New Dutch scholarships boost mobility for Canadian students

May 28, 2015
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Universities Canada welcomes announcement of new scholarships honouring liberation of Netherlands

OTTAWA – Canada’s universities applaud the Netherlands’ new Liberation Scholarship Program for Canadian students. The program, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, will provide 70 scholarships to Canadians to study at Dutch universities in 2015. The first six recipients were presented with their awards today by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands at an announcement at the University of Waterloo. The scholarships are named in honour of the 70th anniversary of Canada’s participation in the liberation of the Netherlands.

This announcement comes at a time when boosting international student mobility is a major priority for Canadian universities.  Such experiences help students develop the international competencies and cultural awareness in demand by today’s business leaders.  A 2014 employers’ survey commissioned by Universities Canada revealed that 82% of small and medium-sized enterprises that hire recruits with international and intercultural experiences say these employees enhance their company’s competitiveness.  Universities Canada research shows that only 2.6% of undergraduate students participated in a for-credit study abroad experience in 2012-2013.

“The Liberation Scholarships mark an exciting step forward for Canadian student mobility,” says Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada. “We commend the Netherlands for their commitment to fostering international partnerships, and for their investment in Canadian students. Canada’s universities are proud to be at the forefront of the historic relationship between Canada and the Netherlands.”

The announcement comes during a visit to Canada this week by a delegation of more than 30 Dutch university leaders, coinciding with the state visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Universities Canada has worked closely with the Kingdom of the Netherlands to organize the mission, which includes three days of dialogue and events at six different Canadian universities. Building on Canada’s position as a preferred partner in higher education, the Canadian and Dutch participants will explore further partnership opportunities and share best practices in university research and innovation.

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Universities Canada is the voice of Canada’s universities at home and abroad, advancing higher education, research and innovation for the benefit of all Canadians.

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