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Sept 5 - Record high enrolment sees Douglas offering more opportunities to students
For the third year in a row, enrolment at Douglas College is expected to hit an all-time high.More than 11,000 students - up approximately six percent from last year and almost 17 percent from 2009 - are expected to walk through the doors of the New Westminster and Coquitlam campuses for the start of classes this week.
This fall's cohort will also include some 1,100 international students, about 10 percent more than last year. The number of international students enrolled at Douglas has more than doubled since 2007.
"The growing popularity of Douglas doesn't come as a surprise," says Scott McAlpine, president of Douglas College. "More and more people are choosing Douglas based on the strength of our academic and career-based programs, and the quality of our teaching."
Record enrolments have the New Westminster Campus bursting at the seams. To accommodate Douglas's expanding student body and to make room for even more students in the future, Douglas began relocating its Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies to the Coquitlam Campus last year. Next fall, when the relocation is complete, the Coquitlam Campus will have grown by more than 850 students.
Douglas is also expanding its offerings to give students more choice. Beginning this fall, students can take post-degree programs in sales and accounting. In May, in partnership with Capilano University, Langara College and Vancouver Community College, Douglas began offering a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree for students and working professionals with a significant background in the arts.
"Our new offerings underscore the changing educational needs of today's students," says McAlpine. "Getting an education is no longer something you do once in your life. As more and more people return to school to upgrade their skills and knowledge, education is becoming a lifelong process."
Later this month, the college will launch the Peter Legge International Institute for Sales Excellence, which will offer a wide range of educational programs and industry services, events and activities, such as customized industry training, research, seminars, conferences and sales aptitude testing.
Douglas College will distribute more than $1 million in scholarships, bursaries and awards this year to over 1,500 students who need financial help to carry out their studies.
