According to Amit Chakma, president of [CIEC Academic Member] Western University and chair of the federal government’s Advisory Panel on Canada’s International Education Strategy, the Canadian government has recently shown positive signs towards international students hoping to study in Canada. By reviewing the steps these students must take to achieve permanent residency, in addition to changes made to citizenship requirements, Canada aims to make it easier for these students to pursue an education and work in the country after graduating.
The changes in the way that young people learn is “forcing the educational system to adapt to the learners, and not vice versa,” writes Sophia Sanchez for Inside Higher Ed. The author argues that such change means that educators need to better understand how members of the Millennial generation differ from those who came before. Among their attributes, reports Sanchez, are shorter attention spans, a preference for collaborative learning, and a drive for instant gratification. To help address these changes, Sanchez recommends that educators establish clear learning outcomes, deliver knowledge in small doses, and use a mix of different teaching methods. A recent survey from the US News & WorldReport’s “Best Countries” platform has also shown that Millennials (aged 18 to 35) from around the globe view Canada as the best country in the world.
In keeping with past ‘Synergy’ events (organized since 2007) which have tended to attract thought leaders from leading Colleges and Universities, we invite you to participate and add to the ongoing dialogue between academics of both countries. In order to expand this ‘dynamic and burgeoning’ corridor, we need to constantly share ideas on new initiatives and best practices. Sessions at ‘Synergy’ are intended to encourage frank and candid discussion and allow sharing of experiences and an understanding on what works (and what doesn’t) via a medium of workshops, presentations and panel discussions in a multitude areas.
Attendees at past ‘Synergy’ Conferences have tended to be senior level administrators and academics from both countries and your presentation should take that into consideration. You can make a safe assumption that they have a basic knowledge of and | or are already involved in the ‘Canada-India education corridor’. This session could be a great opportunity to highlight / showcase your academic programs and/or get feedback from your peers in the audience.
Finally, please indicate the length of your presentation/workshop (20 or 30 minutes each) and specify if you require AV and/or other technical equipment. A laptop, projector & screen will be made available.
Potential Criteria for Choosing Presentations:
Clearly outline the context for the presentation, the target audience it wishes to address and should have a direct relevance to current issues relating to the theme/title of your presentation.
Presentation should have a good mix of obvious practical applications and identify whether it is suitable for newcomersor geared toward experienced professionals.
Present a clear argument & articulate your position (for or against & have moderator sum up the ‘round table’).
Please send us a 50 word (mini) session description to [email protected] by May 31, 2016 along with your session title and names of co-presenters (if any) and we will follow up/notify you if we have questions. All (co) presenters and panelists will receive discounted registration fee at the member rate.
Educators in British Columbia predict a new Air Canada flight between Delhi and Vancouver starting this autumn will benefit academic partnerships and hope it will entice more Indian students to the province.
To view the full article, please visit The PIE News.
PEI has announced that it will expand its mentorship program for recent graduates to include applications from international students, giving them better access to the PEI workforce. Skills PEI contributes up to 50% of wage costs for the first year of employment for postsecondary graduates who are enrolled in the mentorship program. “Hopefully they join the companies, help the company grow, and they will stay here on Prince Edward Island,” said Richard Brown, PEI’s Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning, “the company grows, the economy grows, it’s good for Prince Edward Island.”
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chandigarh University, a private institution in northwestern India. UOIT has outlined a number of areas of potential co-operation between the two institutions, including short-term faculty mobility opportunities to CU, two-way student mobility between campuses, and research and development projects. Vice President, Research, Innovation and International at UOIT Michael Owen says, “the agreement with Chandigarh University paves the way for the development of student exchanges, student internships, and new faculty research endeavours between both universities.”
Over the past twenty years the recruitment of international students has become a key priority for many Canadian PSE institutions. Major schools have produced multi-year plans to help make themselves more international, and these plans often give priority to increasing the proportion of international students studying on their campuses. Major figures in higher ed have also warned that the recruitment of international students and the charging of higher tuition fees to this cohort can result in ethical concerns, and have called for enhanced federal guidelines to govern the enrolment of non-Canadian students in Canadian institutions.
