Canadians push for a higher profile

Canadian universities are planning a bigger role for themselves on the international stage and want their Government to bankroll their projects.

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada said more funding and planning by the Government was needed to improve student mobility around the world, internationalise the curriculum, encourage international co-operation between institutions and deliver education abroad.

The number of foreign students has increased, but there has been too little progress in the numbers of Canadians studying abroad as part of their courses. The annual survey of 64 universities found only 2.2 per cent (or 18,000) students in 2006 studied abroad to get credits in their course. The number of full-time international students on Canadian campuses almost tripled between 1996 (25,500) and 2006 (70,000). Scholarships for international undergraduate students were offered by 69 per cent of institutions, an increase of 33 per cent on 2000.