Polytechnics Canada supports the Governor General on international mission to Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago

OTTAWA, April 23, 2012 /CNW/ - Polytechnics Canada is honoured to accompany His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada,  on his working visit to Barbados and State visit to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago from April 29-May 2. "We are committed to international education co-operation," says Polytechnics Canada CEO Nobina Robinson, who will be travelling with the Governor General. "For this reason, we appreciate this opportunity to participate in a mission to further strengthen ties with these nations and demonstrate the leadership of our colleges and institutes in applied education, training and industrial innovation."

Polytechnics Canada represents nine colleges, institutes of technology and polytechnics that create career-ready graduates while delivering applied research and practical solutions for its industry partners, mostly small and medium-sized businesses. These post-secondary institutions have more than 15,000 foreign students, several of them from Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

Says Robinson: "We support the Governor General in his efforts to promote 'diplomacy of knowledge,' or sharing learning across borders. On this mission, Polytechnics Canada will demonstrate how its members, through their commitment to the model of advanced applied education, aligned with industry needs, contribute to the Governor General's vision of a learning society."

As part of its commitment to promoting the quality and diversity of Canadian higher education, Polytechnics Canada's Chair Dr. Don Wright, President of British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), was honoured to serve on the federal government's recent Advisory Panel on Canada's International Education Strategy.

Located in Canada's key economic regions, the current Polytechnics Canada members are: British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), SAIT Polytechnic, NAIT, Conestoga, Sheridan, Humber, George Brown, Seneca and Algonquin.

Updated information on the Governor General's itinerary is available through: http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14489.

Rebecca Snelgrove
Policy Analyst
Polytechnics Canada
Email: [email protected]
Tel. [phone]