Canada India Education Information & Networking Opportunities
Source: Indiaedunews, 20 November 2010
HR Development Minister Mr. Kapil Sibal addressed the promotion of vocational training in addition to the XII class syllabus to students during the 19th general body meeting of the National Institute of Open Schooling Society (NIOS). He advised implementing strategies for states that need maximum support. NIOS is an autonomous institution formed by HRD ministry for providing formal education through open schooling system.
Confident, Optimistic, Career Oriented and Socially Connected – Yes, this article relates to Indian Youth.
TCS polled over 10,000 school students between the ages of 12 and 18 across 11 cities in India during 2009‐10 to understand the emerging trends for their second annual “The Web Generation 2.0 Survey”. Key results suggest that India’s youth are more likely to possess a mobile phone, seamlessly progress towards mobile internet, prefer spending time online and embrace social networking sites in a uniquely Indian way.
In terms of education preferences, though they have a pre‐conceived notion that the grass is greener abroad, many students have been considerable to the values of Indian education as well. Although young, they are focused on building key innovative skills and expect substantial salaries while considering future career opportunities.
Statistics illustrate that nearly half of India’s total population are under the age of 20, i.e. about 459 million, and are classified as youth (source: NCEAR).
According to Mr. Ajoy Mukherjee, VP Head, Global Human Resources, this sizeable generation would play an incredibly significant role in taking the nation in a positive direction.
He stated that the survey would not only help TCS choose the cream of the lot, but also provide guidance on communicating with this part of socially connected India.
Survey highlights elucidate that Google (85%) and Wiki (77%) are the ways of life for the students to source information. Home internet access is significant at 86% in the Metro and 79% in Mini Metro areas. 85% of them are ‘hooked’ on to one or more social networking sites. It should be noted that there are more Orkut users (71%) than Facebook (65%) users. It is not surprising that IT (81 %) & Engineering (80%) are conside
KontentEdge believes in working not only to deliver solutions for our clients, but also to innovatively evolve those solutions. Our team members have vast industry experience, technical and development. Some team members have been trainers in the past and that makes them proficient in identifying the need of the learning audience along with the correct methodology to develop instructions for training. We yearn to take on challenges to develop new and innovative solutions.
While developing content, we conceptually and intuitively understand how people learn and then brainstorm innovative instructional strategies. We can visualize instructional graphics, the user interface, interactions, and the finished product. We are able to meld minds with Subject Matter Experts to develop content.
Maple Leaf EduConnect aims to link educational institutes in Canada and India, serving as a reference for schools and students to simplify the process of studying abroad.
With their aim to be the most-trusted source of information in their field, they do not rely on secondary information nor do they represent any particular institutes. Instead, their extensively trained staff aim to give personalized advice that keeps all options open—including countries other than Canada.
PricewaterhouseCoopers specializes in advisory, tax, and regulatory services with a network of offices across 158 countries. PwC India is a firm working to provide organizations with informed and well-researched solutions for every type of business-related concerns. Listening to different points of view, they provide advice and guidance to maximize and identify opportunities for growth in every sector, no matter their location.
Scotiabank is the third largest bank in Canada offering a variety of services including commercial, corporate, personal, and investment banking. They have developed a reputation as a patroon of the arts and for sponsoring a great numbers of events and initiatives. In Canada, they are the main sponsor of Toronto’s Scotiabank Nuit Blanche, the Giller book prize, Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival, and have provided buildings to two Ontario universities. Scotiabank has established five branches in India with one in Mumbai, New Delhi, Coimbatore, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
After meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on April 15th, Foreign Affairs Parliamentary Secretary Deepak Obhrai and the Honourable Senator Vim Kochhar issued a call for “inputs, thoughts and any suggestions you may have” to further the role of the South Asian community in Canada.
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in Ottawa, Ontario — the capital of Canada. Since its foundation in 1942 as Ontario’s first private, non-denominational college, occupying rented premises, the University has grown to become a public institution with upwards of 65 areas of study. Carleton has built a strong reputation in many fields — including engineering, humanities, international business, and across the Faculty of Public Affairs (e.g. international affairs, journalism, legal studies, political science, and public policy & administrations).
Located in the pristine province of British Columbia, the College of the Rockies is a public, community college offering a variety of programs both in-class and online. Just a few years ago, the college announced their four-year Bachelor of Business Administration—a proud milestone for the 35 year old school.
Located just outside of Toronto, Durham College was founded in 1967 with 14 staff members and barely 200 students. They have since evolved to include two main campuses and, through successful partnerships with York & Trent Universities, the establishment of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (OUIT) in 2003. Durham and OUIT share campuses and facilities, making it easier for students to pursue both a degree and a diploma in a variety of programs.
EduWorld works to help students hoping to study aborad through every step of the way—from choosing programs and schools to planning viasas and funding. The agency was formed by two individuals who studied abroad themselves and, due to this, the agency prides themselves on their sensitivity to students’ needs, supplying accurate and complete information to their customers. They work hard to provide the best service possible.
As one of the World’s successful Immigration and Education companies, Global Guide is built on a legacy of delivering excellence through in-depth knowledge, world-class infrastructure and comprehensive resettlement packages consisting of study, immigration, travel and settlement services.
