The venture is the first Canadian school established by Maple Leaf Education North America, a division of China-based Maple Leaf Educational Systems which runs 46 schools in China catering to students at all levels from preschool to high school.

Sixty Chinese students between grades 10 and 12 began studying at TRU’s Kamloops campus in late August. They will graduate with both BC and Chinese high school diplomas.

“This collaboration is an example of Maple Leaf’s and TRU’s visionary approach to global education”

“This is a very proud moment for Maple Leaf as we come full circle and open our first school in Canada, in Kamloops and with TRU, one of our very earliest university partners,” said Dawn Sutherland, president, Maple Leaf Education North America.

As an independent school, it is responsible for its own operations, including hiring its own staff and renting space from TRU.

But, the partnership agreement does include plans to build a private boarding school to accommodate 500 students as part of TRU’s university village plan.

The school is the result of an almost 20-year partnership between TRU and Maple Leaf. “This collaboration is an example of Maple Leaf’s and TRU’s visionary approach to global education,” said Alan Shaver, TRU president and vice-chancellor. “It will build relationships between the people of China and Canada.”

Maple Leaf is certified by BC Global Education Program Offshore Schools and has delivered the BC curriculum in English in China since 1998. It operates eight BC-certified high schools in China with more than 7,500 BC-registered students enrolled.

Over 65% of all its graduates choose Canadian post-secondary institutions for their further studies, the company said.