A Message from the PIN President  

By Mike Schafer, PIN President

 

It still feels like the PIN conference in Canberra and Sydney Australia was just yesterday, and that "yesterday" was very nice indeed. Peter Veenker and his staff were able to provide that very difficult balance of interesting, thought provoking programs with wonderful social and recreational activities. We really got to see the best of that part of Australia while coming to understand the culture and system of Higher Education. That is one of the special things about PIN. It provides a really solid opportunity to grow professionally while coming to know a unique part of the world and its culture. Importantly it gives us the opportunity to do that with real friends we have made because of its relatively small size and international membership. I for one could never have hoped to have close friends and colleagues in Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland*, Ireland*, Holland, Canada, America, and even East Timor without PIN. (*We don't have active members in these counties at the moment and we need your help. If you have colleagues there who you could re-introduce to PIN, please let them and us know. We will be an even better organization, as we are able to maintain the breadth of our membership across all of these countries. Like everything else in PIN, it must be member-driven.)

 

As I write my first President's newsletter article, I am especially aware of two things. First, I realize that that Veenker fellow is a very wise bloke. Citing Australia's climate, he scheduled the PIN conference in March. This cut four months off of his term as President and added it to mine... very clever move! More seriously I realize how important it will be for each of us to make PIN the kind of organization we want it to be. If we want PIN to be a center for Faculty and Staff exchanges, we have to reach out and contact our PIN colleagues to initiate those exchanges. If we want PIN to serve as a catalyst for curriculum and instruction interchange in a given discipline, we have to contact our PIN colleagues with similar programs and get the ball rolling. Bill Warner as your Executive Director and I as well as each member of the Executive Committee are more than willing to help, but the type of organization that PIN will be and the effectiveness of its programs is up to you, and you, and each of us. Just think what a great resource we have. As we try to internationalize any aspect of our colleges, we have bright, successful hard working colleagues at colleges around the world who are willing to help. All each of us has to do is write, call, or e-mail them to start unique international programs or services. And, we can do that because we belong to an organization where we are structured so that every member in each country is truly a friend that we can call on to work together. Forget the four months Peter; with PIN I'm happy to have them!

 

 

 

 

Pictured above are Mike Schafer PIN President, left, and Peter Veenker, Immediate past PIN President.  Peter handed Mike the Leadership Gavel at the opening session of the 2004 PIN Conference in Canberra

 

A Message for PIN

By Past PIN President Peter Veenker

Dear PIN Members

Our recent PIN Conference was a great success and provided the opportunity to share experiences and thoughts about education globally and the important role we will play in shaping our future. It was also an opportunity to celebrate achievements and to demonstrate our commitment to move the Network forward with renewed vigour. The members and guest presentations were indeed proficiently thought provoking.  If your require copies contact Carol Flanagan at carol.flanagan@cit.act.edu.au.  The overall theme of the conference was "Shaping Our Future" and we discussed topics ranging from Internationalisation of education to an Institute approach to succession planning.  The conference was held at various locations around Canberra and Sydney.  A variety of social and cultural events were held, including an Australian Bush Dance and a Sydney Harbour cruise.

 

During my time as President it has been an honour and delight to see our membership grow, especially in parts of the world that were previous under represented, like my own country Australia.  The Network has provided the vehicle for many international partnerships between Institutions.  It has also been great to see the professional development visitations that have occurred.  I am grateful to the members that have so openly welcomed staff from the Canberra Institute of Technology in visits to the USA, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Timor Leste and New Zealand.  Through the active co-operation within the network members have been able to harmonise and benchmark educational standards and services internationally.

The globalisation of our sector of Tertiary education is not something on the horizon; it is here now and the PIN relationships present real opportunities that many members have taken to enhance their educational delivery and services.

 

In conclusion, it has been a great privilege to have been your President from 2002 to 2004.  In continuing to move forward I thank the members of the Network, staff and Dr Bill Warner for the achievements over the last two years.  In closing I am reminded of the Latin Motto - "multa membra corpus unum" (many members, one network body).  The network body continues to provide the opportunity for collective thinking, reflecting and action.  I wish our in coming President Dr Michael Schafer a rewarding and satisfying term as our President.

