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KPU's President travels to Brazil to encourage students to study in Canada
Metro Vancouver, BC – (April 26, 2012) – KPU President and Vice Chancellor John McKendry is in Brazil until May 2, 2012 to explore opportunities for university partnerships in the country and promote KPU as a destination for Brazilian students.
McKendry is joined by over 30 Canadian university presidents in the mission to build and strengthen partnerships in research, innovation and higher education. Identified as one of the BRIC countries, Brazil, along with Russia, India and China, are known as large and emerging economic powers.
"The mission to Brazil, being led by Canada's Governor General, Dr. David Johnson, who served as Principal of McGill University and as President of the University of Waterloo, is a major event," says McKendry. "It supports the International Education policy announced recently by Premier Christy Clark and also the priority given by the Prime Minister and Government of Canada to significantly increase the ties between Canada and Brazil in higher education and student mobility, research and development, and business and industry."
Canada-Brazil recently signed the Science Without Borders agreement facilitating over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students attending Brazilian universities to come to a Canadian university for a year of study and work experience. Further to that, the Government of Brazil and leaders in the Brazilian private sector are funding 100,000 scholarships for that country's students to travel the world to acquire needed skills and experience.
Officially announced today, KPU will provide $125,000 in scholarships for Brazilian university students who wish to spend a year at KPU as part of their undergraduate studies in Horticulture Science. Five undergraduate scholarships of $5,000 each will be awarded for five years to Brazilian students studying at KPU for one year.
"As a polytechnic university, KPU has a fundamental role to play in such international relationships as they relate to its role of sustaining the development of the BC business sector, the economy and the labour market," adds McKendry.
A recent report by the Canadian Bureau for International Education states that 91% of employers it surveyed identified knowledge of other cultures as an asset in employees. At present, fewer than 3 in 10 Canadian students study abroad in any given year, and through this mission, KPU is actively looking at ways to increase this number.
For more information on the new Horticulture Science scholarship program, please contact Sandra Schinnerl, Director, International Students at: sandra.schinnerl@kpu.ca
KPU has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 250,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 17,500 students annually have a choice from over 200 programs, including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations.
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For more information about KPU, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2243
joanne.saunders@kpu.ca