A record number of 97 international students have been selected for the seventh cohort of EduNova’s award-winning Study and Stay™ Nova Scotia program. These students, from 27 countries, are in their final year of study at ten post-secondary institutions across Nova Scotia.
Students in the Study and Stay™ Nova Scotia program were selected through a rigorous selection process. The selection committee worked to ensure these students are of the highest caliber and are motivated to live and work in the province. To date, 402 students across Nova Scotia have completed a Study and Stay™ program.
The Study and Stay™ Nova Scotia program is one of the international student retention programs offered through EduNova’s new Study and Stay™ CONNECT project – a project designed to support up to 2,000 international students over the next four years.
A retreat event was held to kick-off the 2022-2023 programming. From October 14 to 16, over 100 people gathered at the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre, including 97 international students from the seventh cohort year of the Study and Stay™ Nova Scotia program. Students participated in information sessions and workshops on career strategy, immigration pathways, cultural development, and networking. A local group, The Taproom Growlers, shared traditional Nova Scotia songs of the sea with the students.
Welcome remarks were provided by the Honourable Minister Jill Balser, Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, along with guests Mary Thompson, Principal, Nova Scotia Community College (Western region) and Miranda MacLean, Connector Program Manager at Western Regional Enterprise Network.
Program participant Shruti Kolhatkar, shares, “Through this Study and Stay™ platform, you have not only provided international students with the resources and support we need but also given us an opportunity to get out of our comfort zones and make new connections which will be beneficial for us in the future. Throughout these days, you have inspired us to better our professional lives and work towards professional growth, development and overall professional satisfaction as opposed to just settling with minimal.”
The program’s objective is to retain at least 80% of participating students one-year post-graduation. On average, students who complete the program are retained in the province at a rate of 86%. Most of these students have secured jobs in their field of study. The high percentage of students who stayed in the province post-graduation speaks to the program’s ongoing success. EduNova will continue to build upon the previous years’ successes.
“EduNova was delighted to host 97 international students from 27 countries at our Study and StayTM Program retreat last weekend. This cohort of soon-to-be international graduates are amongst the future leaders of our province – they are committed to building their futures in Nova Scotia and are willing to bring their energy and expertise to help make our labour market stronger and our communities more innovative and diverse,” says EduNova’s President + CEO, Shawna Garrett.
EduNova Co-operative Ltd. is a not-for-profit association of education and training providers based in Nova Scotia, Canada. EduNova’s membership includes all ten universities, the 13-campus community college (NSCC), the public K-12 schools through the Nova Scotia International Student Program (NSISP), independent K-12 schools and private language schools. For more information about EduNova, please visit www.studynovascotia.ca.
Retreat details:
Dates: Friday, October 14 to Sunday, October 16, 2022
Venue: Annapolis Basin Conference Centre, Cornwallis, Nova Scotia
Media Contact:
Contact: Shawna Garrett
Telephone: (902) 817-9365
Email: shawna@edunova.ca
Website: https://studynovascotia.ca