 

Thank you.  Peter Veenker Past PIN President

 

Canada - Australia Exchange Program

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia – Calgary, Alberta, Canada

By Irene Lewis, President of SAIT and John Maddock, President Box Hill College

 

The President of Box Hill Institute (BHI), John Maddock engaged the President of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Irene Lewis in a conversation about global education while at a PIN Conference in the late 1990’s.  The conceptual seeds began to germinate in a preliminary draft “Global Education Network” proposal prepared by BHI in September 2000.

 

A leadership team from BHI visited the SAIT campus in the spring of 2001 and the enthusiasm for providing students and faculty with an international learning experience grew. Both organizations began to articulate the vision and the benefits of a global education partnership. 

 

In November/December 2001 the first group of BHI faculty and students, two of each, traveled to SAIT for a three-week exchange.  An assessment of program and service offerings in the Hospitality and Tourism and Information and Communications Technologies sections was completed.  The results suggested great potential, as the cultures and mission of both organizations were very compatible.  Differences in emphasis in program and service offerings provided learning opportunities for both organizations.

 

It was then time to develop a strategic plan and an implementation strategy.  Representatives from BHI and SAIT met in the Calgary, Alberta, Canada area in March 2002 to develop the framework for moving forward.  The key success factors were identified as: student participation, education and training innovation, learning support, faculty/staff involvement, promotions and marketing and governance and operations.  Implementation strategies and objectives were developed for each key success factor.  The Global Education Network (GEN) was formally launched with a coordinated virtual event in May 2003 as breakfast was served in Melbourne and dinner was served in Calgary.

 

To date, student participation has occurred through study tours, short-term exchanges (three weeks) and semesters abroad.  A longer-term objective is to develop a GEN on-line International Studies program, which will likely include a GEN induction course, four on-line international studies courses (business, politics, economics and cross-cultural studies) and a research project in industry comparative studies.  A collaborative approach has been used to document an exchange manual for consistent management of student and faculty exchanges.

 

The intent is to provide a range of opportunities to engage staff in activities and projects that add value to student and staff learning.  Thus far a case statement for GEN, the GEN launch, one on-line course in Hospitality and Tourism and annual reports have been developed collaboratively.  The primary communication and management tools used to advance the mission of GEN are monthly teleconference meetings and email. Over seventy students, faculty and staff have traveled and benefited from an innovative international learning experience that provided an appreciation of global complexity while inspiring participants with its potential.

 

Prior to commencing the GEN relationship both SAIT and Box Hill Institute had substantial experience in managing international projects and both organisations approached the GEN, initially, as just such another project. We learned, often the hard way, that this was not the case.  An international academic collaboration is a relationship, not a project. The metaphor that best represents it is the intimacy of a marriage rather than the objective commonsense of a business transaction. We have learned that the commitment needed to build the GEN collaboration involves a high degree of trust. It has also been our experience that systems and rituals matter. We have been diligent about monthly GEN steering committee teleconferences and these have involved two or three partner institutions depending on the GEN membership at the time. Communication between GEN partners and potential partners has not been easy. Time differences and varying academic calendars greatly restrict the number of days in the year and hours in those days during which it is possible to communicate.

 

Through an annual cycle of goal setting, doing and reflecting the partners have conducted real time action research into the ways of working within an international professional community. The recurring practices of planning, evaluation and renewal have been instrumental in keeping the network and its projects alive. Iconic shared events such as the face-to-face planning activities and the 2003 GEN launch are also important components of the glue that binds the network.

 

Significantly we have learned that a degree of face-to-face activity is essential to maintain the network. In 2003 Australia declared war on Iraq the week before the scheduled GEN planning meeting. Insurance concerns in Canada prevented SAIT staff from travelling and so the meeting became a virtual event. This was managed as a week of emails and scheduled teleconferences. However it was a very thin experience compared with the lively exchanges that occur during face-to-face meetings.  For individuals involved in ongoing GEN projects, opportunities to visit the partner institution clearly motivate those people to work more enthusiastically on GEN projects.

