Not just ‘Canada’s university’
illustration by Maria Rondon
A closer look into the diversity of the U of O’s student body
THE WEBSITE OF the U of O International Office claims that an impressive 150 countries are represented by students of foreign origins on the University of Ottawa campus. Although this number seems high, a close inspection of the diversity of the student body reveals there is truth to the large number.
According to U of O International admissions administrator André Lepage, in 2008, of the roughly 35,000 students enrolled at the U of O, a total of 1,962 were citizens of 148 different countries. The vast majority of these students are completing an undergrad degree. Over 300 students were enrolled in a master’s program, and nearly 200 in a PhD or post-doctoral program.
However, these numbers don’t take exchange programs into account. The International Office maintains active exchange programs with over 200 institutions in some 50 countries around the world. Not only do such programs allow for the ever-increasing diversification of the U of O’s student population, they open doors to exchange possibilities for Canadian students looking to study abroad.
“Once you finish your degree, you start your career, get a house, and get settled down ... chances are very slim that you’ll be able to go live abroad for such a long period of time after this,” said Régine Legault-Bouchard, student mobility and international partnership advisor with the U of O.
In past years, nearly 300 exchange students have gone abroad to study annually, with roughly the same number arriving in Ottawa. U of O students leaving on an exchange automatically receive from the university $1,000 per four-month semester spent abroad.
This financial incentive, however, has failed to increase the number of students able to afford such exchanges this year. For the first time, due in large part to the global financial crisis, the number of students leaving on exchange has dropped significantly.
“The number of students who do an exchange has always increased, except for this year,” said Legault-Bouchard. “We surveyed a few people to ask why they were giving up, and most [indicated] the reason was because of money.”
The fact that accommodation arrangements are left to foreign institutions, who do not even always have student housing, can also be an issue. The U of O, for example, is able to offer a mere 50 places in residence to the nearly 300 foreign exchange students that arrive annually. However, efforts are made to help students make their own off-campus arrangements, as well as to organize activities that promote integration and heighten the experience exchange students will take home.
First-year master’s student Kathrin Hipp arrived from Germany in late August this year. Although she was unimpressed with the organization process prior to her arrival and had some significant problems with her registration, she still retains a good impression of the U of O International Office.
“What they do really well is organize trips,” said Hipp. “They take care of us now that we’re here.”
For more information about going on exchange visit international.uottawa.ca or the International office at 538 King Edward Ave.
