Ralph W. Tyler Award

Katie Knapp, PhD, and  Work-Learn Institute,
University of Waterloo

“The Work-Learn Institute: A Living Lab for Work-Integrated Learning Research” in Experience Magazine™

This year’s Ralph W. Tyler Award recognizes the University of Waterloo’s Work-Learn Institute (WxL) in recognition of research contributions detailed in the recent Experience Magazine™ article, “The Work-Learn Institute: A Living Lab for Work-Integrated Learning Research.”  The Work Learn-Institute is unique in its long-standing and impactful commitment to research as a mechanism to advance quality work-integrated learning (WIL) and the article highlights key research initiatives, including their Future Ready Talent Framework, an evidence-based tool that helps students, employers and educators understand the crucial competencies that will be in demand in the future workplace.

WxL was originally founded in 2002 as the Waterloo Centre for the Advancement of Co-operative Education. For over 20 years, their goal has remained the same: to strive for global impact by conducting research on the development of future-ready talent through quality WIL programs. They have adopted several approaches to the advancement of WIL research. They establish and promote quality standards for meaningful WIL programs, and They conduct and promote WIL research on a range of constantly evolving topics in response to stakeholder demands. In addition, they also serve as a center of WIL expertise and provide training and consulting services to help employers, governments, and post-secondary institutions evolve their WIL programs. Finally, they act as thought leaders, sharing their insights with the international community of WIL practitioners and researchers.

Published in Experience Magazine™ | Practice + Theory + Podcast