the briefing room

As the Prime Minister Stephen Harper arrives in China today, recruiting foreign students to come study in Canada is a top priority. Why? Billions of dollars are at stake making education one of Canada’s most valuable exports.

China already sends the largest pool of international students to Canada and the potential to grow is tremendous.

The problem: Canada was far behind such leaders as the United States, Britain and Australia as a destination choice for education. Its market share slid to 4.4 per cent in 2008 from 5.05 per cent in 2000, according to a 2009 report prepared for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. International students contribute $6.5 billion to the Canadian economy every year.

The federal government has made a $10-million, two-year commitment made in the 2011 budget towards developing an international education strategy and attracting students from overseas. Western University’s president Amit Chakma heads the advisory panel that will make recommendations likely in April to the government on how best Canada can go about doing just that. To the best of his knowledge, Dr. Chakma said he is the only educational delegate joining the prime minister in China

The Globe interviewed Dr. Chakma in a phone interview from Beijing. Read More