International Centre of Education (ICE Inc) organized a Canada-India-China trilateral
conference on 17 September 2009 at Pearson Convention Centre. Husain Neemuchwala,
chairman ICE highlighted that the aim of this event was to foster collaborative
opportunities among the Canadian Academia as well as to offer opportunities to organizations
currently involved or contemplating involvement in the education sector to promote
their interests with special focus on India and China. It provided a platform for
institutions to showcase their programs & accomplishments & exhibit the latest developments
in the Indian and Chinese educational sector.
More than 200 delegates from various education institutions and consultancy companies
pursuing internationalization of education graced the conference. The conference
was inaugurated by President of CIBC, Mr Rana Sarkar; amongst the other dignitaries
who graced the occasion were H.E Shashishekar Gavai, High Commissioner of India,
H.E. Preeti Saran, Consul General of India in Toronto besides ambassador of China.
H.E. Gavai brought out that higher education is an issue in many countries irrespective
of the levels of development and engages every one’s eye. India has presently about
350 universities for a population of 1.1 billion people against the visualized requirement
of 1500. The Govt. of India is in the process of opening up this sector to foreign
universities so that they can set up campuses in; legislation is in the pipeline.
There is definite change in the mindset to this effect. John Milloy, Ontario’s Minister
of training, colleges and universities highlighted the emerging aspects of greater
co-operation between Canada and India as well as China in times to come.
Dr Balbir Sahni, Prof Emeritus of Concordia University presented a startling revelation
with his in-depth research and analysis on existing levels of cooperation and scope
for future and emerging trends in internationalization of education. He stressed
the need to establish a brand Canada in India because only about 5000 students are
joining the Canadian universities every year while more than 90,000 students are
landing up in US and Australia each year. With Globalization as ‘Mantra’ of 21st
century, internationalization of education has to take place and academic links
are most vital to promote understanding between countries and the people. Education
builds the most enduring bridges between the nations. Education is being viewed
as a lynchpin connecting trade and technology. As per figures of UNESCO, the global
student mobility is estimated to have touched three million students every year
with USA attracting 20% students followed by UK, France, Germany and Australia.
Canada at present has been able to tap just about 5.5% of International students.
Out of 183,312 Indian students going abroad; Canada could attract less than 7000
when almost one million population of Indian ethnicity is living here thus the need
for introspection and greater cooperation.
Hon. Stockwell Day, Minister for International of Trade and for Asia –Pacific Gateway
in his message conveyed that more international students are turning to Canadian
institution as a source of knowledge, innovation and creativity. Almost 175,000
students are attending these institutions; approximately half of them are from Asia.
Students with Chinese ancestry are leading with record figure of 42,000 followed
by South Korea. India is lagging behind in this aspect though innovation in Science
and Technology has increased the demand for higher education. Both Canadian and
Indian institutions are showing a greater degree of interest and appetite for bilateral
cooperation. To build up the brand Canada, there is enough to highlight the existing
strengths and potential of this country has up her sleeves by way comparative cost
factor, pluralism and multi-culturism, the standards of Canadian universities in
the field of research and innovation followed by work opportunity for the period
one has studied. The international students who acquire Canadian qualifications
and work experience have much better chances of not only integrating into the society
as new immigrants if and when they decide to do so but can also be brand ambassador.
Canada needs to attract the best talent in the world not only for its own research,
innovation and creativity but also to integrate with international community. Co-operation
in the education field cannot be wished away. Therefore there is a need to have
focused strategy both at the levels of Federal government as well as at the provincial
levels. The academic institutions which are targeting the specific geographical
regions also has to work out their planned approach not only to get the best talent
for themselves and can also fill the vacuum in the skills and trades which this
country is likely to face due to ageing population of baby boomers. Another issue
which was highlighted was of low visa rates for study permits by embassies and high
commissions in the targeted countries. A few problems of ascertaining the veracity
of applicants and roles of certain dubious middlemen were also mooted. Though there
is a positive trend on this score but there is a need for foreign offices to work
in tandem with overall policy of the governments and also devise suitable checks
and balances that genuine applicants are not debarred and building of brand Canada
do not lose out its shine due to strict visa regime.
Contributed by Surinder Pahwa who can be contacted at
surindrpahwa@gmail.com
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