 

Within collaboration such as the GEN there is continual need for cultural sensitivity and awareness of differences. These latter include the vagaries of international currency exchanges as well as cultural differences in behaviour and attitudes. Surprisingly even people from countries with such apparently similar cultural origins as Australia and Canada display significant cultural differences. For example Australians are direct in our communication to the point of bluntness. Canadians, on the other hand, are more subtly polite. We each need to learn to work with the communication styles of our partners.

 

Faculty/Staff Exchange-Visit Program

 

Applications are currently being taken for the Faculty/Staff Exchange Visit Program.  The exchange and visit program is designed to facilitate faculty exchanges and visits among PIN member colleges.  The exchanges and visits are designed to enhance the professional development of faculty and to further international understanding of two-year colleges.  The colleges are expected to support and facilitate the exchange/visit process.  The college and the faculty members develop the exchange or visit to meet their institutional and individual objectives.

 

PIN will award two $500 (US) stipends to facilitate faculty exchanges and visits to each country for the academic year.  It is expected that the college will match the dollar amount of the stipend.  The match will be cash or an in-kind contribution.

 

Process

1.      The Faculty Exchange and Visit Program Application Form should be used.

2.      The program criteria must be addressed in the application.

3.      The narrative should be no longer than 1000 words.

4.      The college president/principal and the faculty member must sign the application form.

5.      If there is a need for assistance in identifying a host college, PIN will assist in identifying appropriate host colleges.

6.      Faculty Exchange and Visit Program Application are submitted to Executive Director, Bill Warner.

7.      The Executive Committee reviews all applications at the annual meeting.

8.      The Executive Committee will identify the award recipients.

9.      The PIN Executive Director will notify the successful and unsuccessful applicants.

10.  The $500 (US) stipend check will be sent to the college president, who will make the award to the faculty/staff member.

 

Forward your Faculty/Staff Exchange and Visit applications to Bill Warner, Executive Director.

 

Highlights of the 2004 PIN Conference

 

Congratulations to Canberra Institute of Technology for hosting a successful 2004 PIN Conference March 24 to 31.  Delegates represented members from Australia, Canada, East Timor, New Zealand and the United States.  The conference opened in Canberra, with a presentation from Senator Gary Humphries in the historic Old Parliament House.  Senator Humphries provide a welcome to Australia, as well as an update about current issues challenging higher education in Australia.

 

In addition, presenters from Australian National Training Authority, the Department of Education, Youth and Family, Department of Education, Science and Training reviewed the national and local vocational education and training structures and issues.  PIN members Brian Paterson-Central TAFE, Peter Le Cornu-Canberra IT, Joe Sertich-Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District, Barry Roantree-CIT, and Laura Marks-CIT presented a variety of topics and issues facing two-year colleges.

 

The conference moved to Sydney for the second half of the program.  The opening session was a presentation by Robin Shreeve, Deputy Director-General, TAFE New South Wales.  He presented an overview of the TAFE system, highlighting key initiatives and issues.  Sydney host Kevin Harris, TAFE NSW - Northern Sydney Institute, presented an institutional perspective about the future challenges for vocational education and training.  Gary Polonsky-Durham College, reviewed the success evoking leadership framework and John Scott-Christchurch IT, presented a study of the impact of the international student.

 

In addition to the high quality professional sessions, the conference delegates had an opportunity to take a dinner cruise of Sydney harbor, dinner and presentations at Kamberra Wine Company, and view sheep sheering, dancing and outdoor cooking at the Tuggeranong Homestead. 

 

2004 PIN Conference Delegates: First Row (L to R) Skip Triplett, Donna Allan, Joao Freitas, Gordon Lee, John Scott, Peter Veenker, Lourdene Huhra, Gary Polonsky, Barb Delamore Back Row (L to R) LaVern Franzen, Mike Schafer, Bill Warner, Joe Sertich, Sam Shaw, Brian Paterson, Gary Cubitt, Neil Black, Patricia Jones

 

Annual PIN Business Meeting

Summary of Action and Key Issues

 

The Annual PIN Business Meeting was held on Monday, March 29, 2004 at the Blaxland Conference Centre, Sydney.  The following is a summary of the action and key issues.

 

Installation of PIN President 2004-2006 - Mike Schafer was installed as PIN President at the opening session of the conference.  The membership commended Peter Veenker for an outstanding job a PIN president the past two years.

