Ten scholarships of $5,000 each will provide an incentive for students from Maple Leaf Educational Systems in China to attend Langara College, announced Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson during a mission to China.

“The education and experience students gain through international education are invaluable, and will lead to global connections and broader horizons,” said Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson. “Scholarships for Maple Leaf Educational Systems students to attend Langara College support our International Education Strategy to increase the number of international students coming to British Columbia.”

The scholarships will be available on a competitive basis to students who have completed at least three years of study at one of the Maple Leaf Educational Systems campuses in China, and have applied and been accepted to study at Langara College.

“The ministry grant of $25,000 and the matching funds from Langara will support the excellent students of Maple Leaf who choose the college as their post-secondary destination,” said Langara College president Dr. Lane Trotter. “We appreciate the leadership of the ministry in this initiative, and look forward to welcoming more Maple Leaf Educational Systems students to our campus through this unique opportunity.”

Maple Leaf Educational Systems has operated B.C. Certified Offshore Schools under the B.C. Global Education Program in seven locations in China for almost 20 years. Their graduates receive the B.C. Certificate of Graduation.

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 also will 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, 112,800 international students from 180 countries around the globe were 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:

Sarah Newton
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 213-1703
Email: sarah.newton@gov.bc.ca

Annie Mullins
Communications Officer
Langara College
604 323-5058
Email: news@langara.bc.ca