We are pleased to announce 25 new scholarship projects funded through the Canadian International Development Scholarships (BCDI 2030) program. This funding will enable nearly 500 individuals from partner countries to pursue their studies at Canadian post-secondary institutions, while acquiring skills and knowledge they can apply when they return to their home countries.
These projects will offer transformative educational experiences to a new cohort of scholarship recipients, at least 51% of them women, from 26 eligible countries, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa, with 75% of these countries being francophone.
Nineteen of the funded projects are being delivered by Canadian universities and six by colleges; eight are collaborative consortia among Canadian post-secondary institutions and three of those are college/university consortia.
The projects involve partnerships with 59 institutions in 19 developing countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ghana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Tunisia). The total value of these projects is CA $13.3 million.
The BCDI 2030 program aims to strengthen the social and economic development of women and men through inclusive, quality and accessible education and training opportunities, including technical and vocational programs, in Canada and partner countries. By reducing inequalities, promoting gender equality in access to education and the labour market, and strengthening employability, BCDI 2030 contributes to transforming communities.
The first call for proposals, launched in 2023, funded 14 projects with a total investment of 6 million Canadian dollars. In both calls, projects were selected following a rigorous competitive process involving the evaluation of project proposals by an independent international selection committee. Each project represents a partnership between at least one Canadian institution and at least one higher education institution in a partner country.
The priority areas for training and education continue to be high-impact sectors that will help us achieve our sustainable development goals: STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), climate action, artificial intelligence, health sciences, the green and blue economy, and governance and administration.
The BCDI 2030 program is an eight-year, $80 million initiative funded by Global Affairs Canada and jointly administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada, in partnership with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Association of African Universities (AAU).
Information about these newly announced projects will be made available on the BCDI 2030 website in the coming weeks. For details about the 14 BCDI 2030 projects already in operation please visit www.bcdi2030.ca/projects.
The 25 scholarship projects announced will be delivered by the following post-secondary institutions:
Canadian post-secondary institution | International partner institution(s) |
|---|---|
Cégep de Saint-Laurent | • Institut National de l’Eau — Université d’Abomey-Calavi (Benin) |
Collège Montmorency | • Institut supérieur d’études paramédicales de Mbour (Senegal) |
Concordia University of Edmonton | • University of Kigali (Rwanda) |
Dalhousie Agricultural Campus | • Meru University of Science and Technology (Kenya) |
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
in consortium with • Nova Scotia Community College | • Université Ibn Khaldoun (Tunisia) |
Lakehead University in consortium with • Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology | • Cape Coast University (Ghana) • University of Development Studies (Ghana) • University of Energy and Natural Resources (Ghana) |
North Island College in consortium with • Nova Scotia Community College | • National Higher Polytechnic Institute – University of Bamenda (Cameroon) • National Polytechnic University Institute Bamenda (Cameroon) |
Nova Scotia Community College in consortium with • Camosun College • North Island College | • Vocation Education and Training Authority (Tanzania) |
Polytechnique Montréal | • Université Joseph Ki Zerbo (Burkina Faso) • Université de Lomé (Togo) • Université Dan Dicko Koulodo de Maradi (Niger) • American University of Cairo (Egypt) |
Queen’s University | • University of Nouakchott Al Aasriya (Mauritania) • Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Burkina Faso) • Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (Democratic Republic of the Congo) • Université de Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
St. Lawrence College | • The Sister of our Lady of Kilimanjaro — St. Theresa School of Nursing (Tanzania) |
The University of British Columbia | • Sokoine University of Agriculture (Tanzania) • Mkwawa University College of Education, Geography, and Economics (Tanzania) • The University of Cape Coast (Ghana) |
Toronto Metropolitan University | • University of Fort Hare (South Africa) • University of Limpopo (South Africa) • University of Venda (South Africa) • Walter Sisulu University (South Africa) • University of the Western Cape (South Africa) • University of Zululand (South Africa) |
Université Laval | • Université polytechnique de San Pedro (Ivory Coast) • Université de Segou (Mali) • Université Norbert Zongo (Burkina Faso) • Université de Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) |
Université de Sherbrooke in consortium with • Université du Québec à Chicoutimi | • Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal) • École Nationale Supérieure de Statistique et d’Économie Appliquée (Senegal) • Université Peleforo Gon Coulibaly (Côte d’Ivoire) |
University of Alberta | • Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (Morocco) • Université Sultan Moulay Slimane (Morocco) |
University of Calgary | • African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (Rwanda and South Africa) |
University of Toronto | • African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Senegal (Senegal) |
Université de Montréal in consortium with • McGill University • Université Laval • HEC Montréal • Polytechnique Montréal | • Institut des Sciences, des Technologies et des Etudes Avancées d’Haïti (Haiti) • Filiale du programme African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (Cameroon) |
Université du Québec in consortium with • Université du Québec à Trois Rivières (UQTR) • Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) • Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO) • Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) • Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) • École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP) • École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) • Université TÉLUQ | • Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal) • Université numérique Cheikh Hamidou Kane (Senegal) |
Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR) in consortium with • Cégep de la Gaspésie et des Îles | • Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Centre Trainmar de Dakar (Senegal) • Université de San Pédro (Côte d’Ivoire) |
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) | • École Nationale d’Ingénieurs (Mali) • École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat (Morocco) |
Université TÉLUQ | • Université de Sfax (Tunisia) |
University of Ottawa | • Université d’Abomey-Calavi (Benin)
• Institut Régional de Santé Publique (Benin) |
Western University | • Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal) • University of Rwanda (Rwanda) |
