May 8, 1998 No. 114

MARCHI HOSTS ROUNDTABLE ON

MARKETING CANADIAN EDUCATION ABROAD

International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi today hosted at York University, in Toronto, broadly based consultations to promote Canadian education abroad. Minister Marchi co-hosted the education roundtable with Dr. Lorna Marsden, President of York University.

"We recognize that our exceptional education system is a valuable economic resource, contributing almost $2.5 billion to our economy -- the equivalent of sustaining 21 000 jobs," said

Mr. Marchi. "That's the reason we are working in a Team Canada partnership with clients and stakeholders to advance a national marketing strategy. Our overall objective is to attract more international students to Canadian education institutions and to obtain a larger market share of international education contracts."

The consultations involved the provinces, national and regional associations, and representatives of public and private education institutions at all levels.

The Minister announced the creation of a new and permanent dedicated international educational marketing unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. This will provide one-stop shopping for those selling Canadian educational products and services around the world. The unit will report to the Minister for International Trade through the Chief Trade Commissioner.

As well, to complement this, Minister Marchi announced the creation of an Education Marketing Advisory Board, which will report to him directly, twice a year. Members of the Board will be drawn from the widest possible range of the Canadian education community, and will provide advice and guidance to the Minister on Canadian education marketing in a global context. The first meeting is expected to be held in the fall of 1998.

"The quality of Canadian education is recognized worldwide," said Dr. Paul Cappon, Director General, Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC). "We have the potential to market this expertise and Canadian-developed learning products in the global village. We look forward to working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and our education partners to focus the Canadian presence abroad."

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Leslie Swartman

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 992-7332

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Backgrounder

EDUCATION MARKETING IN CANADA

The Economic and Foreign Policy case

The Canadian education sector generates great revenues for this country. In 1996, over 99 335 international students studied in Canada. In the same year, it is estimated that international students contributed almost $2.5 billion to the Canadian economy representing approximately 21 000 Canadian jobs.

International students enrich Canada's campus life, contribute to Canadians acquiring a global outlook, and serve as emissaries for Canada when they go back to their home countries.

International students are viewed as economic and political decision leaders of the future. In turn, students who get to know Canada through good education experiences are more likely to buy Canadian services and products when they return to their homes than those who attend schools in competing nations.

There are 90 degree granting universities and colleges in Canada, over 164 community colleges, a large number of private career colleges, and English and French language schools.

Education Marketing Time Line

On November 1, 1994, the Government of Canada announced its intention to establish a network of up to 10 Canadian Education Centres (CECs) in Asia within five years. The CECs are designed to forge new links with local education institutions and bring to the attention of international students, local corporate and government clients the excellence of Canadian education goods and services.

By January 1998, 10 CECs were established in Taipei, Seoul, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Delhi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, and Canberra.

From September 1995 to the present, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade identified and tested new education markets, broadened the basis of the education marketing search, and developed new methods of delivering services on behalf of education providers in Canada.

In March 1997, the Canadian Embassy in Caracas, forged a ground-breaking marketing arrangement with the Association Venezolano-Americana de Amistad to market Canadian education goods and services in Venezuela.

On June 19, 1997, the Canadian Embassy in Athens inaugurated the first Education Resource Centre (ERC) in our missions abroad. The ERC has one locally engaged officer dedicated to promoting Canadian education institutions.

In September 1997, a pilot Education Resource Centre was opened in Abu Dhabi to tap into the burgeoning regional Arabian Peninsula market.

In November 1997, International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi called for the establishment of up to 15 new education marketing centres by the year 2000.

In January 1998, on the recent Team Canada mission to Latin America, Canada officially inaugurated four new CECs in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile.

There are currently 17 generic "education marketing centres" (14 CECs, two ERCS (Athens and Abu Dhabi) and one with a local arrangement (Caracas).

Current Situation

The education roundtable has been called to consult with the broadest possible range of representatives of the education sector to advance a global education marketing strategy that will take Canada into the next century.

Issues to be discussed include where the new points of service will be established, timetables for openings, and the most appropriate vehicles to deliver services effectively on behalf of the education suppliers in Canada.

This landmark consultation will include representatives from the provinces, the national and regional education associations, not-for-profit education organizations, public education institutions at all levels and private education providers including career colleges and private language schools.

All parties at the roundtable will have prepared position papers and have present specialists to lead discussions on issues critical to achieving Canada's international education marketing objectives.