Canada India Education Information & Networking Opportunities
Please select one of our past newsletters from our archives below.
Source: The PIE News
More clearly articulated pathways between different levels of study is what Canadian educators must offer international students to improve their access to Canadian HE, according to a panel presenting at the CBIE annual conference in Canada.
For the full article, please visit The PIE News.
Source: Study International
In November 2016, India’s government suddenly declared that all 500- and 1,000-rupee notes no longer held any value, sending citizens across the country scrambling to exchange their now-worthless bills. In the aftermath, university students are finding it difficult to get a hold of the cash they need for daily expenses, such as buying food, printing documents, and getting top-up for their mobile phones.
To view the complete article, visit Study International.
Source: The Vancouver Sun
IC-IMPACTS, headed by UBC professor Nemy Banthia, is teaming up with India’s Department of Science and Technology, as well as the country’s Biotechnology Department, to provide $4 million for the research projects. Each project, said IC-IMPACTS communications manager Ashish Mohan, features Canadian and Indian researchers and are in later stages of development, ensuring the resulting technology can be brought to market.
For the complete article, visit The Vancouver Sun.
Source: New Delhi Times
Jordan Reeves, Consul General of Canada in Mumbai says that he is upbeat about the rise of Canadian equity investment in India. He further says that Canadian investors are bullish on the Indian economy as is evident from the fact that they have made around $11 billion investment in India in the last year. Canada is also a major collaborator towards the realisation of the skill initiative. In April 2015, during PM Modi’s visit to Canada, education and skills development were identified as priorities. Thirteen MoUs were signed between India’s National Skill Development Council and Canadian colleges and institutes to formalise skills collaboration in various sectors. Modi also agreed to take concrete measures to expand bilateral cooperation in key areas including the economy, trade and investment, civil nuclear cooperation, energy, education and skills development, agriculture, defence and security, science, technology, innovation and space, culture, and people to people tie.
For the full article, visit the New Delhi Times.
Source: Indian Express
The HRD Ministry’s ‘Project Vishwajeet’ — aimed at catapulting the IITs to the top league of global academic rankings — could cost the government close to Rs 22,000 crore over five years. Directors of seven IITs met the ministry officials on October 20 and sought Rs 21,870 crore as investment to improve their research output, faculty, infrastructure and international outlook in order to break into the top 100 club of global university rankings by 2018 and top 50 by 2020.
For the complete article, please visit the Indian Express.
Source: Journal de Montreal via Academica
Several thousand international students will have newfound access to free cultural activities through a new “passport” program spurred by the city’s universities. The International Student MTL Passport program aims to encourage Montreal’s 28,000 international university students to enjoy the “cultural wealth of the city” by distributing maps and providing the students with free access sites such as the Biodôme, the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, and the Planetarium. They will also be offered credits to participate in a number of other events at reduced cost. “We want to decompartmentalize the students, get them out of their campuses,” said Nadine Gelly, general manager of the cultural promotion organization La Vitrine, which helped launch the project.
Source: Canadian Business via Academica
Canada has introduced new changes to its immigration policy that will provide additional advantages to international students with Canadian degrees. The changes award additional points within Canada’s Express Entry system to applicants whose degrees were obtained in Canada. Previously, applicants could earn up to 150 points for their educational qualifications, and the only advantage for those who studied in Canada was not having to prove the equivalency of their degrees. Under the new system, applicants with a Canadian educational credential will get up to 30 additional points. “It’s going to be a boon to international students who have studied here—it’s going to give them a big leg up,” says immigration lawyer Tamara Mosher-Kuczer.
Source: Study International
In 2015, Canada increased the number of study permits issued to international students by 5.4%, according to official government data. In a report compiled by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, it was revealed that 125,783 new study permits were granted to international students last year. The Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration also showed that the number of foreign students applying for study permits in the same year had increased by 6.4 percent from the previous year to 187,968.
For the complete article, please visit Study International.