We asked 1,400 StudentVu panelists what they thought about the growing presence of international students on campus, the domestic student-international student relationship, the proportion of international students to domestic students, and other related issues. Our panelists reported that they believed international students had a positive impact on their postsecondary experience; many also expressed support for a school population comprised of 20-40% international students, and voiced concerns about their schools’ treatment of international students.
A federal government report showing that many international students are working in low-wage jobs after graduation is leading to calls to redesign Canada’s liberal employment rules for foreign graduates.
Canada is unusual among the world’s top destinations for international students in allowing graduates on a work permit to work in any field after they finish their studies. An internal report from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) found that the post-graduation work permit program (PGWP) was creating a poorly paid, underemployed work force among recent international student graduates at colleges and universities.
Canada’s post-secondary institutions are at the forefront of excellence in science, research and innovation. They help to train the workforce of tomorrow and create the knowledge and insights needed by the private and public sectors to build a clean, sustainable economy.
The Minister of Science, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, today announced that the Government of Canada will launch the application process for a $2-billion fund that will improve research and innovation infrastructure at universities and colleges across the country.
Announced in Budget 2016, the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund will enhance and modernize research facilities on Canadian campuses and improve the environmental sustainability of these facilities. Consultation with the provinces and territories as well as work to implement the initiative as quickly as possible are already under way.
The targeted, short-term investments under the Fund will promote economic activity across Canada and help Canada’s universities and colleges develop highly skilled workers, act as engines of discovery and collaborate on innovations that help Canadian companies compete and grow internationally.
Camosun College has signed an agreement with India’s Jain University committing the two institutions to a multi-year collaboration. A Camosun release states that the agreement will cover three main areas of co-operation: developing a nation-wide sport skills training program; delivery of Camosun’s diploma programs in Sport Management and Exercise & Wellness at Jain University; and transfer agreements to help students complete degrees, diplomas, and post-degree diplomas in Business and Sport disciplines at Camosun’s Victoria campuses. “Our partnership with Jain University signifies Camosun’s growing reputation for excellent curriculum development and education delivery in sport and business sectors,” said Camosun President Sherri Bell.
“International students are the best source of immigrants, in the sense that they’re educated, they’re young, they speak English or French, they know something of the country,” says Canada’s Immigration Minister John McCallum, “so we should be doing everything we can do to court them.” McCallum argues that Canada can greatly enhance the opportunities for international students to gain permanent residence by overhauling the current “Express Entry System,” a computerized program that allegedly prioritizes immigrants who are skilled workers and makes it difficult for many to gain permanent residence.
Canada has introduced legislation that is designed to make it easier for international students to gain citizenship after graduating. The legislation will reportedly repeal a number of changes made by the previous Conservative government under Bill C-24 in June 2015. Some of the new legislation’s most significant changes will be in reducing the period of physical residency required to apply for citizenship, allowing students to count time spent studying in Canada toward their residency requirement, and reviewing the Canadian Experience Class program.
This week, Canada unveiled its new EduCanada branding campaign to represent the country’s global education strategy. The brand was first presented at the annual AIEA conference in Montreal, and features a new logo along with the tagline, “A world of possibilities.” The branding will reportedly appear on all printed education materials from the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, as well as all Canadian universities that operate on an international scale. The new brand comes at the same time as Global Affairs Canada has produced a video promoting the country as one of the world’s top study abroad destinations. Increasing the global influence of Canada’s higher education sector was one of the main goals cited in the 2012 Global Affairs of the federal International Education strategy, which sought to double the number of international students in Canada to 450,000 by 2022.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and PEI Premier Wade MacLauchlan have returned from their 10-day trade mission to India and have negotiated new agreements for postsecondary institutions. According to a press release by the Ontario Government, the ON delegation participated in a signing ceremony announcing agreements involving Ryerson University, McMaster University [CIEC Academic Member], Sheridan College, Algonquin College, and Seneca College. According to Canadian Broadcasting Company, the University of Prince Edward Island signed MOUs with two Indian universities.