Global Guide has qualified immigration lawyers, accredited immigration consultants, ex-immigration officers and experienced counselors to help our clients secure visas, guaranteeing our rate of success continues to be excellent with the highest levels of service.
Here at Global Guide, your personal and professional needs are kept into consideration before recommending a visa for you. We offer students a choice of thousands of courses at various leading educational institutions in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Europe, Singapore and United States of America. With ample experience, world-class infrastructure and state of art technology, you can expect service beyond expectations from us. We give one stop solutions to people interested in settling abroad.
Our Vision
Global Guide is committed to being most effective service provider in the immigration field with a passion to be successful every time, in every case, thereby ensuring total customers’ satisfaction.
Our Mission
Global Guide is a company headed by professionally qualified and licensed consultants to handle all our clients’ needs to study, work or settle abroad. Our goal shall be to ensure our ability to meet the demands of our clients and our commitment to be a leader in immigration services across the globe. We assist our clients to turn their dreams into reality and bring them everlasting smiles.
Our Values
Global Guide is committed to serve its clients with high standards and ethics as laid by the law or governing bodies, embassies or institutions. We endeavour to work within a corporate culture that values customer satisfaction, accountability, problem solving, integrity and confidentiality. To achieve our vision, we have a workforce that is increasingly skilled, motivated and committed to dynamic leadership. We’re responsive to social responsibilities and shall initiate and contribute our part to any efforts to make this world a better place to live in.
Keys to Success
Provide unparalleled service to gain clients’ trust and satisfaction. Build up strong network in source countries. Updated knowledge of changes in immigration laws and international student recruitment policies.
That is why Global Buide promises to hold the hands of young and ambitious immigration aspirants, students, professionals and migrants and help them walk their way to success.
Located in Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Haliburton, and Cobourg. The college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Science, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Services, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 68,000 alumni.
Guiding Star Canada Inc is committed to working with students in India to enable them to get the proper guidance in their pursuit of higher education in British Columbia. Guiding Star Canada Inc is also actively involved in promoting colleges and Universities exclusively from British Columbia in Southern parts of India.
With the expertise and in depth knowledge about International Education, we offer you in a platter, the best in education by the top rated universities and colleges in Canada. The tedious process of admissions and visa clearance are the responsibilities of a dedicated team at Guiding Star Canada Inc whose mission is to provide honest services to the aspiring students who approach us.
Humber College is a polytechnic institute with three campuses in and around Toronto. Since its inception in 1967, the school has expanded to offer over 150 programs spanning 40 fields of study, awarding everything from apprenticeships and diplomas to post-graduate certificates and bachelor’s degrees—the latter in conjunction with the University of Guelph.
Due to the popularity of the school, many current and successful industry professionals are in fact alumni of Humber College.
Jupiter Study Abroad Consultants now one of North India’s reputable international education consultancies. Jupiter Study Abroad Consultants has been helping Indian students to study abroad for over 13 years. Since 2001 we have established ourselves as reliable providers of education and career counseling services, while placing several hundred students in accredited colleges and universities around the world. We have PIER qualified counselors in our office. We offer students the choice of Universities, TAFE colleges and private college throughout Australia. Jupiter Study Abroad Consultants are a member of The Association of Australian Government making Jupiter Study Abroad Consultants one of the few agents in India who has e-Visa lodgment authority in the past.
Kangaroo Studies has been offering educational consultancy services since 1995, working with some of the world’s most prestigious institutions and forging connections in countries like Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Ireland, Switzerland, Singapore, and Dubai. Though the first office opened in New Delhi, seven more offices have been opened in northern India since. With an expert staff and offices all within 500 km, Kangaroo Studies has achieved many accolades in different fields as well as discerning strengths and capabilities. They strive to be one of the best sources of the most authentic and accurate information for students and parents and work hard to help students evaluate the best available alternatives around the globe for earning professional qualifications.
Education is their passion, not just their business.
The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences is a Toronto, Ontario based post-secondary institution that was established in 1958. Their motto is “Better Experience, Best Education” as they deliver in-hospital training and work to advance research and improve the health of the community and the world.
The Michener Institute offers a variety of full-time and continuing education programs spanning many fields of study. They also offer Bachelor Degrees in conjunction with University of Toronto, Laurentian University, and Dalhousie University.
The Ontario Principals’ Council (OPC) is a voluntary professional association representing 5,000 practising school leaders in elementary and secondary schools across Ontario. We believe that exemplary leadership results in outstanding schools and improved student achievement. We foster quality leadership through world-class professional services and supports, striving to continuously achieve “quality leadership – our principal product.”
As an ISO 9001 compliant organization, the OPC’s mission is to promote and develop exemplary leadership for student success in Ontario’s schools. The design and delivery of its training and professional learning programs and the provision of support services have obtained this internationally recognized standard for quality management.
The OPC offers a broad range of opportunities dedicated exclusively to the professional development and certification of principals, vice-principals and supervisory officials. In addition to the design and provision of accreditation programs, the OPC has developed customized programs for school administrators in Canada and around the world. A key role of the principal and vice-principal is the monitoring and support for teachers in implementing standards-based education that maximizes teaching and learning opportunities for every child.