Source: Conference Board of Canada via Academica
Canada must encourage more international students to stay and work in the country if it wants to make the most of their economic potential, according to a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. The report highlights how international students generate up to $10B annually in economic activity and account for 11% of total postsecondary enrolments in Canada. The report argues that Canada would benefit economically by changing immigration policy to help more international students work in the country after graduation. “International students generate billions of dollars of economic activity at Canadian Post-Secondary institutions and in the surrounding communities. They also provide considerable social and cultural value to Canada,” said Conference Board Vice-President, Industry and Business Strategy Michael Bloom. “On the other hand, the great majority of international students do not stay in Canada after their studies and hence do not employ their skills and expertise in our economy.”
Source: CBC
The University of Prince Edward Island is hosting “talking circles” to help international students gain confidence in their English language skills. The events, held every second Friday, are organized by the International Relations office and the English Academic Preparation program at the university. At each session, they focus on specific subjects so international students can understand English jargon.
For the full article, please visit the CBC.
Source: Research Infosource via Academica
The firm Research Infosource Inc has released its list of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges for 2016. The list ranks Canadian colleges’ research capacity and activities by looking primarily at research income and research intensity per faculty member. Included on the list were CIEC Academic Members: Durham College, Fleming College, Humber College & the British Columbia Institute of Technology.
International students at the University of Prince Edward Island will soon have additional support to help them to stay in the province, reports CBC. UPEI has reportedly increased its support to international students over the past year-and-a-half in particular, and has been working with the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and PEI to support students with language training and adapting to life in Canada. ACOA is providing $493,631 under its Business Development Program and PEI is providing $53K through the Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning. International students reportedly make up 22% of UPEI’s full-time student population, a figure that CBC states has been growing steadily in recent years. “This important diversity adds so much in terms of cultural exchange and learnings among all of our students,” said UPEI President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz.
Source: Globe & Mail
At a recent conference in Ottawa, where speakers included Finance Minister Bill Morneau, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains and Advisory Council on Economic Growth chair Dominic Barton, a challenge was laid on the table.
We live in a low-growth world and Canada is not immune – we’ve experienced sluggish growth for much of the past decade and our GDP growth rate is not predicted to breach the coveted 3-per-cent mark without bold action now.
So what do we do?
For the full article, visit The Globe & Mail.
Source: Diverse
In an effort to get more students to think sooner than later about studying abroad, a new pilot program enables college freshmen to set up online profiles that match them with programs of interest around the world.
“It’s like an online dating site only instead of getting matched to people, they’re getting matched to global opportunities,” said Samantha Martin, CEO of Via TRM, a Colorado-based tech startup that launched a pilot version of the program this fall with three universities.
For the full article, please visit Diverse.
Source: University World News via Academica
Institutions from around the world can learn much from the progress that China and India are making in global university rankings, writes Anand Kulkarni for University World News. The author highlights how both countries have fared well in recent years, noting for example that India has risen to eighth in the world for the number of students it graduates in science and engineering. Kulkarni warns, however, that graduating more students in a particular area “does not necessarily say much about quality, the ability of graduates to find meaningful jobs or research capability, among other things.” This is part of the reason, Kulkarni writes, that China has advanced in world university rankings at a better pace than India. The author attributes this success to China’s more consistent distribution of institutions among the different tiers of rankings, while India’s tendency to have a “best and the rest” system, with only a few elite institutions, continues to hold back the country’s overall performance.
Source: Inside Higher Education via Academica
“To be better advisers, we need to consider the cultural baggage a student brings to a conversation when discussing their major,” writes June Y Chu for Inside Higher Ed. Chu illuminates the ways that culturally competent advising must grow to better serve a diverse student body. This approach uses a holistic approach that goes beyond telling a student to pursue the subject they love, and takes into account issues such as family conflicts and responsibilities. Chu further adds that “the question for advisers is how our own cultural values influence our advising and potentially devalue the cultural history a student brings into our office.”
