When Twitter was launched, it’s possible that its founders had never anticipated their platform would be at the centre of international disputes and policy decisions. But here we are in 2018, where abrupt international decisions are issued through single tweets, with wide-ranging impacts.
After Foreign Affairs Canada sent a tweet criticizing human rights practices in Saudi Arabia, the Canadian ambassador to Saudi Arabia was expelled and 16,000 university scholarships will be stripped away from Saudi students in Canada by the end of the summer. Although the disputes between Canada and Saudi Arabia seem distant from our local P.E.I. community, this is not the case.
In 2017, there were approximately 4,500 students enrolled at UPEI, 1,100 of whom were international. Approximately 50 of these students were from Saudi Arabia and will lose their King Abdullah Scholarship funding, which allows them to study here. Considering that each international student pays approximately $15,000 per year at UPEI, as compared to $7,000 for a domestic student, the loss of our Saudi students equals a $750,000 loss in tuition fees. If we consider the economic impact made by these students in our community, through their living expenses and discretionary spending, these dollar figures increase even more.
However, it’s about much more than just the money. With a 24 per cent international student population, diversity of culture and ideas is what makes UPEI unique, and these benefits extend beyond the UPEI community. Many international students want to stay on P.E.I. after graduating, bringing economic and social growth to our local communities by introducing new and needed skill sets to our workforce and contributing to local businesses.
In a world that is increasingly globally connected, having part of P.E.I.’s diversity taken away because of scholarships being rescinded is a huge loss for us. The idea that “what happens outside a country’s borders does not impact what happens inside those borders” is anything but true.
The Canada-Saudi Arabia disputes presents two key takeaways. First, decisions made in international relations can have a direct impact on local communities. Therefore, we have no excuse to be uneducated on matters of international relations and other current events. Although P.E.I. is a small part of the bigger picture, being educated on foreign affairs will help us to better address the local consequences of international conflicts.
Secondly, there needs to be greater recognition of international students’ contributions on P.E.I. While some Islanders may be wary of increases in the number of international students, the tangible and positive impacts of these students on our Island communities outweigh any negative perceptions and should not be understated.
The loss of these Saudi students will undoubtedly be a loss to our P.E.I. community.
Emma Drake,
Vice-President Academic and External
UPEI Student Union
With special thanks to Sweta Daboo.
