The government of British Columbia, which welcomes almost 30% of all international students in Canada, has refreshed the website it uses to market the province as a study destination. BC hosted 100,700 international students in 2010-11, up from 94,000 the previous year, but authorities want this to reach 150,000 by 2015.
The updated LearnLiveBC offers an “easy-to-navigate interactive guide to learning and living in BC”, according to the government, and is mobile and tablet compatible.
BC hosted 100,700 international students in 2010-11 – up from 94,000 in the previous year
Students can get information on kindergarten through to post-secondary education, find and apply to schools, and make travel arrangements.
They can also get a taste of British Columbia’s “spectacular natural settings, cities and towns, and recreational and cultural opportunities”, and “find information about living and working in BC” during and after their studies.
With one million jobs opening up over the next decade and just 650,000 students currently enrolled at local schools, the provincial government wants to use international education to increase immigration to BC.
It has allocated CAN$3 million in scholarships, moved education up the trade agenda, and is trying to improve quality assurance. The government believes a 10% rise in foreign enrolment alone is worth CAN$100 million to provincial GDP.
LearnLiveBC also offers information on health and safety and housing and features testimonial blogs and videos from international students. It will be available in multiple languages including Korean, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese by early 2013.
