Student Mobility
The University of Alberta Institutional Strategic Plan, For the Public Good, identifies "Build a diverse, inclusive community of exceptional students, faculty, and staff from Alberta, Canada, and the world" and "Experience diverse and rewarding learning opportunities that inspire us, nurture our talents, expand our knowledge and skills, and enable our success" as strategic goals. To assist with the pursuit of these goals, University of Alberta International strives to enhance the internationalization of the student experience through enriching mobility programs.
Some UAlberta student mobility initiatives with Asia are:
UAlberta-IIT Joint Doctoral Degree Programs
The University of Alberta has launched Joint Doctoral Degree Programs (JDPs) with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) Bombay, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Madras and Roorkee to create a two-way flow for academic exchange, providing PhD students the opportunity to pursue research at the partner institution and receive a degree from their home institution with recognition of their participation in the JDP. The JDPs aim to give students valuable international research experience at premier institutions, while creating long-term linkages and collaborations between UAlberta and IIT professors.
Canada Learning Initiative in China (CLIC)
UAlberta is the founder and Canadian lead for CLIC, a unique initiative which administers a national program with eight other U15 universities for Canadian students to study in China through for-credit courses. Scholarship funding is provided through the China Scholarship Council under the Chinese Ministry of Education, which includes full tuition, accommodation and a monthly stipend.
Since its launch in 2016, over 100 students from UAlberta have participated in the CLIC summer programs, as well as in other Student Exchange programs offered in China that last between 5 and 10 months.
Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research (PTJC)
UAlberta is also home to the Prince Takamado Japan Centre for Teaching and Research which facilitates teaching of Japanese language and culture and coordinates a Prince Takamado Japan-Canada Memorial Fund that supports student mobility and cultural exchanges.
In addition, UAlberta currently has 9 student exchange partners in Japan, plus numerous other agreements and activities with Japanese institutions related to teaching and research.
China Scholarship Council (CSC)
The CSC is the primary entity through which the Chinese government supports educational, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges between China and the world. Since 2004, UAlberta has been working closely with CSC through projects covering a wide range of audiences, including undergraduate and graduate students, visiting scholars and university administrators. Our collaboration also involves jointly-organized China-Canada academic conferences. From 2013 to 2017, UAlberta ranked #1 worldwide for the numbers of CSC-funded students and scholars hosted at the institution.
Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of India
In fall 2016, UAlberta was the first international university to sign a visiting PhD student agreement with the Indian Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), a major research organization in India. SERB will sponsor visiting PhD students to come to UAlberta, facilitating connections with India's top institutions and students. Opportunities for sponsored research projects are also being explored.