Canada is in some respects the “unknown partner” for other North American colleagues. A substantial amount of collaborative activities are already taking place between U.S. and Mexican institutions. While a great deal of interest in Canadian institutions exists in both of the other North American countries, there are important differences between the higher education systems in the three countries. Knowledge of the Canadian system outside of Canada remains quite limited. Some Canadian colleagues half jokingly express that they also have difficulty understanding the way the system works.
One of the primary activities in which staff members at the Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration (CONAHEC)*** engage is advising representatives of colleges and universities on how to work with other North American partners. The following is an abbreviated version of the recommendations we make in our workshops to non-Canadians who seek to connect with colleagues at Canadian institutions in a constructive way. Some introductory comments we provide to those who express interest in establishing partnerships with Canadian institutions for the first time include:
Figuring out the initial puzzle: Be aware that there is not merely a single system of higher education in Canada, but instead that as a consequence of the decentralized nature of the administration of education in Canada, and the absence of a Federal Ministry of Education, each province and territory has jurisdiction over its own system and thus guides its development. Although this diversity among systems can be seen as challenging, it also provides the opportunity to find a larger pool of institutional systems within a single country which can better accommodate the specific needs of institutional partners from abroad. At the government level, institutions from abroad which are accustomed to dealing with a national Ministry of Education, are surprised to learn that Canada may be the only country in the world without such a federal government entity, and, moreover, to be informed that as a result, a substantial number of international academic cooperation initiatives are handled by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
A more complex puzzle: In addition to the multiple education systems, there is a wide diversity of high-quality institutions in Canada. Sorting through this landscape is not an easy task for an outsider. This plethora includes universities, university-colleges, community colleges, Cégeps, institutes of technology, specialized institutions, and virtual universities. It is important to identify and focus on the appropriate type of partner institution for a specific project. CONAHEC advises institutions to follow a series of simple steps in identifying the right partner out of this multiplicity of institutions. This includes identifying goals of the partnership, analyzing institutional strengths/weaknesses, investigating those of the potential partners, and ultimately determining a good match. We also provide recommendations that assist institutions in avoiding costly mistakes in partnering with Canadian institutions, especially those related to mismatched expectations of the parties.
Education matters in Canada: Culturally, education is a highly valued practice in Canada. This is reflected in the historically substantial levels of subsidization of the development of the various public education systems when compared with those of many other countries. Canada has one of the highest proportions of population with postsecondary education in the world. In addition, since professions involved in providing education are also relatively highly valued, they tend to attract well qualified individuals. For this reason, the quality of public education in Canada is exceptional and provides a very sound basis for partnerships. However, the devil is in the details, since institutions from abroad want to know if the potential Canadian partner is “accredited”. It is not easy to explain that Canada doesn’t have an “accreditation” system for higher education institutions similar to the ones existing in the U.S. or Mexico, CONAHEC advises institutions abroad on how to find out about quality assurance at Canadian institutions. This element becomes critically important to the sound development of partnerships.
The long-standing search for identity: Canada is a country in which cultural diversity is a key component of the social fabric. This is a unique feature that makes Canada extremely attractive for international higher education institutions looking for effective ways to prepare their future graduates with multicultural awareness and the skills necessary to meet with the challenges of an increasingly inter-connected world. Outsiders are puzzled by the collective quest in Canada for a ‘Canadian’ identity, and it is interesting, and sometimes unfamiliar for them to listen to public controversies or the careful distinctions in Canadian meaning and usage of words such as “national” versus “Pan-Canadian.” “federal” versus “provincial”. Foreigners are also intrigued by the recurrent issue of separatism and ethnic and linguistic differentiation. CONAHEC suggests that institutional representatives looking for partnerships in Canada be aware of the issues surrounding this quest for identity and to be sensitive to them in their dealings with representatives of Canadian institutions.
Where is the money?: Some organizations provide support for the development of international collaboration projects and programs between North American partners mostly through the North American Student Mobility Program, which provides funding for the formation of consortia of six institutions – two per country – in a variety of knowledge areas. For this program, the participating governmental agencies in the three countries are Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) , the Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE) of the U.S. Department of Education, the Secretaría de Educación Pública of Mexico. At the end of this article there is a list of useful web sites.
The soup of organizations: There are a good variety of resource organizations that can provide critical orientation and guidance. Some important members of this group are the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and the Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE). We advise institutions that AUCC has assumed the role of umbrella organization for higher education institutions and which, by virtue of its membership requirements, has become the de facto equivalent of an accrediting agency for universities. ACCC is also a membership organization that focuses on community colleges, and CBIE specializes in bringing together representatives from offices of international programs, offering services to its membership and promoting Canadian higher education abroad.
A word of precaution: From an outsiders perspective, based on previous experience in developing partnerships with Canadian institutions, it is sometimes observed that Canadians can be cautious about who is initiating contact with them and for what reasons. That’s why it is important to be open and frank to avoid potential misunderstandings.
The new kid on the block: Canada has become increasingly engaged in public policy and diplomacy in the Western Hemisphere. Interestingly, many Latin American countries – and this is the case for Mexico – have found in Canada an important ally for their development agenda. However, the discovery of this vocation towards the Americas has been relatively recent (Canada became a member of the Organization of American States (OAS) in 1990).
While this is just a brief overview, this information has proven useful as an introduction for non-Canadians to the quality, uniqueness, opportunities, challenges, and complexities of higher education in Canada. Developing a deeper understanding requires interaction among partners. It is therefore important to reiterate that a great deal of interest exists in the U.S. and Mexico in cooperating on international “North American” focused projects. Be on the lookout for these opportunities as they present themselves, and feel free to contact us if we might be of assistance!
Author's Information
Francisco Marmolejo is the executive director, CONAHEC. Tel. +1 520 621 9080. fmarmole (at) email (dot) arizona (dot) edu
Sean Manley-Casimir is the associate director, CONAHEC. Tel. +1 520 621 7761, smanleycfmarmole (at) email (dot) arizona (dot) edu
CONAHEC is a tri-national consortium of higher education institutions and organizations dedicated to the advancement of collaborative projects benefiting higher education within the North American region. For more information, please visit: CONAHEC
Useful Sites:
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Association of Canadian Community Colleges
Canada-Mexico Higher Education Opportunities
Canada-Latin America and the Caribbean Research Exchange Grant
Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program
Canadian Bureau for International Education
Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education
Human Resources and Skills Development – Canada
Mexican Ministry of Public Education
Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education
U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Department of State-Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
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