"Study in Canada and pursue your dreams," is the motto of the Canadian Education Centre (CEC), a non-profit organization with 20 international offices. Since 1991, the CEC has been organizing bi-annual Canadian Education Fairs to raise awareness about the many education options in Canada for foreign students from kindergarten to the graduate level.

The Taiwan branch recently hosted Canadian educational institutions to fairs in Kaohsiung and Taipei. Parents and prospective students had the chance to have face-to-face discussions with Canadian representatives and listen to seminars given by the schools and by past alumni who completed their studies in Canada.

Jean Wong of the Coquitlam School District in British Columbia explains that because of Canada’s favourable immigration policies, many parents choose to send their children to school in Canada before immigrating to Canada themselves. With the largest number of international students in Canada, Coquitlam School District has an International Teacher Coordinator who provides guidance to foreign students and ensures that they are adapting well to life in Canada. "Knowing there’s someone there to look out for your child is probably what makes us a popular choice," notes Wong.

The Director of the Canadian Education Centre, Vivian Liao, promotes the Canadian education system as "focused on taking the initiative and asking questions, which encourages students to think more for themselves and speak out with their own opinions." She encourages people to visit local CEC offices and www.studycanada.ca

for more information about Canadian education and Canadian study permits.