International students are choosing to attend Camosun College in greater numbers than ever.
Figures released Tuesday by the college show that more than 800 students from other countries are registered at Camosun this fall, which reflects an increase of nearly 36 per cent over last year.
The announcement was made in conjunction with the opening of an expanded Interurban campus office for Camosun International, which supports incoming international students and helps facilitate studies abroad for Canadian students.
“Our business, (English as a Second Language) and technology programs at Interurban have shown strong growth, driving the need for enhanced services at Interurban campus,” Camosun International director Geoff Wilmshurst said in a release.
Five new staffers have been added to the Interurban office, bringing the total there to nine. The department's Lansdowne campus office has a staff of 11.
The increase in international students comes at a time when overall enrolment at the college appears to be falling.
Camosun’s total enrolment has dropped by more than a thousand students over the past three years, down to 18,698 for the 2012-13 year.
The registration total for full-time equivalent students is also trending downward, dropping from a recent high of 10,511 in 2009-10 to 9,608 during the last school year.
ddescoteau@vicnews.com