 

 

 

When: Friday, June 24 - Friday, July 1, 2005

Where: Oshawa/Toronto and Ottawa, Canada Durham College will host the conference. The twin college will be La Cité Collégiale in Ottawa.

What:  The theme will be “Breaking New Ground” - what differentiates a college from the competition.  PIN members will be asked to contribute.

PIN Conference - 2006:  Joe Sertich, Northeast Higher Ed District - United States, has volunteered to host the 2006 conference.  The conference will be held in two locations in Minnesota - St. Paul/Minneapolis and Northeast Minnesota. The specific dates have not been set, but will be in late June or early July.

2007 Conference – No final decision was made, the executive committee will explore interest from New Zealand, Netherlands and Australia.

 

John Scott (New Zealand) - There has been a total restructuring of the educational system and this has forced systems to cooperate.  The current emphasis is on cooperation: Industry and community, Indigenous populations, secondary and tertiary education cooperating.  However, there are currently disincentives in place that do not facilitate cooperation.

Brian Patterson (Western Australia) - TAFE education has merged with the secondary school system (15-19 year olds). There is no new money in place to develop this initiative.  This initiative has forced cooperation between TAFE and school systems.  There is a strong relationship with industry in place.  In addition, there is a strong emphasis on indigenous peoples and apprenticeship training.  All employees are now being converted to permanent employees.  The use of part-time staff is being eliminated.

Skit Triplett (British Columbia, Canada) - There are shrinking resources, with increased expectations.  Tuition has been deregulated, which has caused an increase in tuition. Community colleges are becoming university/colleges, with the addition of baccalaureate degrees.  Traditional community colleges are emphasizing applied degrees.  Kwantlen College offers 10 baccalaureate degrees and is interested in developing an international degree.

Joe Sertich (Minnesota, USA) - Increased tuition is becoming an issue.   The federal government has increased funding ($250M) for community college job training, but other programs with similar objectives have been cut.  The overall effect is lower overall funding for job training from the federal level.  Minnesota is eight years into the merger of Community Colleges, Technical Colleges and State Universities.  The merged system is now stable and functioning well.

 

Donna Allan (Alberta, Canada) - Donna is now an Association of Canadian Community College chair and ACCC is working to coordinate the work of all Canadian community colleges.  Innovation and applied research is a major emphasis.  Federal funds are now available for applied research.  Enrollment is declining and will create more emphasis on international students.  Apprenticeship programs are now emphasized nationally and being promoted through the media.  The Postsecondary Learning Act has been enacted to facilitate offering academic degrees (currently offer applied), however, no new were funds committed.

Gary Polonsky (Ontario, Canada) - A new charter passed in Ontario providing less government involvement and provided freedom for colleges to act independently.  Federal government does not provide significant funding to colleges, with most funds coming from the provincial government.  Ontario created a new university - University of Ontario in Oshawa.  It is designed to become the MIT of Ontario/Canada.   Gary Polonsky is serving as duel president of Durham and U of Ontario.  The new university is off to a glorious start.  Toronto is a community of minorities - everyone is getting along - campus reflects this diversity.  There was a $50M increase for the development of the new institution.

John Maddock (Victoria, Australia) - Box Hill College has made a commitment to student and faculty exchanges through PIN.  Thirty-eight SAIT students and faculty have visited Box Hill and 32 Box Hill students and faculty have visited SAIT.  The program has been extremely valuable for both institutions.

Patricia Jones (Illinois, USA) - Gretchen Naff, President of Lake County CC, will be retiring in June 2005.  The college is experiencing great growth in transfer programs, with facilities being the greatest need.

 

2005 Annual PIN Conference

Friday, June 24 - Friday, July 1, 2005

Toronto/Oshawa and Ottawa, Canada

By Gary Polonsky, President - Durham College

 

The theme for the 2005 Conference is: “What Makes YOUR College Special?”  We want to hear and learn from every presenting college as to what makes it unique, what separates it from the other fine colleges around the world.  Thus, we will be asking PIN members to make 30-45 min. presentations on true differentiators within their own colleges.  It is envisioned that PIN members would make up about 2/3 of the presentations, with the host colleges arranging for the rest of the program presentations.  The host program presentations will cover a range of topics, including two-year college programs in Canada, new directions in Canadian high education and international initiatives.

