Federal government follows through with release of International Education Strategy

The federal government has released an International Education Strategy (IES) which, for the first time, provides a framework for boosting the numbers of foreign students and maximizing their innovative impact. Entitled Harnessing our knowledge advantage to drive innovation and prosperity, the IES gives shape to the government's commitment of $5 million annually — a modest sum given the its multiple objectives that include doubling the number of foreign students studying in Canada to more than 450,000 by 2022.

The 2013 Budget provided funding for the IES, which also incorporates another Budget 2013 commitment — $13 million over two years for the Globalink Program delivered by Mitacs (R$, April 3/13). The strategy is in response to a report from a 2012 advisory panel chaired by Dr Amit Chakma, president and vice-chancellor of Western Univ and chair of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities.

The IES aims to boost the percentage of university students from outside the country from 7% to 14%. In comparison, foreign students comprise 24% of the student population in Australia. It also includes a research component, both for engaging six emerging nations and strengthening research ties to countries with which Canada already has long-standing collaborative relationships.

"The $5 million will be put to good use to leverage current and future activities," says Chakma. "It will be used in a focused manner to bring all parties to the table and brand Canada."

recommendations accepted

The panel generated 14 recommendations, 13 of which were incorporated into the IES. Chakma says the modest level of funding and the targets outlined in the IES are secondary to the fact that a framework has been developed by a government not known for developing sector or industry strategies.

"The specifics are not important but the framework is. We did not have a strategy before so there's been very little coordination up until now … It gives guidance to all players and streamlines activities. "We're not in it for the sake of the numbers. Our objective is to attract the best and the brightest and we face stiff competition."

The emerging nations or regions targeted by the IES are Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Vietnam and North Africa and the Middle East. Developed nations with which the IES seeks to strengthen research collaboration include the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea. It is with the latter category that the research component of the IES could have a major impact.

Chakma says the U15 has been meeting with its German and Australian counterparts to strengthen research ties with those countries and this October will hold similar talks with the Russell Group — an association of 24 British public research universities.

As for the amount of strategy funding, Chakma says a little can go a long way.

"It depends on what you do with it … In Shanghai, the trade commissioner spends only one-third of his time on the education file. That could be augmented with a full-time position as well as places like Beijing and Delhi," says Chakma. "A little can go a long way but the proof is in the pudding. Execution is what matters to put the $5 million to good use."

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