York University (Toronto, Ont.). York International

York International began operations in 1969 as the Office of International Services. Until 1972 its role was limited to acting as the internal administrative office for the York-Kenya Project. The expenses of the Office were paid out of the Kenya budget. In 1972 the Office of International Services received a new mandate from the university. A full-time Director was appointed reporting directly to the President. Its new mandate was to administer the York-Kenya Project, to obtain other international contracts, and to investigate the desirability of student and faculty exchanges with overseas institutions. In 1984 the Office of International Services became York International. Its responsibilities include representing the University to government and international agencies (CIDA, Department of External Affairs, the International Division of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the World Bank, the United Nations) as well as liaison with embassies and consulates of countries in which projects are going on. In addition, it monitors and assesses projects, co-ordinates visits, student and faculty exchanges between York and international institutions, provides central policy advice on international aspects of university life, promotes the use of special skills developed at York for international projects, provides contacts (with the Robarts Centre) with various Centres for Canadian Studies overseas, and encourages the business community to become involved in international educational and skills exchange programmes. In the period covered by these records the following individuals have served as Director of the York-Kenya Project/Office of International Services and York International: Tillo Kuhn (1970), James Gillies (1971-1972), Gordon Lowther (1972-1974), John Saywell (1974-1978), William Found (1978-1982), Rodger Schwass (1982-1984) and Ian Macdonald (1984-1993), Maria Cioni (1994-2001).