Rideau Hall, Tuesday, September 13, 2016

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Thank you all for being here. We’re very pleased to host this discussion at Rideau Hall.

This is an important gathering. All Canadians stand to benefit from closer co-operation between Ontario’s universities and the public service, especially young people.

Your agenda today is a broad one, but I would like to focus on one specific theme: international education, and how it can benefit students, universities and the public service.

And I want to talk about the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program—a collaborative initiative of the Rideau Hall Foundation, Universities Canada and Community Foundations of Canada—as one particular way to help us get there.

As you likely know, Canada has room for improvement when it comes to the number of students who study abroad.

In 2012–13, for example, just over 3 percent of Canadian undergraduates did so.

Compare that with their Australian counterparts, 17 percent of whom now study abroad at some point.

As Belinda Robinson pointed out in a recent article for “Policy Options,” Australia’s success follows a concerted effort by universities and governments in that country.

Together, they’ve promoted the benefits of studying abroad, created options for students that take account of barriers such as cost and time, and created new opportunities.

I believe universities and governments here in Canada can do the same.

In fact, given the strength of our public education system, we can go further.

But perhaps I should pause a moment to address the simple but essential question: Why?

Why should we care that our students study abroad?

Well, for students and young people, the benefits are enormous.

I sometimes illustrate this with the example of my five daughters, who began their international study experiences at the age of 12.

Four wonderful things happened to them when they went abroad to learn.

First, their natural curiosity was stimulated. That simple question “Why?”—which we’re all born asking—was prompted by the exposure to new people, cultures and languages.

Second, their tolerance for diversity was strengthened. Having no choice but to face the unfamiliar, they learned to appreciate and respect change and people who were different from them in custom and belief.

Third, their judgment was improved. They became aware of the limitations of their knowledge, and thus grew hesitant to jump to conclusions. They grew in wisdom.

And fourth, something very human: they became more empathetic. Not only were they better able to feel the pain of another’s discomfort, but they also learned to place themselves in another person’s shoes.

Now, I may indeed be demonstrating bias here as a proud father, but I think you would agree that international experience and a global outlook can help people to develop these qualities of curiosity, tolerance, judgment and empathy.

For universities, the benefits of students spending some time abroad are significant. Apart from the learning students bring back with them, international study is a two-way street. Currently, Canada is not a top-tier global destination for foreign students. More Canadian students abroad will help to raise our profile and build global networks, which can only help us attract more international students.

The public service also stands to gain from more Canadian students abroad, as well as more international students coming to Canada. All of you know that a global outlook is essential for navigating the complexities of today’s world. Imagine having a much greater number of globally aware, culturally fluent potential employees to choose from?

All of which brings me, as promised, to the Queen Elizabeth Scholars program, which consists of 80 percent Canadian participants and 20 percent from our Commonwealth partners.

The program, launched to mark Her Majesty’s 60th year on the throne, was created to address the gap that exists between Canada and its OECD partners in terms of studying abroad.

To date, 486 scholars are currently participating, as are 36 Canadian universities. A total of 34 Commonwealth countries are represented. Contributions to the program amount to $55 million, and when you add contributions from scholars and universities, that number rises to $76 million.  

I understand that 14 Ontario universities already have at least one QES project underway, with a projected 814 scholars completing the program by the end of 2018.

And, what began as a Commonwealth-only program is broadening to include scholars and projects beyond the Commonwealth.

This is great success, and very encouraging news for Canada!

So, as university leaders and deputy minister champions, I encourage you to include this program in your discussion today.

View it as a means of renewing and strengthening your respective institutions, for the benefit of all Canadians.

Keep an eye out for Queen Elizabeth Scholars—they are some of the best and brightest students and potential employees out there.

Have a productive and enlightening day.

Thank you.