Representatives from five Canadian colleges and nine universities have travelled with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne on a trade mission to India. An ON release states that the purpose of the mission is to “strengthen economic, political and cultural ties with the world’s third-largest economy.” The creation of new institutional partnerships between the two countries features as one of the highest priorities for the participating Canadian PSE institutions. Prince Edward Island Premier Wade MacLauchlan has also joined the mission, along with 12 delegates from that province.
Thompson Rivers University has signed proposals with two of India’s largest schools, I K Guraj Punjab Technical University and Chandigarh University. The agreements will allow students to complete the first half of a tourism management or computing science program in India, and the second half on TRU’s Kamloops campus. “In the 21st century, the world has become smaller and smaller and we need to provide students the opportunities to gain global competency while exposing our faculty to international collaboration,” said TRU Associate Vice-President International and CEO Global Operations Baihua Chadwick. “I have no doubt these initiatives will enhance TRU’s academic and professional competitiveness.”
India’s Union Cabinet has approved the renewal of an existing MOU with Canada that will commit both countries to enhanced cooperation in higher education. The countries originally signed an MOU in June 2010, which offered the possibility of renewing the agreement for a further five years. The MOU reportedly aims to recognize “the immense potential of collaboration between Higher Education Institutions of Canada and India and to further develop the existing bilateral relations in the field of Higher Education and Research.” Approval for the MOU was issued directly by the Union Cabinet and its chair, Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The Globe and Mail has released its 2015 Report on Colleges, which aims to provide students considering enrolling in Canadian colleges with the information they need to make an informed decision. The report includes a number of articles covering topics such as curriculum personalization, funding for facilities, and college business incubators. The report also includes a feature story about how many of Canada’s young workers are heading to college in response to the downturn in Canada’s oil sector, highlighting the advantages to be gained from colleges’ collaboration with companies and community organizations.
The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) has released two new studies examining the international student population in Canada, with a particular focus on Ontario. In the report titled “International Students in Ontario’s Postsecondary Education System, 2000-2012,” researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University found that the average international student in Canada is male and attends college in the GTA. While the total number of international students in the country has grown, the number attending college has risen more quickly. In “The Global Competition for International Students as Future Immigrants,” researchers from York University and the University of Guelph explored ways to improve the experience for international students. They found that many ON universities have programs that target first-year students but lack supports for upper-year students. They also documented a need to “enhance interactions between international and domestic students.”
The new Alberta budget for 2015–16 will increase funding to the province’s universities, colleges, and technical schools by $280 M compared to last year. The funding will help support a two-year tuition freeze for students, a $40 M boost to base funding for schools, and a $183 M increase in student loans. $581 M of the $5.7 B overall budget will be set aside for eight major campus expansion projects. The funding announcement was met with relief by many higher education stakeholders, including Erik Queenan, President of the Students’ Association at Mount Royal University, who said that students were “really encouraged to hear the government is acknowledging the importance of post-secondary, especially in these turbulent economic times.”
Representatives across Canada’s PSE community have delivered messages of welcome and congratulations to Canada’s new Liberal government. Universities Canada has said that it looks forward to working with Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau “to advance dialogue and action on higher education, research and innovation.” Members of the Canadian Association of University Teachers have also expressed their congratulations, although they urge the incoming government to act quickly on promises made during the campaign, especially as these promises relate to PSE. Among the priorities listed by the CAUT are the restoration of the mandatory long-form census, the “unmuzzling” of Canadian scientists, and the improvement of the Canada Student Grants and Canada Student Loans Program. Colleges and Institutes Canada has said that it hopes the new government will support “innovative training and applied research that make Canada’s colleges and institutes some of the strongest in the world.”
Chandra Arya, a former high tech executive with no previous political experience, got a rock star reception as he walked into his Nepean campaign office full of giddy Liberal supporters.
The party was in full swing as people cheered and hugged as the Liberals took over Canada, riding by riding. That was even before Arya, who wanted to show up only after the full results were known, finally arrived.
Ayra, who called the 11-week campaign a “long journey,” saying his priorities include supportingpublic servants and working toward affordable housing.
