If the Lethbridge College campus feels busier than usual this year, that’s because it is. The college’s student population has surged for the 2018 fall semester with more than 5,100 students enrolled in college programming, a six per cent increase from fall 2017.
As of Sept. 19, a total of 5,154 students are enrolled in certificate, diploma, degree, apprenticeship and upgrading programs. Large increases in the number of students taking post-secondary level (degree, diploma and certificate) programming and the number of international students attending the college have contributed to the jump.
“It is encouraging and exciting to see our college growing at such a rapid rate,” says Dr. Paula Burns, Lethbridge College President and CEO. “As an institution, we have put a strong focus on increasing our student population, and it is heartening to see how many students are joining us for their educational journeys. Lethbridge College provides an incredible opportunity to learn from our passionate and skilled faculty, and these numbers show that our students agree.”
The increase is led by a dramatic rise in the number of international students attending the college. A total of 471 international students are taking degree, diploma or certificate programs this fall, compared to 231 last year. The largest increase is students from India, jumping from just 14 in 2017 to 176 this year. Kenyan students also saw a large jump, from 36 to 95.
“Shifts in immigration policy and anti-immigration sentiments in other countries are one of the reasons that international students are flocking to Canada, but there are many other factors that bring them to our college as well,” says Catherine Wilde, manager, International Services. “Canada has a reputation of being open and welcoming, and Lethbridge has a reputation as a small and safe community, which is appealing to students looking to study in a new country.”
Wilde adds that a 2018 international student survey conducted by the Canadian Bureau for International Education showed that international students weigh many factors when deciding to study abroad, including academic reputation, flexibility and duration of programs, permanent migration, employment opportunities and cultural links. Lethbridge College, she says, offers attractive programs with applied, hands-on learning and work skills after a one- or two-year investment.
The college also has more than 1,100 students currently registered in non-credit continuing and corporate education programs.
The college’s growth has also been spurred by the introduction of the Agricultural Enterprise Management program, which has 20 students; the Baker apprenticeship program, which was granted nine seats for its inaugural offering; and the Computer Information Technology program that received provincial funding for 19 additional seats.
Lethbridge College offers more than 60 degree, diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs, along with a wide-variety of corporate and continuing education courses. Students are supported by a network of resources, including Indigenous Services, International Services and Accessibility Services.
Those interested in learning more about what Lethbridge College offers are encouraged to check out the college’s website.
Student population
- 5,154 certificate, diploma, degree, apprenticeship and upgrading students (last fall: 4,859)
- 4,624 degree, diploma and certificate students (Last fall: 4,340)
- 321 apprenticeship students (Last fall: 308)
- 209 supplemental credit (upgrading) students (Last fall: 211)
- More than 1,100 corporate and continuing education students (non-credit)
International students
- 471 international degree, diploma and certificate students (Last fall: 231)
- 176 students from India (Last fall: 14)
- 95 students from Kenya (Last fall: 36)
- Other countries with significant international students populations: Nigeria (35), Japan (25), Philippines (15), Brazil (14)
*Enrolment numbers for 2018 are accurate as of Sept. 19, 2018. Enrolment numbers for 2017 are accurate as of Sept. 18, 2017.
LISTEN: Dr. Samantha Lenci, Lethbridge College Provost and Vice President Academic, discusses the college's 2018 enrolment numbers and the increase in international students: