Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo Economic Development and Tourism (FMWBEDT) and Keyano College are set to receive two Awards of Excellence.

The Economic Developers of Alberta are honoring these organizations with the Alex Metcalfe Award and the Regional Collaborations Award in recognition of their efforts in attracting international students.

“Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is strengthening its economic competitiveness and driving local economic growth through strategic partnerships,” says Kevin Weidlich, President and CEO of FMWBEDT.

“These awards underscore the collaborative endeavors of the region in advancing the shared objective of recruiting and retaining international students.”

The College and Economic Development established their partnership in 2021 to attract global scholars to the region. Over the past two years, there has been a significant increase of nearly 250 per cent in the enrollment of foreign scholars.

“Observing the successful launch of this program has been truly exciting for the college,” says Sandra Efu, Vice President of Academic and Student Experience at Keyano College.

“We are thrilled to witness the high level of interest from international students seeking to study, live, and contribute to our region.”

The EDA Awards of Excellence are presented to winners from three regional projects, classified based on community size.