Education is under the jurisdiction of the Provinces and Territories, and there is no federal system.If the Americans, the British and the Aussies are all on high gear, revving up their education fairs to rope in quality Indian students for their institutes of higher learning back home, can the Canadians stay back and just watch? No way, say the Canadian Education Centre representatives.A top official of Canadian Education Centre Network (India) said: "Over the years we have been seeing and receiving inquiries from Indian students at all levels of study, especially after completing their 12th grade in India for the post-secondary level in Canada."Indian students "have been typically pursuing their education in Engineering, Business, Computer Science and lately we have seen interest in new areas like Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Animation and Creative Arts, Economics, International Affairs, Early Childhood Education and Flying."Education in Canada is under the jurisdiction of the Provinces and Territories, and there is no federal education system. Public education is free up to and including secondary school in all Provinces and Territories. The Provinces and Territories are Alberta, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory.However, each provincial system, while similar to others, reflects its specific regional concerns, as well as its historical and cultural heritage. The province of Ontario, for instance, has 19 universities and 24 colleges. At the post-secondary level, institutions are divided into community colleges, university colleges and universities. A university offers academic and professional degree programmes. The universities generally have one intake in the year, September, with fixed deadlines. Some universities may have more than one intake, with the alternative admission season in January. Typically, a university programme is four years in duration at the undergraduate level and two years at the master's level.
No affiliationsUnlike in India, community colleges in Canada are not affiliated to universities. These colleges offer diplomas, certificates and more recently, technical and vocational programmes. Some community colleges offer university transfer programmes that allow students to take courses that are parallel to those offered for the first two years of a four-year university programme.Community colleges have up to three intakes a year, in September, January and May. The programmes are one, two and three years in duration, with flexible deadlines. Courses feature smaller classes designed for more intensive learning. The system is based on interactive dialogues between teachers and students. A university college offers university degrees as well as college diplomas and certificate programmes. It may also offer combined degree/diploma programmes and university transfer programmes. The CEC network had organised the 10th annual Canadian Education Fair last year in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Chennai and Mumbai. The participating institutes included Alongquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ottawa; Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia; Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario; College of the North Atlantic, Newfoundland; Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Ontario; DeVry Institute of Technology, Calgary; Douglas College, British Columbia; Fleming College, Ontario; George Brown Toronto City College, Ontario; Pattison Education Group, Vancouver; Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ontario; Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Ontario; and University of Winnipeg, Manitoba.For more information contact the CEC Network office at 105, The Presidency, St. Mark's Road, Bangalore-560001. Ph: 080-41120183/84. E-mail: cecbangalore @studycanada.ca