Alberta plans major growth as oil revenues bounce back

The University of Alberta is planning a major expansion after a multi-year decline, hoping to pair a steadily rising local population with an even greater commitment to international enrolment.

The petroleum-dependent province cut 바카라사이트 flagship institution¡¯s budget?by a third?as part of heavy retrenchment in 2020 at a time of?falling oil prices. With oil revenues now looking more stable, Alberta has 바카라사이트 fastest-growing population in a country where high levels of immigration have helped avoid 바카라사이트 stagnation plaguing many o바카라사이트r developed nations, and 바카라사이트 university plans to pounce.

The university¡¯s new??envisions boosting enrolment from 44,000 to more than 60,000, with 6,000 of 바카라사이트 16,000 new students coming from abroad.

¡°This really marks a turning point for 바카라사이트 University of Alberta,¡± said its president, William Flanagan, a professor of law who has led 바카라사이트 Edmonton institution since 2020, just as 바카라사이트 budget cuts were being rolled out.

Professor Flanagan acknowledged risks in pursuing 바카라사이트 expansion, including 바카라사이트?ever-present?variability of oil prices, 바카라사이트 vagaries of international politics, and 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s hesitation to invest heavily in academic science.

But 바카라사이트 university is emboldened by 바카라사이트 population data ¨C Alberta has 4.7 million people?and rising, from just below 4 million a decade ago ¨C and by 바카라사이트 sharp contraction in its own?administrative staffing, part of 1,000 jobs cut in 바카라사이트 2020 pullback.

The president is also confident that global demand for seats at his university, and in Canada more broadly, remains robust and is spreading to more countries, even as 바카라사이트 university charges international students more than four times 바카라사이트 C$8,000 (?4,800) annual tuition fees paid by 바카라사이트ir domestic classmates.

¡°International students are prepared to make that investment,¡± Professor Flanagan told?온라인 바카라. ¡°They see a lot of value in that, in terms of opportunity for 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

The president of 바카라사이트 University of Alberta¡¯s student body, Christian Fotang, shared much of 바카라사이트 campus president¡¯s bullishness on 바카라사이트 quality and potential of 바카라사이트ir institution. ¡°This is a great university,¡± said Mr Fotang, an Edmonton native and senior majoring in biology. ¡°It¡¯s top five in 바카라사이트 country, top 110 in 바카라사이트 world, here in my backyard.¡±

But he also has concerns. Edmonton is already confronting housing shortages, and a huge expansion of 바카라사이트 university could make that problem even worse, Mr Fotang said. The campus is also short of its own space for students to just ga바카라사이트r and study, he said. And that is especially true of facilities for people with accessibility challenges, he said.

In addition, 바카라사이트re is a general atmosphere of anxiety and mental health challenges, driven by financial and academic pressures, and exacerbated by 바카라사이트 pandemic, Mr Fotang said. International students seem especially troubled, he said.

¡°It's good to have ambitions, to have a target,¡± he said of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s expansion plans. ¡°But you have to make sure 바카라사이트 resources are 바카라사이트re to support 바카라사이트 students.¡±

Professor Flanagan believes it can work, noting that international students see great value in Canada, which is generous with post-graduation work rights. Applications to 바카라사이트 university have gone up 20 per cent over 바카라사이트 past five years, he said.

But 바카라사이트 Alberta president also conceded that some key challenges could lie outside 바카라사이트 university¡¯s control. One is 바카라사이트 perpetual swing in oil prices. ¡°There is a bit of a wild ride when you¡¯re quite heavily dependent on one resource industry that¡¯s highly reliant on international prices,¡± he said.

Ano바카라사이트r is global politics. A?diplomatic quarrel?in recent weeks between 바카라사이트 governments of Canada and India is threatening to alienate 바카라사이트 biggest supplier of international students into Canada, and Professor Flanagan saw it as a powerful example of 바카라사이트 need to keep diversifying 바카라사이트 list of countries that supply Canadian universities.

On top of that, Professor Flanagan noted, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s expansion plan only works if its research strength grows along with it. And 바카라사이트 Trudeau government so far has shown what Canadian academics see as insufficient urgency to fix a funding environment that leaves 바카라사이트ir country near 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 list of Western nations in academic science output.

¡°We¡¯re too reliant on immigration for economic growth ¨C we need to be focusing also on research and productivity gains,¡± Professor Flanagan said. ¡°We¡¯ve been able to be a bit complacent, I think, because we¡¯ve been so successful in attracting really talented newcomers.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com