International Students

International education remains a major focus of CICan’s advocacy efforts.

Through January and February, the Government of Canada introduced new testing and quarantine requirements for international travelers, including a mandatory three-night stay at a Government Approved Accommodation upon arrival. CICan continued to stress the essential nature of international student travel to Canada and the effectiveness of approved COVID-19 readiness plans, and worked closely with Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to ensure that students could continue to study online from abroad and remain eligible for the Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP), that study permit processing was prioritized, and that students, graduates and their family members could enter Canada in a smooth and safe way for the fall intake. To that effect, CICan worked closely with CBSA and Transport Canada to minimize instances of students being prevented from boarding their flights to Canada for reasons unrelated to the requirements set out by the Government of Canada. We continue to suggest that students be authorized to enter Canada more than 4 weeks prior to the start of their program. With regards to ‘Quarantine and Isolation for International Students’ PHAC has provided this Frequently Asked Questions.

In May, CICan tabled a policy brief on ‘The Role of International Students in Supporting Canada’s Immigration and Inclusive Economic Growth Objectives’ to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. Developed in consultation with our board, member institutions, including regional groups/associations and CICan’s International Advisory Committee, our recommendations focus on three priorities:

• Attracting international students post COVID-19 by adapting existing policies to reflect current and future realities;
• Modernizing the international student application process to encourage efficiencies, information sharing and increased integrity; and,
• Supporting Canada’s ambitious Immigration Levels Plan through meaningful collaboration on immigration streams and settlement services.

Taken together, these recommendations will serve as the initial steps to providing a clear path to modernizing and streamlining our immigration systems and enabling a higher prioritization of international students as a source for regional economic growth in Canada.

Related to these recommendations, CICan is pleased to note recent policy and operational changes that support Canada’s position as an attractive and welcoming study destination, including the introduction of an innovative pathway to accelerate the transition to permanent residency for international graduates and the expansion of the Study Direct Stream to additional markets in Latin America and the Caribbean.

CICan is working with PHAC to ensure that flight corridors between Canada and India and Canada and Morocco open again as soon as possible and with IRCC to see online flexibilities related to the PGWP extended by another semester to accommodate ongoing disruptions. IRCC has confirmed that all complete study permit applications received by May 15^th have been processed, though we know that many applications completed after that date are still pending as has been reporting by francophone media outlets over the last week. Note that, from January to June 2021, IRCC processed a total of 271,916 study permit applications with a 29% refusal rate. This compares to a refusal rate of 40% in 2020 and 39.7% in 2019.

As the course of the pandemic continues to evolve, we continue to monitor the situation and work with IRCC, other government departments and stakeholders to advocate on your behalf.

Global Skills Opportunity

Innovation Fund projects were complete near the end of March 2021. Projects focused on a range of themes with strong individual outcomes. Some, including this report (Education Abroad Risk Management in Canada’s Colleges and Institutes), developed new knowledge and identified important gaps across the sector. CICan is in the process of developing a summary report of key learnings and outcomes from Innovation Fund projects that will be shared later this fall with member institutions. We have also partnered with CBIE to help profile learnings through various means, including webinars, workshops, and discussion groups.

In April, the government of Canada formally approved the full launch of the Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program. At the same time, the Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program was re-branded as Global Skills Opportunity. This name emphasizes the international nature of the program while welcoming innovations from the pandemic such as virtual mobility. It also brings to the forefront the skills gained through these experiences while conveying a sense of growth, possibility, and adventure.

In May, CICan and Universities Canada launched calls for proposals for outbound student mobility projects. Member institutions were invited to submit multi-year project-based proposals including both virtual and physical mobility experiences. Collectively, CICan and Universities Canada received 164 project proposals from 119 Canadian post-secondary institutions, 72 of which were submitted by CICan member institutions.

Over the summer, both associations worked with their respective selection committees to review proposals against identified criteria and make funding decisions. Results have now been communicated. In the end, 59 proposals have been entirely or partially recommended for funding across 49 CICan member institutions. Selected projects have proposed the participation of over 7,200 students throughout the implementation period, just under 70% of whom are from target groups (Indigenous students, students with disability, students with low-income), with over 80% of international opportunities in non-traditional destinations. Global Skills Opportunity staff are now working to sign contribution agreements and onboard successful applicants.

