EDC announces up to 30 scholarships in 2010 competition

OTTAWA, Nov. 17 /CNW Telbec/ - Export Development Canada (EDC) today opened its 12th annual national competition of the EDC International Business Scholarship Program, which is designed to promote the importance of international trade among Canada's future business leaders.

EDC will offer as many as 30 scholarships, 25 of which will recognize exceptional students in the field of international business or economics. The remaining five scholarships will be awarded to outstanding business students who combine these fields with a focus on sustainable management or environmental studies.

"EDC's International Business Scholarship Program is designed to help grow Canada's trade competencies and underlines the importance of international trade among Canada's future business leaders," said Eric Siegel, President and CEO.

"By incorporating environmental studies with international business into the program, EDC is helping to build Canada's future capacity to engage in international trade in an environmentally responsible manner," he added.

The scholarship winners will receive a $3,000 cash award and, if eligible, a possible four-month work term worth approximately $10,000. The work term includes mentoring from leading industry experts at EDC's head office in Ottawa.

This year's application deadline is January 25, 2010. Scholarships will be awarded in the spring of 2010 and work terms will be available for the summer of 2010. Students interested in an EDC work term should indicate this at the time of applying for the scholarship.

EDC's scholarship program is a key component of its community investment strategy in Canada which focuses on youth and trade education. For additional information about EDC's Youth Education Strategy and the International Business Scholarships, please visit: www.edc.ca/scholarships. The program is managed on behalf of EDC by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).

The winners of the 2009 EDC scholarships can be found here: http://www.edc.ca/english/student_16252.htm.

EDC is Canada's export credit agency, offering innovative commercial solutions to help Canadian exporters and investors expand their international business. EDC's knowledge and partnerships are used by more than 8,300 Canadian companies and their global customers in up to 200 markets worldwide each year. EDC is financially self-sustaining, a recognized leader in financial reporting and economic analysis, and has been recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for nine consecutive years.

For further information: Media contacts: Phil Taylor, Export Development Canada, Tel: [phone], BlackBerry: [email protected]