Niagara College Institute for Global Education & Training

On July 25, NC Project Manager Esteban Navarro and Chef Erik Mauke proudly joined our Empowerment Through Skills Program (ESP-05) partner, Bigwa Folk Development College (FDC), for its first-ever Open House.

The event welcomed community members, parents, and local stakeholders to explore Bigwa FDC's newly developed short courses, training programs, and services, while celebrating the impact of four years of collaboration through ESP-05.

This milestone highlights Bigwa FDC's growing capacity to engage its community, attract future learners, and continue creating opportunities through skills development.

Congratulations to the Bigwa FDC team on this exciting achievement! We are proud to be part of your journey and look forward to seeing your continued impact.

Week two of the Empowerment Through Skills Program (ESP-05) brought us back to Bigwa Folk Development College (FDC) in Morogoro, Tanzania!

NC Project Manager Esteban Navarro and Chef Erik Mauke are working alongside our partner, Bigwa FDC, to support the delivery of short courses in vegetarian and vegan food and baking essentials.

Throughout the week, participants are building their skills through workshops focused on quality ingredients, kitchen management and train-the-trainer activities. Together, these sessions strengthen both technical expertise and teaching capacity, helping create meaningful, lasting opportunities for learners and their communities.

We are proud to continue working alongside our partners to support skills development that makes a lasting impact.

As week one of the Empowerment Through Skills Program (ESP-05) continues, our attention turns to Delivering Service Excellence.

Facilitated by Niagara College's Partnerships Director, Orel Ruiz, this two-day workshop features six modules developed by Dr. Agnes Nowaczek, helping participants build the knowledge and confidence to deliver exceptional customer service.

By strengthening service excellence, we are helping our partners enhance customer satisfaction, improve employability, and support sustainable business growth.

This training is delivered by Niagara College and Seneca Polytechnic through the ESP-05 Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada | Affaires mondiales Canada and implemented by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan).

Niagara College is back in Tanzania!

Our Global Education Projects team is in Dodoma delivering Business Development workshops as part of the Empowerment Through Skills Program (ESP-05).

Participants are developing practical entrepreneurship skills in business planning, sales and marketing, pricing, and strategies for creating sustainable income. Together with local partners, we are helping strengthen communities through education, collaboration, and skills development.

Stay tuned as we share more highlights from Tanzania throughout the week! 🇹🇿

This training is delivered by Niagara College and Seneca Polytechnic through the ESP-05 Project, funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan).

Exciting news! 🎉

Niagara College's Global Customized Training & Consulting team has been shortlisted for the Progressive Education Delivery Award at the 2026 PIEoneer Awards.

This international recognition celebrates the impact of our team's work in delivering innovative education and training solutions around the world.

Congratulations to everyone involved, and best of luck ahead of the awards ceremony in London this September!

Through the Empowering Through Skills Program (ESP-05), Niagara College worked alongside partners in Tanzania to share expertise in Culinary Arts, Marketing, and Gender Equality, supporting workforce development and expanding access to skills training.

The two-week initiative fostered meaningful collaboration, hands-on learning, and knowledge exchange, helping build capacity and strengthen connections between institutions and communities.

Learn more about this initiative ⤵️

Niagara College advances skills development and capacity building in Tanzania Niagara College brought its expertise in Culinary Arts, Marketing, and Gender Equality to Tanzania, supporting new pathways to learning, skills development, and opportunity through the Empowering Through Skills Program (ESP-05). From May 4 to 15, a Niagara College Institute for Global Education and....

Niagara College is proud to support the launch of the SkillShift-04 National Teacher Training Program partnership in Mongolia alongside Northern College, Cambrian College, and Mongolia’s Ministry of Education of Mongolia.

During the inception mission, Niagara College’s Sasha Gora (Project Manager, Global Education Projects) and Krasna Baotic (Professor, School of Liberal Studies) joined project partners in Mongolia, including a visit to Khovd College, as part of this exciting initiative aimed at strengthening teacher training capacity and supporting long-term national impact.

Administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada / Collèges et instituts Canada and funded by the Government of Canada through Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, the partnership will pilot the program with three polytechnic colleges with the goal of scaling the model nationally across Mongolia.

Niagara College continued its training-of-trainers sessions at Bigwa Folk Development College (FDC) in Morogoro, Tanzania this week.

Led by Chef Erik Mauke, the sessions brought together Bigwa FDC cookery instructors to build on lesson plans developed by Chef Elisabetta Mottiar Isa. The training focused on preparing recipes included in newly developed lesson plans, introducing new recipes, exploring recipe costing, and sharing culinary techniques and ingredient substitution strategies.

Through collaboration and knowledge sharing, this programming continues supporting skills development and strengthening culinary education capacity for instructors and learners alike.

ESP-05 is funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) in collaboration with Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Team members from Niagara College and Seneca International recently hosted workshops in Dodoma, Tanzania as part of the Employment Skills Program (ESP-05). 🌍

Working alongside Bigwa and Munguri Folk Development Colleges (FDCs), as well as community-based organizations JUST and Young Strong Mothers Foundation YSMF, the project supports alternative pathways to education, employment, self-employment, and entrepreneurship for students and marginalized communities with a particular focus on women.

Led by Esteban Navarro, Project Manager (Niagara College), and Mary Bantug, International Partnerships Project Manager (Seneca Polytechnic), the workshops focused on strengthening institutional capacity in areas such as stakeholder engagement, recruitment, and marketing strategies.

Together with our partners, we continue supporting sustainable growth and learner success through applied education and collaboration.

ESP-05 is funded by the Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Colleges and Institutes Canada / Collèges et instituts Canada (CICan) in collaboration with Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

We were delighted to welcome a delegation from Mongolia, including representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia and Colleges and Institutes Canada / Collèges et instituts Canada (CICan), to Niagara College on April 24, 2026.

Hosted by our Global Education Projects team, the visit focused on shared priorities in applied, career-focused education, including sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, hospitality, applied research, faculty development, and equity and inclusion.

The visit also marked an important milestone: the launch of the SkillShift-04 Project – National Teacher Training Program, delivered in partnership with Northern College and Cambrian College.

Part of the broader SkillShift Mongolia initiative, this five-year program (2025-2030) will strengthen technical and vocational education through enhanced teacher training, leadership development, and inclusive practices.

Funded by the Government of Canada through Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada, this collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building responsive, future-ready education systems.