Private Sector Growth through Education for Employment (PSG-EFE)

It is with mixed emotions that the PSG-EFE has come to an end. The project responded to the request of the Senegalese Ministry of Employment, Vocational Training, Apprenticeship, and Integration (MEFPAI) to improve the quality and capacity of vocational and technical training structures, which were considered inadequate and insufficient, and to adapt training programs to the current needs of companies. Its aim was to strengthen the employability of young people in line with the needs of the productive sector in order to contribute to the development of the private sector through education for employment.

At the end of the project, PSG-EFE supported the development of 36 BTs (technical certificate) and BTS (higher technical certificate) in 14 Senegalese institutions in addition to support within the MEFPAI directorates in partnership with 15 Canadian colleges. All of the programs were developed with a gender-sensitive approach. The proportion of girls in the training programs increased from 5% of to 40% by the end of the project. PSG-EFE was deployed in seven regions of Senegal. 7,061 students have been certified and 66% of them have gained employment.

We are very proud to share with you the link to ‘document de capitalisation l’ESP-EPE’ (available in French only), which contains the main results of the project, as well as the testimonies and recommendations collected in the framework of this process, which solicited the collaboration of more than a hundred partners and beneficiaries of the project through interviews and surveys/questionnaires. Thanks to the team and to all those who contributed to the success of the project.

Education for Employment Tunisia Al-Najah (EFE)

The Canadian and Tunisian partners as well as the CICan project team have been very active these past months. Two new institutional partnerships have been selected, the first on Women’s Employability and Entrepreneurship and the second on Technical and Pedagogical Training for the ISET network. Also, the six partnerships have applied for the accreditation of co-constructed licences. In May 2021, the General Directorate of Technological Studies (DGET) and CICan officially launched the qualitative study carried out within the framework of the Tunisia Al-Najah EFE project on the obstacles to the employability of ISET graduates.

Finally, in June 2021, the first virtual ‘Partnerships Forum’ took place consisting of six workshops over three weeks, allowing for the participation of directors, program officers and teachers from all 25 ISETs. During the Forum, speakers discussed the development of Apprentissage Professional Continu (APC) (continuous professional learning) training programs; the results of the COVID-19 survey on ISET students; innovative ideas and sharing of best practices in distance and online learning, and; women’s entrepreneurship: challenges and issues in Tunisia and structural and socio-cultural barriers to the employability of ISET graduates. 

Pacific Alliance Education for Employment (PA-EFE)

The PA-EFE Program team is pleased to share with you the report from their Technical and Vocational Education and Training Intersectoral Forum: Best Practices and Policies from the Pacific Alliance and Canada that took place last fall, as well as the different webinar recordings. These tools capture examples of shared best practices and policies, with the objective of strengthening the capacities of national and regional actors and dialogue between the four countries of the Pacific Alliance and Canada, regarding TVET challenges and priorities. This report originally written and published in Spanish in February 2021 is now also available in French.

Following the COVID-19 surveys that were administered last summer to the institutional and ministerial partners of the PA-EFE Program, and the different challenges and needs that were identified, funds will be redirected to six institutional partnerships that developed targeted initiatives with their local partners, as part of the Program’s response to COVID-19 in the four PA countries.   

Skills Training for Employment in Mozambique (STEM)

The program is approaching the finish line. Between March and July 2021, the national and international suppliers of approximately 2.4 million CAD of equipment purchased in the last round of procurement will have completed the installation and training with the equipment. Due to travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic, the Canadian colleges worked intensely to develop extensive pedagogical material (videos, laboratory modules) to support their Mozambican partners in the use of the equipment. In September, Canadian and Mozambican partners will come together in a virtual closing ceremony celebrating all the achievements of the program through the seven years of its implementation. 

Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP)

CICan continues to work closely with our Kenyan and Canadian partners to ensure that all project-developed courses are fully approved and accredited, all faculty and technicians are appropriately trained, and that all new equipment is ready for courses to commence. To date, six new CBET courses have been officially launched at four national polytechnics and the first cohorts of students have already enrolled. In September, an additional 11 courses are expected to be launched, for a total of 17 new courses being offered at nine national polytechnics.   

Additionally, CICan requested and received approval from Global Affairs Canada for a 12-month extension to allow for the achievement, monitoring, and reporting on key indicators and to ensure greater sustainability by providing more comprehensive support to partner institutions as they roll out the new courses. 