Source: Simon Fraser University via Academica
[CIEC Academic Member] Simon Fraser University has received a $500K gift to provide students the opportunity to learn from world-class Indian scholars. Provided by Hari and Madhu Varshney, the gift will fund the Hari and Madhu Varshney Visiting Scholars Program in Indian Studies, which will help leading Indian academics come to SFU to share their knowledge and insights. “This wonderful gift will strengthen SFU’s commitment to engage the world,” says SFU president Andrew Petter. “Thanks to the Varshneys’ generosity, these scholars will enrich our educational and research environment, while deepening understanding of India’s rich culture and heritage amongst the communities we serve.”
A new pilot program announced by the Nova Scotia Government to keep international students in the province is a “very encouraging” step, yet it does not fully address the barriers most commonly faced by these students, says the Canadian Federation of Students for Nova Scotia. The government pilot in question aims to support 50 international students who are completing their final year of PSE in “priority areas” such as health care, computer engineering, and ocean sciences. These supports includes career mentoring, access to employment-related events, and workshops. Yet the CFS-NS says that these efforts do not address the issues of “differential fees” paid by international students, and access to medical services insurance coverage. “What we really need is broader action that will help international students studying in Nova Scotia across the board,” said CFS-NS Chairperson Charlotte Kiddell.
Source: Globe & Mail
Source: Hindustan Times
Assessment and accreditation of higher education institutions in India will soon be based on global standards and practices. For the first time ever, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council and key quality networks and agencies from Asia, Europe, America, Australia, UK, Africa and other countries have joined hands to develop a common agenda for international quality assurance of Indian universities.
For the complete article, visit the Hindustan Times.
Source: Hindustan Times
In recent months, Nemkumar Banthia, professor in the department of civil engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC) has had his eyes fixed on a road. That road, though, happens to be more than 12,500 km from Vancouver, where he is based. It’s a demonstration project in a village about 90 km from Bengaluru and uses advanced materials and technology that could help with enhancing rural road connectivity. The project is the result of research that marries materials science and structural engineering to create self-repairing roads that are cost effective, have greater longevity and are sustainable.
For the full article, please visit the Hindustan Times.
By Ms. Roohi Ahmed, President, India Canada Friendship Circle
The India Canada Friendship Circle (ICFC) launched its 2016-2017 lecture series this fall with a presentation by Mr. Chandra Arya, Member of Parliament and Chair of the Canada-India Parliamentary Friendship Group. Mr. Arya spoke about the role of MPs in fostering closer ties between the Parliaments of Canada and other countries as a means of promoting bilateral and multilateral relations. Parliamentary friendship groups do not have budgets or administrative support and are formed on a cross-party basis as well as a member’s interest in a specific country. Parliamentary friendship associations, on the other hand, have formal budgets and administrative support from the Parliament of Canada and are actively engaged with their international counterparts. Mr. Arya and his fellow MPs who have an interest in India hope to elevate the status of the Canada-India Parliamentary Friendship Group to an association, and they also wish to help move forward talks on the Canada-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in order to increase trade between the two countries. Mr. Arya also noted that MPs who happen to have a large concentration of Indo-Canadians in their constituencies had joined the Canada-India Parliamentary Friendship Group to learn more about India.
ICFC members suggested that the Canada-India Parliamentary Friendship Group study the issue of immigration and integration, as some members felt not all Indo-Canadians were socially integrated. Some found it fascinating that we had Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi, and that Asian television programs seem to have become a favourite pastime while Asian language print media cover local news. While these reflect the hallmarks of Canadian multiculturalism, Mr. Arya felt that this was also an inter-generational issue, pointing out that first-generation migrants in some communities may not be so integrated, but their children are.
Mr. Arya also agreed with his audience on the importance of finding the right balance between cultural diversity and integration. He highlighted the added value of leveraging Indian diaspora strengths and shared his own personal experience as testimony to the openness of Canadian society towards giving immigrants a chance to become positive, contributing members to the economy and community. He brought to Canada his skills as an engineer and business executive, and in turn learned new ways which he felt enriched his life. For example, Mr. Arya appreciated the culture of “volunteerism” in Canada, which influenced his path to politics. The audience concluded that the Canadian experiment with immigration and multiculturalism is not yet complete and still evolving, and that the Canadian model of socio-economic integration is on the right track relative to the US and Europe.
