COTR International - Winter 2010 Newsletter

Winter 2010 Creating awareness by supporting internationalization and global learning opportunities for our students, staff and community

2009 - A YEAR IN REVIEW

www.cotr.bc.ca/cotr-International

DEPARTMENT Message from the Executive Director

by Patricia Bowron

WHAT’S INSIDE...

Department & Team Message from the Director.......2 Highlights.................................2 Internationallization at COTR...3 Programs MAST, ELT, TRMP....................4 TIFR, ATBO..............................5 Projects Kenya.......................................6 Test Your International Knowedge............................6 Ecuador....................................7 Community KAGA.......................................7

Partners COTR at Home........................8 COTR Abroad..........................9

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nternationalization at College of the Rockies has continued to grow in 2009.

We have seen 10-12% growth in attendance of international students at COTR this past year; we managed six international development projects funded through CIDA with work in Ecuador, Kenya and Tanzania; we began a review of best practices for inclusion of international competencies, internationalization and global themes into our curriculum across many college programs; and we have enrolled our first group of students into our new Global Studies Graduate Certificate program. This growth is an indication of the great passion and innovation of College employees and partners. Thank you to all of you who have contributed over the past year; we look forward to your involvement again in 2010. In an effort to reflect some of this enthusiasm and creativity for internationalization, we have chosen to provide this latest version of our newsletter as a Year in Review. We hope you will enjoy the pictorial approach to celebrate the past year.

Highlights Student Recruitment Students attended from 28 countries: Australia, Cambodia, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica , Japan, Kenya, Korea, Libya, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Trinidad, USA, Vietnam and Zambia.

Student Enrolment 2007 - 2009

Mobility Staff Mobility...........................10 Student & Intern Mobility.......11 International Department Meet the Staff.........................12

Photo Credits

Lisa Ramsey, cover; Mauricio Flores Salazar, pg 4,11; David Gahr, pg 4; Melodie Hull, pg 4; Kye Walker, pg 5; Graham Knipfel, pg 6,7; Pauline Bennison, pg 7,10; Jeff Cooper, pg 8,9,11,12; Sonja Janousek, Pg 10

Editor

Shannon Parnall

Year in Review 2009

Programs of study included English Language Training, Tourism and Recreation Management, Welding, Business Administration, Office Administration & Technology, Applied Computer Certificate, Early Childhood Education, Human Kinetics, Human Service Worker, Timber Framing, Automotive Services Technician, Adventure Tourism Business Operations, Mountain Adventure Skills Training, University Studies, Adult Basic Education, Global Studies and Professional Cook Training.

Recruiting initiatives were undertaken in Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea, Kenya, Zambia, Jordan, UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Chile.

Partnership Development During 2009 COTR was involved in 6 development partnerships; 19 employees travelled on overseas work; 4 students traveled to Ecuador, and 7 interns completed assignments in Ecuador and Peru.

COTR also had the pleasure of hosting more than thirty visitors in 2009 from: • Australearn, • Universidad Espiritu Santo, • Kimathi University College of Technology, • Osaka Gakuin University, • Chilean tourism and education industry, • European delegates from Spain, Scotland and Finland, and • Catering and Tourism Development Levy Trust (Kenya). www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

DEPARTMENT Internationalization at College of the Rockies

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recently released federal government study demonstrates how international students contribute significantly to Canada’s economy. The Economic Impact of International Education in Canada contains some remarkable numbers beginning with $6.5 billion – the total amount spent by the 178,000 international students in Canada last year. This figure is greater than the values of the export of coal and coniferous lumber – two of Canada’s traditionally largest export sectors.

The government report also points out the cultural and ethnic diversity international students bring to our communities: ‘while studying here, students from abroad bring diverse perspectives, expertise and skills to Canadian classrooms and labs.

This positive effect is not restricted to just the largest urban centres. The presence of international students at our institutions in smaller communities brings together many cultures from around the world which in turn, infuses the broader community with diversity.’

According to the report which was published in 2009, education services are Canada’s number one export to China and the second largest export to South Korea.

College of the Rockies Executive Director of International Affairs Patricia Bowron believes that international students also contribute to the Bowron agrees, “We know that, over the local and regional econyears, the interThe presence of international omy. “We have a record national students students at Canadian institutions number of international living, shopping provided employment for over students for the Winter and recreating in 83,000 Canadians and gener2010 semester: 119 from our communities ated more than $291 million in 26 different countries. have contributed government revenue last year.

