and collaborations could be the catalyst for sustainable future growth.”

Outside of work, Dr. Taiyeb enjoys a variety of activities - from kayaking to backcountry camping, cross-country skiing to mountain trekking and swing dancing.

Dr. Taiyeb will begin his role on July 21, 2025.