NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NAIT welcomes James Aldridge as AVP, International

NAIT is pleased to announce that James Aldridge will be joining the polytechnic in the newly developed role of Associate Vice-President International. He'll assume the role on November 18, 2024.  

With nearly 30 years of experience in international education, Aldridge most recently served as Vice-Provost, International at Lakehead University in Ontario, a role he has held since 2017. 

Aldridge brings a wealth of experience in marketing, student recruitment, international student services, campus internationalization, student mobility, partnership development, dual-degree programs, and Cultural Intelligence (CQ). His international background includes seven years in Japan, a decade leading teams in Beijing, and extensive experience across key global markets, giving him a deep understanding of the industry. 

In this new role, Aldridge will provide dedicated leadership to our internationalization efforts, overseeing the International Recruitment team, Global Education & Partnerships, and the Global Engagement Strategy. 

The creation of this role underscores NAIT's commitment to international education, not just in growing student numbers but in offering comprehensive support to international students, staff and instructors from a student's arrival through to graduation. This also enhances Alberta's workforce and strengthens our global ties. 

With the addition of an AVP International, NAIT is fostering a truly global environment - enriching NAIT campuses with diversity and inclusion, and supporting our learners and staff in a globally connected community. 

QUOTES

"I'm thrilled to be coming home to Edmonton, and very excited to work with the international team to continue to build out NAIT's international recruitment and our capacity for global engagement. I'm looking forward to increasing our support for our international students and providing more opportunities for all students to have transformative global experiences." - James Aldridge, incoming Associate Vice-President, International 

"We are very excited to welcome James to NAIT. His decades of experience in the international education sector are well aligned with NAIT's internationalization efforts and make him a great fit for this new role. Ethical internationalization has always been at the heart of James's work, and I look forward to working with him to further expand our capacity to recruit and serve international students, while supporting our staff and instructors."  - Gerard Hayes, Vice-President, Students & Campus Life