International students:

admire the international students at
Capilano College because they have
a sense of purpose and a sense of the

future that alludes many their age. Plus,

they are courageous. Imagine setting
off to study in a foreign country, at the
age of 18, with minimal language and
life skills. Imagine sending your 18-
year-old son or daughter to enrol in a
college overseas!

This year we have 351 international
students from 34 countries studying at
Capilano College. Approximately 40%
are studying ESL, 43% are enrolled in
academic studies, and 17% are enrolled
in career or vocational programs.

Since the term ‘international student’
is used at Capilano College, I will
define it. An international student is a
non-immigrant student. An
international student has not been given
permission to remain permanently in
Canada. In general the needs,
backgrounds, and characteristics of an
international student are very different
from those of an immigrant.

However, through the combination
of immigrants and international
students at Capilano College we have
become a multicultural and global
community college.

International students have become
an important part of the local economy,
both to the College and to the
community. In his Georgia Straight
article, Exporting Education,
Communications instructor Crawford
Kilian pointed out that “the
globalization of education is paying off
for B.C. schools, and it’s helping to
explode some stereotypes as well.”
(Copies are available at the
International Student Centre for those
who missed it.)

However there are other reasons for
educating international students:
¢ Greater diversity in the student body
here at Capilano College is conducive
to good education and learning for all
¢ International students can help
overcome certain levels of insularity
and provincialism at Capilano College
and in our community
e International students are an
excellent resource for teaching local

why do we want them?

The two-year Joint International Business Program sees Chinese students
taking the first year of Capilano College’s curriculum in China and completing
their second year in Canada. The students are integrated into classes with
other business students at the College, providing them with a rich mix of cultural
experiences.

students and faculty about other
countries and cultures

¢ They help us to internationalize our
campus and curriculums

¢ Via international students, we can
learn how to better serve our
increasingly diverse domestic
population

e In teaching them, Capilano College’s
faculty will gain cross-cultural skills
necessary in the new international
environment

¢ International students help to create a
market for programs which are
important for our domestic students,
but which might otherwise be canceled
due to low enrolment

¢ International students allow us to
expand course offerings in various
departments

e International students’ general
seriousness of purpose, hardwork, and
scholastic achievement can spur our
domestic students toward higher
achievement.

¢ International tourism is an important
and expanding industry and
international students can help us learn
how to ensure that foreign visitors
come again

e International students represent
geographic areas which are or will be

important business partners of Canada
in the future
¢ We wish to make friends for our
country and contribute to international
friendship, peace, and global
understanding
¢ Educating international students
helps their countries to develop,
because the returning student brings
new and valuable ideas home

By welcoming and educating
international students here at Capilano
College we are making our community
college a part of the interdependent
world we now live in and providing an
important service to the global
community of which we are so much a
part. I only hope that soon we will send
more Canadian students to study
overseas (such as those in the Asia
Pacific Management Cooperative
Program) so that they too will become
the well-rounded citizens that most of
the international students at Capilano
College are striving to be.

Submitted by Gary Henkelmann
Manager, International
Student Centre

@nformer