Centennial College opens two offices in Mexico

TORONTO, Dec. 4, 2014 /CNW/ - Centennial College has opened its first international education offices in Mexico, with locations in the central business district of Mexico City and Cancun that will serve the growing number of prospective students contemplating a Canadian college education.

By working closely with the Canadian Embassy, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, municipal government, partners and agents, Centennial's offices in Mexico will facilitate new opportunities for student recruitment, partnership and corporate training. Mexico City is the country's capital and largest city, home to more than 21 million people, making it the most populous Spanish-speaking city in the world.

Dr. Sergio Alcocer Martinez de Castro, Undersecretary for North America, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Sara Hradecky, the Canadian Ambassador to Mexico, chaired the inauguration ceremony at the flagship Mexico office. Also attending was Brad Chapman, CFO and VP of Business Development at Centennial College and Ing. Hector Arreola Soria, General Coordinator of Technological Universities and Polytechnics, Ministry of Education.

Centennial College began marketing in Mexico in 2009, which resulted in 18 students travelling to Canada to study various programs at Centennial's Toronto campuses. Today there are 91 visa students from Mexico enrolled in Centennial's diploma, degree, graduate certificate programs, as well as the English Language Learning (ELL) program in Toronto.

Over the past five years, Centennial has established strong partnerships with governments, universities and colleges across Mexico. To date there are more than 24 institutions collaborating with Centennial on teacher and administrator training, university and college leadership training, language training, faculty and student exchanges, and more. In addition, Centennial has received more than 15 students with the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP) scholarships. 

Conversely, Centennial is developing pathways for Canadians to gain international experience in Mexico. Some 20 Centennial students and faculty will go to Mexico next summer for language and cultural studies, and 15 business students have traveled to Mexico to learn Spanish and experience Mexican culture while completing their international internships.

Centennial's new offices in Mexico City and Cancun follow a successful model of established Centennial College international development centres worldwide, including offices in China, India, South Korea, Panama, Turkey, Vietnam and Jerusalem. With 5,500 international students from 132 countries, Centennial supports the largest international enrolment among Canada's colleges.

Recognized as a leader in international education, Centennial received two gold awards of excellence for internationalization in 2013, bestowed by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges and the Canadian Bureau for International Education. Centennial's newest international office is located in the New York Life Tower, Suite 2659, Paseo de la Reforma 342, Col. Juarez, CP0660 Mexico City.

Photos available upon request.

SOURCE: Centennial College

Media contact: Mark Toljagic, Communications Officer, Centennial College, 416-289-5000, ext. 7142/[email protected]