New English Proficiency Test to Replace TOEFL in Korea

A new government-administered test of English proficiency for elementary and secondary students will be introduced during the second half of 2009, replacing international and domestic tests like the TOEFL, TOEIC and TEPS. The tests will assess speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development hinted the test may also replace the English section in the current annual College Scholastic Ability Test. ……. new tests for adults will also be introduced in 2011. "It may be possible to replace the CSAT's English section with these tests starting in 2011 if the new tests for students prove successful.…… many parents have expressed concerns that the new test may be of little help in keeping Korean money in Korea or improving English education. …….. None of the English proficiency tests developed by Korean universities have been recognized by foreign universities yet, and it is likely that anyone wishing to study abroad will still have to sit the TOEFL. [View Full Article]

Who’s teaching China’s next generation?

The influx of foreign teachers into China is both a boon and a problem, reports Chris Dalby from Beijing.A quick scan of the countless online English as a Second Language (ESL) job boards reveals some startling facts. At a glance, it would seem that China is truly opening itself up to the world. What better way to learn and cooperate with other countries than by asking their best and brightest to come and teach here, in China? Schools ……… attempt to attract foreigners – native English-speakers – to come and teach English to the next generation of Chinese. ………….In reality, the number of teaching jobs across China, their constant availability and their seemingly accommodating work conditions, could be said to spell trouble. Since so many schools are competing for a limited supply of incoming teachers, an increasing number of educational institutions are lowering their standards in order to hire their own token ‘wai jiao lao shi’. ………………However, the desire to employ a foreigner, at any cost, can cause problems. As more and more schools are allowed to hire foreign teachers, inevitably an increasing number of under-qualified, untrained individuals are being given jobs. There are now numerous stories of foreign teachers breaking their contracts and disappearing (they are called ‘midnight runners’)……… some foreign teachers are exhibiting in-classroom behaviour that some Chinese educators or parents consider shocking or offensive; ……… By far the most common complaint about foreign teachers is that they have a strong accent or speak too quickly, making it difficult to understand them. [View Full Article]

Produce Employable Graduates, Najib Tells Universities

……. Institutions of higher learning must produce employable graduates and no longer graduates for lifetime employment only, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Friday.
The deputy prime minister said that with adequate knowledge and skills, employable graduates could be marketable and could seek employment anywhere."The lifetime employment concept is no longer applicable now. In fact Japan is now focusing on producing employable graduates," …….The universities must also produce graduates who could compete in the international arena by striving to attain the best benchmark and changing the mindset and attitude of their students, he said, adding that such endeavours could contribute to raising the country's competitiveness. [View Full Article]

Sounds like English

India is officially not part of the “Anglosphere”. Yet there is substantial following for English in our country and the Constitution also allows for the use of the language officially. Chennai is home to a few international schools, inn umerable other schools and colleges and of course, call centres.

English is a global language today. English teachers all over the city are trying their best to fulfil their role as moderators between learning and application. Says Chaya Devi, an English teacher with over 14 years of experience: “I teach English to students from Class six to 10. The overall standard of English has declined. ……….. Today, with American influence and SMS culture,students sometimes invent words! It is noteworthy though, that today’s students have become more conscious of pronunciation. [View Full Article]

On the quality of English

………Professor Tseng rightly points out the terrible writing skills of Taiwanese students -- with 5,000 scoring zero, and only one student out of the 1,800 that he marked getting 19 out of 20. He encountered numerous errors in grammar, vocabulary and spelling. Professor Tseng was absolutely correct in pointing out this seemingly intractable problem, to which I can personally attest, after teaching in Taiwan for 10 years and having identical experiences in correcting college entrance tests.
The vast majority of compositions were left blank or had only a few lines of writing. Most written work was gibberish, with no, or very little, understanding of the most rudimentary rules of writing, spelling, grammar and vocabulary -- let alone style. The only word to describe this level of performance is pathetic. [View Full Article]