This represents about greatly to a growsix per cent of our total ing global awarestudent population and their tuition ness both inside and outside College of the is not subsidized as is the tuition for Rockies. Many have made close friends here Canadian students. They also need and continue to keep in touch, or encourage housing, transportation and goods their Canadian friends to visit them in their and services during their stay.” home countries which also contributes to cross-cultural awareness.”

“As with the national federal government study, approximately 75 Another point the report makes is ‘when per cent of our international students international students graduate from our come from Southeast Asia but we schools and return to their countries of oriare seeing an expanding market in gin, many become business, governmental Europe and the Middle East,” Bow- and academic leaders, creating international ron continued. “We are also explor- networks that strengthen Canada’s economic ing more recruitment opportunities and diplomatic ties abroad.’ in Africa.”

Year in Review 2009

Along with student recruitment, College of the Rockies continues to be active in consultancy and development work overseas. “We have close ties with educational institutions in Sweden, Japan, Kenya and France as well as transfer agreements in Ecuador and Australia and exchange agreements with Chile, Spain, Scotland and Finland. College of the Rockies’ internationalization strategy continues to grow and is an integral part of our core education and business planning,” Bowron concluded.

College of the Rockies now

EQA Certified!

(Education Quality Assurance)

EQA is a Government of British Columbia quality assurance designation that identifies and promotes public and private postsecondary institutions that have met or exceeded government recognized quality assurance standards and consumer protection mechanisms. The Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development sets all EQA policies.

www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

pROGRAMS Popular Programs at COTR

Mountain Adventure Skills Training student, Mauricio Flores Salazar from Chile (right), enjoyed winter field trips hiking, ice climbing and canoeing near Golden, BC.

University Transfer Tourism and Recreation Management Business Administration Mountain Adventure Skills Training Timber Framinig Early Childhood Education Human Kinetics Human Service Worker Office Administration & Technology Adventure Tourism Business Operations Professional Cook Training Global Learning Studies English Language Training

English Language Training (ELT) students interact with Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) students throughout the year at a variety of fun and educational activities.

Right: ELT Student Jong Won Yoon plays sax for fellow ELT student Fernando Benitez Correa and BSN students.

Above: Tourism and Recreation Management students at historic St. Eugene Mission Right: Tourism students hosted an evening networking event at COTR. (L to R): Patricia Punanco Silva and Shanna Wangat; guest speaker MLA Bill Bennett Year in Review 2009

www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

pROGRAMS The Timber Framing program attracts people from around the world interested in working in the timber frame industry and/or wanting to build their own timber frame structure. Students have the opportunity to assist with the design and building of one framed structure and two or three projects.

Above: Students working in the Timber Framing shop Right: Timber Framed entrance to program classroom

“The academic curriculum was interesting (and made more so by the efforts of our teachers), the certification courses were challenging and high level and the trips were amazing.� ~ Tyler Coghill, ATBO Diploma Graduate

Above & Left: Adventure Tourism Business Operations program students explore and learn about the Kootenay region Year in Review 2009

www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

PROJECTS Kenya

Above: Graham Knipfel, COTR International Project Coodinator, leads a Muringato Elementary School class in percussion-infused HIV/Aids awareness activities.

President and CEO of College of the Rockies, Dr. Nick Rubidge (right, centre), celebrates the official launch of the new Sustainable Tourism Diploma program at Kimathi University College of Technology (KUCT) in Nyeri, Kenya, along with KUCT and industry representatives.

TEST YOUR INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6)

Which of the following is the highest city in the world? a) La Paz b) Quito c) Lhasa d) Cuzco e) Bogota Which of the following has the lowest land elevation? a) Death Valley, CA b) Dead Sea Shore, Israel c) Bentley Subglacial Trench, Antartica How many letters are in the longest non-technical word in the Oxford English Dictionary? a) 32 b) 24 c) 28 d) 29 e) 31 Following are local names. Do you know the English name for these countries? a) Han-guk b) Suomi c) Hsiang-kang d) Deutschland e) Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival as it is also known, is the most important of the Chinese celebrations. What day does it fall on in 2010? a) February 1 b) January 28 c) February 14 d) March 1 e) February 18 How many Arab countries exist in Africa? a) 8 b) 5 c) 2 d) 10 e) 7 (answers on page 10)

Year in Review 2009

www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

PROJECTS Ecuador

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guana go to Ecuador! Universidad Espiritu Santo (UEES) is located in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city. Guayaquil has a variety of sustainable tourism sites and parks, including one affectionately and appropriately named Iguana Park. (pictured left and below) COTR and UEES have been working together for more than 10 years. Funded in part by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), COTR and UEES are currently collaborating on a four-year project to develop and deliver a post-graduate program at UEES in Sustainable Community Entrepreneurism.

