International Student Exchange - Ontario (ISE Ontario) is a registered non-profit organization based in

Barrie Barrie is a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about north of Toronto. The city is within Simcoe County and located along the shores of Kempenfelt Bay. Although it is physically in the county, Barrie is politically independent. The city is part ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

that provides Ontario students the opportunity to participate in reciprocal

student exchange program A student exchange program is a program in which students from a secondary school (high school) or higher education study abroad at one of their institution's partner institutions. A student exchange program may involve international travel, b ...

s with

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

History

These reciprocal exchange programs were first organized in Ontario by the

Ontario Ministry of Education The Ministry of Education () is the ministry of the Government of Ontario responsible for government policy, funding, curriculum planning and direction in all levels of public education, including elementary and secondary schools. The ministry ...

in the 1970s, but in the late 1990s the Ministry divested the programs, at which point ISE Ontario began running the programs. According to the ''

Windsor Star The ''Windsor Star'' is a daily newspaper based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Postmedia Network, it is published Tuesdays through Saturdays. History The paper began as the weekly ''Windsor Record'' in 1888, changing its name to the ''Bor ...

'', "Organized through ''International'' ''Student'' ''Exchange'' ''Ontario'', the coed program allows foreign teens to get a taste of Canadian life, and vice versa." In 2002, listed desired outcomes for students in the program included: developing language skills; sharing family and school life; increasing cultural awareness; enhancing understanding and tolerance of others; gaining confidence, responsibility and self-reliance; and returning home with new appreciation of their country.

Programs

The organization offers 9week exchange programs for Grade 8 students with

, and a 12 week exchange for secondary students (typically in grades 10 and 11) with

, or

. ISE Ontario offers a 3 week summer exchange programs for students aged 13–17 with

, or 4 week summer exchange program for students aged 13–17 with

, or

. Educational organizations based in Ontario Organizations based in Barrie

References

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