Saint Mary's University
Nova Scotians have a long, colourful, and proud tradition of connecting with welcoming the wide world. And the world has been eager to accept that invitation. For more than 400 years, people have been drawn to our shores. And, in turn, we have shared the culture and benefits of our unique land by visiting theirs. Throughout our history, Nova Scotia sea captains sailed the globe for commerce. They took timber and natural resources and traded for tea, sugar, and exotic spices. But the most precious commodity they brought home was the lessons gained from distant cultures and civilizations. That tradition continues in today's knowledge-based economy, with our universities at the forefront -- and none more than Saint Mary's University in Halifax.
Saint Mary's motto “One University. One World. Yours.” encapsulates its philosophy, but it is actions that give it meaning. Saint Mary's is at the forefront of bringing the world’s students here. It has the highest percentage of international students of any university in the province, and the top percentage of international undergraduates in the country. That translates into 1,200 students enrolled in degree programs and 250 others at the university’s english as a second language school preparing for full admission. These students, hail from China, Japan, Viet Nam, Western Europe and, increasingly, Eastern Europe, as well as various African countries. Denis Leclaire, Saint Mary's director of International Activities Office, attributes the large number of international students to the programs the university offers.
“Saint Mary’s business, science and arts programs all enjoy an enviable reputation,” he says “Enrollment is really driven by the sectors in which students want to pursue a career, which tend to be in the programs we excel in.”
At Saint Mary’s, international education is a two-way street. The university offers many opportunities to study, intern and research around the world, giving Nova Scotians a chance to cull the best of foreign ways and cultures and bring that knowledge back home. Leclaire tells the story about a young man from rural Cape Breton who took a short internship in the Far East. He liked it so much, he joined an extended study program. Shortly, he will be returning to Cape Breton with an awareness of the greater world and lessons that will prove valuable to the area.
Leclaire is also quick to point out that Saint Mary's world view is more than just foreign study opportunities. “Saint Mary’s Dedication to being truly international really infuses the university at every level,” says Leclaire. “Our curriculum is much more international in focus than it has ever been. Now case studies are as likely to examine an event in China as it is Chatham.” Saint Mary’s is even establishing an African “campus” of sorts in Gambia to offer an IT program. West Africa is the home of a burgeoning IT industry where young entrepreneurs are developing a sustainable industry. But to do that, a steady supply of well-educated and well-trained IT graduates is needed.
The international approach began in the late '70s when a new generation of Nova Scotians started to see themselves as part of a global community. This sense of “being one with the world” grew steadily through the '80s and became a major driving force. “Students demanded that we expand our horizons, and theirs,” says Leclaire. And the Internet made that eminently easier. Today, wireless technology has expanded that wealth of knowledge to even the most remote regions of the world. Saint Mary’s has a partnership with EduNova and the provincial government that encourages foreign students to study in Nova Scotia. Recruitment teams travel the world detailing the advantages of Saint Mary's, Halifax, and Nova Scotia. “Everybody wins,” says Leclaire. “The foreign students get an excellent education on and off campus, and our students’ campus experience is enhanced by getting the various viewpoints of students from the world over. More than ever, we live in MacLuhan’s Global Village and our students need cross-cultural skills to succeed.”
Saint Mary’s is continuing a tradition that is as old as the province: to be engaged in the world, to learn from the world, to understand the world. By doing that, it has become one of the globe's top universities. And it is all possible because of the uniquely attractive attributes Nova Scotia has to offer.