Education Leadership Canada (ELC), a division of OPC, has accredited over 8000 principals in Ontario since the beginning of the accreditation program in 2000 and has licensed over 750 supervisory officials since the start of the certification program in 2002. With this, the OPC is one of Canada’s foremost training organizations for school leaders, as well as the largest provider of principal certification programs in Ontario. These certification programs are now recognized by both Ontario and International Universities.
The OPC works very closely with the Ministry of Education in Ontario to ensure that school leaders have the required practices, skills and attitudes to maximize learning conditions for all students. The Ministry of Education also consults and contracts with the OPC on a continuous and frequent basis. As a professional association, the OPC is able to design, develop and deliver professional learning that is practical, scholarly and current. All branches of the Ministry of Education work with the OPC, as do the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT), the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), Faculties of Education, all curriculum associations, Ontario Education Research Strategy and all school districts across the province.
Reyna Overseas is a leading Foreign Educational Consultant based in Gujarat, where it was established in 2008. They work to connect Indian students with the best courses, universities or colleges, and countries for their area of interest regardless of their background, providing visa advice and IELTS coaching. Focusing on Australia, New Zeland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, Reyna Overseas guarantees the best services for their students.
The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute is a Canadian registered charity working to create binational links in academia, business, and government by funding research and seminars. They provide grants, internships, fellowships, and other forms of first-hand experience in India and in Canada as well as connecting the Indian community abroad to Canadian institutions.
SA Associates Canada Inc ( SAA ) is a Non Governmental Educational Organization, (NGO) operating in the field of education in Canada, which was founded at first in Bangladesh in 1997 by the heads of the Foreign Department of several leading education establishments in Canada in order to increase and simplify the admission of students from foreign shores to them (educational establishments). The rectors of major universities and other professorial staff of educational establishments are in the advisory board of SAA. During the past ten years, over 1200 students studying through the SAA in various fields.Recognized for quality, TWU has received seven consecutive A+ rankings for Quality of Teaching and Learning, holds three Canada Research Chairs, and wins national championships in U Sports sports.
More importantly, lives are changed at TWU through its whole-person, Christ-centred approach to education. With a wide array of undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree-completion programs, TWU equips leaders of character and competence to make a positive impact in the lives of others.
“Honesty, Sincerity, Quality” is our motto.
Our mission is to fulfill the aspirations of our students with sincere and honest efforts. Founded by Pankaj Sethi, a leading overseas education consultant, to help guide you about several universities and colleges around the world. We have won the hearts of countless students by delivering them quality and honest services. The happiness on their faces is our reward.
Singh Foundation offers a unique perspective on foreign exchange and education travel. Their team is managed by young but highly qualified individuals from some of the most reputed institutions in India. Singh Foundation works hard to provide professional, ethical, and quality services by partnering with colleges and universities around the world and ensuring up-to-date information for their clients.
Sophiya Consultants established in 1997 to provide quality education to students wishing to study in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. Offering full support for studying abroad, their careful attention to each case has earned the firm Best Education Consultant in Patiala, Chandigarh, Punjab, and India. Sophiya Consultants covers every detail, from attaining Visas to finding a place to stay as well as career guidance, test preparation, and a number of other services to help students on their way.
StudyPlus Consultants is a fast-emerging brand name in student education & immigration counseling. StudyPlus’ mission is to provide the best services in the industry. Our thoroughly professional team helps students chose the right course of study and country and also guides them with regard to the formalities of immigration and Visa application. We strive to do our best in providing aids in learning English and preparing for tests. We have our own StudyPlus School of Learning, where every year we train around 1000 students for IELTS, TOEFL, PTE and Spoken English classes. We have an ETS approved TOEFL-iBT Testing centre in Jalandhar and a branch office at Phagwara.
Tarun Arora, Managing Director, is a PIER Certified Qualified Education Agent Counsellor, C-164, (Aug 2007) and an AAERI Member since 2009. Every year StudyPlus Consultants recruits over 100 students for different countries UK, Australia, Canada, NZ , USA and Singapore. We represent over 100 universities and colleges around the world and recruit students for the same.
We are members of other reputed international Agent Associations such as NAFSA Member (USA), ICEF Member (Germany) and are a Weba Member (Switzerland).
With the growing scope of education overseas and the number of opportunities that arise with education, we will see an increasing trend of students wishing to enroll in foreign universities and reputed colleges. The trend helps them understand different cultures and make them ready for the global competition.
At Sunrise, our foundation was laid on the grounds of Ethics and Integrity. We believe in building relationships of trust. In providing our service, we understand that our clients invest immense trust in us; respecting this association, we do not under any circumstance compromise on integrity.
It lies in the organization’s value system that we provide world-class service. The team at Sunrise has been trained to process each case with utmost mindfulness and a holistic insight, through which we consistently achieve high standards of quality when it comes to delivery of service.
With over 20 years of experience as well as a dedicated and empowered team of professionals, Sunrise provides a plethora of services to its clients (B2C) as well as Institutional Partners (B2B).
With over 12 years of experience in assisting students desirous of Studying Abroad, Touchstone can fulfill your aspirations and make the whole experience a cherishing one. At Touchstone you will explore a world of global learning opportunities, dedicated faculty, pro-active career counselors, useful knowledge base and an environment that fosters knowledge sharing and self development.
