��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Navitas announce internationalization partnership at Calgary campus

trevor.kenney — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 16:48:16 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Navitas today announced a strategic partnership that will greatly enhance international education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and offer new opportunities for international students to begin their academic journeys in Calgary.

The foundation of this partnership is the ULethbridge International College Calgary (UICC) to be located in the heart of Canada's fourth largest urban centre.

Having now been approved as a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) on the Government of Alberta’s recommendation, UICC will begin recruiting international students this fall.

As a next step, Navitas will work collaboratively with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and its community over the summer to design programs and shared services that will help to prepare international students for academic and personal success.

The goal of UICC is to offer an integrated and highly customized program that includes academic course content, study skills development and wraparound social and academic support systems that will allow students, upon successful completion, to progress to second year in certain undergraduate degrees at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ at either the Calgary or Lethbridge campus, including the Dhillon School of Business. ULethbridge retains full control over all academic aspects of the UICC program.

Navitas has nearly 30 years of experience establishing successful pathway programs with publicly funded universities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. This will be Navitas's fifth partnership with a Canadian university; its first was with Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ beginning in 2006 followed by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba in 2007, Toronto Metropolitan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 2020, and Wilfrid Laurier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 2021. Combined, these programs welcome approximately 5,000 international students from more than 90 countries each year. Ninety per cent of students progressed from Navitas’s Canadian programs to their host university.

More information on UICC programs and registration information will be available later this fall.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a destination for students from around the world and our partnership with Navitas will create more opportunities for international students to attend our institution," says Dr. Mike Mahon, ULethbridge president and vice-chancellor. "In addition to preparing our students for the future, attracting bright young minds from around the world will enhance economically and socially the many communities the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ serves."

Scott Jones, Group CEO, Navitas, says, “The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will benefit greatly from the Navitas global marketing network and to a pathway program that puts the needs of international students first. ULethbridge’s commitment to nurturing student success and personal growth, promoting a diverse and inclusive community combined with its reputation for teaching and research excellence makes it an ideal destination for international students. We look forward to introducing Lethbridge and Calgary to international students and promoting the high-quality post-secondary education for which both Canada and ULethbridge are known.”

Dr. Brian J.R. Stevenson, President & CEO, Navitas ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Partnerships North America (UPNA), adds, “The ULethbridge International College Calgary will quickly become an important addition to Calgary’s vibrant downtown community, welcoming international students from all corners of the world to begin their university journeys there. We are delighted to welcome ULethbridge to the Navitas community and look forward to many years of collaboration supporting student success.”

Open Mike — October updates and a look to upcoming town hall

trevor.kenney — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 16:03:25 +0000

I trust everyone had a good Thanksgiving weekend and I hope you were able to spend some time with loved ones, whether virtually or in-person.

I’d like to pass along a few short updates on some upcoming campus activities as well as congratulate everyone for some of the successes we have been celebrating in recent weeks. At the top of the list is our recent standing in the Maclean’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Rankings Report, where we achieved our highest-ever standing of second in the primarily undergraduate classification. This is truly a campus-wide achievement and all of our faculty, staff and students deserve credit for continuing to put the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ at the top of the rankings list year after year.

As we look ahead, a key area of emphasis that will allow us to further strengthen our campus is the continued growth of diversity and inclusivity throughout our community. We are currently recruiting for the newly created and continuing role of Executive Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). This will be a vital role on campus, helping to shape our community going forward as we strive to effect systemic change and enable a university community that is equitable, diverse and inclusive.

Recently, we communicated our decision to continue instruction in the 2021 spring term through a blend of face-to-face and online modalities. This decision supports meaningful learning and engagement activities that are essential to the student experience and will maximize the number of students who can safely be on campus. Course delivery will continue to be primarily online, but with an increase in the number of face-to-face offerings. I fully expect our outstanding faculty and staff will continue to meet the needs of our students as we navigate these unprecedented times together, and thank everyone for their efforts.

Later this week, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will host representatives from Navitas, an Australian-based company that works in partnership with post-secondary institutions (such as Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Ryerson ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba) for the purposes of recruiting, retaining and supporting international students. As part of this visit, representatives from Navitas will meet with U of L senior leaders, student leaders, ULFA executive and representatives of units responsible for supporting our international students. The Navitas visit is the beginning of a process to understand options and ask and address questions that would inform future considerations of their service.

The internationalization of our campus and support for international students has been a long-held priority for our institution. International students enrich our campus and broader community and contribute to the overall experience of all our students. Further, increased international enrolment is important in ensuring the financial sustainability of our institution, which is becoming increasingly important in the face of operating grant reductions from the Alberta government. Regardless of any future outcomes, discussions like these are critical in ensuring we chart a course forward that is in the best interests of our students, faculty, staff and the broader southern Alberta community.

On October 29, we will deliver another town hall update to discuss a number of important developments on campus, including the effects of COVID-19 on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s budget, further details regarding our Spring 2021 delivery model and an update on the various task forces looking at university transformation. These town halls are valuable opportunities to share information with each other that informs our collective work and I look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible through this forum.

UNews - Navitas

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Navitas announce internationalization partnership at Calgary campus

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Open Mike — October updates and a look to upcoming town hall

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Navitas announce internationalization partnership at Calgary campus