Canada and international education: our nanosecond of opportunity
This op-ed was published in Embassy magazine on October 19, 2011
by Paul Davidson, President of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
University leaders believe that Canadian students deserve research-enriched, globally engaged learning experiences in a culture of innovation. We have a long history of international engagement. More and more university students are prepared to live and work in a global economy. At the same time, Canada is a growing destination for international students and researchers, who make vital contributions to our campuses and local communities.
However, Canada is not alone in its search for the best and brightest. Our global competitors for talent are strengthening their recruitment strategies and adapting to market changes influenced by emerging economic powerhouses. Canada must seize this nanosecond of opportunity to showcase Canadian education and research excellence in order to solidify our position as a leading international education destination.
According to UNESCO, the number of international postsecondary education students increased by 77 percent between 2000 and 2009, from 2.1 to 3.7 million worldwide. In Canada, the number of international university students more than doubled over the same period, with international students making up 10 percent of the campus population across the country in 2010.
Students choose Canada for a wide range of reasons, including the excellent quality of our university programs and the welcoming nature of our communities. The opportunities to transition to permanent immigration status, and the comparatively low tuition and living expenses also help to place Canada a step above its competitors.
Important progress has been made towards the development of a coordinated, pan-Canadian approach to international education marketing. In recent years, the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has worked with provinces and education associations to develop the Imagine Education in/au Canada brand. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has also taken important steps to make it easier for international students to work off campus, and for graduates of Canadian universities to gain temporary work experience and apply for permanent residency. National education associations, including the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, have come together to form the Canadian Consortium for International Education Marketing, which aims to build Canada’s reputation as a destination for international students.
The 2011 federal budget allocated $10 million over two years to develop a new international education strategy, including ways to attract the best and brightest international students to Canada. Last week, a high-level advisory panel was established to make recommendations on the development and implementation of this strategy, which will be released in early 2012. Chaired by Amit Chakma, president of the University of Western Ontario, the panel will consult with key international education stakeholders across Canada in the coming months. Canadian universities look forward to actively participating in these consultations, working alongside panel members to enhance global connections for Canadian students, researchers and institutions. This coordinated strategy to attract talented students and researchers to Canada, and to promote Canadian expertise and education services abroad, will contribute to our nation’s prosperity.
Although international student recruitment is a priority for Canadian universities, other forms of international collaboration and connectivity are also essential, including international mobility opportunities for Canadian students and faculty, and international research collaboration. In our globally connected world, international partnerships help to create jobs, encourage economic growth and ensure that our labour force is ready to compete in the global marketplace.
The time is right for Canada to build new, effective and innovative research and higher learning partnerships, particularly with rapidly emerging economic powers like Brazil, India and China. Canada’s universities are helping to build enduring people-to-people linkages and institutional partnerships in these developing economies.
In November 2010, AUCC led a delegation of 15 university presidents to India. This largest-ever delegation of Canadian university presidents succeeded in positioning Canada as a partner of choice for Indian students, faculty, researchers and institutions. Since then, enrolment of Indian students in Canadian universities has increased. A second delegation of university presidents will travel to Brazil in April 2012. Led by the Governor General of Canada, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, this even larger mission will focus on raising the collective profile of Canadian universities, building the brand of excellence in Canadian higher education, and establishing strategic university and research partnerships.
Emerging economies are signaling a profound commitment to higher education through significant investments in international opportunities for their students and researchers. The government of Brazil recently announced scholarships for 75,000 Brazilian students to study abroad for up to one year. With the Brazilian private sector expected to provide funding for an additional 25,000 students, this model exemplifies the importance of enhanced cooperation among governments, education institutions and the private sector. Canada wants to host our share of these students.
As high quality students from key markets around the world look beyond their borders for a study destination, Canada must become their first choice. Canadian universities are ready to welcome these students, providing internationally recognized programming at the undergraduate, master’s, PhD and post-doctoral levels, and offering a safe and welcoming learning environment.
With continued coordination and collaboration amongst governments and institutions, Canada is poised to become a top destination for international students and researchers. Vital institutional partnerships and research collaboration will also continue to multiply, bringing tremendous benefits to communities across Canada and offering new opportunities for young Canadians to gain the experience they need to succeed in today’s global, knowledge-based economy.