Canadian schools eyeing ties with Cebu academe

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Chapter of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham-Cebu) has started to host Canadian universities wanting to link with Cebu-based schools.

CanCham-Cebu president Felix Tiukinhoy Jr., said that more Canadian schools have been visiting Cebu since 2016, following CanCham’s advocacy to link Cebuano educational institutions with schools in Canada.

CanCham-Cebu had been advocating to connect the universities in Cebu to Canadian academe to boost the educational exchange between Cebu and different cities in Canada.

CanCham serves as the coordinator of this special advocacy to increase the number of exchange students, and other university-to-university partnership between the two countries.

In 2015, the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines invited Cebuanos to maximize the opportunity in studying in Canada, through the visit made by 12 Canadian educational institutions here,

The 12 Canadian schools that participated include Acsenda School of Management, Algonquin College, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Centennial College, Douglas College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Humber College, Niagara College, SAIT Polytechnic, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Seneca College, and University of Regina.

Already, the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and the Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education (CHED) signed a joint statement on education collaboration that will promote research, student, and faculty exchange, curriculum enhancement and faculty development.

It also highlights opportunities for Filipino students to study in Canadian schools as well as Canadians hoping to study in the Philippines.

Canada’s numerous advantages as a study destination enable CBIE’s vision to position Canada as a leader in international education.

CBIE works across the full spectrum of education, bridging the interests of all learning levels, from K+12 to postgraduate, and engaging both the public and private sectors.

Canada is seventh in the world as an international study destination, with close to 300,000 foreign students enrolled in its schools.

Tiukinhoy said CanCham's effort in matching Cebu universities with Canadian educational institutions is just part of the organization's support of the existing programs put in place by the two countries' government in an effort to strengthen the two nation's mutual trade exchanges.