Top Canadian Universities to promote education

Representatives of eight of Canada's leading universities will visit Sri Lanka from August 30 to September 1 to meet top students and showcase Canada as a destination of choice for higher education.

This will mark the Council of International Schools (CIS) Canadian University Tour's first visit to Sri Lanka during which the group will meet with schools in Colombo.

The High Commission of Canada considers education as one of the priority sector's for Canada's commercial engagement in Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka, Shelley Whiting said, ''Education is a priority sector for Canada's commercial engagement in Sri Lanka as we seek to build a bilateral trade relationship. The High Commission is pleased to host the CIS tour and contribute to raising awareness within Sri Lanka of the quality education available to international students in Canada''.

"Sri Lanka is emerging as an important source of talented undergraduate students," said Marc Bavin of the University of British Columbia and CIS Tour Director.

"Students coming from Sri Lanka are sought for their academic strength and the perspectives and relationships they bring to Canadian university campuses and the broader community. Each year we see more students choosing Canada as their first choice for study. Students from Sri Lanka are drawn to Canada's flexible work experience options and our universities' international reputation for academic excellence, state-of-the-art resources, and safe campuses in welcoming locations," Bavin said.

The tour is of interest to academically strong students of Sri Lankan national and international curricula considering study abroad options, and to school guidance counsellors and parents.

The universities participating in this year's tour are: The University of British Columbia, Carleton University, Concordia University, University of Guelph, McGill University, Ryerson University, University of Toronto and York University.

Canadian universities are globally engaged leaders in education through teaching, research and partnerships. Undergraduate education in Canada is a hybrid of US and UK styles offering a breadth of program options, flexibility in choice and a degree that is recognized worldwide.

Students from Sri Lanka choose Canada for a strong education and a positive international experience that provides the foundation for their exciting and successful futures. The quality, affordability and renowned research opportunities are key factors in this decision. University campuses across Canada offer multicultural environments, beautiful spaces and friendly people. Canada's education system cultivates graduates who are leaders in business, politics, the arts, science and technology.