Canadian universities attract many Chinese students who want to take their masters’ degrees. This tendency has been discussed by many researchers, policy-makers, and college administrators. In particular, they focus on two groups of factors.
In particular, they examine the social environment of the country, its educational as well as immigration policies. Moreover, it is vital to study the practices adopted by educational institutions. These issues affect the decisions of many Chinese students. So, it is important to examine these details in greater detail.
This tendency can be explained by several underlying causes. According to the qualitative study carried out by Li, DiPetta, and Woloshyn (2012), Chinese students attach importance to the safe social environment of the country (p. 152). For instance, one can speak about lower crime rates, especially in comparison with the United States. Additionally, Canada is chosen among other countries because it is easier for students to receive visas (Jie, 2010, p. 226).
Furthermore, Chinese students believe that Canadian universities are less expensive than educational institutions located in countries like Australia or the United Kingdom; however, at the same time, they ensured a high quality of graduate and post-graduate programs.
This is the main attribute that attracts many learners from China and other Asian countries. Apart from that, the education in Canada enables students to learn more about the best practices adopted by Western organizations. This benefit is of great importance to people who major in business administration.
Additionally, the federal government of Canada provides additional funding to graduate students and offers various scholarship programs (Associations of Colleges and Universities of Canada, 2011, p. 10; Friedland, 2013).
Furthermore, Canadian universities provide more opportunities to people who want to undertake research. Admittedly, these people have to encounter several difficulties such as culture shock (Bélanger, McCartney, Leonard, Lebrasseur, & Tu, 2012; Hasmath, 2010). Additionally, they should adjust to new instructional strategies (Liang, 2004). Nevertheless, these people are ready to overcome these challenges.
Moreover, Chinese students note that Canadian universities offere better post-graduate programs. In particular, they enable people to enroll to multi-disciplinary programs (Canadian Association for Graduate Studies, 2006). So, learners can major in several fields. This flexibility is not always available in China. Admittedly, similar policies have been adopted by universities located in the United Stated or the United Kingdom. Yet, education is less expensive in China.
These are the main details that can be distinguished. During the period between 2000 and 2007, the number of international students in Canada declined (Poy & Cao, 2011, p. 110). So, the government tried to develop policies that could change the situation. Policy-makers, local officials, and university administrators focused on developing better graduate and post-graduate programs. To some degree, the increasing inflow of Chinese students is the result of these policies.
It should be mentioned that a similar trend can be observed among learners coming from other countries. In particular, Canadian universities appeal to students from Latin America and Southeast Asia (Canadian Bureau for International Education, 2013, p. 4). These people want to enroll to post-graduate programs in Canada.
Overall, the analysis of various sources indicates that Canada offers several distinct benefits to Chinese learners who want to study for master’s degrees. In particular, much attention should be paid to the safe social environment of the country. Additionally, Canadian universities ensure the high quality of education and flexibility of programs available to learners. Nevertheless, the price of education in Canada is more affordable.
These findings can help policy-makers and college educators attract talented students from different countries. Furthermore, this review can be a starting point for further studies because it shows that researchers should understand the reasons why people choose to study in a certain country.
Reference List
Associations of Colleges and Universities of Canada. (2011). Trends in Higher Education. Web.
Bélanger, C., McCartney, K., Leonard, V. M., Lebrasseur, R., & Tu, J. (2013). Comparing chinese and canadian accounting students’ expectations and experiences. International Journal of Business and Management, 8(20), 117-130.
Canadian Association for Graduate Studies. (2006). A Profile of Master’s Degree Education in Canada. Web.
Canadian Bureau for International Education. (2013). A World of Learning. Web.
Friedland, M. (2013). The University of Toronto: A History. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Hasmath, R. (2010). A Comparative Study of Minority Development in China and Canada. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Jie, Z. (2010). Neoliberal Globalization, Higher Education Policies and International Student Flows: An Exploratory Case Study of Chinese Graduate Student Flows to Canada. Journal Of Alternative Perspectives In The Social Sciences, 2(1), 216-243.
Li, X., DiPetta, T., & Woloshyn, V. (2012). Why do chinese study for a master of education degree in canada? what are their experiences? Canadian Journal of Education, 35(3), 149-163.
Liang, X. (2004). Cooperative Learning as a Sociocultural Practice. Canadian Modern Language Review, 60(5), 637-668.
Poy, V., & Cao, H. (2011). The China Challenge: Sino-Canadian Relations in the 21st Century. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press.