Increasing enrolment with students from abroad
Canada is a significant player on the stage of global education: Only the United States, England and Australia issue more student visas. Some 175,000 international students are enrolled in institutions from Victoria to St. John’s; the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade estimates that these young people contribute $4 billion annually to the Canadian economy. Top source countries include China and South Korea, which together compose 40 per cent of Canada’s total student visa pool. India and Japan are also well represented. Seventy per cent of all international students coming to Canada settle in British Columbia and Ontario.
The Canadian Education Centre (CEC) Network reported that in 2002, approximately 31,000 international students were pursuing elementary and secondary studies in Canadian public and private schools (day and boarding), up almost 15 per cent over the previous two years. Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) boarding enrolment nationwide is almost 5,000 students; an educated guess would set the international numbers at about half that. The vast majority of foreign students in our elementary and high schools are involved in a home-stay arrangement through a local public board of education or a private contractor or live with relatives.
So what makes Canada a “hot” destination? Students report quite candidly that it is certainly not the weather. Canada offers a world-class educational infrastructure and is one of the world’s most multicultural countries, welcoming visitors with open arms.
(The recent security-related student visa restrictions in the U.S. also boost Canada’s appeal.)
The United Nations ranks Canada as one of the best places to live on the planet, with a stable government, low crime rate and accessible health care. Tuition fees are among the lowest in the English-speaking world, while Canadian high school diploma and university degree standards are uniformly high and well respected. And recently, the federal government announced that international students at Canadian post-secondary institutions will be allowed to work part-time while at school, and can stay in Canada upon graduation for two years (provided they take jobs outside of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal).
Make no mistake, however: Just as these students want Canada, we also want them. Certainly our own children gain from meeting young people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. But a key national motivation is much more pragmatic: simple economics.
Canadian demographics paint a grim picture of shrinking school markets: Statistics Canada speculates we will experience a 14 per cent drop in boys and girls aged five to 18 in the next decade. International students clearly are an obvious solution to filling this gap and to bolstering our numbers at both the high school and post-secondary levels. Independent boarding schools have worked for years with great diligence and success to attract foreign students, recognizing that internationals almost always pay tuition fees at a premium rate, which frees up financial aid dollars for domestic prospects. Public school boards, colleges and universities have followed suit and today all have recruiters at regularly scheduled education fairs throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia.
But is it truly a symbiotic relationship? Do we offer as much as we receive? Is this international influx changing our schools for the better? How can we improve the quality of experience for foreign students, while preserving our own cultural traditions?
The allure of an independent school education for their children is strong for status-conscious international parents, as they see this foundation as a stepping stone to acceptance at an elite university. Independent schools are highly regarded abroad for their record of academic achievement, talented and devoted teachers, expansive facilities, emphasis on ethics and values, and distinguished matriculation statistics.
Parents read of the powerful friendships that develop in our schools and are eager for their children to build a global network of contacts.
However, it is clear that the mere presence of international students on our campuses is insufficient to foster intercultural relationships. Research in Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand suggests that international students want to make friends with their domestic peers; however, in practice, the amount of interaction is low, and strong intercultural friendships are relatively rare. Poor English is the biggest impediment. In fact, the relative lack of involvement of international students in formal and informal school activities relates directly to their lack of facility in English. Simply put, students will likely not move outside their cultural comfort zone if they think their ability – or inability – to communicate will frustrate and embarrass them.
International students face a host of other problems as well: the expense of living in Canada, academic stress and depression brought on by loneliness or homesickness. As well, if they hope to succeed in our schools, these students must adjust to the Canadian classroom (in which students are expected to think for themselves, rather than automatically and respectfully agree with the teacher) and learn to ask for help. They also must understand North American standards of academic honesty, recognizing that proper citations are essential to avoid charges of plagiarism and its repercussions.
Whether or not it is so, international students are seen as rarely supporting their alma mater with their “time, talent and treasure,” although they may be from affluent backgrounds. Volunteerism and philanthropy (especially in the U.S.) are cornerstones of our culture: They fuel excellence, drive research and build lifelong bonds. Not all foreign students are wealthy – indeed, many struggle to afford the basics. Still, North Americans often see international students as those who tap into our educational resources, but give little back. This has posed challenges for many school development officers.
John Lynch, the director of advancement at Upper Canada College, applies the same strategies to fundraising in Hong Kong and London, England as he does in downtown Toronto: Share your vision, build relationships for the long term, and don’t be shy about asking. “We’ve met with great success offshore soliciting funds for worthy projects, because we make annual visits to these distant members of our school family and include them in our dreams for the future. When they embrace our passion for the school’s bold steps forward, they give generously.”
The same message is shared by Patricia Danvers, a marketing communications consultant in Alexandria, Virginia, and director of the Advancement Program Council in Washington, D.C. She stresses that schools would be wise to start cultivating philanthropy with international students while they are still enrolled in our schools.
“It’s important to understand the potential donor’s cultural framework. Boarding schools in particular are very big on perpetuating the residential 24/7 experience and demonstrating a margin of excellence. It’s never too early to establish an annual pattern of giving which can be expanded in later years when the graduate’s income level soars.”
What can be done to support international students as they adapt to their new surroundings?
Schools can smooth the transition by ensuring that international student orientation programs are well implemented; a buddy system, pairing a foreign student with a domestic student, is an excellent concept. International teachers (perhaps on exchange programs) can be wonderful role models, mentors and confidantes. Designated “international days” on campus can highlight other countries and their history, food and celebrations. Additionally, schools would be well-advised to designate an international student co-ordinator on campus, a central liaison and troubleshooter for all issues – academic, social, cultural, personal – confronting foreign students. And, quite obviously, schools need to ensure that the English-as-a-second-language needs of their foreign students are being adequately met through credit courses, after-hours tutorials, workshops and aptitude testing.
For their part, international students should try to be flexible and open to the traditions and ideas of their new culture. They must work hard to perfect their English skills and try to reach out to their host Canadians in the spirit of intercultural friendship.
Renowned Canadian scholar, philosopher and communications guru Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “global village” to describe how modern technology in mass media has compressed the distances that separate countries. International education has the same effect, and Canada is poised to assert even further its leadership role in this laudable effort to bring students, and nations, together.
About Don Rickers
Loading ...