Understanding Gaps Among Asian Groups

Many discussions about affirmative action or demographics in higher education start with the assumption that Asian American students are outperforming everyone else and don’t need any help. That view is frustrating to many Asian Americans and some educators who say that — even if true on average — it results in too little attention being paid to members of some groups that are not doing well at all educationally.……..Asian Americans have a higher educational attainment than other groups, …….. half of Southeast Asian high school students are not enrolled in college preparatory programs, more than half of Southeast Asian and Native American and Pacific Islander students are in the lower socioeconomic quartiles, and many Asian groups set aside less money for their children’s college education than do members of other racial and ethnic groups. [View Full Article]

More than 100,000 students drop out of university after first year

More than 100,000 students are dropping out of degree courses after their first year, according to the results of an investigation that are published today. …….The findings, which come in a survey of student retention rates by the National Audit Office, coincide with research claiming almost one in four youngsters now believes going to university may be a "waste of time" because of increased student debt.……. The report points out that the UK is in the top five in a league table of retention rates compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Only Japan, Ireland, Korea and Greece have lower drop-out rates.One of the worst drop-out rates in the world is in the United States, where about 50 per cent of youngsters continue into the second year in higher education compared with 91.6 per cent in the UK. [View Full Article]

Branding’ Community Colleges Abroad

….. “There are more community colleges and colleges in general that are actively recruiting international students now.”
About 15 percent of all international students in the United States study at community colleges, and, despite a temporary drop-off after September 11, 2001, the total enrollment of international students at community colleges has increased by 17.8 percent from 1999 to a total of 83,160 in 2006, according to data from the Institute of International Education. With students from Asia comprising 52 percent of the international enrollment at community colleges – Japan, Korea, Mexico, China and Taiwan are the top five sending countries for two-year institutions – more community colleges have stepped up their efforts to “brand” themselves across Asia and explain their missions to students unfamiliar with the community college concept.
“Five years ago, [the American Association of Community Colleges] decided that it would help member colleges in their recruitment efforts,” says Judith Irwin, director of international programs and services for the association, which runs community college-specific recruitment fairs that travel to multiple countries (the fall trip, for which 30 colleges have signed up, includes stops in Indonesia, Vietnam, China and South Korea). [View Full Article]

Overseas Branches Are Vital to American Academe and the U.S. Economy, University Officials Tell House Panel

Washington
For the many American universities now looking to establish or expand branches and research projects overseas, the decision to go abroad seems an obvious response to a globalizing world.
But at a Congressional hearing here on Thursday, officials from three universities with sizable international operations found themselves a bit on the defensive. Lawmakers -- including one outright skeptic -- questioned whether university ventures, all of which are indirectly or directly subsidized by taxpayers, might be undermining America's economic competitiveness by helping other countries better develop a scientific and technological work force. [View Full Article - Subscription, The Chronicle]

American School sets up base in Kolkata

……….American School Kolkata (ASK) was inaugurated today at the American Consulate by Mr Jardine and Mr Dibyen Mukherjee, director of school education, government of West Bengal. In March last year, the Calcutta Chapter of the American Chamber of Commerce was inaugurated by Mr Jardine. The opening of ASK gives further impetus to American businesses coming to the city, their children will now have a place to study without disrupting the course curriculum they have been studying in the USA………American schools already exist in New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai. Kolkata is the last of the metros to have one. The schools in New Delhi and Mumbai currently have 1,300 and 700 students respectively. “I hope that ASK will also serve as magnet for foreign businesses and as a vote of confidence in the rapid economic growth in this region. American Schools in New Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai are a key factor in the decision by international organisations and companies as to the location of their offices and personnel,” ………The school will mainly cater to children of expatriates and people travelling for business and it will follow an all-American curriculum. It begins with five students at the kindergarten level, and classes will be held in the American Consulate itself. The ……….Indian passport holders may be considered for admission only if they are temporary residents in India and are returning to an American or international system of education. [View Full Article]

