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Canadian higher education
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Government statistics show that international numbers at Canadian higher education institutions grew in 2008, and a new Indian-Canadian partnership looks set to capitalise on that growth in 2009.
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The mood at many higher education institutions in Canada is upbeat, with many reporting growth in overseas student markets and numbers over the past few years. “There has been a moderate increase [in international student numbers],” says Jerry Wang, International Enrolment Specialist at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) in Charlottetown, PEI. “International students are making good use of the off-campus work permits and that is very helpful for students to get more involved.”
Recent changes to work rights for international students as well as new immigration pathways – such as the Canadian Experience Class introduced in September 2008, which allows international graduates with one year of work experience to apply for permanent residency – have all played a part in increasing Canada’s profile as an education destination. Recent statistics from Citizenship and Immigration Canada indicate that foreign students present on Dec 1 2008 at university or other post-secondary institutions in Canada numbered 118,152, up 4.6 per cent from the previous year (this figure is based on visas issued; not all of which are used).
Sean Coote, Director of the International Department at Niagara College in Ontario, says that a recent government initiative in India has helped increase numbers from this region considerably. “This year, Niagara College has greatly benefited from the immigration initiative Student Partnership Program, which was implemented by the Canadian High Commission in Delhi, India in co-operation with the Association of Community Colleges of Canada,” he says. “The programme facilitated contact between agencies and partner schools as well as making the visa process as transparent as possible [see page 9 for an Indian agent’s view]. The direct result has been an increase of 150 per cent in Niagara’s South Asian student body.”
Saudi Arabia is another student market that has been becoming increasingly important, “due to Saudi’s scholarship programme”, according to Wang. Meanwhile, Anita Allan at the Office of International Activities at Brandon University in Brandon, MB, says that China is their largest student market and it is growing. “The Chinese population has increased every year due to some new relationships we have established,” she explains.
The launch of a government-funded Canadian education brand in October last year is also likely to boost individual marketing efforts in the future through increased marketing opportunities and a unified voice for Canada. Liselyn Adams at Concordia University in Montreal, QB, says that the ‘Imagine Education in Canada’ brand is a welcome development. “We have engaged too much in marketing only at the provincial level and this visibility in Canada is vital,” she says.
Coote, meanwhile, draws comparisons with similar campaigns launched by both the Australian and New Zealand governments. “This investment into branding Canada as an educational destination forms part of the federal government’s two-year, CAN$2 billion (US$1.8 billion) stimulus package to develop and expand Canada’s tertiary facilities,” he observes, adding that the college was a lucky recipient of a governmental grant (CAN$40 million, US$37.3 million) that came directly from the stimulus package. “Most of these funds have gone into the construction of a state-of-the-art Applied Health facility at our Welland campus, which will provide much increased capacity for a programme that is already in great demand,” he states.
However, Wang at UPIE adds that it is too soon to measure the effects of the education brand on enrolments. “It is new and it needs more promotional activities to back it up,” he says.
As competition grows, most higher education institutions acknowledge the benefits of using a variety of recruitment tools. Adams says that so far they have participated in few recruitment fairs and events and only use agents in China. However, she adds, “We hope to increase our recruitment activities over the next few years. So far, our more passive system has been effective but the level of competition is rising.”
Coote says that Niagara College has been actively pursuing international market expansion for the last 20 years. “One way we have achieved this is through the implementation of a preferred agent programme. This has meant the development of a tiered level of agent support based upon number of students sent each year as well as cumulative numbers over time. Without ever renouncing the quality of agent or student services the college has become known for, we have been able to increase loyalty by offering student scholarships, or agent perks such as free trips, preferred processing, and complementary hotels in the Niagara region,” he asserts. Partnerships with language schools in the Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal area are also starting to pay off, he notes. “In this manner, agencies can plan the prospective students’ entire educational programme,” he says. “These kinds of partnerships are win-win situations for all involved as they eliminate the risks involved for the students, provide a great commission structure for the agents, and guarantee our institution a diverse student group.”
Meanwhile, Wang notes that reconnaissance missions to international high schools have been an effective way to recruit new students. “We also connect with agents and education partners,” he adds.
Introducing new courses aimed at the international student market has also been on the agenda at some higher education institutions. “Summer courses for international students are developing,” notes Adams at Concordia University. “In addition to the usual ESL summer programmes, we will be offering new custom programmes for our institutional partners. These will be available in several different areas including business, engineering and political science.”
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