Foreign Counsellors to Tour Nova Scotia Universities and Colleges
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT--Foreign Counsellors to Tour Nova Scotia Universities and Colleges
Thirty-three high school counsellors from the Caribbean, Bermuda and the United States will tour Nova Scotia's universities and colleges this summer. They'll be here to learn about the benefits of a Nova Scotia education.
"We've seen an 88 per cent increase in U.S. student enrolment since 1997 and that's translated into an additional $2.4 million of spending in Nova Scotia," said Gordon Balser, Economic Development Minister. "By marketing our education programs, we're helping our universities and colleges and generating new revenues in communities throughout Nova Scotia."
The six-day tour, which will take place from July 21 to 27, includes an introduction to Nova Scotia higher education; campus visits; meetings with students, faculty and staff; and visits to museums and historical sites. Counsellors will also travel to the communities where the institutions are located.
"The tour is very popular with counsellors and universities," said Sheila Brown, president of Mount Saint Vincent University. "It's a great opportunity for Nova Scotia to showcase its many strengths to the people who'll help students decide where to study."
"We are very proud of the quality of post-secondary education that is available in our province and throughout our country," said Robert Thibault, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. "The government of Canada is pleased to partner with the provincial government in an effort that increases the visibility of our expertise while providing opportunities that will generate economic benefits."
Counsellors and students see many advantages in choosing to study in Nova Scotia, including internationally recognized degrees, low student-teacher ratios, and a hospitable environment. An exchange rate strongly favourable to the U.S. dollar makes Canadian universities very popular with American students.
"Nova Scotia universities and colleges offer U.S. families the quality of an Ivy League education, an international experience and a competitive edge," said Linda Potter, a counsellor at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Mass. "That's a large return for a reasonable cost -- clearly a blue-chip investment in your child's future."
The tour program is a component of the province's Higher Education International Trade and Marketing Plan, which is funded by through the Canada/Nova Scotia COOPERATION Agreement on Economic Diversification. The Agreement is managed by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Nova Scotia Economic Development. Funding for the tour is also provided by the universities.