The British Columbia Council for International Education (BCCIE) is pleased to announce the launch of several exciting initiatives in support of international education promotion for British Columbia (BC).

With the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, and the anticipated hundreds of thousands of international visitors to BC, BCCIE has partnered with Lonely Planet to produce British Columbia: The Best Place on Earth to Study. This pocket-sized guide, part travel guide and part resource manual, introduces international students, parents, visitors, and other key influencers to the exceptional quality of BC’s school districts, independent schools, postsecondary institutions, and language schools. Dr. Randall Martin, Executive Director of BCCIE, firmly believes that ‘This unique partnership and the international scope of the Lonely Planet brand will introduce a new audience of students and parents to the benefits and advantages of studying in British Columbia. We’re pleased by the early excitement and enthusiasm for the project.”

In concert with the launch of British Columbia: The Best Place on Earth to Study, BCCIE staff and international education leaders will take part in daily public presentations for the duration of the Olympics Games on the merits of choosing BC as a study destination. Organized jointly through the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development and the Ministry of Education, these one hour presentations will be held in Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, directly adjacent to the Olympic BC-Canada Pavilion.

Finally, BCCIE is also pleased to announce the launch of its new website, www.bccie.bc.ca. This new website is the first phase of a planned expansion of BCCIE’s online presence. It will provide international education leaders and practitioners across the province with access to the latest news, professional resources, and research and statistics, and aims to cement BC’s position as Canada’s international education leader. The site also features a searchable ‘Find a BC School’ section and an interactive, password-protected discussion forum.

International education is currently the fifth largest industry in British Columbia, generating  approximately $2.5 billion dollars in annual revenue. Approximately 140 000 international students study in the province each year.