Beyond Borders and Boundaries

Beedie Abroad Network

The Beedie Abroad Network (BAN) provides social and cultural programming, academic mentorship and greater connections to the global community. BAN connects current SFU Business students with exchange students from SFU Beedie’s international academic partners and leverages the student experience to promote international opportunities to the SFU Beedie community.

The program runs during the fall and spring terms and is designed to be completed in one term or spread over two terms if students participate in BAN the same academic year as their Study Abroad term; mentorship hours are completed during their term at SFU and promotional hours are completed during their exchange term. While valued, students are not required to have previous international experience, in fact BAN is an amazing opportunity for students to engage with the global community while staying local.

The Beedie Abroad Network is officially recognized on the SFU Co-Curricular Record and supports students in building communication, marketing and event-planning skills.

BECOME A MEMBER

Applications for the Fall 2023 term are now closed. Applications for the Spring 2024 term will open in the fall, stay tuned for updates. Email studyabroad_bsb@sfu.ca with any questions.

Eligibility

• You must be a current SFU Beedie student
• You must have completed at least 2 terms at SFU 
• You must be available to complete a minimum of 15 volunteer hours* 

WHAT ACTIVITIES COUNT TOWARDS YOUR VOLUNTEER HOURS?

TRAINING HOURS 

All students will attend a 2-hour in-person training session approximately one week before the term starts. Additional online training sessions are available for students who want to partake in specific promotional activities, such as a social media training and a classroom presentation training.

MENTORSHIP HOURS

BAN Members play an invaluable part in building community for exchange students and support them to experience everything SFU Beedie and the Lower Mainland have to offer. BAN Members are partnered with a small group of inbound students to build a direct relationship and serve as a point of contact for those students. Participants plan student-led on and off campus group activities such as lunches, study sessions and hikes to support exchange students to transition to SFU Beedie. Each BAN Member plans a minimum of one student-led activity a term and can partner up with other BAN Members to plan larger scale activities if desired. Additionally, BAN Members assist with the OIP events such as Welcome Day and End of Term Farewell Events. BAN Members who have previously studied abroad have unique volunteer opportunities to mentor prospective Study Abroad students.

PROMOTIONAL HOURS 

BAN Members leverage their unique positionality as students to create social media content about their exchange experience and work with inbound students to create content about their time here at SFU. They promote at events such as Launch, and the students who have previously studied abroad share their experiences at speaking engagements such as BUS 100 and OIP Send Off Celebrations.

Suite of Study Abroad Award Recipients

As award recipients of the Suite of Study Abroad Awards, students are automatically enrolled in the BAN program in the academic year of their exchange program. The program for award recipients is spread over two terms, promotional requirements are completed on exchange while mentorship hours are completed while at SFU. Students completing a two-term exchange will be expected to participate in BAN the first term back at SFU. Students unavailable to complete mentorship requirements in the same academic year as exchange can complete a waiver form and indicate the term they will complete their requirements (required for students participating in co-op the same academic year as their exchange).