Little interest here in going abroad

Currently, only 95 Concordia students are studying abroad on exchange. However, the Centre for International Academic Co-operation expects this to rise to 130 for next term.

The ratio of incoming to outgoing exchange students is about four to one.

The Quebec Ministry of Education, which had mixed response to its financial incentives for students to travel abroad, has considered imposing a quota that would only allow universities to enroll the same number of exchange students from each country as the number of students we send there.

Some countries that sent many students to Concordia in the past have seen a decline this year, notably France, from 437 in 2003 to 240 in 2004.

The CIAC is planning to meet the challenge of low interest in studying abroad via department-specific workshops, starting this month.

The fourth annual Study Away Fair is being held at Concordia on Nov. 17, from 10 to 5, in the atrium of the J.W. McConnell Building. This would be a great opportunity for any Concordia student to explore the possibility of traveling abroad, because representatives from other universities, associations and exchange programs will be on hand.

International Education Week is being marked across Canada from Nov. 15 to 19 to raise awareness and understanding of international education and its benefits to Canada. For more information, please go to www.iew-sei.ca.