During a diplomatic mission to Beijing last week, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper renewed a scholarship scheme that will enable more Canadians to study in China – a sign of the increasing national support for international education in Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has renewed a scholarship scheme that will enable more Canadians to study in China – a sign of increasing federal government support for international education in Canada.
During a diplomatic mission to Beijing last week, Harper signed an agreement extending the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) to undergraduates and mid-career professionals, as well as graduates and university staff.
The move is primarily symbolic; just 900 scholars have participated in the scheme since launch in 1973, compared with the more than 60,000 Chinese students who studied in Canada in 2010 alone. However, it shows increasing national willingness to support Canada’s rising international education industry, which has traditionally been the responsibility of provincial governments.
“What's driving that increase in international students, generally speaking, are these national and provincial interests and efforts and China, for us, is going to be one of the major target countries of our recruitment efforts,” Sandra Schinnerl, director of international programs at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, British Columbia, told
China.org.cn last week.
From 2005-2011 the number of international students in Canada increased 40% to more than 96,000, with China contributing the biggest share (around 28% of all international students in 2010 were Chinese).
Observers say Canada is now poised to become a major study destination, as major players such as Australia lose traction. Provinces have already launched major recruitment drives, and the federal government is to unveil a national international education strategy this spring.
"We just didn’t pay much attention internationally”
Leader of the strategy’s advisory panel, Western University president Amit Chakma, told
the Globe and Mail last week that Canada had lagged in developing a cogent national policy. “[Australia] made a very conscious decision to use education as a diplomatic and trade tool, and we didn’t... We just didn’t pay much attention internationally,” he said.
Chakma said the Beijing trip had helped build ties with one of Canada's most important markets, but that he was keen to diversify recruitment sources as well as sending more Canadians abroad. "It’s not about bringing international students, but the internationalization of the education sector overall," he said.
Other deals were made during Harper’s trip over energy, science and technology and agriculture. “The rapidly increasing commercial, cultural and scholastic ties between our two countries are creating new jobs and economic growth that are benefitting Canadian families, businesses and communities”, said Harper in a statement.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has renewed a scholarship scheme that will enable more Canadians to study in China – a sign of increasing federal government support for international education in Canada.
During a diplomatic mission to Beijing last week, Harper signed an agreement extending the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) to undergraduates and mid-career professionals, as well as graduates and university staff.
The move is primarily symbolic; just 900 scholars have participated in the scheme since launch in 1973, compared with the more than 60,000 Chinese students who studied in Canada in 2010 alone. However, it shows increasing national willingness to support Canada’s rising international education industry, which has traditionally been the responsibility of provincial governments.
“What’s driving that increase in international students, generally speaking, are these national and provincial interests and efforts and China, for us, is going to be one of the major target countries of our recruitment efforts,” Sandra Schinnerl, director of international programs at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, British Columbia, told China.org.cn last week.
From 2005-2011 the number of international students in Canada increased 40% to more than 96,000, with China contributing the biggest share (around 28% of all international students in 2010 were Chinese).
Observers say Canada is now poised to become a major study destination, as major players such as Australia lose traction. Provinces have already launched major recruitment drives, and the federal government is to unveil a national international education strategy this spring.
“We just didn’t pay much attention internationally”
Leader of the strategy’s advisory panel, Western University president Amit Chakma, told the Globe and Mail last week that Canada had lagged in developing a cogent national policy. “[Australia] made a very conscious decision to use education as a diplomatic and trade tool, and we didn’t… We just didn’t pay much attention internationally,” he said.
Chakma said the Beijing trip had helped build ties with one of Canada’s most important markets, but that he was keen to diversify recruitment sources as well as sending more Canadians abroad. “It’s not about bringing international students, but the internationalization of the education sector overall,” he said.
Other deals were made during Harper’s trip over energy, science and technology and agriculture. “The rapidly increasing commercial, cultural and scholastic ties between our two countries are creating new jobs and economic growth that are benefitting Canadian families, businesses and communities”, said Harper in a statement.
