To attract top foreign students, let’s focus on the product, not the pitch

By Gilles G. Patry. The response to the government’s announcement that it would aim to double the number of international students in Canada emphasizes the quantity: a goal of nearly half-a-million students from abroad on our post-secondary campuses by 2022. The higher tuition fees they pay, and the money they spend when they get here, creates jobs and fuels the economy. But to make the most of this policy goal, we need to consider not just how many, but what calibre of foreign students we are aiming for. Indeed, here is a chance to attract a tremendous influx of the world’s brightest, most energetic minds and all the advantages to the country that accompany their talent. More...