Minister meets students from China

Sandra C. Kelly, Minister of Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education, yesterday met the six students from Tianjin, China, who recently arrived in the province and will train at Academy Canada for the next 10 months.

The six students from Tianjin Foreign Studies University (TFSU), a state-licensed Chinese university, are enrolled in the co-operative English major degree program at TFSU. They will complete their third-year foreign studies component in St. John�s with Academy Canada which will consist of 12 international business courses and three levels of intensive English training. On completion of the course in April 2003, the students will return to TFSU for their final year of school.

"I was delighted to have the opportunity to meet these students," said Minister Kelly. "The benefits of this arrangement are three-fold. Students from China will benefit from high-quality education, Academy Canada will benefit from an expanded student population, and the province will benefit from a more diverse culture. This is a great success story in our continuing efforts to promote international education."

Academy Canada President Mike Barrett thanked Minister Kelly and department officials for their support in recruiting the international students. "The Department of Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education, particularly the international students division, has been very cooperative and helpful in bringing the students to Newfoundland."

The six students will be joined by a second group in the fall. Academy Canada is the first private career college in the province to train a group of university students as part of a formal arrangement with an Asian university.

Photo 1: Minister Kelly poses with students from China. Students are Liu Shan Shan, Yang Wen Ying, Yang Kun, Ma Ming Quing, Yu Nan and Zhang Li Juan.

Media contact: Tansy Mundon, Communications, (709) 729-6573.

2002 07 18                                2:25 p.m.