 

The conference hosts are Durham College in Oshawa (President Gary Polonsky) and La Cite Collégiale in Ottawa (President Andree Lortie).  Durham College, in the Greater Toronto Area, is the home of General Motors of Canada, with one of the two largest automotive manufacturing complexes in the world and La Cite Collégiale in Ottawa, Ontario - Canada’s capital city.  Also, while La Cite Collégiale is a 100% Francophone college, which I think it would be interesting for our guests to see, the entire PIN program will be conducted in English.

 

The conference will begin at Durham College with Registration and Dinner on Friday evening, June 24, 2005.

 

Saturday (June 25) and Sunday (June 26) will include a mix of conference presentations, with time to explore shopping and dining at the Niagara Falls wine district (where our Australian, New Zealand and American friends will FINALLY be able to taste some world class wine, along with a variety of daily picked fruit).  There is also Toronto, with its exciting ethnic neighbourhoods and great restaurants.

 

Monday (June 27) the delegates will be in sessions during the day, with an evening visit to Toronto for a baseball game and/or night at the theatre.

 

Tuesday (June 28) morning, we’ll all – delegates and partners – meet for breakfast, and then board a bus for Ottawa, arriving at around 4 p.m., stopping for a great lunch along the way.  Ottawa is in the league of the world’s most beautiful capital cities, replete with truly spectacular Parliament Buildings, museums, shopping areas, restaurants, etc.  It’s also close to Montreal.

 

Wednesday (June 29) and Thursday (June 30) will consist of conference sessions, with delegates having cultural and shopping opportunities; then, in the late afternoon and evening, we will all be together, visiting magnificent places in Ottawa and Montreal

 

Friday (July 1) is Canada Day, when all Canadians celebrate the creation of our country; we will spend most of the day on Parliament Hill, partaking of Canada’s annual blow-out party, together with the Prime Minister, some of our most famous performers (possibilities include Shania Twain, Alannis Morisette, Avril Lavign, Sarah McGlaughlin, Celine Dion, Brian Adams, etc.)

 

Saturday (July 2) morning, we’ll gather for breakfast and begin to depart

 

As usual, there will be an exciting partner program planned for each day of the conference.  The partner program will include special tours, shopping, dining, and recreation experiences.

 

While in Oshawa, delegates and guests will live on campus, in a new and beautiful residence – overlooking a beautiful river valley, two people per suite, private washroom/sitting area/kitchenette per suite; some suites have two beds per a large bedroom, while others have two private bedrooms per suite; there is also a beautiful Dining Hall.  While in Ottawa, delegates and guests will stay at a beautiful, 5-star hotel, near Parliament Hill

 

Delegates, who wish to arrive in Oshawa/Toronto before June 24, and/or stay on in Ottawa after July 2, are welcomed to do so. 

 

With regard to travel arrangements, off-shore guests will fly into Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, and have the option of flying out from Ottawa, or returning to Toronto to fly back from there; American guests planning not to fly may take the train into Union Station in Toronto, and either transfer to an Oshawa-bound train or we can pick you up at Union Station

 

The weather in Oshawa/Toronto will probably be between 70 – 90 degrees F and potentially humid, and in Ottawa between 65 – 85 degrees F and probably not humid.  Both communities are friendly, safe and multicultural, with Ottawa also being highly bilingual

 

Retired PIN members are encouraged to attend.  There will be special accommodation and meal “deals” for retired members and their partners.

 

More details will be provided in emails, the PIN Website (www.pinnet.org), and the Newsletter.

 

PIN Annual Conference Calendar

 

2005 Annual Conference - Canada

Durham College, Oshawa, Canada will host the conference.  Conference dates are; Friday, June 24 - Friday, July 1, 2005 in Toronto/Oshawa and Ottawa, Canada.

 

2006 Annual Conference - United States

Northeast Minnesota Higher Education District will host the conference.  The conference will be held in June/July 2005.  Specific dates have not been identified at this time.  The location of the conference will be St. Paul-Minneapolis and a Northern Minnesota resort.

