Navitas Announces Continued International Student Growth and Academic Success at North American University Partners

LOWELL, MA--(Marketwired - Oct 27, 2015) - Navitas today announced achievements at its North American partner universities in three key areas: international student enrollment growth, academic outcomes and student satisfaction.

Navitas accelerates the internationalization of university campuses by increasing student access to global learning experiences. Navitas supports universities in their efforts to deliver a superior domestic and international student experience by increasing the quality, quantity and diversity of their international student community.

Navitas' North American partnerships achieved 14% year-over-year enrollment growth, with more than 5,000 students studying at eight partner universities in the United States and Canada. International Pathway programs are offered in collaboration with Simon Fraser University and University of Manitoba in Canada, as well as University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Boston, Western Kentucky University, University of New Hampshire, and Florida Atlantic University in the US. 

Navitas' newest US partner, Florida Atlantic University, launched its Pathway program in January 2015 and welcomed its first full student cohort in September 2015, exceeding their enrollment goal by 19%.

By ensuring that partner universities maintain control over the design and delivery of academic programs, Navitas is able to focus on outstanding academic outcomes -- a central tenet of the company's commitment to student success. In academic year 2014-15, 95% of students enrolled in Navitas Pathway programs successfully completed their requirements and were eligible to pursue a degree program at the host university.

"We could not be more pleased with our Navitas partnership," remarked Dr. Tim Rahilly, Associate Vice President of Simon Fraser University. "It has allowed us to achieve our international student enrollment goals and helped bring diverse, qualified students to SFU who we would not have otherwise been able to recruit." 

"Students coming through our pathway program have risen to the challenge of very rigorous degree requirements at Simon Fraser University. Perhaps most importantly, because of consistently high progression and retention rates, these students have also become valued members of our campus community while the Navitas staff on our campus have become valued and trusted colleagues." 

To assure that the program delivers on the promise of an exceptional student experience, Navitas also considers student satisfaction rates a key success metric. Across its North American partnerships in 2014-15, an impressive 87% of students were satisfied with their overall academic, living and learning experiences.

"Our programs with our partner universities support students in a holistic way that goes far beyond the classroom to encompass social activities that encourage integration with domestic students, acculturation activities to help students transition to their campus communities, and coaching to help students acclimatize to the North American academic environment," explained Bev Hudson, Executive General Manager of Navitas North America. "The impact of this personalized approach -- designed with the unique needs of international students in mind -- is evidenced by the outstanding student satisfaction ratings that we've earned."

About Navitas 
Navitas is a global higher education organization that has partnered with universities for over twenty years to increase access to higher education and prepare students for future success. Our collaborations accelerate our partner universities' internationalization goals resulting in stronger, more diverse international student population; improved academic outcomes; increased global profile for the institution; and sustainable revenue streams for reinvestment in key areas of the university. 

There are more than 82,000 students studying at Navitas programs around the world. North American university partners include Simon Fraser University, University of Manitoba, University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, University of Massachusetts Boston, University of New Hampshire, Western Kentucky University, and Florida Atlantic University. More information can be found at www.navitas.com or follow @Navitas.