As the College of Arts and Science suspends its Taught Abroad program, students are reflecting on what may be one of the last iterations of this well-enjoyed faculty-led course.

This past May, a group of University of Saskatchewan students crossed the ocean not to vacation over summer break, but rather to understand how it is governed. For ten days, students enrolled in POLS 268: Politics, Public International Law, and Human Security explored international courts and the work of public international law across the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam and The Hague. 

Warsha Mushtaq is a fifth-year History major who enrolled in POLS 268 because she felt it was an invaluable opportunity to continue learning beyond the classroom. “I had just finished taking courses exploring themes such as the Guatemalan genocide, Palestinian history, Indigenous history, global politics, human rights and international law—where I became particularly interested in TWAIL (Third World Approaches to International Law) and questions of decolonization.”

For Nadia Demkiw, a third-year Political Studies major, the Taught Abroad program was the perfect entry point to international learning. “I had heard so many great things about study abroad experiences and I knew I wanted to do one in my undergrad,” Demkiw says. “However, I much preferred a shorter study abroad program than spending an entire semester somewhere else, at least for my first time.”

Students spent five days in Amsterdam and five days in The Hague. During their time in Amsterdam, students visited culturally and historically significant sites, including the Anne Frank House and the Verzetsmuseum, a Dutch Resistance Museum where visitors can learn more about the impact of World War II on the Netherlands. Students also engaged in an exchange with Vrije Universiteit students and discussed different perspectives of global governance. 

In The Hague, students visited many international institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers & Specialist Prosecutor’s Office and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. 

One standout moment for many students was the opportunity to engage directly with professionals working within these institutions. “Speaking with ICC Judge Beti Hohler was easily my favourite part,” says Demkiw. “It was so interesting to speak and ask questions with someone who has so much power to shape international law.”

Julianna Alemania, a fifth-year International Studies major with a Political Studies minor, also recalls this encounter that gave their group a rare glimpse into the judicial decision-making process. “Listening to [Judge Hohler’s] internal thought process was fascinating,” she says. “It felt as though we were being entrusted with reflections.” 

Alemania also remembers sitting around the table in the Peace Palace’s Red Room, a space usually reserved for discussion among the judges of the International Court of Justice, describing it as “A moment I will never forget.”

Mushtaq describes her experience of the Peace Palace, saying “The building itself is a monument to both ideals and contradictions: the Japanese Room with its cherry blossom panels, the ornate Turkish rug in the main hall, the intricate tilework laid by French women and the gifts from dozens of nations all reflected a deeply intercultural space,” she notes. “Upon entering, the display of Nelson Mandela’s biography immediately set the tone. Seeing the statues of Mandela and Gandhi side by side was powerful—and thought-provoking.”

Her reflections also took a critical lens. “Learning about Hugo Grotius—often called the father of international law—and his racist justifications for slavery and colonial domination made me pause,” she says. “It raised important questions about what it means to build a system of ‘universal’ justice on the foundations of thinkers who were themselves complicit in structures of violence and hierarchy.”

The visit to the Anne Frank Museum was a moving experience for Mushtaq. “Stepping past the hinged bookcase into the Secret Annex felt like walking through a seam in time,” she reflected. “What struck me most was the ordinariness of Anne’s dreams—to write, to live freely, to be heard.”

The program wasn’t just about academic credit. It also offered students a unique social environment to build community with their peers. “Making connections in university can be daunting,” says Alemania, “but it was almost comforting to know that these individuals carried the same passion for international law as I did. Our collective interest fostered authentic and critical discussions on the challenges of international law…as well as the efficacy of the institutions we had the privilege of visiting.”

“I had never stayed in a hostel before and it was fascinating to see how socially oriented it was,” Demkiw explains. “There were a few evenings where nearly everyone mingled in the common areas before parting ways,” says Demkiw. “It was nice to have a space to be all together outside of the course experiences.”

Despite the enthusiasm, the experience is bittersweet. Many students were disheartened to learn that the College of Arts and Science is suspending its faculty-led study abroad programs like POLS 268. 

Dr. Kirsten Fisher, the instructor for POLS 268, says the news was “disappointing given the success of the program, with the list of offerings and student enrollment growing over the past few years…Such learning opportunities are fantastic educational experiences that cannot be replicated in any other way. They influence the way students see the world and see themselves in the world.” 

Dr. Fisher had been planning to instruct POLS 268 in Spring 2026. She was also in the process of developing a new Taught Abroad course partnership with a colleague from Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, aiming to bring students from both universities to the Czech Republic and another Eastern European country to study transitional justice. The program would have offered USask students the opportunity to learn alongside Vrije Universiteit law students, fostering cultural exchange while exploring political transitions and post-conflict justice in the region. 

Dr. Fisher also highlights the national recognition the program received. During her time as the College of Arts and Science’s manager of the Study Abroad program, LaVina Watts secured $1.02 million through grants from the Government of Canada’s Global Skills Opportunity program, in collaboration with Dr. Fisher and other Taught Abroad instructors. The funding supported undergraduate students, particularly Indigenous and low-income students and those with disabilities, in accessing international learning experiences. Through this grant, 119 students from across the College were able to participate in the taught abroad program. 

“This suspension of the Taught Abroad program, with no indication of when or if it might resume, is a real gap in our educational offerings, especially for a university that prioritizes internationalization and experiential learning,” says Dr. Fisher

Demkiw shares that sentiment of uncertainty, saying, “I was saddened to hear it was shutting down because there easily could have been another student like me who had thought about pursuing this for so long, just to have the opportunity taken away.”

“I believe it is a valuable experience that teaches so much beyond the course content,” said Demkiw. “I am so grateful to have learned about international law but also just to have learned travel skills I will no doubt carry with me forever.”

The reflections of the students from POLS 268 speak to the heart of the program, a chance not only to study the world in classrooms, but to experience and be changed by it.