International Ideas Discussion series turns twenty

On Friday, April 4th, 2025, the International Issues Discussion (IID) Series (external link)  celebrated its 20th anniversary. Since its inception in 2005, under the leadership of history professor Arne Kislenko and business professor, the late Dale Carl, the forum has sought to engage the university community on “major events and issues in contemporary global affairs through reasoned, objective, and scholarly discourse.”

The forum includes undergraduate and graduate students from both Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and the University of Toronto (UofT) who bring unique insights from various disciplines. The series is strictly non-partisan and apolitical, championing diverse perspectives and dialogue.

The early days 

The series began as a conversation between Kislenko, Carl, and two students, Leila Hoda and Gunjan Sondhi, who sought a way to engage in discussion on campus about contemporary international issues. The early days, filled with coffee and small group conversations, began to attract more people until the series idea was finally born. 

“The central point of the forum from the beginning was to provide objective, scholarly perspectives on topics,” reflected Kislenko. “We all believed that while partisanship and activism have their place on campuses, sometimes students weren’t being exposed to multiple perspectives. The IID was created to provide an open, scholarly dialogue on controversial topics, and in the process foster an academic community amongst students interested in anything international.” 

For a time, IID had no sustained funding, but Kislenko was determined to see the series continue. It was not until 2009 that the series could grow and extend to a greater range of speakers, thanks to former Provost and Vice-President, Academic Alan Shepard, who agreed to fund the series. At this pivotal point in the series’ history, students from nearly all faculties, including students from other universities and the general public, began to follow the IID regularly. 

Student ideas, student leadership

The strength of the IID community is solidified in its student body. “At its core, the IID has always been about students,” Kislenko reflected. “Every year, I ask those interested what topics and speakers they want to see included. After a serious discussion about what’s going on in the world, strategy, and financial planning, we devise an agenda. Students make decisions and host the shows. And they have always done an amazing job.”

Jordan Le Roux, a current TMU Student Leader for the IID, reflected on the collaborative experience of organizing and hosting events. “It's great to be able to meet humanities students at UofT. There are two great schools within a 20-minute walking distance of each other within the Greater Toronto Area, and it sometimes seems like we never get the opportunity to interact, so the IID has introduced me to people I never would have met otherwise.” In addition to fostering meaningful conversations, the series has encouraged students to form meaningful connections. “We always go out to dinner with the speaker afterwards,” Jordan shared, “giving everyone a good opportunity to network and meet people in government, policy, intelligence, academia, and other fields.”

Navigating difficult conversations

With the support and leadership of dedicated students over two decades, the IID has hosted numerous talks. Kislenko commended students for their delicacy and professionalism in managing sensitive or controversial topics. “It’s about encouraging and protecting civil discourse on campus, no matter how intense or difficult the subject,” Kislenko remarked. “We’ve also been blessed over the years by a loyal following from community members on campus and from the general public as well, who share the sentiment. The series is made for dynamic audiences open to listening to expert opinions, even if they disagree with what is being said.” 

Reflecting on former events, Kislenko shared topics and discussions that were both challenging and impactful. “This past year, we hosted Jon Allen, former Canadian Ambassador to Israel and other countries. He gave a talk about the Israel-Gaza War, following up almost to the date of a talk he gave shortly after the Hamas terror attack in October 2023. Both talks packed the house, with clearly vested interests and opinions in the audience,” Kislenko recalled. “But the discussions were without any problems, thanks to both Jon’s expert analysis and the way the students handled the talk. I’m also really proud of the tremendous diversity of topics we’ve covered over the years: trying hard to engage as many people as possible and remind everyone that we all affect international relations in what we think, say, and do.”

Looking to the future

For the future of the series, Kislenko hopes to see high-quality intellectual programming for years to come. “It should be among any university’s top priorities to facilitate forums like ours. I’d also like to see the IID continue running student conferences as we have over the past six years. That helps bring together a community of scholars and to showcase the great talent we have amongst our students.”

“As they did 20 years ago,” Kislenko reflected, “TMU students clearly want to engage the world on as many levels as they can, and I hope the IID will continue as part of that important pursuit.”

Explore the IID series’ past events (external link)  and stay up-to-date on upcoming discussions.