Speak Up / A foreign take on primary school English

The question of whether English should be made a compulsory subject at primary schools has been the subject of much debate in this newspaper. The debate has principally produced three schools of thought. First, the sanseiha (supporters' group), consisting largely of Japanese education ministry personnel and their advisers, advocate that English instruction should be extended to the primary school level. It maintains that younger minds at that stage can acquire a second language better and more effortlessly, at least with regard to the pronunciation patterns of English. …… the second group, the hantaiha (opposition group), is dead against introduction, alleging that it will undermine Japanese culture and identity, and affect first language proficiency. …….the shinchoha (discreet group), which advocates a prudent path; it does not resist the introduction of English but proposes that appropriate groundwork--trained teachers and a sound curriculum--should be prepared prior to any change. …………Whether English should be taught to Japanese primary school students rests on whether Japanese education policymakers want to append a new subject to the curriculum. ……However, with the advent of globalization a new theme has come to the fore, where individuals and nations come in contact with different individuals and nations, where they are expected to be understanding and tolerant of the culture of their counterparts………. Many countries, including some in Asia, have made it their national mission to learn English. [View Full Article]

American elementary and secondary schools show India in a bad light!

USA is home to some strong 80,000 odd Indian students, some 20 lakh well-earning Indian families. Every other American worker or an expert must know how the Indian brainpower moves some of the biggest American enterpprises. So, the current negative perceptions of Indians taught in American schools could at best be only a short-lived phenomenon.It looks that when the whole world is feeling the impact of globalisation and the peoples of the world are waking up to new realities in the emerging world, when old equations drastically change, some countries seem to live in a more prejudiced cocoons.………Asia Society is a well-known society that gives more academic and other scholarly pursuits to enhance the understanding of Asia and Asian countries and their cultures. [View Full Article]

20% of new students dropping out, says report

One in five students starting full-time courses this September will drop out, according to figures unveiled by the National Audit Office today.
But the number of students that stay on at university in the UK compares favourably with most other countries. ……..there is a "strong likelihood that new full-time undergraduates on higher education courses will stay on and complete their studies". But more support is needed for all students, especially those studying part-time, who face particular challenges and are more likely to drop out. …..around 28,000 full-time and 87,000 part-time undergraduates who started university in 2004-05 did not continue to a second year of study.………Student retention rates vary between institutions, depending on factors such as how well students did in their previous studies and whether they are studying full or part-time.…… UK is fifth worldwide in terms of "international survival rates" in 2004, behind Japan, Ireland, Korea and Greece but well above the US, Australia and Germany.…But nearly a fifth of institutions found their retention rates at least two percentage points below their benchmark. [View Full Article]

Chen's diploma policy is backward

……Fear that exposure to Chinese education and students will corrupt Taiwanese students' minds is a driving force behind the policy. But if the Taiwanese education system is turning out such feeble-minded adults susceptible to Chinese propaganda, then it has only itself to blame. Education should be about opening minds and exposing students to different ideas -- even ideas government officials may not agree with……Chinese students may influence Taiwan, but certainly not as much as Taiwan will influence them. Every year the ministry gives out thousands of scholarships to students from around the world in the hope that they will become advocates for Taiwan after they return to their countries. Is it difficult to imagine that some Chinese students, having seen what a progressive, liberal society is like, would go back and not demand the same. Chen's rationale for refusing Chinese diplomas is also irrational. He worries that because it is so easy and cheap to get a Chinese diploma, Taiwan will soon be flooded with PhDs from disreputable Chinese institutions. Hence, having an advanced degree would no longer mean anything, and Taiwanese professors would find themselves out of work.………A degree is not automatically good because it is from the US or bad because it is from China. …Chinese degrees are not automatically rejected in other parts of the world. [View Full Article]

