Queen’s and the Limestone District School Board are beginning their first year of Limestone Queen’s Pathway, a new program aimed at recruiting international secondary students to study at Limestone District schools and, eventually, Queen’s.

The 14-month program targets grade 12 students looking to enroll at Queen’s and offers them conditional pre-evaluation for the B.A. program if they maintain an average of 85 per cent.

Currently, there’s one student enrolled through the program.

The Globe and Mail published an article in mid-August reporting that Queen’s had relaxed its international admission standards with this program; however, Queen’s Provost Alan Harrison said the University hasn’t.

Harrison said that he doesn’t know why the Globe and Mail reported that Queen’s had lowered admissions standards, and said what they published isn’t true.

“Queen’s has not lowered its admission standards,” Harrison told the Journal via email.

“Participants must meet all of the university’s academic and language requirements and deadlines — just like any other applicant.”

Harrison said the pathway is directed at high-achieving international students who would be competitive for admissions at top universities.

“We do expect awareness and interest to grow over time,” Harrison said.

Harrison said that the pre-evaluation part of the program requires a thorough review of a student’s academic record and identifies students of superior academic ability who are competitive for admission to the B.A. program.

“Participants are not given a ‘conditional offer’,” Harrison said. “They must apply to Queen’s through the Ontario Universities Application Centre, and meet the same academic and language proficiency requirements as everyone else.”