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In the first Seneca/CoEP project competition, HELIX entrepreneur Travis Clement placed first for his point-ofcontact device that identifies allergens in food.

International growth

Seneca signs agreements in China and India

Brenda Tapp-Cosgrove, Professor, School of Health Sciences (left), works with nursing students at INSCOL in Chandigarh.

SENECA RECENTLY EXPANDED several of its educational activities with international partners in China and India. Thanks to a series of agreements President David Agnew signed during two Ontario trade missions, Seneca has teamed up with top industry leaders to train the next generation of engaged global citizens.

Last November, President Agnew was part of a delegation that accompanied Premier Kathleen Wynne to Nanjing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing. The mission focused on the science and technology, clean-tech and agriculture sectors, as well as partnerships in health care and education. President Agnew also visited Singapore during his trip.

Highlights from the Asia Pacific mission included a partnership with MindChamps to explore a Singapore-headquartered joint degree program in early childhood education. Another partnership with Jinling Institute of Technology will include various academic pathway agreements.

Seneca also formalized an agreement with Suzhou Industrial Park Institute of Vocational Technology to provide students with opportunities to work and learn in Suzhou. In collaboration with Suzhou Erjia Early Childhood Education Group, Seneca will enhance teacher training and provide opportunities for Seneca students to complete placements and co-ops at a daycare centre in Suzho.

In early 2016, President Agnew and other postsecondary, business and political leaders travelled to New Delhi, Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Mumbai with Premier Wynne. The week-long mission strengthened Ontario’s economic, political and cultural ties with new partnerships in the research, infrastructure, technology, science and health sectors.

President Agnew formalized seven agreements in India. As a result, Seneca is partnering with Max Institute of Health Education and Research to provide exchanges and contract training opportunities for students from both institutions. Seneca is also entering into an agreement with INSCOL to offer health and medical training for youth over the next 10 years.

Seneca also embarked on a tri-party agreement with College of Engineering Pune (CoEP) and the City of Markham to launch a project competition in health care through HELIX, Seneca’s on-campus incubator. In May, three HELIX companies competed against two CoEP ventures.

Additional agreements were signed with Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd., IILM Institute for Higher Education of Delhi and Thakur Institute of Management Studies. Following the trip, an agreement with the National Association of Software and Services Companies was signed to train Indian civil servants. This year, more than 70 of them visited Seneca for short-term training programs offered through Seneca Business.

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