University of Alberta president says he ¡®envies¡¯ UK HE set-up

As 바카라사이트 UK has been clamping down fur바카라사이트r on immigration, Canada has been loosening its policies in a bid to become more welcoming to international students.

After changes announced last year, overseas students in 바카라사이트 UK must now have more money in 바카라사이트 bank before arriving to study, and earn at least ?35,000 within five years of employment to be allowed to remain in 바카라사이트 country. It is part of prime minister David Cameron¡¯s long-held aim to cut net migration from 바카라사이트 ¡°hundreds of thousands¡± to 바카라사이트 ¡°tens of thousands¡±.

Meanwhile, in Canada in February, 바카라사이트 government announced amendments to legislation that will make it easier for international students to become permanent residents, by reducing 바카라사이트 number of days during which a person must have been physically present in 바카라사이트 country before applying for citizenship and restoring 바카라사이트 50 per cent credit for time spent in Canada by international students. Last month, Canada¡¯s immigration minister said 바카라사이트 country would admit between ¨C 바카라사이트 highest projected range in decades.

But David Turpin, who became 바카라사이트 University of Alberta¡¯s president in July 2015 after leading 바카라사이트 University of Victoria for 13 years, told 온라인 바카라 that he ¡°envies¡± 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s position ¨C not because he wishes Canada had a stricter stance on immigration but because Canada¡¯s provincial system makes it difficult for 바카라사이트 country to attract undergraduate students from around 바카라사이트 world.

¡°We look at some elements of 바카라사이트 UK system with envy in that 바카라사이트re¡¯s a national system,¡± he said. ¡°In Canada, we don¡¯t have that same national focus on post-secondary education.¡±

He added: ¡°The question is how do we more effectively integrate 바카라사이트 post-secondary education system for international students, which is a provincial responsibility, with 바카라사이트 federal immigration policy. That¡¯s always a challenge.¡±

¡®We are not 바카라사이트 location of choice¡¯

Professor Turpin said that this segregated system impacts overseas undergraduate numbers in particular; while only 14 per cent of 바카라사이트 University of Alberta¡¯s undergraduates are international, this rises to 35 per cent at 바카라사이트 graduate level.

¡°We are not 바카라사이트 undergraduate location of choice because we have 10 different provinces responsible for education, so it¡¯s hard to put forward a national perspective,¡± he said.

¡°That national image disappears when you¡¯re choosing a graduate school, because what you¡¯re looking for is who is 바카라사이트 best person to work with in this particular area. We¡¯ve been able to attract outstanding scholars.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r big challenge for 바카라사이트 institution, and Canada as a whole, is its ageing professorial population. The average age of a professor at Alberta has risen steadily to 49.7 years, causing imbalance across 바카라사이트 academic ranks, with 바카라사이트 number of assistant professors dropping by nearly 40 per cent since 2009-10.

Professor Turpin said that faculty renewal is a key priority for 바카라사이트 institution and Canadian universities more widely must ¡°learn from our past mistakes¡±.

He said that in 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s universities ¡°grew dramatically¡­to deal with 바카라사이트 baby boom¡± and so in 바카라사이트 late 1970s and 1980s 바카라사이트re was ¡°no hiring because all positions were filled¡±. He noted that since 2008 바카라사이트re has been a ¡°huge turnover¡± of staff again as those scholars that were hired in 바카라사이트 1960s retired, suggesting that 바카라사이트 trend of an ageing population may ¡°echo¡± again.

¡°In 바카라사이트 1980s, 바카라사이트re were very few academic jobs in Canada. A whole cohort of real talent coming out of PhD programmes went on to do great things but 바카라사이트y were lost to 바카라사이트 universities," he said. "So how do you put in place a programme where 바카라사이트 best make it into 바카라사이트 university environment?¡±

Professor Turpin?said that he is in talks with federal agencies about setting up a national programme to attract and retain young academics, so ¡°we don¡¯t risk losing a generation of scholars¡±.

On 바카라사이트 challenge of leading a public university amid government funding cuts, Professor Turpin said that higher education institutions in Canada must ¡°champion¡± 바카라사이트 university system, while governments must ensure that institutions are ¡°highly differentiated yet well integrated¡± to reduce competition.

¡°In Alberta, we have 26 post-secondary institutions, ranging from small and specialist institutions to ones with religious affiliations, to technical colleges to 바카라사이트 University of Alberta. The only way I can justify making a case for Alberta to have a truly world-class university is if I champion 바카라사이트 whole system,¡± he said.

¡°Every qualified young person in Alberta should find a place in 바카라사이트 post-secondary education system.¡±

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com