Life skills for university success
It’s a huge achievement to get accepted into your university of choice. But feeling confident once you get there can feel like another challenge entirely.
At International Schools Partnership (ISP), we believe in opening doors to global opportunities and giving students the chance to develop life skills in a safe space – such as their own classroom.
Thanks to our partnership with the University of Toronto (U of T), ISP students globally are developing crucial life skills by participating in leadership workshops led by one of the world’s top universities.
Jo Fretwell, Head of Learning Partnerships, ISP, highlighted the value of the workshops for ISP students:
“Students already have valuable life skills that they bring to university. With our targeted Future Pathways support and workshops led by U of T, they gain clear, practical insight into the skills they’ll need – and how to sharpen them both in and beyond the classroom.”
From classroom to campus
Our Future Pathways programme supports and prepares students to identify and develop the skills they need and take their first (sometimes daunting) steps into higher education. For example, we support students to recognise that self-leadership is one of the life competencies, or life skills, that is transferable from school to university.
We describe self-leadership as managing emotions and identifying areas for growth, using motivation and resilience to set goals and take steps to achieve them.
The Leadership Education & Academic Prep (LEAP) workshops are designed and led by U of T for students aged 15-17. The aim is to foster leadership skills and critical thinking, and to provoke thoughtful discussion as students move closer to higher education. At this age and stage, ISP students are working towards mastering the ability to confidently express their identity and values, and approaching new tasks with resilience.
Each workshop is unique depending on the students’ ideas, perspectives and outputs. With a focus on real-world application, the sessions are structured around one of three key themes – AI, Entrepreneurship, or the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They encourage students to think deeply, share ideas confidently, and work together on leadership challenges.
One student participant from Instituto Thomas Jefferson in Mexico commented:
“Before, I would’ve said that a leader is the one who takes all the decisions and takes the initiative, but now I know that there are different types of leaders.”
John, a student at Hamilton International School in Qatar said:
“We learned a lot – such as the key principles of leadership and how that can help us in our daily life or prepare us for university. It helps prepare us for the future and the real world, and I think it can boost my development as a person as well.”
Partnering for excellence
The University of Toronto is Canada’s top-ranked university — and consistently ranks as one of the world’s top 25 institutions in the THE and QS rankings. It is one of our partner universities, with ISP students receiving a 10% scholarship when applying to U of T’s summer school programme.
Through completing the workshops, the intention is that students will develop confidence in engaging in meaningful, open-minded discussions, asking and answering thoughtful questions, and identifying and questioning assumptions. At the same time, students have direct access to a world-leading university and gain insight into admissions procedures with tips about preparing for the demands of university study.
Nicola Carozza, Assistant Director, International Programs, University of Toronto said:
“It is great to be working with International Schools Partnership – visiting so many schools around the world and working with a variety of students. We have been exploring leadership skills and transferable skills to help students shape their future from high school to university. I wish them all the best in the future, and we hope to welcome some to study at the University of Toronto!”
Alongside the leadership workshops and the scholarship on offer for ISP students, U of T has also provided training for our Future Pathways advisers around Canadian university admissions, and information around applying to a full tuition scholarship – the Toronto Lester B. Pearson Scholarship.
Setting students up for success
Our goal at ISP is to provide the information, support and networks to support students to make an informed decision about their future.
Over 750 ISP students across North, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East have participated in the workshops so far, with a further 175 students in Spain and Portugal set to benefit from the learnings early next year.
For those that are aiming for university study, these workshops are our latest offer to help students understand the skills they need and identify strategies for success. ISP students are learning not only how to succeed in the classroom, but how to step up as leaders in whatever future path they choose to follow.
Find out more about ISP’s approach to Future Pathways and Life Skills.
About the University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (U of T) is one of the world’s top universities, offering a huge range of programmes across arts, sciences, engineering, business, and health. U of T encourages critical thinking, innovation, and hands-on learning. Students benefit from world-class faculty, great research opportunities, and a diverse, engaging environment.
Read more about the workshops in Tes magazine. Find out more about ISP’s approach to Future Pathways and Life Skills.
