News and commentary
Filter News and commentary »This letter to the editor was submitted to the Globe and Mail in response to Margaret Wente’s column “Educated for unemployment” published on May 15, 2012.
By Paul Davidson
President
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Margaret Wente clearly has a keen interest in the future of postsecondary education graduates in Canada, but her argument is lacking in facts.
Wente’s statement on average student debt is misleading. According to the 2009 Canadian University Survey Consortium Survey of Graduating Students, the average amount of debt per student is $15,466. The median amount of debt is lower, at $6,500. Even more importantly, 42 per cent of students graduate debt-free.
Last year, Google vice-president of consumer products, Marissa Mayer, said most of the company’s 6,000 new hires over the coming year would be from the humanities or liberal arts. Why? She explained that Google is looking for grads who are smart and can get things done.
In many cases, the skills associated with degrees in the humanities and social sciences — analytical, problem-solving, communication and interpersonal skills — give those grads a competitive advantage. They are resilient during the inevitable economic ups and downs. They are adaptable to changing labour market needs.
A university experience prepares graduates for something more than a career. It prepares them to think, to ask questions, to listen, to make decisions and to be engaged, global citizens.
Presidents wrap up successful visit
Brasilia, Brazil – Canada’s universities set the stage for the acceleration of bilateral collaboration with partners in Brazil during the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s presidents’ mission from April 25 to May 2. Canadian universities and their Brazilian counterparts announced 75 new partnerships with Brazilian institutions, scholarships and student mobility programs worth $6,736,800 (CAD) during visits to Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Campinas and Brasilia.
An additional $10.25 million investment in undergraduate internships and graduate fellowships was also made during the mission through Mitacs. Canada’s Mitacs connects university-based researchers, including graduate students and faculty members, with Canadian companies through collaborative research projects and provides research internships to top international undergraduate students.
The mission wraps up today with meetings with government officials and industry leaders in the capital, Brasilia, along with additional university and research facility visits.
“I’m immensely proud of the progress that has been made in strengthening our partnerships in research, innovation and higher education with Brazilian institutions,” said David Barnard, president of the University of Manitoba and member of AUCC’s board of directors. “We’ve taken important steps with our Brazilian university partners in opening our doors to a two-way flow of students and faculty between our countries for collaboration in key areas of study and research. Our relationships with Brazil have grown this past week; we gained greater awareness of each of our strengths and worked together on strategies for further enhancing our connections in the future.”
“Both countries are committed to building prosperity through investments in research and higher education,” said Paul Davidson, AUCC president. “In the new university partnerships and scholarship programs announced this week and those just starting to take shape, we see that commitment transformed into action. The real success of this Brazil mission will be seen on our campuses and those of our Brazilian partner institutions in the coming months and years as our bilateral collaboration expands.”
“Soon we will see more of Canada’s and Brazil’s top scientists working together to address global challenges, we will see more Brazilian students studying in Canada and Canadian students studying in Brazil, and we will see the people of Canada and Brazil increasingly as the beneficiaries of great research that drives innovation and leads us to growth and prosperity.”
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.
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Note to editors: A full list of today’s announcements is included in the backgrounder.
Media Contacts:
In Brazil:
Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238
Cell. +1-613-608-8749
Atendimento à Imprensa no Brasil
MAPA Comunicação Integrada – São Paulo
Karoline Pereira – Atendimento
karoline@mapacomunicacao.com.br
Débora Kojo – Coordenadora de Núcleo
55 (11) 6182.4881 / 5096.3137 / 2501.8374
www.mapacomunicacao.com.br
In Ottawa:
Mélanie Béchard
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
mbechard@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 306
Campinas, Brazil – Canadian university presidents travelled to Campinas today to visit the University of Campinas (Unicamp), a hub for research and innovation in Brazil. About 30 presidents taking part in the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s mission to Brazil toured the facilities and discussed joint strategies for transferring university research to the private sector to help build prosperity in both countries.
Eight Canadian universities signed agreements with Unicamp today in areas ranging from student and faculty mobility, to research collaboration, to the development of joint academic programs.
“Unicamp is an outstanding example of the benefits that will accrue to Canadian students and faculty, and Canadian society, through university partnerships with Brazilian institutions,” said Stephen Toope, president of The University of British Columbia and chair of the board of AUCC. “This university is an incubator of fresh ideas and entrepreneurship, a catalyst of new knowledge and private sector engagement. Collaboration with institutions such as Unicamp will help Canada cultivate the skills and talent needed to seize new opportunities in global society.”
