Advanced Education and Skills
September 26, 2012

Contract Talks Continue with College of the North Atlantic and Qatar
 

International contract negotiations for a long-term comprehensive agreement between College of the North Atlantic and State representatives of Qatar are ongoing. The current contract, which was originally scheduled to end August 31, 2012, had been extended to August 31, 2013.

In response to a news release from the Official Opposition, the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, today clarified the status of negotiations.

“While we continue discussions to secure a long-term arrangement with the State of Qatar, we have been given no indication that the current contract with College of the North Atlantic has been awarded to another institution,” said Minister Burke. “Contract negotiations are ongoing and it is the hope of this government that they will result in a contract that provides benefits to both the people of Qatar through the college and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.”

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador supports education as one of its highest priorities and is proud of the partnership that has been built with the Qatari government and the College of the North Atlantic campus in Qatar. This September marks 10 years of delivering academic programming to students at the campus in Qatar. The college has looked beyond its borders to deliver programs, recruit students and seek out global experiences. In the process, the Qatar campus has become one of the largest Canadian higher-education campuses outside Canada.

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Media contact:

John Tompkins
Director of Communications
Department of Advanced Education and Skills
709-729-0753, 728-7762
jtompkins@gov.nl.ca

2012 09 18             4:40 p.m.