Source: Acadia University
http://www.acadiau.ca/whatsnew/newsrelease/2006/classafloat_19oct.html 'Class Afloat' Drops Anchor in Historic Lunenburg as Prestigious Private School, West Island College International, Chooses New Home PortOctober 19, 2006 (Lunenburg, NS) – West Island College Class Afloat (WIC) and Acadia
University have formed a unique new partnership and are pleased to announce
their plans for a university accredited "gap year" programme for students
who plan a year of study abroad between high school and university. Class Afloat has operated for the past 20 years, graduating more than 1000
alumni and operates its own tall ships, the Concordia and the Fryderyk
Chopin. In the fall of 2007 Class Afloat will expand its gap year programme
to include a dedicated ship, the S.Y Fryderyk Chopin. It will sail
worldwide, at times in company with our first vessel, the S.V Concordia. Gap
year students will enroll, concurrently with Class Afloat and Acadia,
earning university credits through Acadia’s Division of Continuing and
Distance Education while sailing worldwide. "This is a unique opportunity for growth through effective partnership. West
Island College and Acadia share histories born of a dedication to unique and
valuable learning opportunities for their students," said WIC and CEO, Terry
Davies. "A gap year programme, an increasingly popular post secondary
learning and development year, can now effectively combine the bona fides of
university study combined with unique adventure travel and personal
development. Although relatively small and decidedly intimate, both
institutions, through this partnership, extend their international reach,
and, accordingly, their stature as world class institutions. This
partnership heralds the most significant programme change at Class Afloat
since 1984. We look forward to the many inherent benefits signaled by this
new and exciting synergy." "Acadia has long been considered Canada’s most innovative undergraduate
university and the Class Afloat partnership is one more example of our
commitment to creating learning environments outside the boundaries of a
traditional university campus," said Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, President and
Vice-Chancellor of Acadia University. "I’m impressed with the life
experience young people gain while being onboard these tall ships and
Acadia’s distance learning program is flexible enough to allow students to
accommodate their academic interests. The added value for Acadia’s faculty
and staff is that they will be able to join the crew to provide onboard
instruction." Class Afloat will ensure that gap year (post-secondary) students can earn
undergraduate credit, while pursuing its unique international travel-study
programme, prior to embarking upon their full-time university career.
Students should expect to find course-load options that resemble classroom
loads ranging from full-time to part-time. Most students currently enroll
for ten months per year (September through June), with others attending for
just one semester. Courses offered will be those suited best to both the
shipboard environment and the geo-cultural and geo-historical opportunities
afforded by the vessel’s itinerary. The programme is expected to produce
significant new opportunities for both organizations in the areas of
research, community service, and export market development. The Town of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will see its
international stature grow as more than 100 student ambassadors visit 30
ports of call on five continents. The school is led by experienced Canadian
educators and enjoys the Honorary patronage of Dr. (Dame) Jane Goodall,
world renowned primatologist and environmentalist. Acadia University, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, is recognized as one of
Canada’s premier undergraduate institutions. With its nationally and
internationally recognized research initiatives, small class sizes, and its
technology-rich teaching and learning environment, Acadia offers students a
personalized education that includes rigorous academic programs combined
with personal growth and development. For more information about Acadia,
visit our website at www.acadiau.ca. -30- For more information contact: Doug Prothero
West Island College Class Afloat
P: 902.441.7245
E: discovery@classafloat.com W: http://www.classafloat.com Scott Roberts
Senior Director, Communications and Public Affairs
Acadia University
P: 902.585.1705
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