The world needs more Canada: Alberta's partnership with the Ismaili Imamat shows how

“We live in turbulent times, troubled by economic uncertainty and threatened by currents of technological change, writes Dr Elizabeth Cannon, president emerita of the University of Calgary in a recent op-ed. “In moments of vulnerability, the global impulse is to pull inward, but shared challenges demand co-operation. The Ismaili Imamat’s partnership with Alberta, formalised in 2012, is little known to most Canadians but is a vibrant example of how the best of Canada can be brought to bear on the world stage. The institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) are a vital global bridge through which this is accomplished. As a member of the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) board of trustees, Dr Cannon is amazed by the scale of AKU’s global reach — six campuses across three continents, more than 4,000 students, and 17,000 faculty and staff.