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Located in Guelph, Ontario, the University of Guelph was founded in 1964 combining the Ontario Veterinary College, Ontario Agricultural College, and the MacDonald Institute. In 2002, a university-college partnership was arranged with Humber College and opened on their North Campus in Toronto, Ontario.
The University has grown to serve more than 21,000 students and staff members and offers more than 94 undergraduate, 48 graduate, and 6 associate degrees across a variety of disciplines.
Due to its origins in agriculture and veterinary science, students are particularly attracted to these two areas of study.
“The University of Guelph has also been ranked 50 among the top 100 universities under 50 years old by Times Higher Education.”
Founded in 1911 as a high school and gaining full university status in 1934, the University of Regina is located in the capital of Saskatchewan. The publicly-funded research school has earned a reputation for its experiential learning, encouraging internships and professional and co-operative placements in more than forty programs.
The largest university in the province, the University of Saskatchewan was founded in 1907 on the premise of providing a higher education to everyone regardless of gender, race, creed, or religion. It formed as an agricultural university but has since expanded to include more than 200 programs of study. As a research university, the University can claim credit for the discoveries of sulphate-resistant cement and the cobalt-60 cancer treatment unit.
Focusing on overseas education, the Valmiki Group was established in 2001 by leading professionals in the field. They have since become an internationally recognized support system for students seek education abroad. The Group works to provide the highest quality services available, to satisfy their clients’ needs, and to deliver exceptional value by means of their specially recruited and motivated staff. They offer coaching for many of the standard tests including the GRE, IELTS, TOEFL, GMAT, and SAT as well as seminars in other relevant areas.
They also work to improve their immediate community and are firmly committed to their Corporate Social Responsibility, seeking to make a meaningful difference through education and the assistance of underprivileged youths and children. This branch of activity is managed by the Valmiki Foundation who strives to ” enrich the quality of life of the community especially the underprivileged children and [to] preserve ecological balance and heritage through a string environmental conscience.”
Located in the beautiful Fraser Valley just east of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) is a fully accredited, public university that enrolls approximately 15,000 students per year. UFV has campuses and locations in Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, and Hope, and a growing presence in Chandigarh, India.
UFV is large enough to offer variety, and yet small class sizes allow you to get to know your instructors and learn in a hands-on environment. We offer more than 100 programs, including two master’s degrees, 19 bachelor’s degrees, majors, minors, and extended minors in more than 30 subject areas, and more than a dozen trades and technology programs.
4th Floor, Plot No. 3, Sai Enclave
Sector-23, Dwarka
Delhi, India
Phone: +91 87087 22424
VJ Job one of the reputed as best Education and Recruiting Agents in India, an approved Manpower Agency by Ministry of External Affairs Govt. of India, and an ISO certified consultancy for overseas manpower recruitment and the complete staffing services solutions. VJ Job distinguished themselves by consistently providing end to end solution by providing guidance services to students, parents, other educational organizations regarding academic matters and placements to overseas market.
As a second generation business, we carry over years of experience in Manpower Supply, especially for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Finland, Romania, Poland and other countries with a reputation of value-based excellence and a basket of reputed clients VJ Job Company (Approved from Ministry of External affairs-Govt. of India) which provide assistance to find a course that matches with student’s interests and give placements which benefits candidates for their future endeavors. Customer delight is our lifeline and we achieve this with complete transparency to all our activities.
Devoted to simplicity, we ensure that every experience and touch point with us is exceptional, be it for the overseas employers or potential job seekers. Welcome to a world where integrity meets quality and perfection meets you.
West Highlander is a professionally managed Organization, having business sourced from all over South Asia. We represent more than 150 world class Universities/Colleges in 6 Countries. Our main business areas are – Study Abroad. We provide exclusive and world class Education Information Services. We have a team of qualified professional having rich experience in Education & Immigration Industry. We aim at providing solutions and guidance to our clients pertaining to issues like, Course, University/College Selection, Admission, Visa Services, Travel, Accommodation Services, Pre-landing Orientation & Post Landing Support.
Conceptualized in 2004 with the intent of providing professional and holistic services in the field of Overseas Education and Study visa, Western Overseas Pvt. Ltd. today fills an important role working in the Education Consultancy sector of Haryana. Offering security and reliability during a transitionary period full of risks, Western Overseas Pvt. Ltd. works to ease Indian students through the process of pursuing an education abroad. They offer test preparation lessons for IELTS, TOEFL, BULATS, and CAE as well as other skill enhancing services and advice.
The University of Western Ontario, recently renamed to Western University, is a publicly funded research hospital in London, Ontario. It was founded in 1878 and is today among the top universities in Canada, boasting tremendous facilities—like research labs and teaching hospitals—and a strong education in every field.
Adjacent to the main campus are three associated colleges: King’s University College, Huron University College, and Brescia University College.
“Welcome to CIEC’s Student Portal. It has been designed to assist with the growing numbers of student interested in studying in Canada. Through this portal, you can enjoy a network of shared knowledge between Canadian institutions and prospective students and to use the forum to engage in live discussion with students like you.