Indian talent is university challenge

Despite its shared history with India, Britain has lost out to the US in the battle for its students and entrepreneurs. However, London is leading a new charge to attract the brightest brains
….. Britain does not play a preeminent role in educating modern Indians outside India. That role lies firmly with the United States, which in 1871 was just recovering from a civil war and continuing the subjugation of its own indigenous population. Indians still look to Britain for further education, but these days they have the whole world to choose from, ………The US is the No 1 destination for the sub-continent’s best brains, taking in 88,000 Indian students and scholars each year. India is its biggest source of overseas students. British academic institutions – now as expensive, if not more expensive, than their US peers – take fewer than 20,000. ………The British education establishment and the corporate world that it feeds have woken up to this threat. [View Full Article]

More firms recruiting foreign graduates

Companies wanting to gain a competitive edge in the global marketplace are looking to hire foreign graduates of Japanese universities, especially those from China. And students are eager to grab the opportunities, with the number of foreign students after graduation who changed their visa status to work in Japan in 2005 nearly double that of 2002………..Foreign students from Japanese universities also make up about 10 percent of the entire intake of new hires at the company's overseas subsidiaries in China and elsewhere. "We can't do without the international viewpoint in order to manufacture and market products that pass muster around the globe," a recruiter for the company said. [View Full Article]

Laureate Education's Doug Becker Is Moving to China to Focus on Asia

Lest anyone doubt that Asia holds promise for American higher-education companies, the chief executive officer of Laureate Education Inc., who just engineered a $3.8-billion private-equity buyout of the company, has announced that he will be moving with his family to China in August to head up Laureate’s push in Asia………… Laureate would be establishing a new Asia headquarters in Hong Kong as part of the company’s next chapter. “Over the next year, my goal is to build out our Asia management teams, define our Asia strategy, and add important universities to our network, after which I will return to Baltimore,” Mr. Becker wrote in the message.[View Full Article]

GPA Oriented University Admission Just Won’t Revitalize Public Education

Korea’s 2008 university entrance policies are turning into a mirage, failing to take a definite turn. Heads of the nationwide university admission office recently gathered to rebuff the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development’s (MOE) GPA oriented admission policiy, each refusing to change their school’s admission guidelines which had been announced earlier this year. Presidents of private universities had also repeatedly expressed their oppositions against MOE’s admission guideline. The prolonged tangle between MOE and universities surrounding the admission policy, compounded by Korea’s College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) only four months prior, students and parents are the only victims in this terribly unfunny farce......Consequently, using weighted GPA evaluation in university admission as means to normalize public education is not logical. [View Full Article]

Philippines To Position Itself As An "Education Tourism"

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - The Philippines Commission on Higher Education announced Monday it plans to position the country as an alternative educational destination where neighboring countries could send their overflow student populations.…………….Manila is an "attractive alternative" destination for Korean students because of three main factors: the short distance between Seoul and Manila, the affordability of Philippine education, and the Filipinos' fluency in English. ………"Soon, even Chinese and Indian students are expected to arrive," according to Bunye. The Philippine government and China's Ministry of Education have signed recently a Memorandum of Agreement "allowing Chinese students who could not be accommodated in China's universities to study in the Philippines."
"Chinese students find it very attractive to study here, considering that they would be paying only half the price ($1,000 per semester in the Philippines compared to $2,000 per semester in China)," [View Full Article]

Yawning 'English divide' drives South Korean kids abroad to study

Seoul - The so-called "English divide" is driving South Korean children abroad to study the language, ………………….The major destinations for young South Korean students are the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the airlines reported. ………………."Because it is not so costly as you might imagine. I'd like my son exposed to English-speaking culture," he said. The education ministry reported the number of primary-schoolers who traveled to overseas countries to study jumped 29.8 per cent to 8,148 during the one-year period ending in March 2006. The so-called 'English divide" refers to a new social trend that segregates those who achieved a high level of English fluency against those who do not. Local professionals say a good command of English can make all the difference in income levels and career opportunities. They note that fluency can put one's career on the fast track, while a poor command may hold back career advancement. ……………"A good command of English is a must condition if you are to take high-profile cases like the financial scandal involving the US-based Lonestar," said a lawyer in Seoul who withheld his name.[View Full Article]