 

2007 Annual Conference - No final decision has been made, the executive committee will explore interest from New Zealand, Netherlands and Australia.

PIN Member Highlights

New Members

 

La Cité collégiale - Ontario, Canada
Ottawa's French College

La Cité collégiale, located in Ottawa, is a first-rate French-language college where students receive hands-on training, tailored to the job market, from experienced faculty members, many of whom hold a master's degree or doctorate. Andree Lortie is the president of the college.

 

There are more than 70 programs, many of them unique and exclusive to La Cité collégiale. In September 2003, the college opened a new media studies centre. Built at a cost of more than $6 million in a 25,500 square-foot facility, the Centre de spécialisation en médias will incorporate technological advancements not available at other teaching institutions in Canada. La Cité collégiale has earned a national reputation as the only college in Ontario to offer media studies in French.

 

In September 2002, to meet the growing demand for qualified security personnel, La Cité collégiale became a leader among Canadian colleges in offering highly specialized training in a new laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art tools for learning emergency preparedness, prevention and security skills and techniques. .

 

In the area of health sciences, La Cité collégiale promotes, through nine specialized programs, the implementation of partnerships nation-wide to better serve French-speaking communities.

The success and welfare of their students are priorities at La Cité collégiale. A new resource centre has been established for them, equipped with 200 workstations all with Internet access, workrooms for small study groups, a language laboratory and a broad spectrum of educational resources. Remedial courses, tutoring and mentoring are also offered to students to ensure their academic success. As an added bonus, a new residence opened in September 2002 will enable students to enjoy the many benefits of living on campus.

 

A college diploma from La Cité collégiale virtually guarantees employment. Last year, 91% of their graduates found jobs within six months of completing their studies, and the college ranked among the highest in Ontario in terms of employer satisfaction, with a very impressive 93%.

The quality and excellence of its programs and services have made La Cité collégiale the college of choice to ensure academic, personal and professional success.

 

FAST FACTS

Campuses: Ottawa and Hawkesbury

Full-time students: 3,400

Continuing Education students: 5,000

Full-time faculty: 180

Part-time faculty: 260

 

Learn more about La Cité collégiale at the college website: www.lacitecollegiale.com

 

Mohawk College, Ontario, Canada

Mohawk College is one of the leading colleges in Canada, with a fine tradition of learning and achievement. We stand, with pride, on our reputation for excellence in teaching and students will find each of our staff ready to support their efforts. We hope this information will help students make the right choice for their future whether they are graduating from secondary school; a college or university graduate wanting to refocus their career; or, an individual interested in updating skills. Employers know that our graduates have the knowledge necessary to compete in today's global marketplace and the capacity to continue learning to meet tomorrow's demands.

 

We offer relevant and dynamic courses to match a broad range of career choices and we do it on a full time, part time or continuing education basis to meet students’ life style needs. As a member of our Mohawk community, students are able to engage in student government, clubs, sports and social activities. We value student involvement and ideas in making Mohawk College the best that it can be.

 

Mohawk College is committed to student and business satisfaction. We know that quality is the only product that matters and we look forward to helping students be successful and to making their time at Mohawk some of the best years of their life.

 

Mohawk College first opened its doors in 1966. Today, Mohawk College is one of the largest provincially funded Colleges in the province offering Certificates, Diplomas, Applied Bachelor Degrees and Postgraduate study programs. Rated by students and employers as one of the top Technical Schools in the country. MaryLynn West-Moynes is president of Mohawk College.

 

Location -- Hamilton Ontario, Canada - located on the western tip of Lake Ontario, population 320,000.  Hamilton is a one-hour drive from Toronto to the east and one-hour drive to Niagara Falls to the south. Hamilton is a very safe community.

 

Students -- 9,000 full-time and approx. 40,000 part-time students.

 

Faculty -- 440 full time faculty, with years of on-the-job training. We also have over 2400 part-time faculty and 374 support & administrative staff to support the learning environment.

 

Other Services -- a 100,000-volume library, a 1,000-seat theater, a gymnasium, a radio station and a student newspaper as well as a post-office, health clinic, bookstore and large student centre. Students have unlimited access to the Internet in our open computer labs.