Supporting Innovation in the Technical and Vocational Education Sector (SITVES)

All 10 Kenyan TVET partner institutions are currently implementing their research and innovation initiatives. George Brown College has worked to develop toolkits, provide virtual training, and to support subgrantees to put in place a strong foundation for the development of applied research and innovation hubs tailored to their institutional goals and local community needs. CICan together with its consortium partners Linking Industry with Academia Programme Trust and Rift Valley Technical Training Institute have continued to work with subgrantees to provide one-on-one guidance, mentoring, and support to the research staff at each of the partner Kenyan institutions to build their capacity in research implementation, project management, and report and policy writing.      

Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE)

SAGE will be offering a pre-apprenticeship pilot in Dominica commencing in August and an apprenticeship pilot in Grenada commencing this fall. SAGE has been working with employers in the construction industry and the TVET councils to implement the pilots. SAGE partners are preparing to offer programs this fall in agriculture, construction, coastal and water resource management, and renewable energy. 

For more information please contact Pat Bidart.

Young Africa Works in Kenya - Technical and Vocational Education and Training (YAW-K-TVET)

Young Africa Works in Kenya-TVET partners have worked together over the past few months to develop Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) tools and trainings and pre-service and in-service instructor CBET training. Phase 1 Institutional Partnerships have been working hard to provide training to instructors and to develop learning materials to ensure the launch of 10 new CBET courses at Kenyan national polytechnics in September 2021. CICan has also worked with its Kenyan partners to establish four new Thematic Partnerships with eight CICan member institutions on labour market information tools, career guidance and mentorship services, applied research and innovation, and gender equality training and policies.  

In April 2021, the program also launched an RFP for 10 Phase 2 Institutional Partnerships with 25 Kenyan TVET institutions. After a competitive proposal and interview process, 20 CICan member institutions were selected by their Kenyan peers to implement these partnerships, which will focus on developing and launching new CBET courses, providing pedagogical and technical training to TVET instructors and expanding linkages with the industry. 

Mille femmes: Je suis femme, j’existe, je participe (One Thousand Women: I am a woman, I exist, I participate)

On March 25th, CICan announced the signing of a new project with Global Affairs Canada. The five-year, $18 million project, entitled Mille femmes : Je suis femme, j’existe, je participe (One Thousand Women: I am a woman, I exist, I participate), is aimed at strengthening the economic, social and political empowerment of the most vulnerable and marginalized women, taking into account their professional and life experiences through the Valorisation des acquis de l’expérience (VAE) (Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition) approach, in collaboration with our longstanding partner, MEFPAI and the 14 ETS (institutes of advanced technology) of the PSG-EPE project.

The project implementation plan was submitted to GAC at the end of July. This is a GE03-rated, gender equality-specific and targeted project as defined by GAC Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP), which means that the outcomes are exclusively focused on addressing gender inequalities. In the coming months, we will start working on the terms of reference at the ministerial level followed by institutional partnerships. We invite you to keep an eye out for the more than 15 calls for proposals that will be launched at the end of the 21-22 financial year and at the beginning of the 22-23 financial year. 

Empowerment through Skills Program Tanzania (ESP)

CICan continues its longstanding partnership with the Government of Tanzania with a new program aimed at building a more inclusive economy in communities across the country. The Empowerment through Skills Program (ESP) is a seven-year (March 29, 2021), that will strengthen alternative pathways to education and employment for women and adolescent girls. The program is a gender equality-specific and targeted project as defined by GAC’s FIAP. Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the Program will be delivered in partnership with Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology through the Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Twelve rural TVET institutions, known as Folk Development Colleges, and local community-based organizations will forge six new partnerships with Canadian colleges and institutes. Together, they will work to increase the rates of participation in skills training programs; improve access to business, skills, gender, and human rights training; and expand their employment opportunities. The Project seeks to directly benefit an estimated 7,000 people across 12 communities in Tanzania. A provisional annual workplan has been approved by Global Affairs Canada and baseline data gathering, program design validation, and implementation planning activities are underway. The six calls for proposals for Canadian partnerships are expected to be launched at the beginning of the 2022-23 financial year.  

Renewal of CICan’s International Strategy

The process is underway to renew CICan’s International Strategy. Consultations with members are being planned for the fall to gather input and discuss the future orientations of CICan’s international division and how it should support members in the next 3-5 years. Messages will be sent out later in September or October with precise dates and topics for discussion.

Project development in Peru and South Africa

Global Affairs Canada has invited CICan to develop separate project concepts in Peru and South Africa, with the former project expected to receive approval by March 2022, and the latter by the end of 2022.