Today’s visit began with an address by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on the topic of transferring university research to the private sector to create innovative communities, and remarks by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Canada’s Minister of State for Science and Technology. Canadian university presidents and their Brazilian partners also took part in a panel on this topic. This afternoon they will observe a demonstration of the Synchrotron Light Laboratory Brazil (LNLS) in connection with the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan.
“Strengthening Canada’s ties to the global supply of ideas and talent is central to our science and technology strategy,” said Minister Goodyear. “The agreements signed today will promote greater cooperation between Brazilian and Canadian institutions conducting world-leading research. This will provide great benefits for companies seeking to grow through innovation, and will enhance the quality of life of our citizens, by creating high-quality jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.”
Over the past year, Brazil’s synchrotron has been adapting CLS software that enables scientists to remotely access synchrotron beamlines, analyze data and store information so researchers and their students can collaborate and exchange information and ideas half a world away. This link will make it possible for future Brazilian graduate students working at the CLS to connect with their faculty supervisors in Brazil, who can observe their experiments in real time.
“Seeing first-hand the high-calibre of facilities for research and innovation in Brazil is inspiring,” said Peter MacKinnon, president of the University of Saskatchewan and member of AUCC’s board of directors. “With so many synergies between the research capacities and interests in Canada and Brazil, we see incredible potential to accelerate our bilateral partnerships and collaboration in the months and years ahead.”
The delegation of Canadian university presidents now travels to Rio de Janeiro to visit other world-class research institutes and then to Brasilia for meetings with government partners and visits to higher education institutions and research facilities.
The AUCC university presidents’ mission to Brazil is being led by the Governor General. AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.
-30-
Note to editors: A full list of today’s announcements is included in the backgrounder.
Media Contacts:
In Brazil:
Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238
Cell. +1-613-608-8749
Atendimento à Imprensa no Brasil
MAPA Comunicação Integrada – São Paulo
Karoline Pereira – Atendimento
karoline@mapacomunicacao.com.br
Débora Kojo – Coordenadora de Núcleo
55 (11) 6182.4881 / 5096.3137 / 2501.8374
www.mapacomunicacao.com.br
In Ottawa:
Mélanie Béchard
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
mbechard@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 306
Brazil mission sees $6.74 million invested in Canada-Brazil university partnerships and scholarships
Mitacs announces $10.25 million for undergraduate internships, graduate fellowships
São Paulo, Brazil – Canadian universities and their Brazilian counterparts are announcing 75 new partnerships and scholarship programs worth $6,736,800 (CAD) in university and government funding during the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s university presidents’ mission to Brazil, April 25 to May 2. Stephen Toope, president of The University of British Columbia and chair of the board of AUCC made the announcement at a news conference in São Paulo today.
New announcements made today build on the 46 agreements and 13 new scholarship and student mobility programs unveiled yesterday at the Canada-Brazil Presidents’ Roundtable in Rio de Janeiro. The total of 75 agreements, MOUs and scholarship programs also includes announcements to be made in Campinas on April 28 and Brasilia on May 2.
“The connections between our universities and those in Brazil are sparking discovery and innovation that will yield tremendous benefits for both countries,” said Prof. Toope. “These ambitious investments in research, innovation and higher education will lead us to become more prosperous economies and more globally successful nations.” These partnerships are being signed with Brazilian partners during visits to Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Campinas and Brasilia.
Today’s announcements in São Paulo include an additional $10.25 million investment in undergraduate internships and graduate fellowships through Mitacs. Canada’s Mitacs connects university-based researchers, including graduate students and faculty members, with Canadian companies through collaborative research projects and provides research internships to top international undergraduate students. Mitacs announced $6.75 million – co-funded by the Brazilian government’s new Science without Borders program, the Government of Canada, Canada’s provinces and several Canadian universities – to bring 450 Brazilian undergraduate students to Canada from 2012 to 2014 through its Globalink program. Brazil’s CAPES (Federal Agency for the Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education) has signed an agreement with Mitacs to support the first 100 students. The Mitacs announcement includes another $3.5 million to fund Globalink Graduate Fellowships – opportunities for student alumni of the Globalink program, including those from Brazil, to pursue graduate studies in Canada.
“We look forward to working closely with our partners to establish a closer relationship with Brazilian universities and students through Mitacs Globalink and the Globalink Fellowship Program,” said Arvind Gupta, CEO and scientific director of Mitacs. “By connecting countries around the world through our young researchers, we will improve the global economy.”