Education: Key to long-term prosperity

…. The conference was held in the Middle East,…Its purpose was to encourage focused attention on the role of higher education in the region and around the globe as a prime component in any successful national or regional development plan. ………..One tangible outcome was the formation of a consortium among all the private colleges and universities in the region. This is the most rapidly growing segment of education in the gulf, the Middle East and south Asia. Major emphasis on education in the gulf reflects the firm belief that education is one of the keys to prosperity and stability for these young countries in the global century……In the U.S., university students comprise about 5.4% of our population. In Great Britain, the corresponding percentage is 3.4.Across the Arab world only 1.6% of the population is enrolled in colleges and universities. And while we in the U.S. have about 17 universities per one million population and Japan 9.5, the Arab Middle East musters slightly less than one per million. Viewed from the gulf, there is a clear higher education deficit.[View Full Article]

Japan funds higher education for Vietnam public officials

……….The scholarships will be part of the Human Resource Development Scholarship program which Japan has been running in Vietnam for eight years now.
From this year the number of students it funds will rise to 35, the largest among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
A Japanese embassy press release said: “This proves the importance of the relationship between Japan and Vietnam.”
Hattori hoped the enhancement of educational cooperation between the two countries would “contribute to Vietnam’s socio-economic development and further strengthen the friendly relationship between Japan and Vietnam."[View Full Article]

Overseas students finding it tough going

JIGESH Desai still doesn't understand why a man on the tram started yelling at him. A Cambridge International College student, Mr Desai had been speaking on his mobile and the man was so irate it forced the Indian-educated doctor off the tram.……As perplexed as he was, he could not tell his parents the truth — that sometimes he was sad about being away from his family."You must ring your parents every week, especially your mother when you are from India, but there is no way I could have told her. There would be too many questions and she would worry," he said.A survey of international students from Mr Desai's college, RMIT and Victoria universities found that two-thirds felt depressed or sad, and many felt discriminated against.…The report's author, Chris McRae, a former lecturer at Cambridge College, said depression among international students was a serious issue.[View Full Article]

India seek Canada's excellence in higher learning

TORONTO: India has sought Canada's excellence in higher learning and said the country could help Indian universities become globally competitive. "India offers unlimited opportunities for Canadian Universities; they could help Indian educational institutions to achieve international standards particularly in the field higher learning. Similarly Indian centres of higher learning could help Canada to achieve excellence," Indian High Commissioner to Canada R L Narayan said in a seminar on "Canada-India: A Synergy in Education". ………."India's emerging middle class is creating a demand for higher education and, India and Canada could work together to provide affordable and quality education to Indian masses," Narayan said. [View Full Article]

Indian students hit by changes to UK immigration rules

The number of students from India enrolling in British universities has been increasing every year. All of them pay fees that are at least three times more than that paid by British students, and seek to recover the costs of their ……In recent years, after completing their courses, many Indian students have switched to the HSMP and sought employment based on qualifications gained in Britain. However, the recent changes mean that most of the Indian students who switched to HSMP will not be able to meet the new criteria and will have to return home.……… it is ironic that on the one hand the British government is seeking to increase the number of students from India, and on the other it is making it difficult for them to continue in their jobs after securing qualifications from British universities.

