Update regarding wind-down of Jazan campus
September 30, 2016
OTTAWA — Following Algonquin College’s announcement last month that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Algonquin College – Saudi Arabia LLC, was investigating the return of its Jazan campus, on September 6, 2016, Colleges of Excellence requested Algonquin work to transfer oversight to the UK-based private-sector provider, Interserve Education and Employment. Since being notified, Algonquin College – Saudi Arabia LLC has worked diligently to ensure a smooth transition of operations to the new provider. The College will maintain a small presence in Jazan through the end of October to complete the transition process.
Algonquin College – Saudi Arabia has committed to costs of $3.2 million, comprised of employee and supplier settlements ($2.95M) and legal fees ($250K) against an estimated cost of $4.3 million. As previously reported, no taxpayer funds are being used to cover these amounts.
Colleges of Excellence is the Saudi authority responsible for establishing relationships with more than a dozen post-secondary institutions from around the world. These international schools support the Kingdom in its bid to expand applied training, particularly in the trades, in order to satisfy the growing need for skilled workers in the desert country.
The Jazan campus, which opened in 2013, is part of the College’s broader international portfolio that is an overall net contributor to Algonquin College’s revenues.