This new program is designed to increase employment opportunities for its graduates and reduce poverty in coastal Ecuadorian communities.

COMMUNITY

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he Kootenay Action Group for Africa (or KAGA), has been operating since late 2007 with a small but dedicated group of volunteers. With more than $4,300 remaining from their local fundraising efforts, KAGA recently made the decision to reduce its capacity and operate on an ad hoc basis. In consultation with COTR’s International Education and Development Department, part of this decision included dispersing the bulk of their funds to five worthy organizations who Year in Review 2009

Kootenay Action Group for Africa would most benefit from KAGA funding.

The groups that successfully applied for and received KAGA funding are the Girls’ Opportunity Fund (aka. GO Africa), Muringato Primary School, the Oyani Healthnet, the Circle of Hope Daycare, and the Nyaribo Dispensary. These organizations all strive to help children in rural areas of Kenya and the funds received from KAGA will go a long way in helping them meet their goals.

Children at Circle of Hope Daycare

Dr. Jude Onunga of the Oyani Healthnet. inspecting a fish farm from a youth group that his organization is assisting www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

PARTNERS

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COTR AT HOME

ollege of the Rockies has been receiving funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the Association of Canadian Community Colleges for a variety of international partnerships. These projects often involve visits from our overseas partners. Pictured here during a training program in June 2009 are (L to R) Principal Prof. Kioni and Dr. Kamucha from Kimathi University College of Technology in Kenya, COTR International Project Coordinator, Graham Knipfel, and Luis Chavez from the Universidad Espiritu Santo in Ecuador waiting for a media event with Kootenay-Columbia MP Jim Abbott, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation. This particular visit included seminars and workshops with COTR faculty and management on sustainable tourism, technology in post-secondary education, utilizing advisory committees in curriculum development, and gender equality in international development.

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nternationalization at College of the Rockies does not end at bringing students into our own community. It actually goes beyond our domestic borders to reach far away communities. A recent visit by a Chilean academic and industrial delegation to Canada, (pictured at right) hosted by the College, met with a number of business people in the East Kootenay area.

They commented on how reaching across borders “can help us move forward in a number of fronts, with greater confidence and effectiveness.”

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nternational student recruitment is an ongoing process that involves a lot of preparation and planning. One of its success components is the department’s initial preparation to familiarize itself with the new market. This includes understanding the people, their culture and the educational system adopted by the country.

Omar Badran (right) met with Michael Lazaruk, Trade Comissioner, Embassy of Canada in UAE. Year in Review 2009

The last quarter of 2009 marked the start of a recruitment effort by College of the Rockies to enter new student markets in the Middle East and the Mediterranean basin. This started with visits to the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Turkey followed by a visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (which took place in January 2010). In Turkey, the recruitment initiative of College of the Rockies’

International Department was merged with the efforts of. Martin Ross, Director of International Education at Southeast Kootenay School District # 5.

Presentation for students at UAE school.

www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

PARTNERS COTR ABROAD

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ver the past five years, COTR has developed a strong working relationship with Maple Leaf Educational Systems, and more recently with Sino-Canada High School in China.

The Maple Leaf and Sino-Canada High Schools follow the same curriculum as secondary schools in British Columbia, and Maple Leaf graduates receive a BC Dogwood certificate just as they would if they completed their studies in BC. This allows for a smooth transition for their graduates to come to Canada to attend post-secondary institutions such as COTR. Above: COTR International Project Coordinator, Jeff Cooper (right), with student volunteers at the 1st Sino-Canada High School recruitment fair in Suzhou, China in November 2009.

Left: COTR Recruitment Specialist George Watson pins a Vancouver 2010 Olympic pin onto the lapel of Mr. Li in Dalian, China.

Mr. Li met with COTR and Dalian Maple Leaf School representatives during the Maple Leaf Recruitment Fairs held in China.

Mr. Li’s daughter, Kathy (right), received her BC Dogwood certificate from Dalian Maple Leaf (Jinshitan campus) and is currently enrolled in University Studies at COTR. She plans to transfer to UBC to complete her Bachelor of Commerce Degree.

Steve Munshaw and Jared Riel of the Kimberley Fire Department traveled to Doha, Qatar in October 2009.

Below: Steve and Jared (kneeling) with some of the graduates

Steve and Jared provided training for 24 members of Dolphin Energy in Confined Space Rescue and High Angle Rescue.