You will be introduced to the universities and colleges of Canada, as well as its culture, geography, and testimonials. We can help you with day-to-day concerns like banking, employment, and accommodation.
The CIEC Student Portal is a constantly evolving and improving and we welcome your feedback. Please let us know of any information or resources you would like to be made available.”
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AUCC adds a write up about their member universities/colleges but this may only be applicable for some member classes.
Academic Members page needs link/button to Virtual Tours. Maybe even animated gif. You can make them in photoshop.
Read the Memorandum of Understanding here, signed a the G20, recognizing education as ‘an area of new momentum.’
FICCI’s Higher Education Summit in New Delhi will feature keynotes by India’s Union Minister for Human Resource Development & Communication, Hon. Kapil Sibal and University of Toronto’s Prof. David Naylor.
Date: October 28,2010
Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Location: 5140 Yonge St, 16th floor, Toronto, ON M2N 6L7 (North York Subway)
| 4:00 - 4:03 p.m. | Welcome address by Kam Rathee, CEO, CIEC |
| 4:03 - 4:06 p.m. | Inaugural remarks by Husain F Neemuchwala, COO, CIEC |
| 4:06 - 4:10 p.m. | Vote of thanks by Anil Chawla, Deloitte. of India, Toronto |
| 4:10 - 4:27 p.m. | Delegate introductions by Dr. G Mewani, Education Secretary, MEDC |
| 4:27 - 4:30 p.m. | Ontario’s India initiatives by John Shalagan, Sr. Policy Advisor, MTCU, Province of Ontario |
| 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. | Networking reception |
Kindly RSVP by October 25, 2010 by emailing [email protected].
With half a billion English-speaking youth under age 25, about 18,000 PSE institutions, and a participation rate of just 12%, India represents an immense potential market for colleges and universities worldwide. Canadian recruitment efforts in India have doubled in recent years, but plans for satellite campuses may be discouraged by the pending Bill 57 in the Indian parliament, which will prevent institutions from repatriating any of the surpluses generated by their Indian operations. Noted scholars, politicians and key academics presented interesting perspectives and directives for the future. With a focus on key academic areas of co-operation and partnerships, Synergy 2010 provided updates from India regarding the entry for foreign education providers (Bill 57) as well as the recently signed MOU in education between Canada and India at the G20 held in Toronto. Noted academic experts from both countries discussed recent developments and exciting opportunities as several illustrious speakers opined on the ongoing engagement as we move forward.
CIEC is a bi-national, independent, event-driven, membership-based organization established to operate exclusively in the ‘Canada India education corridor’, enhance ties and create opportunities for academic institutions. Since 2007, the Synergy Conference series has successfully brought hundreds of Canadian institutions together to discuss common objectives, challenges and opportunities and by conducting partner events with institutions such as FICCI, AUCC, CBIE, SICI & ACCC, CIEC has brought specialists from specific academic areas and presented joint partnership opportunities. CIEC already counts several respected organizations and institutions from both countries as its members.
The conference was opened by Hon. Pierre S. Pettigrew, PC who chairs the Canada India Education Council (CIEC), and he began by telling us about the unique nature of Canada, as one country comprised of several nations. He reminded us that by 2050, six of the largest economies of the world will be Asian. Our governments have to put a lot of money into health, but education is far more important for the future of our society — it is what we owe, not to those who have contributed to our society, but to those who will contribute to it in the future.
Kam Rathee, CIEC President, expressed the hope that this council, like education, could serve as a bridge between cultures and countries. He described the plan to create a mirror image organization in India to link the CIEC’s efforts across the Pacific. Husain F. Neemuchwala, CIEC’s COO, elaborated on the plan to establish three offices in Mumbai, and touched on the government of Ontario’s objective to increase international student enrollment, especially from India. CMEC is working with Ottawa to reduce barriers to Indian students.
Senator Consiglio Di Nino, the former chair of the standing committee on Foreign Affairs, delivered the opening keynote remarks. He stated from the outset that the CIEC is one of the most important initiatives in Canada’s relationship with India. He sees plenty of room for improvement — “the two countries have woken up, but they still need to get out of bed.” Up until 2010, we have issued about 8,000 student visas — “shamefully” few. The Indian middle class is larger than the entire population of the EU, and the university student population will double to 30 million in several years — there are immense opportunities for Canadian education.
Concordia professor emeritus Dr. Balbir Sahni delivered the inaugural address on cross-border education and the new Bill 57, which will pave the way for foreign universities in India. Although India has committed to spend 5% of GDP on education, only 0.37% is spent on higher education domestically, while $13 billion is spent by students going abroad. There is a significant deficiency in higher education capacity in India. Currently, India is the source of 5% of all international students worldwide (15% come from China) and most study in the US, UK, France, Germany & Australia. Canada attracts just 4% of international students. Since 2000, the flow of Indian students into Canada has increased from 1,000 to more than 6,000 students. Sahni sees great opportunity for joint grad studies, twinning of institutions, industry linkages, vocational training collaborations, and publicprivate partnerships. India will benefit from the establishment of foreign universities in India, so long as fees are affordable for Indian families, and overly generous salaries do not drain faculty from existing institutions in India.
