International Partnerships

For over 40 years, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) has championed education, training and innovation on a global scale.

As the national and international voice of Canadian colleges and institutes, we link member institutions to partners all around the world. Our members’ expertise contributes to reducing poverty and inequality, especially for women, youth and disadvantaged populations, by transforming post-secondary education systems and providing employment-based training.

Our Programs Around the World

Our International Strategy for 2022-2025

In 2018, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) launched the most extensive consultations in its history to develop a strategic plan to guide our work for the next five years. Throughout this ambitious process, we connected with stakeholders from across the country to discuss the future of colleges and institutes, and our role as their national voice.

Our 2019-2024 Strategic Plan is strengthening the college and institute system through three main pillars:

Advocate: Champion, influence, mobilize
Build Capacity: Convene, envision, leverage
Drive knowledge: Research, enrich, lead

The CICan 2022-2025 International Strategy complements and reinforces the 2019-2024 Strategic Plan and addresses the internationalization priorities our members communicated to us through extensive consultations held in 2021.

View the full strategy

The CICan 2022-2025 International Strategy will serve its member institutions as they face challenges and competition and pursue new opportunities in international education. The strategy’s goal is to futureproof the Canadian college and institute network through internationalization and global engagement. We will achieve this through advocacy, international promotion of our member institutions, building the internationalization capacity of our members and producing and disseminating knowledge globally about Canada’s college network.

Futureproof Canada
in the World

Strengthen the Sector

Enhanced Outbound Mobility

Bring the World to
Canada

Diversify Student Recruitment

Improve Transitions for International Student

Take Canada to the
World

Promote College Sector

Strengthen International
Development Cooperation

Drive New Business Development

CICan works with members and partners to create mutually beneficial opportunities at home and abroad:

Services to members

Champion Canadian colleges and institutes with governments, national associations, international financial institutions as well as other international bodies, and promote the work they do to improve applied education on a global scale
Provide opportunities for Canadian colleges and institutes to build strong, meaningful collaborations with the right overseas partners
Support colleges and institutes looking to develop international strategies individually tailored to each institution
Support the recruitment of international students and work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to develop efficient student permit processes
Host an annual International Leadership Development Institute for emerging leaders in our members’ international departments

Services to international partners

Access to Canadian institutions willing to share their experience and expertise in applied education and training, tailored to local communities and employers’ needs, in order to support the transformation of education systems
Capacity building of education systems, curriculum development, teacher training and leadership development
Support and linkages in order to implement reforms in a variety of sectors, such as environmental policy, gender equality and inclusiveness
Expertise in applied research and engaging with the private sector to improve employment outcomes and stimulate local economies

International leadership

Host the Pan-Canadian Centre for UNEVOC
Champion our members’ interests in the Canadian Consortium for International Education and the federal International Education Strategy
Advocate for student mobility funding, to support more Canadian students going abroad, and for international applied research and innovation opportunities
Outgoing Chair of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP)

CICan and Scotiabank

Partners for international recruitment

The Scotiabank GIC program enables international students to meet the requirements of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada study permit application guidelines and provides access to funds to help pay for living expenses while studying in Canada. CICan and Scotiabank aim to create an environment where international students can not only reach their own objectives, but also feel at home in Canada and better contribute to Canada’s growth and development.