Business of Education Summit 2019

On May 17, 2019 the Canada India Education Council held their highly-anticipated Business of Education Summit in Vancouver, Canada. Their 3rd networking event in the province of British Columbia served as a great way to highlight opportunities for thought leaders in the International Education sector and interact with those active in India and Canada. Distinguished guests and speakers included government representatives as well as university presidents and senior administration.

CIEC thanks all Business of Education Summit 2019 sponsors, speakers, panelists and attendees for helping to make this year’s event a success. We hope the evening provided you with the chance to network with like-minded individuals while furthering the discussion of programs and policies in education that have been hailed as priorities.

Canadian Colleges Take on India Skills Development

Source: The PIE News

Canadian educators have partnered with the National Skill Development Corporation of India to undertake part of the mammoth task of upskilling India’s youth population. With the NSDC responsible for training 150 million young people by 2022, this month it has signed 13 memoranda of understanding.

The MoUs, 12 of which with Canadian colleges as well as an umbrella MoU with Colleges and Institutes Canada, will facilitate collaborations for skill development in a variety of different sectors, including water, aviation and hydrocarbon.

The agreements were endorsed by both Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the latter’s visit to Canada last week, the first in 42 years.

In 2009, under the National Policy on Skill Development in India, a target to train 500 million people before 2022 was set and the NSDC has been charged with training 150 million.

Cynthia Murphy, director of the Canadian Immigrant Integration Programme at Colleges and Institutes Canada, told The PIE News that with the looming deadline, development under these MoUs is moving very quickly.

“We all know of MoUs that are signed that don’t have a lot of activity – that’s not happening with this group,” she said.

“The NSDC is incredibly motivated and keen to get work happening under these MoUs. Each institution set its own goals within its own sector, but the time frame is of the essence.”

According to CIC figures, last year Canadian colleges and institutes hosted more than 8,000 Indian students– more than the number at universities, language schools, primary and secondary schools combined.

Education in general was one of the key areas that both Prime Ministers agreed to prioritise for bilateral engagement.

Canada also listed India as one of the priority countries to work with in its international education strategy last year.

Modi’s visit followed trips to Germany and France where he signed a two-year residence permit for Indian graduates with French president Francois Holland.

Murphy said that while on this trip Modi connected with the diaspora, but also with business and industry.

“It’s very much about building partnerships in several key sectors, and education being one of them,” she said. “It’s on the government’s agenda, it’s one of the priorities listed, and it is incredibly important to both countries.”

Despite the initial momentum of the collaborations, Husain Neemuchwala, CEO of the Canada-India Education Council said Modi has a lot to prove in the face of India’s upskilling needs.

“The government has only been in power for the past ten months or so,” he commented. “I think there’s tremendous scope and lots to demonstrate the intent as well as the ability to get things accomplished.”

He added: “I think there’s a lot to undertake at this point to demonstrate that they are able and capable and they mean what they say.”

Indo-Canadian MoUs to Help Skilling in Apparel Sector

Source: Fibre2Fashion

India and Canada have signed two different memorandum of understanding (MoUs) for skill development in the apparel sector, the apex apparel exporters body, Apparel Export Promotion Council, (AEPC) said in a statement today.

The agreements were signed during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Canada.

Dr A Sakthivel, Chairman Apparel, Made-Ups & Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council (AMH SSC) signed an MoU with Bruce Wilson, President, Fanshawe College, Canada for transfer of expertise in the field of Training of Trainers and other fields.

The MoU envisages greater cooperation between the Canadian partner and AMH SSC, whereby, Fanshawe College will share their expertise in the training of trainers and other fields in the skilling process.

This will result in availability of larger number of Quality Master Trainers which in turn, will ensure quality training in skilling in the apparel sector.

Dr Sakthivel also signed another MoU with Husain F Neemuchwala of the Canada India Education Council (CIEC) to access expertise in the field of skilling in the apparel sector.

CIEC accepting CARE applications

CIEC accepting CARE applications

CARE agents enjoy many benefits.  CIEC invites you to visit our website for a detailed overview of the CARE process and benefits.