For the full article, please visit the Ottawa Sun.
Times Higher Education has released its 2015–16 World University Rankings of the top 800 universities, and 25 Canadian schools [and 7 CIEC Members] have made the cut. In the top 100, the University of Toronto rose slightly to 19th, UBC dropped slightly to 34th, McGill University rose slightly to 39th, and McMaster University held steady at 94th. This year, the rankings revised their methodology, expanding the number of languages and countries covered. The California Institute of Technology retained the top spot, a position it has held since 2012. The University of Oxford and Stanford University rounded out the top three.
Obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Canada has the potential to offer a world-class education at a fraction of the price one might find in the US, UK, or Australia, says US News and World Report. According to the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), 336,400 international students came to study in Canada in 2014 compared to 184,150 in 2008. US News and World Report adds that students planning to study outside the US should give strong consideration to Canada because of its affordable tuition rates and high-quality universities, quoting one student who celebrated receiving her Canadian education “without having to sell [her] kidneys to pay the tuition.”
International Trade Minister Ed Fast today hosted a Go Global workshop in Brampton, Ontario, to highlight tools available to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that want to take advantage of new export opportunities in India.
India is a priority market under the Government of Canada’s Global Markets Action Plan. During the workshop’s panel discussions, Minister Fast encouraged companies to leverage the many federal government tools available to support Canadian companies looking to export to India. The Minister also noted that Canada continues to work closely with the government of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create new opportunities for businesses.
Minister Fast announced that the Invest Canada – Community Initiatives (ICCI) and the Global Opportunities for Associations (GOA) programs are now accepting applications for an additional round of funding. The ICCI program provides support to Canadian communities seeking to improve their capacity to attract, retain and expand foreign direct investment. The GOA program provides funding to national associations in support of new or expanded international business development activities in strategic markets and sectors.
Three University of Windsor researchers, with funding from the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO), have completed a survey finding that Ontario colleges need to improve their methods for recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented groups. The final report, titled The Recruitment of Underrepresented Groups at Ontario Colleges: A Survey of Current Practices, recommends that colleges address this need by implementing a collaborative provincial model, improving tracking systems, developing universal definitions, and expanding successful programs.
The Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC) has released the results of its 2015 Survey of Graduating Students. The survey is based on results from over 18,000 graduates from 36 universities. Overall, the majority of students (59%) said that their experience “met their expectations,” with a further 23% saying it “exceeded their expectations”; just 18% said that their university experience “fell short” of their expectations. Almost nine in ten students were satisfied with their decision to attend university, and 88% of students would recommend their university to others. In terms of life-skills development, universities contributed most to the ability to interact with people from backgrounds different than their own (64%).
Carleton University [CIEC Academic Member] President Roseann O’Reilly Runte writes in the Ottawa Citizen that “the ability to pursue one’s education makes Ontario and Canada special and offers hope and motivation to all. Thus, funding for accessibility must continue.” To this end, she offers suggestions for how Ontario might build upon the Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMAs) it approved for each university last year, setting measurable goals and accountabilities for universities while emphasizing collaboration. Rather than “destabilize the system at a time when resources are not abundant,” Ontario should introduce new funding for an “incentive program” that might require universities to find matching funds from the private sector in order to access new government money. Under this model, Runte says, “the province would double its investment” in higher education.
According to the Edmonton Journal, Alberta’s international students are facing wait times of up to three months and are consequently being kept from presenting their research at conferences around the world. These students currently cannot leave the country without renewing their Canadian permits and visas unless they risk significant delays upon re-entering the country. These delays can affect their standing in university programs where many have studied for several years. Marcella Cassiano, a third-year PhD student in sociology at the University of Alberta, said, “International graduate students are highly mobile people. We cannot afford to be grounded in Canada for five months waiting for document renewal and miss the opportunity to present our research in international conferences.”
