THUNDER BAY – International students are arriving at Lakehead University in record numbers this school year.
According to James Aldridge, the university’s vice-provost international, more than 500 new international students are expected to study at the university in 2017-18, nearly doubling the school’s total international contingent.
It’s been a targeted effort, Aldridge said.
“We’ve seen growth consistently at LU over the last seven years,” he said. “We’re up to more than 1,000 international students on campus.”
Aldridge said the school has employed a marketing team to fan out around the globe seeking potential new enrollees, working closely with overseas contacts to reach out to would-be students looking for a place to further their education.
“We’ve actually got seven staff who work internationally for us, who help us recruit students to campus.”
Asia is probably the key market, driving students from India, China, South Korea to the Thunder Bay and Orillia campuses.
“Our other big market this year is Saudi Arabian students as well. We’ve seen an increase in Nigerian and other African students. We’ve got students from over 60 countries, so great diversity too,” Aldridge said.
Uncertainty south of the border is playing a role in convincing students to study in Canada, though Aldridge said he believes U.S. schools are seeing international student increases this year – just not to the extent as universities in other countries.
“They’re not up nearly as much as the Canadian institutions are across the board and I think certainly what’s going on south of the border is helping other English-speaking markets like Canada to attract more international students,” Aldridge said.
The American government, under President Donald Trump, instituted a ban that restricts travel from several mainly-Muslim countries.
Among the newcomers to Thunder Bay this fall is India’s Nishanth Marimganti, who plans to study in the water resource field.
He chose Lakehead because it offered the program he was looking for, but was glad to be welcomed on Wednesday with open arms at the school’s annual international student orientation.
“At first it was very difficult to settle in, but with the help of all the senior (students) and all the faculty, I feel very well,” said Marimganti, who is looking forward to kayaking, exploring Lake Superior and climbing Mount McKay while attending Lakehead.
South Korean In Young Oh said the orientation day was much more than she expected.
“They’re so welcoming and they’re all willing to help us, even though we didn’t ask them to,” said Oh, who plans to study visual arts.
“They seem very happy to have us here, that we chose Lakehead to be our university.”
