The Government of Canada invests in international educational opportunities for students

Students at Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology will have greater opportunities to study and learn new skills abroad through a new international student exchange project sponsored by the Government of Canada announced by Joe Preston, Member of Parliament for Elgin-Middlesex-London, on behalf of the Honourable Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. The exchange will be funded under the federal government's International Academic Mobility (IAM) Initiative.

"The Government of Canada is committed to creating the best-educated, most skilled and most flexible work force in the world," said Mr. Preston. "This project will provide students with international education opportunities that will help them develop the skills and competencies needed in a competitive global market."

Fanshawe College will receive funding of $25,000 to increase its research and administrative capacity, build the international skills of its graduates, and support students learning new skills abroad.

The International Academic Mobility Initiative offers international learning opportunities by supporting student mobility and academic cooperation projects in post-secondary institutions in Canada and abroad. This project is funded under the Special Initiatives Program, one of three programs that make up the IAM Initiative.

The other two programs are: the Canada-European Union Program for Cooperation in Higher Education, Training and Youth; and the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education.

In today's global economy, post-secondary education creates an advantage for Canadians. Higher learning is critical to Canada's international competitiveness.

In Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced significant changes to ensure that students and families have access to simple, effective financial assistance programs for post-secondary education. Beginning in 2008-2009, an additional $800 million per year will be provided for provinces and territories to strengthen the quality and competitiveness of Canada's post-secondary education system. This is in addition to $350M in funding beginning in 2009/10 and growing to $430M in 2012/13 for the new Canada Student Grant Program (CSGP).