Engineers Canada has released a new report outlining projections of the expected supply and demand of engineers in Canada through to 2025. The report, Engineering Labour Market in Canada: Projections to 2025, provides provincial-level breakdowns of the number of engineers currently working, the average age of engineers in different fields, and the projected need for engineers to fill vacated positions. The report suggests that recent engineering graduates will not be able to replace retiring senior engineers; inter-provincial mobility of senior engineers and the immigration of international engineers will be necessary to fill these positions. The report also recommends that traditionally underrepresented groups such as women and Aboriginal peoples will be needed in the engineering workforce.
Husain with U of Alberta President Indira Samarasekera.
Alberta’s government has released details on Bill 3, the interim supply bill. The bill, if passed, will freeze tuition at AB’s postsecondary institutions for two years, reverse an earlier 1.4% cut to Campus Alberta funding, and increase base operating funding by 2%. Bill 3 will also roll back previously approved market-modifier tuition increases. Outgoing University of Alberta President Indira Samarasekera praised the bill, calling it “a clear message that the Alberta government sees postsecondary education as a public good,” while University of Calgary President Elizabeth Cannon said “we appreciate the importance the Government of Alberta places on postsecondary funding today.”
Canada is seventh on the list of destinations for international students but could be much higher, according to a Globe and Mail op-ed. The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) projects that the number of students seeking education outside their home country will rise from 4.1 M in 2010 to 7.2 M by 2025. However, due in part to slow visa processing and lack of coordination, Canada could miss out. “[The challenge is] to develop a cohesive Canadian strategy to feature, highlight, promote our academic institutions, and that shouldn’t be just a city-specific or a provincial-specific strategy,” said Patricia McQuillan of Brand Matters Inc.
A new study by the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration (SVR) maps supports for the study-to-work transition for international students at 238 PSE institutions in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The report indicates that large businesses are actively involved in hiring international students at 40% of Canadian institutions, and that small businesses are better represented among active recruiters on Canadian campuses than in the other countries. However, international students still often encounter a “patchwork” of resources, and more coordination is necessary. The study further recommends more information sharing, the development of shared goals, and greater involvement from municipalities.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation on Friday announced that 87 projects will benefit from a total of $333 M in funding for research infrastructure. These projects include a collaborative effort by scholars at Carleton University [CIEC Academic Member], McGill University, Simon Fraser University [CIEC Academic Member], and the University of Victoria to develop new components for the ATLAS detector at the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) in Switzerland, which enabled the discovery of the Higgs boson; studies at Toronto General Hospital into healing human organs outside of the body for transplants; and research at Ryerson University into the social and cultural impact of the “Internet of Things.”
British Columbia announced $6M in funding, to be provided through the BC Innovation Council (BCIC), in support of technology skills development. The BCIC Innovator Skills Initiative and the BC Tech Co-Op Grants Program will provide students with opportunities to enhance their skills and explore new career opportunities at small- and medium-sized technology firms, while connecting employers to a supply of talented workers. BC Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training Shirley Bond said, “this new funding will continue to help drive this development by training entrepreneurs today and generating desirable jobs for highly skilled, creative, and educated British Columbians for the future.”
Premier Kathleen Wynne will lead a mission to India in early 2016 to foster more opportunities for trade and investment and promote Ontario’s expertise in sustainable development.
A main component of the trip will be a business delegation that will visit New Delhi and Mumbai — India’s governing and economic centres — as well as Hyderabad and Chandigarh. Premier Wynne will meet with government and industry decision-makers to discuss how Ontario’s expertise makes the province an attractive partner as India works toward achieving its sustainable development goals. She will also highlight the province’s position as the North American leader in attracting foreign capital investment. The mission is expected to result in several new agreements that will create jobs and boost the provincial economy.
As part of the trip, Premier Wynne will also meet with cultural leaders to reinforce Ontario’s commitment to fostering stronger ties with India.
Providing more opportunities for Ontario companies to compete internationally is part of the government’s economic plan. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.
The CICan Awards of Excellence, which recognize achievement within Canada’s college system, were handed out in a ceremony in Winnipeg this week. Humber College [CIEC Academic Member] was the recipient of a gold award for Internationalization Excellence.
“At Humber we are committed to ensuring that our students graduate with the skills needed to be successful as global citizens in an ever increasing interconnected world,” says Diane Simpson, dean of International. “This award recognizes the efforts of the institution to embrace this, and also to ensure that the opportunity is there for all students to engage in international opportunities, whether on campus or abroad.”