Benefits include:

  • Use of the CARE logo, CARE certificate, and goodwill of the CIEC brand
  • Use of Toronto ‘Rep’ Office
  • Access to training provided by Department of Foreign Affiars (DFAIT) & attend CIEC webinars
  • Online exposure on our website & social media outlets and regular mentions in our email campaigns and ‘Disha’ newsletter, distributed to over 19 000 key education stakeholders in both countries
  • Reduced registration fee to our annual Synergy networking event and one-night FREE stay in Toronto
  • Student airport pickup (coming soon)
  • Grow your network while becoming part of an established network & gain recognition amongst Canadian Colleges & Universities
  • Membership fees range from $1500 to $2500 for a 3 year period and the approval process takes between 4 to 6 months.  If you have any questions or comments, please direct them to [email protected].

We look forward to working with you in growing your brand while promoting ethical student recruitment in the burgeoning Canada-India education corridor.

Download the Application Form

Canada to Launch New CARE for Indians

Charu Sudan Kasturi, Hindustan Times New Delhi, February 16, 2011

Thousands of Indian students applying to Canadian universities may no longer run the risk of a Tri-Valley University (TVU) repeat under a unique plan aimed at students concerned after recent instances of fraud abroad. The Canada India Education Council (CIEC), which coordinates educational ties between the two countries, plans to launch CARE, an agent certification process, this July ahead of the Fall 2011 academic session. Around 12,000 Indian students are currently studying in Canada.

Senior Canadian government officials have told HT that the Federal government is backing the initiative that it hopes will help Canada emerge an alternate destination for Indian students seeking to study abroad.

“Students in India are worried about studying abroad after the TVU scam and the recent instances of fraud and race attacks in Australia. We believe that if we pitch Canada appropriately, we can show Indian students that our country is a very attractive alternative,” a senior Canadian official said.

The CARE process will allow Indian students keen on studying in Canada to ensure that education agents are certified, CIEC Executive Director Husain F Neemuchwala said.

The CIEC-modeled on the lines of the United States India Education Foundation (USIEF)- is particularly critical for Indo-Canadian ties because Canada does not have a federal education department. Education is managed by each Province. The CIEC is an NGO, but is supported by the Canadian Government.

But Canada is keenly pushing its education as a major source of revenue- to be earned from foreign students. India at present falls behind China, the US, Mexico and a handful of other countries in the number of students it sends to Canada.

Agent certification launched in India: CIEC

Source: thepienews.com

The Canada India Education Council (CIEC) has launched a certification programme that recognises quality and ethical practice among education agents involved in Canada-India exchange.

Indian Canadian Advisors Representing Excellence (CARE) is the only bespoke certification system of its kind and aims to establish rules on agent practice; increase accountability; and make it easier for Indian agents to find Canadian universities and colleges appropriate for their students through its membership database.

CEO of CIEC, Husain F. Neemuchwala, said: ”The time couldn’t be better with the tremendous activity back and forth in the Canada-India corridor over the past two or three years. While we have done a lot of good work promoting the corridor, much work still needs to be done to make sure we reach full potential.”

The certification process, aimed to certify agencies working with Canadian institutions, places high emphasis on transparency, requires agents to be upfront about hidden fees and consistent in how they represent themselves to students.

Agents are reported to have reacted positively to the system since launch, with 60 already hoping for certification once pilot tests are finished. However, Neemuchwala emphasises that CIEC is not aiming for rapid growth.

“Quality over quantity is the premise on which CARE was created. If not colleges and universities can Google [search] and look up agents themselves. The whole idea is to create a smaller number of validated and certified agents that we can stand behind,” he said.

CARE also promises institutions a streamlined recruitment process, greater exposure to the best of the Indian agency market, and information on student trends. Neemuchwala said, “As CARE gets more momentum, things will improve not just for specific colleges and university members but the industry in general. There are people who don’t like to use agents but this might change their minds.

“And for people who generally use agents but aren’t happy with their services, this might open doors to other options for them.”

The certification process takes between four to six months to complete and certification lasts two years. In that time agents can use the CARE promotional materials, will be listed on the CIEC website, and will gain greater access to CIEC member universities and colleges among other benefits.

Founded in 2010, CIEC is an event-driven, membership organisation. CARE is open to CIEC agent members at no cost and for a fee to non-members. The extent of non-member access to the comprehensive agent listings is yet to be determined.