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SARS slows international co-op placements
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May 2, 2003
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is putting the brakes on SFU’s rapidly expanding international co-op education program..
Tanya Behrisch, international coordinator for co-op education at SFU, says international co-op placements are up 66 per cent over last year.
However, many of those new positions are in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore—regions that have been hit hardest by the recent SARS epidemic.
Approximately 40 SFU co-op students were scheduled to leave this month for jobs in Asia, but they have been given the option to cancel or postpone their placements without academic penalties, says Behrisch.
"It’s not a trivial decision to withdraw from a co-op posting," she says, "but student safety and institutional liability are primary concerns for us right now. We are making every effort to ensure our students have the information they need to make an educated decision."
So far, half a dozen students have elected to defer or decline their co-op postings to Asia, and some Asian employers have cancelled or postponed student placements because Canada appears on the World Health Organization’s list of SARS-affected countries. Behrisch is concerned that "should things escalate, we could lose as many as 60 placements for the rest of 2003."
SFU president Michael Stevenson’s recent decision to cancel an upcoming trip to Asia will "undoubtedly affect co-op placements and marketing," says Behrisch.
"We’ll lose a bit of our momentum, but the demand and interest for international co-op is clearly there. SARS has simply shown the need to diversify our placements. Like any good investor, we’re going to have to explore new markets, such as Australia and Europe. We’ll be focussing more on the quality of our placements, rather than the quantity."
-30-
Contact:
Nancy Johnston, SFU co-op, 604.291.3836; davidge@sfu.ca
After May 6:
Tanya Behrisch, Intl. co-op coordinator, 604.291.5649: behrisch@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl/Julie Ovenell-Carter, Media & PR, 604.291.4323
Tanya Behrisch, international coordinator for co-op education at SFU, says international co-op placements are up 66 per cent over last year.
However, many of those new positions are in China, Hong Kong, and Singapore—regions that have been hit hardest by the recent SARS epidemic.
Approximately 40 SFU co-op students were scheduled to leave this month for jobs in Asia, but they have been given the option to cancel or postpone their placements without academic penalties, says Behrisch.
"It’s not a trivial decision to withdraw from a co-op posting," she says, "but student safety and institutional liability are primary concerns for us right now. We are making every effort to ensure our students have the information they need to make an educated decision."
So far, half a dozen students have elected to defer or decline their co-op postings to Asia, and some Asian employers have cancelled or postponed student placements because Canada appears on the World Health Organization’s list of SARS-affected countries. Behrisch is concerned that "should things escalate, we could lose as many as 60 placements for the rest of 2003."
SFU president Michael Stevenson’s recent decision to cancel an upcoming trip to Asia will "undoubtedly affect co-op placements and marketing," says Behrisch.
"We’ll lose a bit of our momentum, but the demand and interest for international co-op is clearly there. SARS has simply shown the need to diversify our placements. Like any good investor, we’re going to have to explore new markets, such as Australia and Europe. We’ll be focussing more on the quality of our placements, rather than the quantity."
-30-
Contact:
Nancy Johnston, SFU co-op, 604.291.3836; davidge@sfu.ca
After May 6:
Tanya Behrisch, Intl. co-op coordinator, 604.291.5649: behrisch@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl/Julie Ovenell-Carter, Media & PR, 604.291.4323