The Centre for Science and Technology at Leiden University recently released its annual ranking of universities’ scientific performance. The Leiden Ranking focuses heavily on scientific collaboration and citation impact; this year, it factors in new impact indicators based on counting publications that belong to the top 1% or top 50% of their field. The University of Toronto was the top Canadian school in the size-independent ranking at 86th. UBC was 107th, the University of Victoria 116th, and McGill University 149th. McMaster University [CIEC Academic Member] rounded out the Canadian top five at 165th. 27 Canadian institutions in total appear on the list of 750 institutions, down from 28 last year. MIT placed first overall in the size-independent ranking, followed by Harvard and Stanford.
Educational institutions in New Brunswick are combining forces to help brand the province as an international study destination. They have formed EduNB, a group committed to building partnerships and creating new international opportunities. The group will be led by New Brunswick Community College and supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the NB Department of Post-Secondary Educaton, Training and Labour. EduNB is hosting a familiarization tour to provide its members the opportunity to promote their institution to agents. Stops on the tour will include campuses of Université de Moncton, Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, NBCC, Mount Allison University, St Thomas University, the University of New Brunswick, and New Brunswick College of Craft and Design.
A new Mitacs Globalink Research Award – MHRD initiative will enable Canadian students to undertake research at one of seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) in Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Mumbai and Roorkee. Resulting from a partnership between Canada’s Mitacs and India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), this initiative aims to support student mobility and provide an opportunity for Canadian faculty and graduate students to build an international research network. Canadian students were invited to apply until May 13 to compete for funding for research projects in India. Selected students are expected to begin projects as early as July.
RBC President David McKay has contributed an op-ed to the Globe and Mail highlighting the benefits of co-op education for students and employers. McKay says that co-op education “has become a proven way to prepare students for a world in which change is accelerating and challenges are growing ever more complex.” He says that co-op exposes students to new ideas, experiences, and ways of working, while helping to create a critical bridge between employers and PSE. McKay argues that Canada is falling behind other nations when it comes to blending work and learning. He calls on employers to take the lead in stressing the importance of co-op education and increasing the depth and quality of placements.
A group of researchers say that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada last month may have been a missed opportunity. The researchers have published an article reflecting on the importance of international higher education as a strategic priority for building the relationship between the two countries. The article notes that in contrast to Modi’s recent trips to France, Germany, and the United States, his visit to Canada did not generate a discussion of international academic relations. Such relations, the authors say, are “crucial.” They note that India is the world’s second-largest “sender country,” and emphasize the importance of the Indian diaspora in Canada. The essay encourages Canada to promote “inter-civilizational dialogue” to help develop stronger ties with India.
A new study from World Education Services has revealed some demographic effects of changes to Canada’s immigration policies. The results of a survey completed by approximately 3,200 prospective immigrants show that 95% of respondents were between the ages of 25 and 44, up from 84% before 2013. 59% of respondents said that their highest level of education was a bachelor’s degree, up from 34% in 2012, when Canada introduced the mandatory educational credential assessment process. 42% had a master’s degree, up from 18%, while the number of prospective immigrants with a PhD dropped from 5% in 2012 to 3%. 47% of respondents said they intended to settle in Ontario, 22% said Alberta, 12% said British Columbia, and 4% said Nova Scotia.
October 30, 2015 • Hilton Garden Inn (Toronto Airport West) • 1870 Matheson Blvd • Mississauga, ON • L4W 0B3
CIEC would like to thank all Synergy 2015 Presenters and Participants for helping to make this year’s event yet another success. CIEC was proud to host Synergy 2015 which explored the academia-industry partnerships and whether they are a myth or reality in the Canada-India context. This year’s exciting agenda featured distinguished speakers, key academics and Provincial/Federal representatives such as India’s Consul General Hon. Akhilesh Mishra, President of the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) Sanjay Makkar, Chair of the Canada India Business Council Yezdi Pavri more.