The next ICFC lecture will be held in collaboration with The College of the Humanities, Carleton University featuring the articulate speaker Dr. Geeti Sen, Cultural Historian, Professor, Author and Art Critic who is travelling to Canada from New Delhi. She will demonstrate through visual images and text how 20th century Indian nationalism was driven as much by politicians as it was by painters, poets and patriots.
More details are available at the following website: http://www.icfc.ws
Source: La Presse via Academica
Quebec has provided $1.6M to Montreal International to implement a program encouraging more international students to stay in the province after graduation, reports La Presse. The program will specifically target graduates trained for work in in-demand sectors, although it will still be open to students from all programs. Montreal International CEO Hubert Bolduc hopes that the program will increase the number of students remaining in the province after graduation from 3,000 to 9,000. Bolduc notes that of the 30,000 international students who currently study in Montreal, many do not stay due largely to language barriers, difficulty finding a job, and the burden of the immigration process.
Source: Simon Fraser University via Academica
Simon Fraser University [CIEC Academic Member] has opened the Charles Chang Innovation Centre, a new graduate student residence and innovation facility located in downtown Vancouver. The building is named after alumnus Charles Chang, who donated $10M to establish the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship earlier this year. The new facility boasts 52 furnished rooms and can house 68 graduate students. It also features a social innovation and technology hub designed to connect students and community members who are looking to collaborate on new solutions to social challenges. “This exciting new building expands SFU’s presence in downtown Vancouver, and strengthens our commitment to be Canada’s engaged university,” said SFU President Andrew Petter.
Source: Edmonton Journal via Academica
MacEwan University is considering an increase to its tuition fees for international students in order to better support domestic students studying abroad, reports CBC. A draft proposal reportedly suggests that the school should implement a 10% increase in international student fees for fall 2017-18 and an additional 5% increase for fall of 2018-19. The Edmonton Journal adds that the proposed changes could result in the creation of $2.5K entrance bursaries or scholarships for as many as 230 students, and the same amount for up to 120 MacEwan students studying abroad. “Tuition is not a small dollar item anymore and so when you look at these models for tuition, you don’t want to be too high; we want to be accessible to students (and) at the same time, you don’t want to be too low,” said MacEwan Provost John Corlett.
Source: Fanshawe College via Academica
Fanshawe College has officially opened its new English Language Institute, a centre that will gather together the college’s various English as a Second Language initiatives and become home to the college’s new flagship program, English for Academic Purposes. The college reports that this full-time, intensive program will help international and domestic students prepare for further academic study, and will also be recognized by Western University and its affiliated colleges. “Through the English Language Institute, Fanshawe will continue to offer enhanced English language training and support that empowers International students, newcomers to Canada, and non-English fluent students to succeed in post-secondary studies,” said Gary Lima, Senior Vice-President, Academic Services at Fanshawe.
Source: The Globe & Mail via Academica
British Columbia Premier Christy Clark has announced that her government will soon make “big investments” in the province’s postsecondary system to address a talent shortage in the tech sector. “There will be some announcements coming in the next little while with respect to investing in computer science in particular in universities … it will be a significant amount,” Clark added in an interview with the Globe and Mail. In July 2016, 18 BC tech executives sent a letter to Clark asking for the province to address the talent shortage. Clark did not specify, however, whether the final amount invested in PSE tech training would match the $100M requested by the executives.
Our Canada West Chapter’s signature event takes place on Sept. 30 in Vancouver, BC at the Fairmont Waterfront hotel.
Source: Inside Higher Ed via Academica
“Lofty (yet unsubstantiated) claims of ‘high-quality teaching’ or graduates who ‘go on to start amazing careers in a variety of well-known companies’ don’t cut it for international prospects,” writes Megan Brenn-White for Inside Higher Ed. To this end, the author suggests that institutions with positive international rankings should focus on promoting awareness of their rankings or awards. For those with a less compelling ranking or awards record, the emphasis should be on testimonials from students and alumni. Finally, the author argues that institutions can be more concrete about their commitment to quality by promoting awareness of initiatives they are undertaking to enhance specific aspects of their institution.
