Stephen Joyce (public administration)
Raised in Hamilton, Ontario, UVic master’s in public administration student Stephen Joyce witnessed firsthand the ecological impacts of the region’s steel industry, which taught him from a young age to “leave your backyard better than you found it.”
After completing a BA in philosophy and human rights at Concordia University, he weighed his choices for a master’s in public administration. With his passion for sustainability and lifelong education, Joyce knew that UVic was a community he wanted to connect with.
Taking part in co-op
He was also excited at the prospect of gaining hands-on experience through the co-op program.
After completing co-op work terms provincially at BC Ombudsperson and federally at Canadian Heritage, Joyce traveled to Geneva, Switzerland for an international work term at the , where his work promotes UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Working with CIFAL and UNITAR
“The project I was most excited to be a part of is our CIFAL Global Network, which UVic is a member of,” Stephen says.
The CIFAL (International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders, known by its French acronym) Global Network is an international hub of 31 centers, coordinated by UNITAR’s Social Development Programme, that promote sustainable development through capacity-building, knowledge-sharing and network-building initiatives.
“Each of these CIFAL centers brings rich and unique ideas to promote the SDGs and address some of the world’s leading challenges.”
Making a difference
Joyce’s work with UNITAR—which establishes workshops, e-learning courses, graduate diplomas and master’s programs—has reinforced his belief in continuous learning. Day-to-day, he supported the development of these programs and conducted research to evaluate them.
“Education is integral to the work we do here at UNITAR,“ says Joyce, “and I’m proud to be part of a team that helps train the minds of tomorrow.” Having the opportunity to learn from a diverse community of colleagues has been an invaluable experience. “I can’t acknowledge enough how brilliant everyone is that I work with—I’m always amazed by the things I learn from them.”