Today, the Saskatchewan government established a first-of-its-kind initiative in Canada to provide international education training to the post-secondary education industry. The International Education Practitioner Program is a critical component of the newly developed International Education Strategy. This training programme will help the postsecondary education sector increase capacity while also boosting Saskatchewan’s foreign education programme.
“The International Education Practitioner Program will provide international education training to the post-secondary education sector in order to support a consistent level of understanding and knowledge of international engagement across the province,” said Advanced Education Minister Gene Makowsky. “By promoting Saskatchewan as a study destination of choice, this initiative helps accomplish promises in Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan by building capacity within the sector to accommodate foreign students.”
The International Education Practitioner Program fosters capacity building and leadership in Saskatchewan’s postsecondary education sector, ensuring uniform international education service delivery across the province. Students benefit from having the same experience and degree of assistance no matter where they study in Saskatchewan, and institutions benefit from obtaining equal additional training to serve students.
“The International Education Practitioner programme will provide tremendous opportunities for our practitioners to share their experiences, continue learning as professionals, and build stronger networks across our province,” said Pirita Mattola, Acting Director of Strategic Enrolment Management at the University of Saskatchewan. “The initiative will help Saskatchewan build capacity, achieve progress toward international education goals, and play a critical role in contributing to our collective competitiveness and responsiveness in a changing international education environment.”
The Ministry of Advanced Education is collaborating with the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) to provide this training at three different levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The programme covers student recruiting and admission procedures, international student services and supports, international relations and partnership development strategies, and Saskatchewan-specific international student mobility.
“CBIE, Canada’s national voice of the international education sector, is delighted to partner with the Government of Saskatchewan in the design and delivery of this innovative and unprecedented capacity-building initiative aimed at international education practitioners across the province,” CBIE President and CEO Larissa Bezo said. “The foreign education industry is a significant contributor to provincial growth initiatives across the country, and we welcome the Government of Saskatchewan’s commitment to standardise and further professionalise this crucial sector.”
International practitioners are postsecondary education institution personnel who have been nominated to participate in the programme. Up to 78 participants are expected to finish the programme by March 2023. Prior to the epidemic, overseas students contributed more than $252 million to Saskatchewan’s economy each year.