Source: Edmonton Journal via Academica
In response to the recently discovered and removed racist posters on campus, the Sikh Students’ Association and the World Sikh Organization of Canada held a turban-tying event called “Turban, eh?” in the University of Alberta Students’ Union building. The event invited any interested persons to have a turban tied on their heads, and provided the opportunity for participants to ask the volunteers questions. Faculty, staff, and students from UAlberta were joined by politicians and community members for the event. UAlberta President David Turpin commented that he was filled with pride at the event, stating that “it really is an opportunity to stand up and say what it means to be Canadian.”
Source: The PIE
Many students who have access to international experiences during higher education don’t realise their value until after they have graduated, according to a recent survey. It found that study abroad, overseas internships, language courses and intercultural exchanges are all overlooked by students as they studied. However, in the survey of more than 1,000 graduates, three-quarters said they felt it was the responsibility of their institutions to offer access to international opportunities.
For the full article, visit The PIE.
Our 10th annual Canada-India: A Synergy in Education conference will took place on September 23 from 1 – 5pm at the Ontario Investment & Trade Centre. Scroll through the presentation below for a brief recap.
CIEC would like to thank all Synergy 2016 speakers and attendees for helping to make this year’s event yet another success. We hope the conference provided you with the chance to network with like-minded individuals while furthering the discussion of programs and policies in education that have been hailed as priorities.
Source: Capilano University via Academica
Capilano University [CIEC Academic Member] has signed agreements with Douglas College, Langara College [CIEC Academic Member], and Okanagan College that will allow students from all three colleges to transfer directly into year three of Capilano’s bachelor of Arts with a major in Liberal Studies. Capilano states that applicants who meet agreed-upon requirements will be guaranteed admission to the university with full block transfer of credits. All three agreements are reportedly in effect for the September 2016 intake of students. “With these partnerships, we’re pleased to ease the transfer process for eligible college students to efficiently complete their education at our University,” says Richard Gale, acting president of Capilano University. “We are happy to continue to strengthen our partnerships with these colleges.”
By Mr. Harry Sharma, CICE, Carleton University and Ms. Roohi Ahmed, India Canada Friendship Circle
The India Canada Friendship Circle (ICFC) 2016 lecture series included a thought-provoking presentation on Science, Technology and Innovation Partnerships by Mr. Harry Sharma, Manager, Canada-India Centre for Excellence (CICE), Carleton University. The session was chaired by ICFC Vice President and Mathematics Professor, Dr. Steven Desjardins. ICFC members and Dr. Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and Vice Chancellor of Carleton University joined in the stimulating dialogue and networking. The following is a summary of Mr. Sharma’s perspectives and views on the need to understand the cultural and economic climate in India to forge successful and innovative partnerships.
More details on ICFC can be found at the following website: http://www.icfc.ws
Transformation
Today’s India is experiencing an economic transition unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Regardless of the measures used to describe the country’s growth rate or its increasing GDP, it is sobering to take a moment to consider the scale of the transformation. More than 65 percent of India’s population is under the age of 35, approximately 650 million people. And soon, the annual per capita income in India will cross the economically significant 100,000 Rupees (or roughly $1,500) threshold. Many economists expect that meeting this threshold will lead to a more consuming and aspirational population – an average Indian’s propensity to consume non-necessity goods and services will become significantly higher. This represents an opportunity that Canada cannot afford to miss.
Partnership
Canadians must demonstrate a desire to forge a true partnership with India, and not just establish a “seller-buyer arrangement”. As any businessperson or scholar who has worked in India can attest, building trust and credibility is the first, and arguably the hardest, step toward partnering with India. It is incumbent upon us as a country to invest in building human capacity as well as business models that are specifically designed to build trust with India. Our small businesses and start ups, for example, must be encouraged to learn about Indian realities: cultural sensitivities, business practices, regulatory environments, government incentives, and above all, consumer behaviour. Many of the products that are developed to address North American or European consumers will find it hard to be “localized” for India because fundamental consumer behaviours can vary widely. A perfect example is Flipkart’s “Cash on Delivery” model for e-commerce. Flipkart, India’s largest e-commerce company, realized early on that credit card penetration in India will pose a significant challenge as there are only about 20 million credit cards in a country of 1.25 billion people. So Flipkart devised a model that would allow it to sell merchandise to people without a credit or a debit card.
