Three Loyalist College students made a pitch to Qunite West’s Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee on how to help retain international students in the Quinte region.
According to Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board Executive Director Dug Stevenson, Loyalist College is attracting over 1,000 international students to study in the Bay of Quinte.
However, many of them do not stay in the area after they graduate from the college.
One domestic student from Stirling and two international students from West India presented the Quinte West Economic Development and Tourism Advisory Committee with some solutions on how to retain international students in the Bay of Quinte at Wednesday’s committee meeting.
The presentation was centred around using cultural events, job opportunity awareness and marketing through YouTube and WhatsApp to help bridge the gap between the community and the high number of international students.
The students conducted a survey of 118 international students in the Bay of Quinte region and the survey found that the four highest priority areas of engagement are introduction to career opportunities, events for new international students, cultural events and more variety of cuisine.
The survey indicated that 41% of the students are studying in business and finance, 25% are studying science and technology, 14% are in medicine and human sciences, and 12% are in skilled trades.
They recommended that career fairs and workshops be hosted that fit the fields of study that international students are in to encourage finding employment in the Bay of Quinte.
On the front of community engagement, they suggested a wide variety of events including a cricket tournament, movie night, karaoke night, community cook-off and nature-related events.
It was also recommended that there be cultural celebration events such as Navratri, a nine day celebration of the divine feminine according to Britannica, a Holi celebration which celebrates good and love according to TIME and a Diwali celebration, a festival of light according to Britannica.
These suggestions, according to the students, would help bridge the gap that exists between the Bay of Quinte community and the growing population of international students coming to study at Loyalist College.
Councillor Sally Freeman said that the area would benefit from trying to support bridging the gap.
“It’s something that, I’m sorry to say, that hadn’t even occurred to me. Here we have this group of people that have come from a very, very long way away and we don’t have a lot to offer them to help them mix, mingle with us and with each other. I see why you want to do it and, of course, it would benefit us if some of you decide, because of the way you’re treated here and the opportunities you could have here, that you decide to stay.”
Councillor Freeman also said that if her own children had gone overseas for school that they likely would have hoped for a similar effort, and that she hopes the city can help.