Claude Bibeau of DFAIT spoke about the MOU on Higher Education Cooperation signed between Canada and India at the G20 summit in Toronto. The MOU creates a framework for exchanges, awards, partnerships and mobility of students and scholars between institutions in the two countries. Meetings with India are swift and very businesslike, but a challenge is that Canadian education has very decentralized budgets, and it takes significant time to put millions of dollars on the table. UK and Australia have opened well-funded offices in India, and can negotiate in a coordinated and centralized way. DFAIT has a $12 million scholarship program, and has been allocating 50 scholarships to Indian grad students studying in Canada, as well as the Vanier scholarships and the new $70,000 Banting fellowship. 73,000 students from Canada and around the world participate in the International Youth Program annually.
Jean-Philippe Tachdjian of Edu-Canada / DFAIT summarized recent developments in India, and the negative incidents in Australia which led to considerable bad press. The UK high commission was subsequently overwhelmed with Indian requests for study permits, so Canada has become the next destination of choice. “Our competitors have stumbled,” but now we need to be cautious that we learn from the Australian example, and attract the right students and potential migrants to Canada. The 2009 closure of CECN has led to a more direct role for DFAIT in promotion activities, but has meant the closure of 3 offices in India that were convenient and well-staffed. DFAIT hasn’t done nearly enough to promote the Edu-Canada brand, but clearly needs more resources. Nonetheless, we have seen 125% growth in enrollments from India in the past two years. DFAIT urges Canadian institutions to share their alumni lists for India with the Canadian High Commission, because alumni will be our best ambassadors.
Faisal Beg, the Canadian Trade Commissioner in New Delhi, presented the latest on Bill 57, which is still being deliberated. There are over 18,000 PSE institutions in India, and about 400 universities, and yet the participation rate is less than 12%, which is about half the world average. There are a number of foreign providers operating in India already, but without an effective regulatory regime to maintain standards. Bill 57 will allow institutions with more than 20 years standing to apply, but they will not be permitted to offer distance education and must deliver programs in India that are consistent with the programs in their home countries. Existing foreign operators in India will have to reapply under the new regime. No repatriation of funds will be permitted: 75% of funds can be ploughed back into operations, and 25% must be deposited as “corpus” with the Indian government as a form of collateral. (In effect, under this bill there will be every financial incentive for Canadian institutions to recruit students away from India, but a financial disincentive to establish any satellite campuses in India.)
UWO’s Dr. Lalu Mansinha gave a progress report on the Ontario-Maharashtra-Goa exchange partnership, a 2 way exchange of about 75 students each year. The Ontario Council of Academic VPs (OCAV) runs similar exchanges other countries under the auspices of Ontario Universities International (OUI). The exchange is about the reciprocal flow of knowledge — not just disciplinary expertise, but cultural understanding as well. About 50 students receive a stipend each year, but a significant benefit is that international tuition fees are waived. India has many institutions, but they are also often very large: the University of Pune, the “Oxford of the East”, has more than 400,000 students. There is now growing interest in the idea of faculty exchange and research collaboration.
Husain F. Neemuchwala returned to the podium to tell us how to “Maximize Your ROI (Return on India)” with out of the box recruitment solutions. Right now Canada invests about $1 million as a country in a sector that brings in $6.5 billion — this is inadequate. CIEC recommends pre-planned high school drop-in visits, alumni networking receptions, agents, fairs, and social networking — not just Facebook but also Orkut, Ishstyle and others. Over 100,000 Indians currently go overseas to study. About 1/3rd of 1 billion people are under age 30. CIEC has members from both countries and is poised to become the ‘GO TO’ organizations within the Canada-India landscape and currently operates the Synergy conference, Ed-Mission tours to India and “UnFairs” (HS Counselor visits) in India, and will open rep offices in 3 cities by 2011. It is also working to create a $1 million scholarship pool to attract Indian students. Having an “appearance” in India is not enough — Canadian institutions need an ongoing “presence” on the ground in India.
York University’s Dr. Alan Middleton urged Canadian higher education to make a lot more NOISE to gain brand awareness overseas. Despite institutional budget cuts, we need to remember that “you can’t cut your way to growth.” Increasing participation rates domestically will only hurt quality, the Canadian population is aging, government funding is dropping, and raising tuition is not sustainable. We need to stop treating education as something only for young people, and should abolish the expression “continuing education.” We should all be in the business of lifelong learning, especially in an emerging market like India. Canada is currently a tortoise moving at a snail’s pace, with a minimal market share. We can’t wait for the federal government to make the difference when education is a provincial responsibility. This isn’t just an international competition for revenue — who will be the top educational players globally in the future? We need to be oriented to the world of the future — an Asian future.
Rajiv Mathur, of Deloitte Consulting, addressed the financial and tax implications of establishing satellite campuses in India. The PSE market in India will grow to $80 billion within a few years, and there are already half a billion Indians under age 25. Salaries and consulting fees can be paid to Canadians, within certain limits, but are subject to taxes of 10- 20%. There are apparently some ways to “unlock” the surplus generated in India for other purposes, Rajiv implied and could be reached directly at Deloitte for further elaboration.