Potential
Canada’s exports to India account for roughly 0.8% of our total exports, and an annual bilateral trade of approximately $8 billion, only $1 billion more than our trade with Netherlands, which has a population equal to that of New Delhi. It is unfair to make this comparison, of course, given that per capita income is significantly higher in the Netherlands than in India, yet it is helpful for conveying the trade growth potential with India. The CICE at Carleton University is developing specialized courses, in partnership with Indian partners, to provide exposure and training for Canadian businesses and policy makers. The CICE also continues to support policy relevant research to identify the best ways to engage with India that will lead to a robust partnership.
Source: The New Indian Express
In the absence of any data on Indian students studying abroad, the government has launched a registration module for them so they could be reached in case of emergency.
For the full story, please visit The New Indian Express.
The India Canada Friendship Circle is hosting an event on September 25 at Rockcliffe Park Community Centre Hall in Ottawa featuring MP Chandra Arya. He will discuss the role of MPs in strengthening Canada–India Parliamentary Relations. Admission is $12 & guests are welcome.
Source: Edmonton Journal via Academica
The past five years show a “national trend toward a steady rise in the number of overseas students arriving in Canada,” reports the Edmonton Journal. The article notes that Manitoba has nearly doubled the number of international students studying in the province since 2011-12, while Alberta has seen a 40% increase and Saskatchewan has seen a 24% increase over the same period. The article highlights how specific institutions in AB have promoted themselves to international students and how they benefit from growing international cohorts. “Internationalization is important because the world is becoming more globalized and it’s important that students and staff have the capabilities to work well with each other,” says NorQuest College Chair of Graduate Studies Ron Horton.
Source: Universities Canada via Academica
“The intrinsic value of developing a broad world view through international education is self-evident,” writes [CIEC Academic Member] Western University President Amit Chakma. The author highlights a number of strides the federal government has made to boost the role of international education in Canada, which include rebranding the country as an education destination, improving the Express Entry program, and renewing the country’s commitment to study abroad. Chakma also takes time to remind readers that in addition to the country’s ambitious targets, “what’s more important to consider is the philosophy behind the idea, along with the merits of pursuing such a policy more aggressively to better support the development of our future global citizens.” Chakma concludes with a discussion of the barriers currently faced by students looking to pursue study abroad and how institutions and governments might better address them.
Source: The PIE News
Canada-based CIBT Education Group has sold [CIEC Academic Member] Acsenda School of Management in Vancouver for around CAN$5m, to an undisclosed multinational investor. Proceeds from the sale will go towards CIBT’s accommodation arm and to identify future acquisition opportunities in the international language and career college sectors.
For the complete article, visit The PIE News.
Source: Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance via Academica
“We need to start shifting our focus from the benefits [international] students bring, to ways that we can help them succeed while they are attending our institutions,” writes Colin Aitchison for the OUSA. Aitchison critiques the ways that current discussions about international students talk about the “benefits” these students bring to Canadian universities, such as “unique perspectives in class discussions” or “a significant economic impact.” While these benefits are real, the author writes, they also draw attention away from the significant barriers that international students face at Canadian institutions. Aitchison outlines several ways that institutions can shift the focus of this discussion by better supporting international students.
Source: Globe & Mail via Academica
Canada will require a historic effort to supply the number of tech experts it needs to be a world economic leader in the 21st-century, write Stephen Lake and Sarah Prevette for the Globe and Mail. The authors outline four strategies that Canada can use to produce an additional 150,000 tech experts in the near future, which include making coding part of the education curriculum as early as elementary school; expanding postsecondary co-op programs; fighting for gender equality and parity, particularly in the STEM disciplines; and encouraging immigration.
