AUCC rebrands as Universities Canada
The Association of Universities and Colleges Canada (AUCC) has become Universities Canada / Universités Canada, after rebranding last month and changing its name for the first time in 50 years.
The Association of Universities and Colleges Canada (AUCC) has become Universities Canada / Universités Canada, after rebranding last month and changing its name for the first time in 50 years.
Canadian universities are undergoing a shift away from academic goals toward provincial and institutional-level international strategies. According to a survey carried out by AUCC, compared to eight years ago, internationalisation is considered a "top priority" at 82% of Canadian universities, up from 70%.
The Canadian government has unveiled "key elements" of its long awaited international education strategy, allocating CAN$23 million to supporting the plan in the latest federal budget, despite the country’s fiscal struggles. It has also promised $42 million to speed up visa processing.
Canadian universities have reported a 12% increase in international student enrolment numbers for the fall semester, in a further sign that Canada is growing as a study destination. International education already contributes CAN$8 billion in spending to the economy.
China and Brazil have welcomed recommendations that 50,000 Canadian students a year should be studying abroad within 10 years, made by Canada's new advisory panel on international education. Only 2.2% of all full-time university students in Canada took a for-credit study abroad programme in 2006.
A landmark trip to Brazil by the Governor-General and a record 30 university presidents has proved fruitful as Canadian institutions announce 59 new scholarships, partnerships and student mobility programmes yesterday. The long-term collaborations established will increase Canada's number of foreign students and strengthen research programmes.