Canada may prioritize agent regulation in refreshed International Education Strategy

The Government of Canada has announced that it will be renewing its International Education Strategy (IES) as the current strategy is due to expire in March 2024. The consultation process is supported by a series of IES planning papers focused on four pillars: Digital marketing, scholarships, diversification, and education agents. The Pie News reports that Global Affairs Canada (GAC) identified education agents as a “key vulnerability,” and that the discussion papers suggest that agent regulation could be a priority in the new strategy. “The unethical practices of some education agents used by certain Canadian education institutions pose a direct risk to Canada’s reputation as a provider of high-quality education services,” read the IES papers. “[T]he issue has risen to prominence recently and is regarded as a key vulnerability to Canada’s international education sector.” GAC discussions will include how agents can be regulated, the role of aggregators, and the widening of source countries.