NEWS RELEASE
NORTHERN COLLEGE
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Northern College is experiencing a substantial increase in the number of international students studying at its campuses and online.
In total, 24 international students from three continents have started a post-secondary program at the college this school year, a substantial increase from only four new international students during the past two years combined.
The majority of these students are from India, with additional students coming from China, Mauritania, Nigeria and the United States.
Most international students are enrolled in the engineering technology and trades, business and community services programming areas.
“I chose Northern because of the small class sizes and for a different experience,” says Darshan Patel, a first-year international student enrolled in the college’s Mechanical Technician – Industrial Millwright program. “The faculty members really focus on each student, and you are supported from the time you are applying to the time you are graduating. They even come to pick you up at the airport!”
The college began its current international recruitment efforts in 2009, taking an approach that includes working with a network of recruitment officers abroad.
Current enrolment numbers demonstrate that the approach is paying off.
“International recruitment is a great way for us to take advantage of the additional capacity we have in some of our programs, and to ensure that some high-quality programs without substantial domestic enrolment, due to changing demographics in northern Ontario, remain viable offerings,” says Fred Gibbons, President of Northern College. “The demand is there and we have the space, so it’s a win-win for everyone involved.”
Northern plans to continue expanding its international recruitment efforts, with particular focus on India and China.
While there are currently over 275 students enrolled in Northern College programs at partner institutions in China, the college hopes to encourage more Chinese students to study at one of its Canadian campuses.
“Our international enrolment is growing, and will only continue to grow as more international students graduate and become unofficial ambassadors for the college in their home countries,” says Gibbons. “Our international students receive the unparalleled combination of a world-class education and a one-of-a-kind Northern experience, which simply isn’t available anywhere else.”
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