Bond University on the Gold Coast continues to be the number one choice for Canadian students studying law down under, with the 1,000th Canadian commencing a law degree at the independent university this semester.
The milestone was marked today (Friday, September 12) with a visit from Canadian Consul General to Australia, Mario Ste-Marie, who met with students and staff.
More than 220 Canadians are currently studying law at Bond, the largest contingent of international students in the Faculty of Law.
Numbers have grown exponentially since the first Canadian law student graduated in 1991, with almost 120 completing their studies at the university last year.
Gareth Green, from Victoria on the west coast of Canada, became the 1,000th law student to enrol at Bond University.
The 25 year old began classes this week and said the opportunity to undertake a Juris Doctor that was well known in Canada was appealing.
“I’ve always wanted to come and explore Australia and the opportunity to study abroad was enticing,” he said.
“I looked at a number of universities around the world, in particular in the United Kingdom, but only applied to study at Bond University, largely because the courses are so well recognised in Canada.
“So far I really like what I see. I met 15 Canadians at orientation and more since then, so I’m already feeling at home.”
Mr Green, who holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Victoria, said he decided to study law because it provided a pathway to numerous careers.
“I’ve always had a business mind set and saw law as an interesting career because there are so many facets to it,” he said.
“It is so versatile and can be applied to many different areas, so it is a great asset to have and will open doors in many areas.”
Bond University Acting Executive Dean of Law, Professor Nick James, said Canada was a significant market for the University. Bond has a regional manager based in Toronto and senior academics who visit Canada at least twice a year to service the increasing volume of students.
“The number of Canadians studying law at Bond University has increased markedly over the past seven years as word spreads amongst Canadians about the quality of our programs,” he said.
“The Faculty of Law has a true international flavour, with students and academics from around the world, and we’ve been able to offer high quality subjects specifically for Canadians.
“We now offer four Canadian law subjects and will continue to broaden that offering in line with student needs and expectations.
“Our graduates have gone on to work in some of the most prestigious law firms and organisations in Canada, including Gowlings and the City of Ottawa.”