 

Learn more about Mohawk College at the college website: www.mohawkc.on.ca.

 

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Alberta, Canada

Dr. Sam Shaw, President of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), assumed his responsibilities on October 1, 1997. Before arriving at NAIT, Sam served in senior positions such as President, Director and Vice-President, Academic as well as instructor at a number of prestigious colleges and universities in Canada. NAIT has a team of more than 2,400 staff serving over 60,000 students with an annual budget of $168 million.

 

Programs - NAIT confers certificates, diplomas, and applied degrees. The Institute offers over 190 programs, including 32 apprenticeship offerings, and over 1,200 continuing education courses.

Students - NAIT has approximately 17,000 full-time and apprenticeship students, and about 42,500 continuing education registrations. Over 42 per cent of students entering NAIT have previous post-secondary education.

Staff - About 2,400 people work at NAIT’s four campuses.

International Presence - With close to four decades of experience in international education, NAIT has provided training in over 50 countries.

Student Awards Programs - More than 1,900 NAIT students received $1.91 million in internal and external scholarships and bursaries in 2001/2002. The highly successful NAIT Campaign raised more than $3.75 million for student awards and endowments and allowed the Institute to introduce over 80 new scholarships and bursaries.

NAIT Grads Get Jobs - When surveyed within nine months after graduation, 93.1 per cent of NAIT graduates were working.

NAIT Hp Centre - The NAIT HP Centre for Information and Communications Technology is one of the most technologically advanced facilities in the world. The Centre provides a leading-edge environment with applied technology research capabilities. Located at NAIT’s Main Campus, the 250,000 sq. ft., three-story Centre features a 5,000 sq. ft. open-area computer commons with 110 HP PCs, 56 labs and 20 classrooms and an applied research and business enterprise area.  The $50 million facility will boost NAIT’s information and communications technology-related enrolment by 700 full-time students to more than 1,600 by 2004/2005.

 

Learn more about NAIT at the college website: www.nait.ab.ca

 

Northern Sydney Institute, New South Wales, Australia

 

The Northern Sydney Institute is part of Technical and Further Education of NSW (TAFE NSW). Kevin Harris is the Director of Northern Sydney Institute.  TAFE NSW is the largest provider of technical and vocational education in Australia. It is fully owned and operated by the NSW State Government and has been training students for over 100 years. Courses are available for international students from Certificate to Advanced Diploma level.

 

Northern Sydney Institute (NSI) is one of Australia's largest vocational education and training institutes. Situated in the high-tech area of Sydney's northern region, the Institute is widely recognised for the quality of its training. NSI offers over 1000 courses to 50,000 local and international students annually.

 

NSI has been welcoming international students for over 30 years and their graduates can be found throughout Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific.

 

NSI has close contacts with industry and their courses are designed to meet the latest industry requirements. Their graduates learn practical skills that give them a distinct advantage in seeking employment.

 

NSI has seven colleges located within easy reach of the city centre in the safe and beautiful northern area of Sydney.

 

Bradfield College is a matriculation college offering a combination of High School and Vocational programs. International students who study for the Higher School Certificate (required for University entrance) also gain a TAFE NSW qualification at the same time. The vocational programs provide all students with an opportunity to gain work experience relevant to their future.

Crows Nest is a very modern college with state-of-the-art facilities in Information Technology, Child Studies and Commercial Cookery. Information Technology students at Crows Nest study the latest developments in Multimedia, Web Design and Business Systems Analysis.

Hornsby College is on the northern fringe of Sydney next to attractive gardens and a heated, year-round swimming pool. This college boasts a recently completed multi-million dollar arts centre - one of the finest art, graphic design and multimedia facilities in Australia. Other courses include Travel & Tourism, Photography, Ceramics, Matriculation and Business Studies.

Meadowbank College is the largest college in the Institute and has excellent modern facilities as well as extensive parkland and recreational areas. It is highly regarded for its courses in Business, Asia-Pacific Marketing, Chemical Technology and Information Technology. The college is centrally located, with a five-minute walk to Meadowbank station, which provides train services to all parts of the Sydney network. The college is also close to Sydney's Olympic Games site.