Above: Confined Space Rescue training Year in Review 2009

www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

MOBILITY Staff

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ollege of the Rockies’ faculty members Pauline Bennison and Marla Riehl spent two weeks in Ecuador as consultants focused on internationalization and gender respectively.

Pauline and Marla had the opportunity to work with COTR partner, Universidad Espiritu Santo (UEES) in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to develop a post-graduate program in Sustainable Community Entrepreneurism.

Right: (L to R) Pauline Bennison, COTR; Nancy de Hilgert, UEES; Pedro Morales, President of Community, Puerto El Morro; Sonja Janousek, COTR; Ubaldo Figueroa, President of EcoClub Los Delfines, Puerto El Morro; Marla Riehl, COTR Left: Above: Dos Mangas artisans and weavers Below: COTR faculty member Marla Riehl at Puerto el Morro EcoClub Wharf

Building on the strong working relationship forged in COTR’s 2000-2004 base project Sustainable Eco-Tourism: A Work in Progress. The new Environmental Entrepreneurism project is designed to increase employment opportunities for UEES graduates and to reduce poverty by providing training and support through student practicum projects in coastal Ecuadorian communities.

This project is administered by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and is funded in part by the Canadian International Development Agency.

TEST YOUR INTERNATIONAL KNOWLEDGE ANSWERS (Quiz on page 6): 1)

2)

3)

4) 5) 6)

c) Lhasa is the highest city at 3658m above sea level. La Paz is 3,630m; Cuzco at 3,399; Quito is 2,819m and Bogota is at 2,644. For comparison, Cranbrook is 921m and Kimberley is 1110m above sea level. b) Dead Sea Shore is -417.5m. Death Valley is -86m. Some consider the Bentley Subglacial Trench the lowest, however it is covered in ice. If the ice melted it would be -2555m. (CIA Factbook 2009) d) floccinaucinihilipilification – which means deciding something is worthless – is the longest. At 28 letters disestablishmentarianism is the most famous and is the longest non-technical, non-coined word. a) S. Korea b) Finland c) Hong Kong d) Germany e) Saudi Arabia c) February 14th is the start of the Year of the Tiger a) 8: Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algiers, Morocco and Mauritania.

Year in Review 2009

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www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

MOBILITY Students & Interns COMING SOON - New CIDA Youth Interships Find out more about Internship opportunities at www.cotr.bc.ca/InterDev

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ince 2001, COTR has deployed over 100 Canadian interns and students overseas in career-related work opportunities. Five interns based in Ecuador and two interns in Peru completed COTR’s 2008/09 CIDA-funded International Youth Internship Program.

Above: (L to R) Interns John Probyn, Lorien Nesbitt, Kaven St-Pierre, Chelsea Wilson and Natalia Lizarazo at an Ecuadorian-Canadian Chamber of Commerce event in January 2009.

Right: Intern Lana Kopp (centre) with Peruvian artisans at Minka Fair Trade in Lima, Peru.

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innish Exchange students (L to R) Tuomas Haavisto, Emil Lindfors, Pihla Kivisto, Johannes Voutilainen, and Joanna Nikodin studied tourism at COTR as part of the Canada-EU Program for Cooperation in Higher Education, Training and Youth. In addition to Finland, countries participating in this program are Spain and Scotland.

While in Cranbrook the Finnish students visited many of the surrounding areas. Here they enjoy the view from Fisher Peak.

Find out more about student mobility/exchange opportunities at www.cotr.bc.ca/cotr-International

The faculty and students of the Scottish Agricultural College in Auchincruve, Scotland hosted Dr. Laura Cooper (second from left) to breakfast with “Robbie Burns” during her recent trip promoting COTR and the Sustainable Tourism Student Mobility Program.

Year in Review 2009

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www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International

MEET THE INTERNATIONAL STAFF International Student & Agent Services

Cheryl Webber International Education Coordinator

Marifer Lam International Education Assistant

Shannon Parnall International Education Assistant

International Projects & Opportunities

Jeff Cooper International Project Coordinator

Graham Knipfel International Project Coordinator

Tracey Brenton International Project Coordinator

Sonja Janousek International Project Facilitator Ecuador

Omar Badran Manager, International Education & Mobility

Patricia Bowron Executive Director, International Affairs

Visit our website: www.cotr.bc.ca/interdev for electronic versions of newsletters Questions or Comments? Contact us: College of the Rockies, International Education & Development Box 8500, Cranbrook, BC Canada V1C 5L7 Telephone: 250-489-8248 Fax: 250-489-8254 email: international@cotr.bc.ca

Year in Review 2009

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www.cotr.bc.ca/COTR-International