'If I knew this before hand then I would never have done my studies from UK and would not have thought of settling here. They might keep on changing the rules so I don't prefer sticking to this country and I will never trust this country again.'[ View Full Article]

M.B.A. Field Trips

It was the kind of take-home lesson an M.B.A. student could not get in a classroom.………With globalization, the view that M.B.A. students need to study only American business no longer holds, he says. Most Yale M.B.A. graduates require international experience no matter what they do, whether it's overseas dealmaking, marketing, or outsourcing, he notes.……. global-experience requirement, says administrator Grace Yokoi, so students will "really understand what it means to be living in a global economy."[View Full Article]

Tompkins, Chinese high school educators share ideas

More than a dozen high school principals and educators from China exchanged their challenges and philosophies about education with high school principals in Tompkins County during a roundtable on Wednesday. …“This is part of the university's effort to build its international programs,” said David Wippman, vice provost for international relations……. “What my students need the most is confidence and social responsibility,” said Tang Zhong, director of the International Office at Renmin University in Beijing. …….“They do lack some confidence,” he told the educators through a translator. “They sometimes are a little more shy than our American students and sometimes that translates into a reticence about approaching faculty members when they have questions. ……“It is very important, our exchange with our American friends,…….. “Our American colleagues are very devoted and we learn a lot from these exchanges.” The language barrier limited the exchange some, Xiaowen said, but she hopes exchanges such as their week long visit will open the door for more learning across cultures. …….“America is a really powerful country in the world, but China is a promising and developing country and if the two countries could cooperate and understand each other I'm sure that we can make great contributions to the peace of the whole world. That is my wish.” [View Full Article]

U.S. Partnerships Could Help African Universities, if Money Were Available, Members of Congress Are Told

Improving African universities with the help of their American counterparts is crucial to the continent's agricultural and economic development, but funds for such programs have been repeatedly cut over the years, M. Peter McPherson, president of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, told a Congressional subcommittee on Wednesday.
While most U.S. foreign aid to the region has focused on short-term emergencies, improved universities could provide the research and technology necessary to foster the long-term growth of Africa's agricultural economy, said Mr. McPherson, who was testifying before the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health. [View Full Article]

Undergraduate N. Korea studies decline while graduate schools bolster courses

North Korea studies are getting less popular among undergraduate students here mainly due to a lack of substance to help job seekers, while graduate students are still pursuing in-depth research on their northern neighbor in preparation for eventual national reunification. The number of South Korean universities with undergraduate-level North Korea studies has markedly declined over the past years, while some graduate schools are moving to invigorate courses, school officials said Tuesday. Underscoring the growing reconciliation and exchanges between the two Koreas that eventually culminated in the historic summit of their leaders in 2000, several South Korean universities began launching undergraduate majors solely dedicated to North Korea starting in the late 1990s. The studies focused on a wide range of North Korean interests, ranging from inter-Korean relations to North Korean society to dialects in the North, which has remained separated from the South since the 1950-53 Korean War. [View Full Article]

Visa probe into bogus colleges

The Home Office yesterday launched an investigation into whether a string of Scottish colleges with questionable credentials uncovered by The Herald are being used as an elaborate front for an immigration scam.
Its Border and Immigration Agency is to probe whether the colleges have been set up purely to bring immigrants into the UK under student visas, rather than to educate them.…….. "obviously concerned" over any suggestion the UK's "robust immigration policies" had been compromised. [View Full Article]

Pay middleman and get student visa for US!

You no longer have to be a student to get a student visa for the US. These visas are the latest tools in the hands of middlemen looking to send you to the US for work. Nine students were recently nabbed in Delhi for faking their qualifications to get this visa, reports CNBC-TV18.
Close to 25,000 US student visas were issued to Indians last year. However, not all of them went there to study. A large number of student visa recipients used these visas to fraudulently get in to the US and took up jobs after landing there. ……………………..
The US consulate confirmed the abuse of student visas. Nine students were arrested in Delhi last month for applying for student visas using fraud certificates. [View Full Article]

Call for foreign student subsidy

UK taxpayers should subsidise overseas students who want to study here, a higher education body is arguing.
The Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) says high fees might put off foreign students, who bring economic benefits to the country.
Non-EU students pay much higher tuition fees than British students, although EU students pay the same.
The government says the current system works well and it has no plans to change it: universities set their fees.
A report from Hepi says the economic benefits of attracting more students far outweighs the cost. ………The authors warn that international students might be put off from coming to Britain by the fees, when countries such as Germany offer free education. [View Full Article]

