Sixteen scholarships of $5,000 each will support and encourage students studying in a dual degree program between Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Zhejiang University (ZJU) in China, announced Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson during a mission to China.

“In a global economy, international experience is invaluable and leads to significantly improved opportunity, understanding, and connections,” said Wilkinson. “These 16 scholarships between SFU and ZJU build on one of the goals of this Trade Mission to China to encourage student exchanges between British Columbia and China.”

Scholarships will be awarded each year on a competitive basis for four years, starting in 2015, for two new Chinese students coming to SFU and two new Canadian students going to ZJU. Government and SFU are each providing $40,000 for the British Columbia-Zhejiang Excellence scholarships.

“For over 25 years SFU has been committed to building educational partnerships and research collaborations in China, “ said SFU president Andrew Petter. “In our ongoing mission to engage the world we are developing mutually beneficial agreements and opportunities with our Chinese partners that further assist in supporting British Columbia’s strong trade ties in the region.”

SFU launched its Dual Degree Program in Computing Science with ZJU in Hangzhou, China, in 2005. The program has received two awards in Canada and B.C. for excellence in international education: 2013 Canadian Bureau for International Education Panorama Award for Outstanding International Education Program, and 2012 British Columbia Council for International Education Outstanding Program in International Education.

This is the first mission to China for Wilkinson as Advanced Education Minister. He is accompanied by representatives from four B.C. post-secondary institutions: British Columbia Institute of Technology, Langara College, Simon Fraser University, and the University of British Columbia.

The mission is an opportunity to strengthen existing government-to-government education relations, and establish new relations and institutional partnerships. It will also promote the two-way exchange of students and highlight pathways to further learning in British Columbia such as offshore schools to post-secondary institutions in B.C. These are key goals of B.C.’s International Education Strategy.

Quick facts:

• In 2012-13, there were 112,800 international students from 180 countries around the world attending public and private post-secondary institutions, elementary and secondary schools, and private Languages Canada schools in British Columbia, up 20% from 94,000 over three years.
• Students from China made up the greatest proportion of international students in B.C. in 2012-13, with 25,800 attending all levels of education:
  • 13,300 in public post-secondary institutions.
  • 5,800 in private post-secondary institutions.
  • 2,400 in private Languages Canada schools.
  • 4,300 in the kindergarten to Grade 12 level.

Learn more:

B.C. Trade Mission 2015:
www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2015/03/spring-trade-missions-showcase-bcs-diverse-export-market-in-asia.html

B.C.’s International Education Strategy: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/internationaleducation/forms/InternationalEducationStrategy_WEB.PDF

Media Contacts:

Stacey McGaghey Jones
Communications Manager
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400