Antigonish is recognized around the world not only as the home of St. Francis Xavier University but also for the impact of Coady Institute and its global network of community leaders. For decades, people from around the world have travelled to Antigonish to learn, connect, and strengthen their ability to foster positive change in their communities. With more than 11,000 graduates and partners across over 154 countries, Coady’s influence extends far beyond Nova Scotia. 

Coady Institute works alongside community leaders, organizations, and partners in Canada and around the world to create positive social change through leadership education, knowledge sharing, and community-driven action. Inspired by the Antigonish Movement for economic and social justice, Coady’s roots trace back to StFX’s Extension Department, established in 1928, which worked with communities across Atlantic Canada to support adult education, cooperative development, and citizen-led change. Building on this legacy, the Institute was founded in 1959 to expand this work globally. 

Today, Coady equips practitioners and community leaders with practical tools to strengthen leadership, foster peacebuilding and resilience, advance equity and inclusion, and support sustainable, community-led development. Through education programs, partnerships, research, and collaborative learning, the Institute helps communities build on local strengths to address complex social, economic, and environmental challenges. 

While global in reach, Coady remains deeply connected to Atlantic Canada and continues to build meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and local partners across Turtle Island, grounded in the belief that lasting change happens when communities lead their own development. 

For more information, visit Coady's website: https://coady.stfx.ca/.