Colleagues from universities across Canada joined CBIE and miXabroad to explore a simple but important question: how do we better measure the impact and experience of learning abroad? The meeting marked the launch of the Canadian miXabroad Benchmark, bringing institutions together to share early global insights, hear from existing partners, and begin building a shared evidence base for the sector.
When miXabroad partnered with CBIE to launch the Canadian Benchmark with its members last month, the conversation wasn't really about evaluation. It was about something much bigger.
How do we, as a sector, better demonstrate the value of learning abroad? How do we move beyond anecdotes and individual success stories to build a shared evidence base that helps institutions improve programs, advocate internally and, ultimately, strengthen the case for investment?
Those questions brought together colleagues from across Canada, alongside Melissa Payne from CBIE and Inge Steglitz from Michigan State University, one of miXabroad's founding partners.
Canada has long been recognised as a leader in international education, but like many countries, learning abroad is competing with a growing number of institutional priorities.
Melissa Payne, Senior Director, Strategic Engagement at CBIE, spoke about the importance of continuing to build evidence, even while mobility isn't front and centre in national policy.
"We need to continue to champion global learning and be ready with evidence when this inevitably becomes a priority again."
She also reflected on recent discussions across the Canadian sector around the need for greater consistency in how institutions measure learning abroad.
"Building that evidence base is really critical... continuing to socialise the value of learning abroad and global experience needs to be part of that future skills conversation."
That is exactly why miXabroad exists.
Our first global benchmark has now collected more than 5,000 student responses from over 20 institutions across Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The findings continue to reinforce something many international educators already know. Students don't choose education abroad primarily because of employability. They choose it to experience something different, connect with people and immerse themselves in another culture.
Yet those same experiences consistently strengthen the human-centred capabilities that matter most in an AI-enabled world, including resilience, communication, intercultural understanding and adaptability.
The benchmark also identified practical opportunities for institutions to improve the student experience. Across countries and program types, students consistently report wanting stronger connections with local communities and greater opportunities to build friendships with people from their host country.
Rather than simply measuring satisfaction, benchmarking helps identify where institutions can learn from one another and improve together.
One of the highlights of the webinar was hearing from Michigan State University.
Like many universities, MSU already had evaluation data, but it was fragmented across programs and difficult to compare over time.
Joining a multi-institution benchmark changed that.
"What a broad, multi-institutional reach allows us to do is put the data into a larger comparative perspective... providing insights we could not have obtained ourselves."
The results quickly found practical uses.
One insight, that almost half of MSU students had considered education abroad before enrolling, was immediately adopted by admissions staff as part of their recruitment messaging.
For Inge, the value extended well beyond the data itself.
"Working with miXabroad was literally a dream. It was super easy... they were supportive, responsive and collaborative."
The webinar also marked the beginning of Canada's own benchmark. At miXabroad, we're delighted to welcome York University and the University of Toronto as our founding Canadian partners.
Ashley Laracy from York University captured exactly why this matters.
"We don't have a concerted effort across Canada to collect this data... We're really excited... and hoping to have more of a national dialogue moving forward.
That's our vision too. Not simply another evaluation tool, but a shared evidence base that helps institutions benchmark performance, learn from one another and collectively demonstrate the value of learning abroad.
The Canadian Benchmark will remain open for expressions of interest until 31 July, with registration across August and surveys launching from September into October. Early findings will be presented at CBIE2026 Conference in Ottawa in November.
Through miXabroad's partnership with CBIE, member institutions receive a discount for the inaugural benchmark.
At miX, we're excited to work alongside Canadian institutions as they build a coordinated benchmark for learning abroad and contribute to a growing global evidence base that supports better student outcomes and stronger institutional advocacy.
To find out more, get in touch emily@mixabroad.com or book a meeting.