It will have been a long and exhausting journey for many of the students landing at Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport this fall. Since they are mostly international students or hailing from other Canadian provinces, they will likely not be met by friends or family. The faces greeting them at the Airport Welcome Desk will be warm and friendly and will make sure that the arriving students’ first experience of Nova Scotia is positive and memorable.
Running from August 25th to September 2nd, the annual Airport Welcome Desk is staffed by student ambassadors who speak multiple languages. They will be helping arriving students from all over Canada and the world by providing a welcoming and safe space where the weary travelers can contact their family back home via text, access free Wi-Fi, wait for transfers to accommodation and ask any questions they might have.
The impact of international students in Nova Scotia is significant. The province has more universities per capita than any other province in Canada and between the months of August and September each year more than 20,000 international and Canadian students from across the country will arrive to start their studies here.
“One of the key ways that we can encourage these bright young minds to remain in our province once they have finished studying is to make sure that they feel welcome from the minute they get here – something Nova Scotians are especially good at,” said Wendy Luther, President and CEO of EduNova.
Last year, the Airport Welcome Desk ran from August 26th to September 1st. Four-hundred and thirty-one international and 19 domestic students came by on their way to start at educational institutions across the province.
“This important initiative is one of the many things that sets the education sector in Nova Scotia apart,” added Wendy. “It continues to show that the education sector here works collaboratively towards helping students feel at home in Nova Scotia while presenting the province as a place to not only receive a high quality education, but also in which you can build a fulfilling life post-graduation.”
This project was made possible through funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Nova Scotia’s post-secondary institutions.
Quotes:
“Nova Scotia’s universities and community colleges offer excellent education and research opportunities for students of many nationalities. In turn, these international learners bring their unique skills and perspectives to towns and cities across the province, enriching our economy and culture. The Government of Canada is pleased to continue to partner with EduNova to ensure a warm reception and positive first impression of our province and its people,” said Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions and Member of Parliament for Halifax.
“We want more young people to call Nova Scotia home after they graduate, building their careers and lives here. It’s important that we ensure students travelling from near and far feel welcome the moment they arrive in Nova Scotia, and the Airport Welcome Desk initiative is helping to achieve that,” said Labour and Advanced Education Minister, Labi Kousoulis.
EVENT DETAILS
Dates: Saturday, August 25th to Sunday, August 2nd, 2018
Venue: Halifax Stanfield Airport
Click here for the official press release.