A recent change to international student visa requirements has caused concern among Nova Scotia’s English language schools, reports CBC. Introduced in July, the new legislative changes require international students in Canada to obtain a second visa before moving from secondary to postsecondary school. “What happened before the changes is students could apply for language training and university training and receive one study permit to cover the whole of the time that they were going to be in Canada,” says Sheila Nunn, president of East Coast School of Languages in Halifax. “This gave them the confidence that they knew that they would go on to the university, they didn’t have to apply for any other paperwork.” Nunn adds that the new regulations might jeopardize pathways programs currently established at NS universities.
Source: Universities Canada via Academica
“If university is about higher education, international experience—travelling, working, or studying in other countries—is about broader education,” writes University of St Michael’s College President David Mulroney. The author reflects on the impact that his own travels abroad had on his undergraduate study and on his personal and intellectual development. Mulroney adds that the value of travel abroad, for him, is “the benefit of experiencing things for myself, testing my assumptions, and trying to see the world as others see it.” Mulroney concludes that Canada and its institutions need to do a better job of promoting opportunities for students to travel abroad, citing current statistics showing that while 97% of schools offer these opportunities, only 3% of students pursue them.
Source: Times of India via Academica
McGill University has partnered with India’s Manipal University to launch the new Manipal McGill Center for Infectious Diseases. A recently signed MoU commits both schools to supporting collaboration on research and training initiatives relating to the study and treatment of infectious and tropical diseases. The Times of India reports that both schools have major strengths in the study of these diseases and that the new MoU builds on research collaborations already being undertaken by the schools. Manipal Vice-Chancellor Vinod Bhat declared in his inaugural address that the Centre will work to inform the scientific community, guide policy makers, and provide public health education.
Source: ICEF Monitor
The Canadian government has quietly introduced an important change to how it processes visas for students entering Canada to pursue conditional admissions or pathway programmes. Under the new processing policy, visa officers are instructed to issue a study permit – that is, a Canadian study visa – only for the period of the student’s prerequisite studies. After successfully concluding any such preparatory studies, the student will now be asked to apply for a further study permit to cover the period of their planned academic programme. This is a departure from the previous practice which saw visa officers issue a single study permit for the entire duration of both programmes.
For the complete article, please visit ICEF Monitor.
Source: Academica Top Ten
A new study claims that 41% of surveyed students from outside the UK are less likely to study in Britain after the Brexit referendum, reports Times Higher Education, but Canada was found to be a popular alternative for international study. The students listed a number of concerns with the UK in light of the referendum that made it less attractive. When asked about alternative study destinations, The Independent reports that as many as 32% stated that they would choose Canada as an alternative study destination, followed by Germany, Australia, and the US. The Chronicle of Higher Education observes that the US could also see difficulties in international recruitment as a result of the upcoming American election, and notes that “Canada could be the biggest winner” when it comes to recruitment.
Source: ICEF Monitor
India’s University Grants Commission (UGC) announced new regulations on 22 June 2016, since formally published on 13 July 2016, that aim to open up additional links between Indian and foreign universities with the goal to “offer students additional choices, improve curriculum and the delivery of knowledge and educational content.” Under the new regulations, Indian universities will now be permitted to apply to the UGC to establish partnerships with foreign institutions. This is a departure from previous guidelines, issued in 2012, under which only foreign universities could initiate such agreements – an opportunity that has not been taken up by a single foreign institution in the years since. The lack of activity in this area may reflect confusion or uncertainty on the part of foreign partners as to how to navigate the complex Indian bureaucracy, and the new regulations appear to be an attempt to provide Indian institutions with a clear process for building such international links.
For the full article, please visit ICEF Monitor.
Source: Universities Canada via Academica
New research from the University of Ottawa on Canadian PSE graduate earnings between 2005 and 2013 has found that graduates from nearly all disciplines see salary increases over time. Graduates of bachelor’s programs saw a 66% increase in their average yearly earnings 8 years after graduation, while college diploma graduates saw a 59% increase. While graduates in STEM fields and business generally had higher salaries and greater earning growth, those from other disciplines, “including the oft-maligned Humanities and Social Sciences bachelor’s graduates,” also performed well. The report states that “very few graduates had truly barista-level earnings even to start, and they increasingly moved even further from that level as they gained labour market experience.”