Canada: Quality education at an affordable price
Canada: Quality education at an affordable price
Canada may not immediately spring to mind for many Indonesian
students examining foreign-study options.
The oversight is due more to a lack of awareness than a
reflection on the quality of the country's educational services.
Canada's colleges and universities are of international standards
and accreditation.
"If you are looking for a country for study, think about
Canada," says Treshia Gunardi, Manager of the Canadian Education
Centre (CEC) in Jakarta. "Canada is a beautiful, welcoming
country with friendly people."
Attesting to the excellent services available in Canada, she
adds, the United Nations Human Development Report has repeatedly
ranked Canada first.
"The UN survey ranks different things, like the crime rate,
and also the quality of education," says Treshia, herself a
seven-year resident of Canada. "One of the things it shows is
that we offer a very good quality education."
Prospective students also are assured of uniform standards at
Canadian institutions of higher learning because 90 percent of
the country's 89 universities are government funded.
"Students often ask me what a university is ranked, and I
simply reply that there are no rankings. All the universities
have similar TOEFL and grade requirements for applicants."
Another advantage is that a Canadian education comes at a cost
which is kind on the pocketbook.
"We offer lower tuition fees compared to the U.S. and the UK,
and they are roughly the same as Australian universities,"
Treshia says. "Of course, cost of living varies between major
cities, like Vancouver, and smaller cities and towns."
Treshia warns that students are doing themselves a disservice
if they let the stereotypes about the country dissuade them.
"Yes, it is cold, but it is no different than parts of the
U.S., like Michigan. And when it comes to distance, it is not
that much further than the U.S."
Despite the confusion over geography -- "Students sometimes
ask if Canada is part of the U.S." -- the countries proximity
boosts educational opportunities. Students can "cross the border"
to take specialized courses or transfer to U.S. institutions.
The relatively few Indonesians at Canadian higher education
institutions is a "selling point", Treshia believes.
"Parents come in here and say 'well, I want to look at Canada
for my child because there aren't too many Indonesians in
Canada'. They want their children to be in an environment where
they will be using English, more extensively."
The CEC can be the first stop in exploring Canada's
educational opportunities. The center offers academic counseling
and provides guidebooks, international student handbooks,
brochures, course curriculums, visa counseling and applications
at no charge. There are twice-yearly predepature-orientation
sessions, an annual Canadian education fair and an information
session once every three months.
For more information, visit CEC at the World Trade Center,
11th Floor, Jl. Jend. Sudirman, tel: 5254905, 5256676, fax:
5254904, or its website www.studyincanada.com.