“These university initiatives signal a turning point in our bilateral relationship and tremendous opportunities for students and faculty in the years ahead,” said Heather Munroe-Blum, principal and vice-chancellor of McGill University and member of AUCC’s board of directors. “Ultimately these are investments in people – students, researchers, innovators and, more broadly, the people of Canada and Brazil.”
Ten Canadian universities signed partnerships today with the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) worth $1.18 million.
AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.
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Note to editors: A full list of today’s announcements is included in the backgrounder.
Media Contacts:
In Brazil:
Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238
Cell. +1-613-608-8749
Atendimento à Imprensa no Brasil
MAPA Comunicação Integrada – São Paulo
Karoline Pereira – Atendimento
karoline@mapacomunicacao.com.br
Débora Kojo – Coordenadora de Núcleo
55 (11) 6182.4881 / 5096.3137 / 2501.8374
www.mapacomunicacao.com.br
In Ottawa:
Mélanie Béchard
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
mbechard@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 306
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – University presidents strengthened Canada’s capacity in research and innovation today by signing 35 new agreements and memoranda of understanding with 18 Brazilian institutions. Thirteen new scholarship and student mobility programs for Brazilian and Canadian students
were also announced by Canadian institutions.
The presidents of 12 Canadian universities signed the agreements and MOUs with their Brazilian counterparts at the University Presidents’ Roundtable in Rio de Janeiro, part of the presidents’ mission to Brazil, April 25 to May 2. These partnerships range from student and faculty mobility to research collaboration in areas of shared interest. The gathering, which began with an address by Canada’s Governor General, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, was an opportunity for university leaders from both countries to explore opportunities and strategies to further strengthen bilateral collaboration in higher education.
The agreements signed involve investments of $1.72 million (CAD) from Canadian universities and $1.45 million from the Government of Canada. New scholarships and student mobility programs announced are valued at close to $1.71 million (CAD).
“This unprecedented commitment to bilateral collaboration will expand opportunities for students and researchers in both countries for many years to come,” said Stephen Toope, president of The University of British Columbia and chair of the board of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “We are all engaged in a worldwide enterprise to address our toughest problems. These agreements will help bring together some of the world’s best minds; we are up to the challenge.”
“Much of the work that universities do is borderless,” said Amit Chakma, president of Western University and chair of the federal government’s Advisory Panel on Canada’s International Education Strategy. “In Brazil our universities have found many new opportunities to advance their efforts in research and education through strategic partnerships. By working together, these universities will be able to bring great ideas to the marketplace faster and help drive economic growth for the benefit of people in both countries.”
Canadian universities are responding to the Brazilian government’s new Science Without Borders program by taking steps to attract top Brazilian graduate and undergraduate students to Canada. Announced by President Dilma Rousseff in 2011, the ambitious SWB initiative will provide 75,000 scholarships for Brazilian students to study abroad. Brazil’s private sector has stepped in to fund another 26,000 scholarships. On April 24 2012, the Governor General made a statement in the presence of President Rousseff in Brasilia to announce that Canada will welcome 12,000 Brazilian students at the undergraduate, doctoral and postdoctoral levels under the SWB program.
Canadian universities will be recruiting these scholarship recipients in a number of ways. The Consortium of the Universities of Alberta, Laval, Dalhousie and Ottawa (CALDO) has already signed an agreement with the organizing agencies in Brazil, CAPES and CNPq, to host both undergraduate and graduate students through this program. The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, together with the Canadian Bureau for International Education, also has an agreement with CAPES to bring undergraduate students to Canada, with all AUCC members eligible to participate. Canada’s Mitacs will be working to bring 450 Brazilian undergraduate students to various Canadian universities through their Globalink program from 2012 to 2014.
Some Canadian universities will be offering funding to SWB scholarship recipients to complement the support they receive from the Brazilian government.
The delegation of Canadian university presidents now travels to São Paulo for the Canada-Brazil Innovation Nations Forum on April 27, where participants will discuss opportunities to strengthen university-private sector collaboration in the global economy.
The Brazil mission is being led the Governor General. AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.
-30-
Note to editors: A full list of today’s announcements is included in the backgrounder
Media Contacts:
In Brazil:
Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238
Cell. +1-613-608-8749
Atendimento à Imprensa no Brasil
MAPA Comunicação Integrada – São Paulo
Karoline Pereira – Atendimento
karoline@mapacomunicacao.com.br
Débora Kojo – Coordenadora de Núcleo
55 (11) 6182.4881 / 5096.3137 / 2501.8374
www.mapacomunicacao.com.br
In Ottawa:
Mélanie Béchard
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
mbechard@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 306
( Total - 139 )
