Bringing in university students amid school cuts

The Alberta government’s budget cuts for universities and colleges has been a tough pill to swallow for both the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College. According to the budget, post-secondaries in Alberta are expected to lose 750 full time jobs in the 2021-2022 school year. Cyndi Vos, the CEO for the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce, says typically the University of Lethbridge attracts 600 students per year, across 70 countries, and there needs to be new ways to bring in students due to the cuts. In the current school year, 49% of operating expenses will have to be paid by post-secondaries.

“One thing that I’m hoping to see, and I know the University of Lethbridge has partnered with other universities in doing exchange programs. For example, my son is looking at going to the Netherlands next year to possibly do a semester there. Using our local students, and some of those international partnership programs that we have with the other universities might be a way to attract people to come our way,” says Vos.