Impact Stories
Our impact on communities worldwide
Northern Lights College
First MSM Partner Now Sought-After in the Indian Market
Northern Lights College
First MSM Partner Now Sought-After in the Indian Market
By Elizabeth Francisco, MSM staff writer
At a glance
- In 2013, became MSM’s first partner institution
- Average increase of 115% in international students every year in its partnership with MSM
- Known as British Columbia’s Energy College, with three Centers of Excellence: clean energy technology, oil and gas, and aerospace
- Produces highly skilled graduates who are able to support their families, build healthier communities, and power the economy in all regions of BC
- MSM’s dedicated global/in-country office model rejuvenated its agent performance and communication strategy in the Indian market, making it a sought-after destination for prospective students
Who knew that one simple idea could pave the way for a college in a humble Canadian town to grow their international community to record numbers?
Founded in 1975, Northern Lights College (NLC) offers postsecondary education to Northern British Columbia. Currently it has campuses in Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson, Fort St. John, and Tumbler Ridge, as well as access centers in Atlin, Dease Lake, and Hudson’s Hope.
Over the years, NLC has been growing in diversity by welcoming students from different parts of the world. Their journey is closely tied with the beginning of MSM, then an educational agency that was on the cusp of transitioning into a service provider in the international education sector.
Humble Beginnings
It all started at the Ahmedabad residence of MSM CEO Sanjay Laul, where he proposed the idea of building a global or in-country office to an NLC official while college officials were at the tail end of their promotional tour in India.
“Appoint us as your country office and we will manage all your on-ground promotions. A dedicated team is ready,” Sanjay said to Shelley Nickel, then an international director for recruitment at the institution.
Nickel believed in the idea, brought it home with her, and pitched it to executives of the college. In 2013, NLC officially became MSM’s first client.
Now, NLC garners an average increase of 115% in international students every year in its partnership with MSM. In its seven-year journey as NLC’s recruitment partner in India and other territories, MSM has become a proud partner of 40 higher education institutions across Canada and even in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
For 45 years, NLC has been providing exceptional training and filling in the high-demand for workers in the trades, oil, gas, and clean energy industry, earning the title B.C.’s Energy College. Since its establishment, it has been recognized to have three Centers of Excellence: clean energy technology, oil and gas, and aerospace.
NLC is strategically located in Dawson Creek, a city in British Columbia known for oil and gas extraction. This area is also known for its trade, warehousing, construction, and healthcare industries. Dawson Creek has since seen significant uptick in immigrants via international students choosing to settle in the city.
There are Aboriginal gathering spaces on its Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson, and Fort St. John campuses. These are considered safe spaces for all students to relax and share understanding and knowledge.
Dedicated Country Office in Action
The NLC Advantage
As a member of BC Colleges, a provincial group comprising 11 colleges, NLC has a collaborative stance that allows its graduates to emerge as highly skilled graduates who are able to support their families, build healthier communities, and power the economy in all BC regions.
Its academic and vocational programs directly contribute to the local economy and have allowed students to easily find employment after graduation. According to 91 percent of its graduates, their education was useful in getting employed.
More than providing high-quality education, NLC’s two-year programs also offer the lowest tuition in Northern British Columbia. The institution works closely with the University of British Columbia and provides transfer opportunities for students who wish to get their bachelor’s degree.
NLC has received donations from both government and non-government organizations, which they invest in improving their facilities and infrastructure. In 2019, they received a jet from Top Aces to help their students get hands-on training.
Selkirk College
Filling Undersubscribed Programs Under MSM Model
Selkirk College
Filling Undersubscribed Programs Under MSM Model
By MSM research team
At a glance
- Became an MSM partner institution in 2014
- Average increase of 191% in international students every year in its partnership with MSM
- Community college in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia
- MSM filled its undersubscribed programs in a bid to revitalize its international recruitment
- Attracts students from 34 countries today, offering affordable tuition and a healthy 15:1 student to faculty ratio
Selkirk College is located in one of the most breathtaking spots of southern British Columbia, Canada, in the West Kootenay region of BC. It offers a wide range of nationally recognized programs. The college consists of six campuses and two learning centers, educating more than 2,700 full-time students and nearly 12,000 students every year.
The college has been transforming the lives of students for 50 years now. However, despite its outstanding characteristics as a community college in terms of quality education, prime location, and up-to-date facilities, it faced challenges in the form of undersubscribed programs.
No Campus Too Remote for International Enrollment
STUDENT RECRUITMENT GOALS
How much is the program capacity?
How many students we will lose?
How many will graduate?
How much revenue will be generated?
The Way Forward
Selkirk College’s goal has always been to make everyone feel at home in its classrooms and communities, alongside numerous innovative and unique learning opportunities since 1966.
For this celebrated community college strategically located in six various West Kootenay and Boundary communities, its offerings are never less than in-demand employment, credit transfer to a multitude of universities for degree completion, and comprehensive training to further students’ career objectives.
