CBIE releases report: UPEI sees steady incline in international student population
The University of Prince Edward Island continues to see a steady incline in the percentage of international students, stated a recently-released 2014 report from the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).
CBIE, Canada's national voice for promoting Canadian international education indicated that while all regions saw growth in international students attending post-secondary education institutions between 2011 and 2013, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, and Ontario saw the strongest growth. During that timeframe, UPEI's international student population was at 13 per cent; this year's statistics were not reflected in the 2014 report.
For the 2014-15 academic year, 16 per cent of UPEI's total population is made up of international students, which is a 17.5 per cent increase from last year. Director of International Relations Barbara Campbell said, 'UPEI is focusing international recruitment efforts on existing markets like Hong Kong, mainland China, and the Middle East, but we are increasing our prospecting efforts in relatively new-to-UPEI locations such as India and South America, and receiving very positive feedback.' She added, 'I expect that CBIE's next report will position us even higher among the top provinces seeing strong international student growth.'
As noted by CBIE, the Government of Canada has put forward its very first international education strategy, which aims to double the number of international students choosing to study in Canada by 2022. UPEI continues to do its part as it strengthens its international student population, working towards its Strategic Plan's recruitment strategies to increase enrolment.
President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz said, 'One key strategy in the UPEI Strategic Plan 2013-18 is to open new pathways to increase enrolment and to increase student supports to improve retention. Our International Relations Office is working diligently to accomplish these goals and we are seeing tremendous results; for example this year, we welcomed over 700 international students from 70 countries to UPEI.'
