Ottawa, January 30, 2017: CBIE is concerned about the impact of an executive order issued by the Trump Administration on January 27, 2017 barring citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. for 90 days.
‘This decision runs counter to the aspirations of international education generally, as well as to the goal of our Learning Beyond Borders campaign which is to encourage more students to study abroad,’ said Karen McBride, President and CEO of CBIE. ‘We are deeply concerned for the well-being of all international students but we have a special responsibility towards our Libyan students.’
The Libyan-North American Scholarship Program (LNASP) is a program funded by the Libyan Ministry of Education which supports Libyan students at host universities in Canada and the U.S. It is currently administered by CBIE.
Right now LNASP supports approximately 1100 Libyan students on scholarship in the U.S and over 800 in Canada. Most Libyan students are accompanied by their families while studying in North America.
CBIE encourages LNASP scholars in the U.S who anticipate travelling outside the country, or LNASP scholars in Canada who anticipate travelling to the U.S. during their program, to be in contact with the international office at their host university to seek guidance.
With respect to faculty and students in Canada with plans to travel to the U.S. for academic or research activities, the latest information from the Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen is that Canadians with dual citizenship and permanent residents with a valid residency card and a passport from their home country will not be turned back at the American border. Global Affairs Canada’s Consular Service will also be an important source of information going forward.
CBIE will continue to monitor the situation and advise stakeholders accordingly.
The Canadian Bureau for International Education is the national organization dedicated to the internationalization of education and the expansion of educational partnerships between Canada and countries across the globe.
For more information contact:
Jacquelyn Hoult
Director, Communications
jhoult@cbie.ca
613.237.4820 ext. 254
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