York University’s Dr. Sheila Embleton moderated an open floor discussion about Canadian institutions operating in India. Currently, virtually no-one at the conference has operations on the ground in India (except York’s Schulich School of Business), but several have plans to do so, including the Ivey School of Business, and Concordia U. Professionals educated in India will ultimately emigrate to Canada and other “aging” countries to meet their future labour market needs — so in effect, our institutions can consider going to India as educating future Canadians. Engineering accreditations need to be more flexible.
Prof. Deep Saini, the principal of uToronto Mississauga, gave us “a view from the top,” which he assured us meant “the top of his head.” He was previously involved in establishing the UAE campus for uWaterloo, and is currently helping to develop a new India strategy for the UofT. UofT is interested in becoming the “backup” research university for industry in Canada and in India, and has even contemplated a UofT Delhi. India has some outstanding institutions in specific disciplines, but not world class comprehensive institutions like UofT. UofT feels a sense of global social responsibility to affect the ethos of education in India, beyond science and technology and into liberal arts. Canada and India share an immense amount of common values as countries and societies. There is plenty of local capital available to build a campus in India, but a shortage of common purpose and governance — India can be more like a country with 1.1 billion individual goals and objectives. There is an increasing power of the private sector that is gradually affecting public sector governance, and India will likely resolve its governance issues soon.
(L-R) Hon. Pierre S Pettigrew, Chairman CIEC; Husain F. Neemuchwala, COO &Executive Director, CIEC; Canadian Senator Consiglio Di Nino &Kam Rathee, President, CIEC
(L-R) Hon. Pierre S Pettigrew, Chairman CIEC; Husain F. Neemuchwala, COO &Executive Director, CIEC; Kam Rathee, President, CIEC &Canadian Senator Consiglio Di Nino
Braj Sinha and Rick Butler of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute put forward an action plan in light of the MOU signed by Canada and India at the G20 Summit. Many of the specific initiatives articulated in the MOU are things that Shastri has been doing for decades and have recommitted to doing under the new MOU. Shastri is planning to host 8 regional workshops across Canada and India to enhance India studies in Canada and vice-versa. Shastri is also planning to launch a new web portal to engage and connect its member institutions, to include a speakers bureau, a searchable discussion forum, a broad communications channel to trumpet accomplishments, and a centralized data repository with instant reporting capacity.
Taras Kulish, the country director for HOPE Worldwide of Canada, spoke about “educational offsets” in India. Institutions looking to educate Indians may not be addressing the question, “what are you giving back to India?” Like carbon offsets, educational offsets are a humanitarian concept to create corresponding opportunities in India for every international student coming to Canada. HOPE proposes that institutions donate $250 to an Indian institution for every fee-paying international student from India. There are currently 30 HOPE Foundation schools in India, and Canadian institutions can effectively “adopt” a HOPE Foundation school through these offsets.
Academica Group’s Ken Steele announced a new international student prospect research study, to launch this winter in partnership with CIEC and Maple Leaf EduConnect. The ISPR will assemble an online research panel of thousands of prospective international students in India, and hundreds of high school principals and counsellors, and will gather market intelligence much like Academica’s longrunning UCAS applicant study does in North America, where it is the largest and most comprehensive PSE consumer research study. The new ISPR will focus on India, and interested college, university, or government departments will be able to participate in the project steering committee and obtain high-level research results for a small nominal fee. Participating institutions will also gain exclusive access to in-depth data and a series of ongoing market research reports. Ken also shared interesting data drawn from Indian applicants to Canadian universities in the 2010 UCAS study.
Harris Rosen and Alan Wolfish, from Fogler Rubinoff LLP, spoke on global change and business opportunities in private PSE. They represent private career colleges and private degree-granting institutions. Vocational training schools typically re-skill disadvantaged students and give them a new lease on life. The US Department of Labour projects the top growth sectors in the next 10 years to be IT, Healthcare, professional and business services. Canada could learn a lot from the US in the way it gathers national statistics. The Federal/Provincial division of jurisdictions affects Canada’s ability to create a national brand, and while education is a provincial jurisdiction, immigration is a federal one. They also act for a number of foreign investors interested in acquiring Canadian career colleges.
Gail Bowkett, senior policy analyst at AUCC, spoke about AUCC’s upcoming presidential mission to India. Truly global universities need to be engaged with India, and there are over 100 bilateral agreements in place. AUCC wants to build the brand of Canadian education in India, and has signed an MOU with its counterpart, the AIU. 16 university presidents will be travelling to India in November to meet with key university presidents in India, business and industry leaders.
Hon. Dr. Ruby Dhalla, MP Brampton-Springdale graced the occasion by her presence at the closing of the event during the wine reception.
(Thank you to Ken Steeles of the Academica Group for contributing to this post event report).
Based on principles of strategic and penetrated marketing, the ‘unFAIR’ concept is exactly what a typical student recruiting fair is NOT. A recruiting fair involves drawing students or ‘souvenir hunters’ to an expensive banquet room in a luxury hotel, at times creating a ‘busy’ feeling. Having organized such fairs for a number of years and after listening to our clients, we created the “unFAIR” concept which is far more penetrative & targeted in terms of providing specific recruiting solutions. The “unFAIR” reverses the traditional recruiting fair and instead empowers the recruiters to visit strategically selected high schools & junior colleges to interact and engage directly with students, meet guidance counselors and possibly parents of students in a relaxed ‘town hall style’ environment to discuss career goals & how to get there.
