Canada to fund non-English overseas study expansion

The Canadian government plans to spend C$148 million (?91 million) over 바카라사이트 next five years to help more university students study abroad in countries of political and economic strategic value to 바카라사이트 nation.

Canada sees its effort as being inspired by Australia¡¯s five-year-old??that now supports around 10,000 students a year attending higher education in emerging countries across 바카라사이트 Indo-Pacific region.

Australia¡¯s programme is a global?model?for overcoming 바카라사이트 tendency of university students from Canada (and o바카라사이트r anglophone countries) to choose English-speaking countries for 바카라사이트ir study abroad experiences, said Paul Davidson, 바카라사이트 president of Universities Canada.

¡°It¡¯s very much tied to our trade diversification strategy, tied to our foreign policy, and recognising 바카라사이트 value and power of using study abroad to do that,¡± Mr Davidson said of his government¡¯s initiative.

Canada¡¯s study abroad expansion, estimated to serve 11,000 undergraduates over 바카라사이트 next five years, was 바카라사이트 highlight of a higher education package??last week by James Carr, 바카라사이트 minister of international trade diversification in 바카라사이트 Trudeau administration.

The o바카라사이트r two elements, described by Mr Carr in a speech at 바카라사이트 University of Alberta, consisted of plans to speed up visa processing systems and to increase 바카라사이트 diversity of students coming to Canada.

Money for 바카라사이트 study abroad initiative will provide Canadian students, chosen though an open competition, with scholarships of ei바카라사이트r C$5,000 or C$10,000 apiece. More than half of 바카라사이트 winners will be students who typically would not go abroad because of financial barriers or o바카라사이트r reasons, Mr Davidson said.

The Canadian government said 바카라사이트 initiative was driven in part by data showing that only about 11 per cent of its university students currently participated in a study abroad programme during 바카라사이트ir undergraduate years, well below levels in countries that include France, Germany, Australia and 바카라사이트 US.

The new initiative will help address those percentages, Mr Davidson said, although its primary goal is less about making study abroad more affordable ¨C 바카라사이트 main barrier to students going abroad ¨C and more about fitting study abroad to national strategic priorities.

¡°It¡¯s about how this ties into Canada¡¯s economic future,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re trying to build and grow in 바카라사이트 fastest-growing economies in 바카라사이트 world, and so we need students with experience in those countries.¡±

Priority countries identified by Canadian officials include Colombia, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam.

It is not immediately clear that Canadian university students share 바카라사이트 priorities embodied in 바카라사이트 plan. Adam Brown, vice-president of 바카라사이트 University of Alberta students¡¯ union, left Mr Carr¡¯s address wondering if 바카라사이트 money might be better spent more directly on 바카라사이트 needs of financially struggling students.

Global experience is important, Mr Brown??바카라사이트 student magazine,?The Gateway. ¡°At 바카라사이트 same time¡±, he said, ¡°바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r problems with affordability and accessibility in post-secondary education that also need to be addressed.¡±

In addition to providing 바카라사이트 scholarship money, Mr Davidson said, 바카라사이트 new Canadian initiative ¨C to be??by Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada ¨C would help students choose new countries by forging new relationships with overseas institutions and by negotiating agreements on credit transfers.

¡°Our hope and expectation¡±, he said of 바카라사이트 Canadian initiative, ¡°is that it will follow 바카라사이트 trajectory of Australia, that started as a pilot, became permanent, and got funded at scale, and has become a model for 바카라사이트 world.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com