The sector is reeling from a Liberal government decision last year to slash the number of study permits it issues to international students, dramatically reducing college and university revenue.
In announcing the decision, University of Winnipeg president and vice-chancellor Todd Mondor blamed “significant financial challenges” for the cut. He said that enrolment has dropped significantly due to the new federal government policy.
“As a result, the ELP is no longer financially viable,” he said in a statement.
The move in Winnipeg follows hot on the heels of the demise last year of two other university English programs in Canada – at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In announcing the closing, St. Mary’s said student demand was falling, with many turning to private sector providers.
However, the union representing staff at the school blamed mismanagement. “Once a thriving, profitable school in the heart of Halifax, The Language Centre was left unrecognisable as a result of poor management and neglect,” said Lauren McKenzie of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Simon Fraser closed its language program last summer, citing declining international student enrolment due to the change in government policies.
A saddened Gonzalo Peralta, executive director of Languages Canada, said that his group’s members “have been devastated as a result of this government policy.”
“We believe that closing language programs is a short-sighted move that will have unfortunate consequences in the long run,” he said. He cited concerns for current international students, the future of the economy and the vitality of Canada’s official languages, English and French.
Students whose English is strong deliver better academic performance and are less likely to drop out of university, Peralta said. Languages Canada is conducting a study that “indicates an important connection between learning a language in Canada and student retention.”
“For institutions counting on international student recruitment and retention, language programs are not the first place to cut,” he argues. “In fact, they are an essential asset.”
For institutions counting on international student recruitment and retention, language programs are not the first place to cut
Gonzalo Peralta, Langages Canada
Tomiris Kaliyeva, the president of the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association and herself an international student, said that the closing will create a barrier to the success of students.
“Many of our international students have a first language that is not English, so not having this program is one less tool that can help them,” she told The PIE News.
“In addition to being a program to help with English, it is also a place to create long-lasting connections and friendships,” Kaliyeva said.
She blamed the federal government’s policies, which are forcing schools like the University of Winnipeg to make tough decisions to close programs.
