TORONTO, May 30, 2007 -- York University is playing a lead role in a new international exchange program between Ontario and two states in India - Maharashtra and Goa – which will allow 50 students to participate thanks to funding from the Ontario government.
"York University is proud of to see the Ontario-Maharashtra-Goa Student Exchange Agreement come to fruition," said Sheila Embleton, vice-president academic for York University. "This partnership is another example of the many important advances that have taken place in the internationalization of Ontario's postsecondary education in the past couple of years. We appreciate the direct support and involvement of the Ontario government in making this type of program a reality."
At an event celebrating international education at York University, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Chris Bentley announced $600,000 over three years to support the new program. The agreement was signed between York University, on behalf of several Ontario institutions, and the University of Pune in India during the Premier's Ontario Business Mission to India in January. Since then, the Ontario-Maharashtra-Goa Student Exchange Agreement has expanded to include 15 Ontario universities and up to 10 Indian institutions.
"Our government supports students who want to expand their experiences by studying abroad," said Bentley. "The connections made from Premier McGuinty's Ontario Business Mission to India have continued to grow since January, resulting in new agreements between postsecondary institutions in Ontario and India. Fostering cross-cultural learning and the exchange of knowledge is central to Ontario's economic future."
Ontario government support for the exchange agreement will help with some of the travel costs of students from Ontario and India to ensure they can take advantage of the exchange. The exchange opportunities will be available to students as early as January 2008.
As part of the $6.2 billion Reaching Higher plan, the Ontario government is making an investment of $3 million in 2007-08, growing up to $5 million in 2008-09, to support the internationalization of Ontario's postsecondary education system. Through this strategy, the government is working to enrich the educational experience of Ontario's college and university students by:
- Building on existing student exchange agreements with Germany and France as well as developing new agreements with China and the United States
- Investing $2.7 million over two years through Ontario International Educational Opportunity
- Scholarships to support 1,000 Ontario students to study abroad
- Supporting initiatives to increase the number of international students attending postsecondary institutions in Ontario.
Led by York University, 15 Ontario universities will participate in the Ontario-Maharashtra-Goa Student Exchange Agreement: Brock University, Carleton University, University of Guelph, Laurentian University, McMaster University, Nipissing University, University of Toronto, Trent University, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Queen's University, University of Waterloo, University of Western Ontario, Wilfrid Laurier University and University of
Windsor.
About York University
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 190,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
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Contact:
Keith Marnoch
(416) 736-2100 ext. 22091