Innovative Finance Advisory Committee (IFAC)

CICan has formed an Innovative Finance Advisory Committee (IFAC) to support its work in impact investing in the coming year. We are thrilled with the members we have recruited, including colleagues from four members colleges, which allows us to now focus on finding investors and funders for an innovative initiative that complements our current portfolio of projects.

The IFAC members include:

• André Gobeil (Directeur Général), Cégep de Chicoutimi
• Bill Chislett (Director) MI International, Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland
• Erica Barbosa (Global Head, Sustainable Finance & Innovation), SecondMuse Capital
• Jared Lee (Director of Programs) and Miléna Castellnou (Principal, Workforce Development), Education Outcomes Fund
• Jennifer Brennan (Head of Canada Programs), MasterCard Foundation
• Marian Gayed (Vice-President, External Relations and Partnerships), Norquest College
• Nalini Andrade (Manager), International Development Institute, Humber College

Reference Guide to the Competency-Based Approach (CBA)

As discussed at CICan’s 2021 Connection Virtual Conference, CICan launched a Reference Guide to the CBA for members and international partners. The CBA is the pedagogical methodology advocated by the Education for Employment (EFE) programs and is decoded and recoded to suit the reality of different countries of intervention without losing its foundations and principles. The Reference Guide was developed by Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick, Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, and Humber College and is now available on CICan’s website in English and French (refer to the “Reference Documents” section of the webpage). There will be a call for proposals in the coming months to members interested in developing a similar reference guide for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition.

Key Sector Promotional Videos

With funding from Global Affairs Canada’s CanExport Associations program, CICan developed promotional videos around key sectors to which colleges contribute. The videos are available in both English and French and in social media formats. Please feel free to share them around and use them in any of your advocacy work!

The World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP) Awards of Excellence

Have the achievement of your college or polytechnic recognized on the world stage! The WFCP, the international network of national and regional associations of colleges as well as individual colleges, is pleased to announce its fifth Awards of Excellence, recognizing outstanding contributions from member institutions/associations, and celebrating accomplishments in the global colleges and polytechnics sector. CICan members are eligible to apply. The Awards recognize excellence of both individuals and institutions/associations in 12 categories reflecting core values and strategic objectives of WFCP and its member institutions. To be considered for an individual and/or organization Award of Excellence, you must submit the nomination form(s) by November 1st, 2021 (11:59 p.m. EST) to secretariat@wfcp.org in PDF or Word format.

Jun 18 - 23rd, 2022

Leading in the ever-evolving landscape of post-secondary education requires strong skills and tools to be effective and successful. CICan’s celebrated leadership institutes draw on the latest management concepts and experience to prepare participants to successfully lead in the college and institute system. Participants are guided by a core group of faculty who create an interactive environment, sharing personal stories, knowledge, and experience to underline the skills needed to lead in higher education.

The following key areas will be part of the discussion:

• leadership self-assessment and skills assessment;
• the key elements and challenges of this role;
• the role of the international office/division in your institution;
• reporting structures, financial models, recruitment strategies, organizational structures;
• offshore projects, programs, and campus – opportunities and challenges, how to access funding agencies;
• HR management practices and approaches; and
• risk management in international work.

Registration for the next Leadership Institute for Leaders in International from June 18 – 23^rd, 2022 in Toronto, ON, is now open. Early registration is encouraged for a maximum of 30 participants and a maximum of 2 participants per college. Should space permit, an additional participant may be considered. We also welcome participants from non-member institutions or other organizations.

Toronto, ON

Appointment of new BC representative

CICan is pleased to announce the appointment of a new member of its International Advisory Committee. Baihua Chadwick, Associate Vice-President International at Thompson Rivers University, and CEO Global Operations, TRU World, will be joining the Committee as the new representative from British Columbia. She will take over from Ajay Patel whose term on the Committee ends in September.  

CICan wants to take this opportunity to thank Ajay for his many important contributions during a period over which the organization significantly expanded the scope of its international activities to better serve the interests of its member institutions. 

The current members of the Committee are:  

• Baihua Chadwick, Thompson Rivers University (British Columbia) 
• Nancy Thornton, NorQuest College (areas north of the 50th parallel) 
• Derek Lemieux, Bow Valley College (Alberta) 
• Eddy Lau, Red River College (Manitoba) 
• Ernest Mulvey, Algonquin College (Ontario) 
• Véronique Raymond, Collège de Maisonneuve (Québec) 
• Katie Orr, Nova Scotia Community College (the Atlantic Provinces) 
• Peter Devlin, Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology (Board Liaison)