Today, its students come from 34 different countries, enjoying affordable tuition and cost of living as well as a 15:1 student to faculty ratio for focused mentoring.
Its mountain environment, too, is positioned as a glorious haven for students rather than a barrier to one’s study-abroad goals due to its remoteness. Students can soak up the famous Kootenay Vibe, visit a farmer’s market or spectacular trails, paddle the local waterways, or rip down a mountain bike trail.
Apart from helping it promote undersubscribed programs, MSM also offers tailored solutions and market feedback specific to the needs of Selkirk College. These data-powered insights and reports help the college adjust its processes and program promotions to establish and maintain a strong foothold among prospective international students.
Cape Breton University
Canada’s Showpiece for International Student Communities
Cape Breton University
Canada’s Showpiece for International Student Communities
By Elizabeth Francisco, MSM staff writer
At a glance
- Became an MSM partner in 2016
- Within 24 months, international students grew to make up two-thirds of the student population
- The first energy self-sufficient campus in North America
- Increased the local economy of Cape Breton Island for the first time in 20 years
- MSM’s dedicated global/in-country office and admissions outreach helped them tap into Indian students, a leading market
From declining enrollment to tripling their international students in just under five years, Cape Breton University (CBU) emerges as a model for reinvigorating not just its campus community but also the local economy.
Formerly known as University College of Cape Breton, CBU is the only postsecondary degree-granting institution on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada. It serves more than 5,500 full-time and part-time students from 40 different countries.
CBU offers a comprehensive set of liberal arts, science, business, health and professional programs. It is also the first energy self-sufficient campus in North America.
Up until the past half decade, student enrollments were dropping at the public institution, largely due to the aging local population. With partners like MSM and the growth ambitions under the Honourable David Dingwall, a former federal health minister and CBU President since 2017, the institution managed to turn itself around and become one of the biggest success stories in international education in Canada, if not worldwide.
Passing the 50% Foreign Student Threshold
In 2016, MSM began to build CBU’s global/in-country office and provide admissions support to help them boost international student recruitment in India, already a high-growth market then. From there, MSM has delivered a 390% annual average increase in international students to the institution.
The original goal of CBU involved increasing international student enrollment to 3,500 students. Yet under the leadership of Dingwall, they far exceeded that objective and now have roughly 5,500 students.
Within 24 months, international students tripled and became the “super-majority,” making up two-thirds of all students. This made CBU the first institution in Canada to surpass the 50 percent foreign-student ratio threshold. Not even those with the highest foreign student population could reach that mark, with most institutions within the 30 percent range.
CBU made waves as it grew its undergraduate populations by more than 44 percent between school years 2017 and 2018, the largest in Nova Scotia. From under 800 students in 2016, they accepted over 3,400 in 2019.
“This growth is consistent with our expectations and the work we’ve done in international markets. The focus has been, and remains to be, on providing the necessary academic and support services to enhance the student learning experience,” Victor Tomiczek, Manager for Enrollment Services (International), told The PIE.
Its development also allowed CBU to increase its budget by 37 percent, helping create new programs and improve local facilities.
Hope and Progress
Yukon University
Northern Canadian Institution Garners Global Enrollment Boost
Yukon University:
Northern Canadian Institution Garners Global Enrollment Boost
By Deepika Singh, MSM staff writer
At a glance
- Started to partner with MSM in 2017
- Teaching focused on issues of sustainable resources and environmental conservation
- MSM exclusively aided the institution in recruiting Indian students for the first time
- International students account for a humble but meaningful 15% of the small student population
- Officially became Yukon University in May 2020
The Yukon University story is 50 years in the making. Since the mid-70’s, the Northern First Nations, industry leaders, and locals have been requesting for a university to represent the North and Indigenous communities in Canada. In May 2020, the institution became the first college in the North to be granted a university title. Teaching here is now focused on issues of sustainable resources and environmental conservation.
North of 60
Support for International Exposure and Growth
Several years ago, the idea of studying in Yukon was virtually unknown to international students, even in major markets like India. It was unheard of for foreigners to move to Northern Canada.
Now, however, nearly 200 Indian students study at the institution that MSM boldly brought to the competitive marketplace.
Heading Into the Future
The now-official Yukon University offers a wealth of degree programs on its 13 campuses, including Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Governance, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Northern Environmental and Conservation Science in partnership with the University of Alberta, and Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Social Work in partnership with the University of Regina.
Trades programming, academic upgrading, certificates, diplomas, degrees, and applied research make the institution an exciting place for curious international learners to expand their knowledge.
As the MSM and Yukon partnership journey continues, more students continue to show interest in the institution. Despite the slowdown caused by COVID-19, the support from Yukon faculty and the government has proven instrumental in setting the standards for holistic education and support offered in British Columbia.
Education Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said in a statement: “Yukon University is Canada’s first university in the North, for the North and by the North. It is designed to meet the education needs of Yukoners. This is an exciting time for our territory as we work together to create new post-secondary education, social and economic opportunities for Yukon.”