Increase in international students at MacEwan, U of A

Postsecondary institutions in the city of Edmonton are seeking out a place on the world map this semester, with application and enrolment numbers from international students marking a considerable rising trend.

In comparison to fall semester last year, international student applications at Grant MacEwan College witnessed a 40 per cent jump, with actual enrolment figures showing an increase of approximately seven per cent.

The expansion comes as a result of new efforts taken by MacEwan to promote their international profile, explained Dr Rick Lewis, acting director of MacEwan International.

“We’ve kind of been following the same routine over the last four to five years. We go and recruit to the same areas—it takes awhile to build relationships in certain countries so that’s part of it,” he said.

Lewis cited certain initiatives being offered that act as incentive for international students to settle and study at the College, including a postsecondary bridging program that focuses on catching up English as a Second Language students to meet admissions requirements.

“International students often lack certain admissions requirements to get into, say, a university or college program. We have the facilities here, the programming here to allow them to complete those,” he observed.

“So literally any student that wants to get into a college or a degree program—a two-or four-year program—even if they don’t have the admission requirements, we can bring them in and they can complete those requirements while they’re here.”

MacEwan boasts a student population representing approximately 50 countries, with major markets located in China, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, and Ukraine.

University of Alberta numbers for this semester reflect a similar increase in international interest. According to Gerry Kendal, U of A Registrar, international enrolment is up about five per cent, bringing the total count of international students—undergraduate, graduate, and exchange—to 3410 as of 24 September.

John Soltice, the assistant director of international relations and recruitment at U of A International, explained in an email to the Gateway that the University is continuing to strengthen these numbers by forming partnerships with different institutions abroad.

“U of A International is engaged in strategic recruitment activities and we have an effective online
presence. Also, [the] U of A has agreements with partners worldwide. In 2007–2008, for instance, the U of A signed 98 agreements and memorandums of understanding with institutions in 30 countries,” he said.

Soltice also drew on the fact that the University’s international ranking has risen in recent years, particularly in the Shanghai Jiao Tong University annual academic rankings, where the U of A came in 106th out of 503 universities.

In terms of growth-source countries, the U of A has seen similar results as MacEwan, receiving increasing undergraduate and graduate applications from China and India, as well as Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

Student enrolment in programs such as engineering, environmental studies, business, and economics have been amongst those to receive the highest boost in international numbers.

Despite the heavy focus placed on recruiting, Lewis stressed that the challenge—no matter which institution a student chooses—comes in ensuring a successful adjustment to life in a new country.

“We do have to pay attention to what we do for the students after they arrive. It’s not just a matter of getting them here, it’s looking after them when they get here [...] just from a living standpoint, the cultural adjustment standpoint.”