Falling back into favor

The U.S. also needs to do a better job of welcoming our allies. Almost 100,000 Korean students study here, for example. But it's not as simple as it ought to be for them to visit. They must wait in long lines to obtain visas, a step most citizens of friendly countries (Britain, France, Germany, etc.) avoid because of the popular Visa Waiver program. South Korea doesn't qualify for Visa Waiver because it falls short on a technicality. President Bush is said to be considering adding it to the program, as long as Seoul is willing to deploy an electronic passport system and increase its cooperation with American law enforcement officials. We also should expand the program by welcoming Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and, if they qualify, the Baltic States.
[View Full Article]

pre-departurehelp@www

These are just two of the innumerable instances where students have used the internet to obtain useful information. The number of Indian students applying abroad is increasing and a lot of them are turning to the internet not only to research all the admission requirements and apply online, but also to ensure that their arrival at the campus is comfortable and not fraught with glitches. "I relied completely on the internet when applying to universities," says Shraddha Kamdar, …………… looking for different programmes, university listings, pre-departure tips, the internet had it all," she emphasises. There are several of resources that students can use on the internet to gather information about their universities. [View Full Article]

Cuba and South Africa to Further Expand Economic Exchange

………………….As part of bilateral cooperation relations, the Caribbean island has offered scholarships to South African students in the fields of medicine, construction, housing, education, science and technology. Meanwhile, South Africa has offered to train Cuban youths in the sector of mining and geological sciences.. [View Full Article]

High Tuition Could Hurt Britain in Competition for Foreign Students,

A new report on the economic benefits that international students bring to Britain’s economy warns that the country cannot afford to be complacent about its status as the second most popular destination for foreign students, after the United States. From 1998 to 2004, Britain’s share of the market for international students declined from 16 percent to 11 percent, although there has been such a boom in the overall numbers that that it still drew more students.….. British universities charge students from outside the European Union higher tuition than home students pay. The Higher Education Policy Institute, the think tank that produced the report, says that in the face of growing international competition. [View Full Article]

‘US MBA offers tremendous opportunities for Indian students,’ says US government official Mr John Rivera-Dirks

Addressing a group of students at the New Delhi-based International Institute of Management (IMI) on 9July, Mr John Rivera-Dirks, Special Assistant to the US Ambassador, described the relevance of a global MBA degree and the opportunities in US.
He was speaking on the topics – ‘Going to Business School in the US’ and ‘The Opportunities available to those with a MBA’.……… “The US has many good quality B-schools providing MBA degrees to Indian students. Students should come here to study because in the US, here is a huge scope for students in their area of interest.” ………… “The collaboration between India and US is very good. ………Work experience is an essential part of MBA education requirements in US. [View Full Article]

US teachers in city to discuss high school curriculum

KOLKATA, July 11: While Indian students continue to flock US institutes, a group of US academicians have come to the city to study the curriculum and teaching methods followed in Indian educational institutions. A team of 16 US teachers, on a month-long visit to India, reached Kolkata today. …………………………………. The thrust of the seminar was teaching methods followed in city schools. Based on the interaction, the team will design a curriculum and a develop a model to be implemented in schools of the USA. [View Full Article]

Campus trend-o-metre

As another academic year begins, Hyderabad Times explores trends in college admissions.
………………………. As colleges in the city resume and another batch of freshers chart their career paths, here's a peek into the most favoured graduate courses... The next best option Though Engineering and Medicine are the courses that remain the biggest draw in the city, the next best options are Nutrition, Micro Biology and Bio Technology, BCom and BSc computers especially for students who could not make it to Engineering and Med schools. [View Full Article]

Foreign B-schools pitch for Indian students at World MBA Tour

Business schools from countries like Australia, Belgium, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, The Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom and the US joined together to introduce themselves to Indian students. The tour was targeted at Indian aspirants seeking for an international MBA program. …………………………………..
The tour was organized to discuss the way of going abroad and information about GMAT (Graduate Management Aptitude Test). Students got an opportunity to meet admission officers, faculties and alumni of many MBA programs. [View Full Article]