‘unFAIR’ is distinctly different because:
The unFAIR is more targeted and penetrative leading to greater efficiencies than a Fair because:
Advantages of ‘unFAIR’ to students:
Advantage of the ‘unFAIR’ for the Indian Schools/Colleges
The university and college representatives will visit Mumbai, Pune & Delhi in India with Dubai optional on the return. There is NO additional cost to attend Dubai. Local institutions chosen have a tendency and history of sending volumes of students overseas, tend to be financially independent and are seeking International linkages, partnerships and affiliations.
The ‘unFAIR’ tours are designed to attract professional recruiters who are focused on results rather than glamour, are budget conscious, focused on student needs and adapting to developing trends in recruiting patterns internationally. It is geared toward bringing only a handful of select recruiters from Canadian Colleges & Universities.
unFAIR will take place from the 2nd of February (Tuesday) to the 11th of February (Thursday), 2010
From the 23rd of January (Saturday) to the 30st of January (Saturday), 2010.
Following the spectacular success of the inaugural “Ed-Mission” to India in November ’08, International Center for Education (ICE), Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) and the Indo-Canadian Business Chamber (ICBC) are teaming up to bring a high level delegation to key cities in India in January 2010.
The delegates will meet with key players within the Indian Government, Chief Ministers, Ministries of Education, Chambers of Commerce, Business associations & key education institutions to explore opportunities in the burgeoning Canada-India education corridor to ‘Internationalize’ Canadian education.
In Mumbai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Ahmedabad the delegates will visit Indian and Canadian government officials, visit premier educational institutions in the county and meet with the Presidents, VP’s and other high level decision makers at these institutions. Meetings planned with State Chief Ministers & education officials at the State & National level.
This Tour is designed for Presidents, VP’s, VC’s, Directors of International offices and other high level decision makers within your organization. This is NOT a recruitment tour but rather an opportunity to network with and establish key linkages with policy makers & major stakeholders in the Indian education system.
The delegation will be led by the ICCC & ICBC, and will be accompanied by former C-IBC president & current Board Member Kam Rathee and Husain F. Neemuchwala, Chair of C-IBC’s Education Committee and President of ICE.
Testimonials
Dr. Paul Byrne , MacEwan University College, Edmonton
“It is a very exciting time to be in India given the enormous opportunity for the future. The warmth of the people has been heartwarming and MacEwan is very pleased with our MOU with Welingkar and look forward to strengthen our ties with India.”
Dr. Murray Lindsay, University of Lethbridge
“Education is a key priority for the Indian government. Moreover with the globalization of business and the dawn of India becoming an economic superpower, it is important for business schools to cultivate significant relationships with Indian institutions. This mission (led by C-IBC and ICE) has provided the University of Lethbridge with the opportunity to make personal connections with institutions, gain valuable insight into the Indian educational landscape and determine how best to collaborate with Indian partners in mutually beneficial ways.”
Dr. Karim Bandali, Michener Institute
“India is a dynamic place with unmistakable and significant potential. In our ever-evolving global economy it is essential that we cultivate and develop educational opportunities for the international minds of the future. The 2008 Ed-Mission is a manifestation of just such a philosophy where the objective is to build the necessary relationships to unleash the burgeoning potential of Canada and India as nations of the 21st Century”.
Dr. Grant Gardner, Memorial University
“I’ve been very pleased at the high quality of institutions we’ve met and the enthusiasm to find out more about Canada and our programs. Memorial University is very pleased at the opportunities that Ed-Mission ’08 is providing to make links with Indian students & faculty so that we can investigate ways of working together on joint research and teaching initiatives. Even though we’ve only been only 1/3 through the mission, we have already made some excellent connections”.
Keith Taylor, Dalhousie University
“India is emerging as a world economic power and its universities and colleges are developing more and more excellent research and education programs. It is very much in the interest of Dalhousie University to develop substantial long term partnerships in key areas where there are natural fits of institutional strength. Ed-Mission’08 is proving to be a valuable aid in establishing and renewing strategic partnerships”.
Following the spectacular success of previous “Canada-India: A synergy in Education” events held in 2007 & 2008 respectively, the much anticipated sequel in 2009 will feature another education giant, CHINA.
While Synergy I brought hundreds of Canadian institutions together to discuss common India objectives, challenges and opportunities, Synergy II conducted in partnership with ACCC & FICCI brought specialists from India who discussed specific vocational areas and presented joint partnership opportunities.
Conceived by ICE Inc., a leading Canadian education event organization, this event will once again take place at the Pearson Convention Center near Toronto on September 17, 2009. Synergy ’09 not only highlights educational activities and opportunities in both countries, it presents unrivaled networking opportunities and is a must attend for Canadian Institutions and organizations interested in operating in either or both countries. This all day event will feature sessions by CBIE, ACCC, Blakes, AUCC, Academica Group, Shastri & CECN besides other distinguished speakers and will be co-hosted by two premiere business organizations, the Canada-India & Canada-China Business Council.
The design of the event is to:
Attendees will include:
Words from distinguished guests:
Stockwell Day | John Milloy | Lan Lijun | Joseph Caron | Deepak Obhrai