We hope Synergy 2015 provided you with valuable networking opportunities and served as a platform for discussion of emerging issues and areas of possible co-operation as well as governments’ programs & policies in education that have been hailed as a priority. We are happy to share the very informative Powerpoint presentations accompanying this year’s sessions. Please click here to view our Youtube playlist of all presentations or view our photos on Google+.
Hon. Pierre S. Pettigrew offered the Opening Address which highlighted the role of the middle class in economic growth and offered insights into the present and future of Canada-India education relations. Hon. Akhilesh Mishra, India’s Consul General gave a moving presentation titled ‘Canada & India: How our paths intersect’ and Prof. Balbir Sahni, Professor Emeritus, Economics, Concordia University, offered the Inaugural Address ‘ACADEMIA-INDUSTRY LINKAGES: a Myth or Reality? – Canada-India Context’. Yezdi Pavri, Chair, Canada-India Business Council (CIBC) presented the keynote address ‘Academia & Industry: linkages and role India can play’ with Q&A, which highlighted CIBC’s as well as the the corporate role in establishing industry-academic linkages and promoting Canadian education in India.
A new study from an Indian firm has found that the growth rate of the number of students from India attending university in Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand has surpassed that of China. The number of Chinese students attending universities in the five countries grew by 8% between 2013 and 2014, while the number of Indian students grew by over 10%. However, the total number of Chinese students attending school abroad is more than double that of India. The report also notes that Indian students’ interest in Canada has grown, possibly because of negative attitudes toward Australia. Much of the growth in Canada has been driven by community colleges.
Reactions to Canada’s budget from the PSE sector were mainly positive, with some exceptions. Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) applauded federal investment in research infrastructure and in programs designed to foster close relationships between business and industry associations and PSE partners. Polytechnics Canada, meanwhile, welcomed the expanded adoption of the Blue Seal Certification program and Canada’s investment in a one-stop national labour market information portal. Universities Canada (formerly the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada) said that Canada’s $1.33 M investment in research infrastructure will yield significant benefits for Canadian researchers. Jonathan Champagne, Executive Director of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) said that his organization was “extremely pleased” with the budget’s commitments to student aid. However, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) said that by making loans more accessible, the budget will lead to greater student debt.
Canada unveiled its new federal budget on Tuesday. The budget’s highlights include $1.33 B over 6 years, beginning in 2017–18, for the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI); $105 M over 5 years, beginning in 2015–16, for CANARIE; an additional $46 M per year, beginning in 2016–17, of targeted funding for Canada’s granting councils; $119.2 M over 2 years, beginning in 2015–16, for the National Research Council’s industry-partnered research and development activities; a one-time investment of $65 M for business and industry associations to work with PSE institutions to align curricula with employer needs; and $56.4 M over 4 years, beginning in 2016–17, to Mitacs for graduate-level industrial research and development internships. The budget will also reduce the expected parental contribution and remove the penalty for in-study student income for the Canada Student Loans assessment process. Furthermore, the budget provides for the expanded adoption of the Blue Seal Certification program and the creation of a one-stop national labour market information portal.
In an op-ed for the Montreal Gazette, Vanier College professor Mark Cohen argues that Elections Canada should allow students to cast their ballots from campus. He points to an Elections Canada survey in which most students cited “access barriers” as their main reason for not voting, and says that Quebec’s Bill 13—which allows students to vote on-campus for a candidate in their home riding, even if their school is outside of that riding—provides a possible model. Cohen says that a similar move on the federal level would demonstrate to students that they have an important role to play in the electoral system and that their input is valued.
Canada has promised $120 M for a four-year extension of its commitment to the Global Partnership for Education, as well as a further $10 M to UNICEF for education in crisis-affected areas, including Syria. “This will make a real difference in the lives of children in developing countries,” says International Development Minister Christian Paradis. “It will help to ensure they have access to quality education, which is vital to help them move out of poverty and build prosperous futures.” According to a recent global survey, Canada’s share of GDP dedicated to development has declined significantly, putting Canada in the bottom half of OECD countries in that category.
Synergy Education Conference: Academia Meets Industry & The Role India Can Play
