Minister Jim Carr announces new funding to help Canadians study abroad

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This article was published 22/08/2019 (2416 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA — Manitoba’s federal cabinet minister is spearheading a plan to get more Canadians studying abroad in more places, and boost the number of foreign students in Canada.

On Thursday, International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr unveiled the International Education Strategy, a $148-million, five-year plan. Of that funding, $95 million will go to grants for students to do courses abroad.

“Part of Canada’s brand is its openness to the world, especially now, in contrast to other nations (…) closing their borders,” Carr said in an interview from Edmonton.

Canadian students go abroad far less than their counterparts in similar countries, and the MP for Winnipeg South Centre argues that more are needed to improve exports and diplomatic ties.

“We see the value of being at a much higher level. We have now invested the resources that will take us to that level, and we’re confident there will be uptake.”

By spring 2024, the funding should help 11,000 college and university students to study abroad. Those grants will range from $5,000 to $10,000 per year, and half are targeted to students underrepresented in study-abroad programs, such as low-income and Indigenous students, and those with disabilities.

Carr said that approach supports the Liberals’ broader trade strategy, to export to different countries and have more companies doing so, such as those run by women.

The strategy’s remaining $53 million aims to boost the number of students coming to Canada “from a wider diversity of countries.” This could offset the impact of diplomatic spat, such as when Saudi Arabia threatened to bring home all its students in Canada, which almost cost the University of Manitoba $2.7 million.

Manitoba had 21,075 foreign post-secondary students in 2017, making up 1.6 per cent of the province’s population. That’s slightly below the average for other provinces, and half the rate of British Columbia.

Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada, said the strategy is similar to the Australian government’s 2014 initiative called the New Colombo Plan, which put studying and internships abroad as part of a key piece in trade and foreign affairs.

“It’s about a national ambition, that we as a country want to promote Canadian values, Canadian experiences (and) Canadian youth to get out and see the world.”

The Australians set a public goal for how many students it wanted to have studying abroad. Canada’s strategy includes an estimate of how many students will get grants, but not a goal for the total number of those going abroad.

Global Affairs Canada could not immediately say how much cash for grants they’ve allocated for each of the five years. Davidson said he expects some students will depart in early 2020 but the bulk will go in future years.

“The point is that this is actually happening, and it’s very much all systems go.”

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca