Canada: Big Jump in Foreign Students' Enrolment

The University of Toronto alone enrolled 6,462 undergraduate and 1,652 graduate international students this year, roughly 11 percent of its total enrolment. An informal survey of universities and colleges across Canada by the Washington-based “The Chronicle for Higher Education” confirms the trend: the University of Alberta reported a 45 per cent increase in newly registered foreign students, to nearly 2,000. The University of Prince Edward Island announced a 32 per cent hike in its international student population, to 10 per cent of its enrolment. At McGill University, international students account for 18 percent of total enrolment.

Recruiting officials at the University of Toronto think the increase is due partly to strong student-support services and partly to hands-on recruiting efforts. Recruiting is also helped by the fact that Canadian higher education has a solid reputation abroad and is often less expensive than equivalent offerings in the United States.

The University of British Columbia, which expects to see international enrolment grow with double digits this year, has a large and experienced in-house team of recruiters who visit high schools in various countries. "We did not change our recruiting tactics that much this year, but I would say we intensified our efforts, where we perceived increased interest, within Asia and the Americas especially," said Karen McKellin, director of the university's international student Initiative. She says a number of things may have helped sell the university, including Vancouver's designation as host of the Winter Olympics, respected academic programs, work opportunities for students, and a general sense of Canada's “coolness”. The latter refers less to the climate and more to Canada's image in as an orderly place that would offer a solid education in a beautiful environment at an affordable price.
 
Recently the Canadian higher-education system has created a marketing campaign to raise its profile abroad. Some of the universities like the University of Prince Edward Island also profited from participation in tours organized by the Canadian embassies to visit foreign high schools and international education fairs. Its partnerships with institutions in India and China have helped recruiting, says the college's president, Ann Buller.

A pilot project by Canadian immigration officials in India called the Student Partnership Program has also been helpful. Officials work with unsuccessful visa applicants to explain why they were rejected and give guidance on how they can be approved. "This new approach gives students the reason on the spot”, says Buller “and they can then go get the necessary documentation and reapply immediately."