North Sydney College is the oldest college in the Institute. It has specialist facilities for industry training in Telecommunications, Electronics, Computing and Film & Television. Students who enrol in NSI include university graduates. The TAFE English Language Centre is also located at this college, providing specialised, intensive English language training for international students. Northern Sydney College also offers a range of excellent courses in areas such as Asia-Pacific Marketing, Business Studies, Nursing, Engineering, and Tertiary Preparation.

Northern Beaches College is located in a beautiful environment and close to some of Sydney's best beaches. This is a specialist college for Hotel Management, Ceramics and Maritime Studies as well as offering courses in Business, Marketing and Information Technology. Students who want to take advantage of Sydney's beach lifestyle will find this college ideally located.

Ryde College specialises in Hospitality and Horticulture courses. Ryde is one of the largest and best Hotel Management schools in the world with a hotel, restaurant and conference centre within its grounds. Students operate most of these. The Horticultural complex includes computerised glasshouses, golfing greens and landscape design studios.

 

Learn more about Northern Sydney Institute at the college website: www.tafensw.edu.au/nsi/

 

Member News

 

Name Change for the Association of Polytechnics in NZ

The Association of Polytechnics in NZ is now The Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand.   Jim Doyle is the Executive Director.  The Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics of New Zealand is the collective voice that represents 19 institutes of technology and polytechnics around the country.

It represents a partnership of both the chief executives and the councils of these institutions. It does not exercise any control or authority over them but acts as the mouthpiece for promotional and political campaigns that benefit the sector as a whole. ITPNZ develops, confirms and promulgates policy on behalf of its members; ensures effective advocacy and academic quality; provides an effective communication framework and support service for its members; and helps establish and maintain relations with tertiary organisations and institutions from overseas.

 

ITPNZ:

·        acts as the collective voice of the member institutions

·        advocates on behalf of the member institutions

·        provides assistance to the member institutions in maintaining academic quality

·        promotes the member institutions as providers of quality education

·        maintains an active communication network for the member institutions

·        maintains links and dialogue with other organisations involved in tertiary education, both nationally and internationally

·        is a springboard for members' joint ventures

·        provides accreditation and course approvals, through NZPPC.

 

 

PIN Executive Committee

 

The current PIN Executive Committee membership includes:

Australia:                    John Maddock, Box Hill College

                        Peter Veenker, Canberra Institute of Technology

Canada:                      Donna Allen, Lethbridge College

                        Irene Lewis, SAIT (PIN President-Elect)

                        Gary Polonsky, Durham College

Netherlands:              Ricardo Winter, ROC van Amsterdam

New Zealand              John Scott, Christchurch Polytechnic
United Kingdom:        Marilyn Hawkins, Barnet College
United States:            LaVern Franzen, Central Community College

Richard Greene, Western Piedmont Community College

Mike Schafer, Mohawk Valley Community College (PIN President)

The role of the Executive Committee is to:

1.  Plan and develop objectives and activities for the organization;

2.  Initiate policies and implement policies of the network;

3.  Make recommendations regarding annual membership fees;

4.  Review, in context, the participation of PIN members and make decisions about continued memberships;

5.  Determine the budget for administrative tasks of the organization;

6.  Communicate the decisions taken at its meeting to the membership in semi-annual newsletters; and

7.  Facilitate the securing of external resources for PIN projects and encourage members to do the same.

 

PIN Presidency

 

Mike Schafer, President of Mohawk Valley Community College, Utica, New York, USA was installed as PIN president for a two-year term in March 2004.  

 

Irene Lewis, President of Southern Alberta Institute of Technology is the president elect and becomes PIN President at the 2006 Annual PIN Conference. 

 

Peter Veenker, CEO of Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra, Australia, is the immediate past president of PIN, completing his term as PIN president at the 2004 Annual Conference.  Peter’s term as president was from June 2002 to March 2004.

 

For more information about this Newsletter or PIN contact:

 

Dr. Bill Warner

Executive Director - PIN

1087 Churchill Place

Shoreview, MN 55126 USA

Phone: 651-483-0299 Fax: 651-483-5821

E-mail: warne017@umn.edu

 

PIN Website: www.pinnet.org