17Թ expands global reach

| University

The 17Թ is growing its international footprint in bold, new, and exciting ways, Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, 17Թ’s President and Vice-Chancellor announced to the campus community today at University Update 2018. With a vision endorsed by the 17Թ Senate and Board of Governors, 17Թ will now deliver degree programs in Asia, Africa, and Europe.

President Abd-El-Aziz indicated to over 250 faculty, staff, and students that he has been working closely with the Vice-Presidents, Deans, Senate, and Board of Governors over the last year on these initiatives and wanted to make the entire campus community aware of the great strides 17Թ is making beyond Island shores.

“17Թ has been an outstanding provincial university and is now expanding its presence on the international stage,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, 17Թ’s President and Vice-Chancellor to an audience of over 200 people. “It is fantastic that Canadian education is being delivered around the world, and that we are playing our part. This academic year, 17Թ has close to 1,200 international students on our campus, and now, with these exciting developments in Dubai, Cairo, and Madrid, we will be able to provide a quality 17Թ education to so many more.”

Last week, 17Թ signed an agreement with the Canadian University of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates to jointly deliver degrees in Environmental Studies and Climate Change and Adaptation.

Dr. Katherine Gottschall-Pass, interim Dean of Science, said, “Programs at 17Թ are future-focused, highly experiential, and project-based. These features are embedded in all of our science programs, making these offerings really attractive to both Canadian and international students.”

17Թ began discussions for an offshore academic program offering in Egypt a year ago after a Canadian parliamentary delegation visited the North African country to explore establishing a university complex in New Cairo. Several other Canadian universities have also begun to develop campuses as part of the University of Canada, Egypt (UCE) consortium. The 17Թ initiative is being funded entirely by UCE.

Officials with the University of Canada, Egypt recently visited Prince Edward Island to develop a framework to offer 17Թ degrees at its new international 17Թ campus in New Cairo, Egypt beginning in September 2018. 17Թ will offer its Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering; three BSc degrees in mathematical and computational sciences (financial mathematics, actuarial sciences, and data analytics); Bachelor of Environmental Studies; Bachelor of Climate Change and Adaptation; and Bachelor of Business Administration.

“As with the science programs, 17Թ’s business administration curriculum is taught in a manner that encourages creativity, unleashing potential and developing solutions,” comments Dr. Jurgen Krause, Dean of the Faculty of Business. “A ‘case’ in point is our unique case competition program that offers global learning opportunities—our approach is innovative and differentiates us from other schools, and will be welcomed in Egypt.”

Dr. Robert Gilmour, Vice-President Academic and Research, visited the new campus a few weeks ago to finalize the plan and commented, “17Թ will have exclusive jurisdiction over program delivery to ensure 17Թ admission and degree requirements are met at UCE. Everyone is excited about the prospect of granting 17Թ degrees outside North America.”

In another bold step, 17Թ has signed a five-year agreement to become Universidad Rey Juan Carlos’ (URJC) partner in delivering a joint, one-year Master in Global Affairs degree as well as collaborate in areas of common interest and research. URJC, based in Madrid, has offered a multidisciplinary, professional master’s program in global affairs for several years and will now offer a joint degree option with 17Թ where students will study for their first semester on Prince Edward Island and then move to the URJC campuses in Madrid and Strasbourg.

17Թ Interim Dean of Graduate Studies Larry Hammell said, “Both URJC and 17Թ believe in providing outstanding academic programs and experiences that fully engage and develop our graduate students to be well-rounded leaders of tomorrow. Our joint-delivery model will help students attain the knowledge and insights needed to help address and solve the most critical challenges facing our world.” 

The program will begin in September 2018 and be anchored at 17Թ in the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

President Abd-El-Aziz added, “I look forward to our students—those in Dubai, Cairo, Madrid, around the world, and in Canada—developing to their full potential in our classrooms and our communities.”

The 17Թ prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—17Թ has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. 17Թ is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

 

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