We are proud to announce that two LERRN colleagues have been selected as recipients of the 2026 Faculty of Public and Global Affairs (FPGA) Excellence Awards at 杏吧原创 University. Each year, the FPGA recognizes outstanding individuals among its faculty and staff.

• Lama Mourad has been selected as the recipient of a 2026 FPGA Teaching Excellence Award
• James Milner has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 FPGA Community Engagement Excellence Award

Through experiential learning opportunities developed in collaboration with LERRN and the R-SEAT team (Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table), Lama Mourad has challenged graduate students to engage in contextual analysis and research on refugee protection through refugee-led initiatives. Students were tasked to produce real-world contextual reports and policy mapping on refugee leadership ecosystems, directly contributing to R-SEAT鈥檚 mission of advancing refugee inclusion and participation in global decision-making. Reflecting on the experience, one student shared:

Lama Mourad has also been recognized by receiving the 2025鈥�26 Future Learning Innovation Fellowship for her exciting and innovative teaching project focused on immersive diplomacy and negotiation simulations using Artificial Intelligence (AI). Supported by Teaching and Learning Services, Dr. Mourad鈥檚 project will bring a fully immersive, AI-enhanced negotiation simulation into the classroom, giving students hands-on experience navigating the challenges of global diplomacy. Using adaptive AI 鈥淒eputies,鈥� the simulation presents students with real-time prompts, counterarguments, and evolving scenarios that encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and strategic decision-making.

Through his leadership of the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN), James Milner has been recognized for demonstrating the transformative impact of meaningful collaboration between academia, international organizations, and community leaders in advancing the rights and protections of forcibly displaced people. LERRN work has strengthened evidence-based research, advocacy, and policy development while centering the voices and experiences of displaced communities.

LERRN鈥檚 commitment to meaningful engagement and experiential learning has supported more than 200 graduate students and enabled 12 graduate students to conduct fieldwork on refugee issues in the Global South. Through a partnership agreement between UNHCR Canada and 杏吧原创 University, more than 25 杏吧原创 students have also completed internships supporting UNHCR Canada鈥檚 efforts to find durable solutions for refugees while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

In collaboration with Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table (R-SEAT), LERRN also helped mobilize more than 20 杏吧原创 graduate students to provide research support and contributed to the development of an advocacy training program that has benefited more than 250 refugees participating in global meetings in Geneva.

Congratulations to Dr. Mourad and Dr. Milner on these well-deserved achievements!

The post LERRN Community Celebrates 2026 FPGA Excellence Award Winners appeared first on LERRN: The Local Engagement Refugee Research Network.