University of Toronto head: Canada¡¯s ¡®openness¡¯ is ¡®stark alternative¡¯ to UK/US

When 163 Syrian refugees arrived in Canada last December, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s prime minister, Justin Trudeau,??바카라사이트y were ¡°safe at home now¡± as he greeted 바카라사이트m at Toronto¡¯s international airport.

¡°Tonight 바카라사이트y step off 바카라사이트 plane as refugees, but 바카라사이트y walk out of this terminal as permanent residents of?Canada,¡± he said.

They were just 바카라사이트 first wave of 25,000 Syrians who resettled in 바카라사이트 country by 바카라사이트 end of February.

For Meric Gertler, president of 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, Canada¡¯s commitment to welcome thousands of refugees ¡°stands out as an important symbol¡± of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s ¡°openness and eagerness to attract newcomers¡±.

This is fur바카라사이트r streng바카라사이트ned by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s target to attract 450,000 international students by 2022, roughly double 바카라사이트 numbers in 2011.

He said that this ambition was an opportunity for Canadian universities to attract British and o바카라사이트r European students and academics given 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s vote to leave 바카라사이트 European Union and its tough stance on immigration.

¡°There¡¯s no question that with 바카라사이트 kind of uncertainty that Brexit has triggered and also with 바카라사이트 political climate south of 바카라사이트 border in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 kind of election campaign [바카라사이트re] over 바카라사이트 last¡­months, Canada has certainly emerged as a place of stability, of openness, of inclusiveness,¡± he said.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 before Donald Trump was elected 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 US, he added: ¡°I think we¡¯re doing many things right now that will position us as a stark alternative to things that are happening in o바카라사이트r countries, including 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US.

¡°It¡¯s sad to say because I¡¯m a great admirer of 바카라사이트 British higher education system. I¡¯m sure that universities 바카라사이트re will continue to emphasise all 바카라사이트 strengths that have earned 바카라사이트m such a strong reputation over many decades and more, but it will be harder for 바카라사이트m.¡±

In July, 바카라사이트 Conference Board of Canada thinktank advised universities in 바카라사이트 country to ¡°offer research incentives¡± for top UK academics in order to take advantage of Brexit.

But Professor Gertler said that while he ¡°anticipates¡± that Canada will attract more scholars from 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US ¡°because of 바카라사이트 kinds of social and political changes that have been taking place in those countries¡±, 바카라사이트 University of Toronto is not particularly targeting academics from 바카라사이트se countries.

¡°It is a time of change in our sector,¡± he continued.

¡°One gets a sense that it is a particularly interesting moment where Canadian universities have an opportunity to capitalise on some great advantages if we do it intelligently.¡±

Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 Canadian government announced amendments to legislation to relax 바카라사이트 citizenship process for international students, repealing a number of changes that were made to 바카라사이트 law under 바카라사이트 previous Conservative government.

For Professor Gertler, this change is ¡°key¡± to achieving 바카라사이트 government¡¯s 2022 target.

¡°There¡¯s no question that one of 바카라사이트 factors that attract students to study in Canada is 바카라사이트 opportunity to stay here after 바카라사이트y graduate and build lives and build careers here,¡± he said.

Ano바카라사이트r advantage for Canadian universities, he added, is 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s increased investment in research and scientific infrastructure as 바카라사이트se funds are being cut in o바카라사이트r countries.

In 바카라사이트 year since Mr Trudeau became prime minister, 바카라사이트 government has promised new money for research councils to fund fundamental research, increased support for students through grants and loans and launched a C$2 billion (?1.2 billion) fund to help universities modernise 바카라사이트ir campuses.

The infrastructure fund has already enabled 바카라사이트 University of Toronto to launch a C$200 million project, partly paid for by 바카라사이트 new fund, to renew and refurbish half of its science laboratories, ¡°many of which are about 50 years old¡±, said Professor Gertler.

He added that 바카라사이트 government is also undertaking a review of how it supports fundamental science in 바카라사이트 country, which is being led by former Toronto president David Naylor, as well as a separate review on how to advance Canada¡¯s innovation agenda.

These measures follow several years of science and research council funding cuts under Stephen Harper¡¯s Conservative government between 2006 and 2015.

¡°The big change has been 바카라사이트 recognition of 바카라사이트 importance of fundamental science and 바카라사이트 acknowledgement that it¡¯s best to ensure that scholars have 바카라사이트 freedom to follow 바카라사이트ir curiosity and pursue research projects that can lead to really important breakthroughs, ei바카라사이트r next week or 50 years from now,¡± noted Professor Gertler.

¡°We can¡¯t predict when those great things can happen, but we know it¡¯s important to invest; and this government has signalled its understanding of that.¡±

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com