Chen urges Canada to remove limits on official visits

….As Taiwan is Canada's seventh-largest source of tourists, Chen said he hoped Ottawa would consider offering visa-free privileges to Taiwanese visitors. Canada also ranks fourth on the list of favorite countries for advanced study for Taiwanese students. There are about 15,000 Taiwanese studying in Canada, a number that has increased by about 2,500 per year….Chen thanked the Canadian parliament for its staunch support and the Canadian government for its concern for peace, security and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as for its concern for the health of the Taiwanese people. [View Full Article]

Nearly 50 British Universities Deemed at Risk of Failure

Nearly 50 universities whose financial situation was so precarious they were considered at risk of failure are included on a list compiled by the British government, The Guardian reported. The list was dominated by former polytechnics, institutions that were granted full university status only in the 1990s. Officials told the newspaper that the situation had improved at many of the universities since the list was compiled. But The Guardian reported that documents it had obtained indicated that three institutions were deemed “so ‘at risk’ that officials are still withholding their names,” and that more universities were being monitored “because they are under threat unless they act.”[View Full Article - Subscription - The Chronicle]

International students offer foreign perspective on land of the free

For many international students, the United States serves as a home away from home. But, as America celebrates its independence, these students also offer America a unique perspective on our own land....The educational system, Richards said, is also one of the best in the world, which is why many students will travel overseas to receive their college education in the U.S. [View Full Article]

Australia's International Education Effort Enters a Shakeout Phase as Universities Cull Overseas Programs

Australia's enrollment of tens of thousands of fee-paying foreign students in arrangements administered by local universities but located outside the country looks set to be tested in the coming months by an unprecedented wave of institutional withdrawals from the overseas ventures.
The downward trend, which was first reported in The Australian newspaper, follows the collapse of the country's highest-profile overseas program to date, a fully fledged campus operation in Singapore that closed its doors in late June after fewer than half the expected number of students had enrolled for the first two semesters. The imminence of closures or cutbacks affecting dozens of similar, smaller partnerships and operations abroad has also been reported. [View Full Article]

On Educational Development

The present time is the time of educational revolution...... Today students do not actually want traditional and theoretical education rather they want practical education to grab the opportunities provided in any part of the world. .......In the context of Nepal's educational system, SLC is the gate which opens a wide range of avenues for the students to choose the best field of study for the development of their personal career …Many students have a dream of studying abroad after the successful completion of 10+2 or equivalent. Hence, there is big competition among the students to go outside for their higher studies. There are a number of universities from different countries offering free ships and scholarships for students having the interest and capacity. USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, China, Russia are some of the countries providing opportunities to thousands of Nepalese students to study there every academic year. There are certain reasons why the students are lured to study abroad. …………. students want to acquire International Standard Education and get International Recognition or Exposure.... . The most important thing is that there are multiple choices of subjects and universities in the international market so as to produce capable manpower, who can lead this millennium. ...... [View Full Article]

Indian students explore new shores - Non-traditional markets for higher education are catching the fancy of Indian students

Career aspirants in India are increasingly finding non-traditional markets for higher education the best option after the ‘must-reach’ destinations like the US, the UK and Germany. Easy work permits, relatively low study fees, need for manpower and aggressive hawking have effectively combined for Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Singapore and New Zealand to catch the fancy of Indian students. …The students’ traffic to Ireland is getting thicker by the year. .......Canada today is a destination that is becoming increasingly favourite with international students…... Canadian degrees are equivalent to US degrees. Including tuition and living costs……….Closer home is a destination climbing fast on the students’ list of priorities—Singapore……..New Zealand, too, has joined the fray. …Among other education markets, Australia has made a mark for itself. …Using the education pathway, non-English -English-speaking European countries are also trying increasingly to attract Indian students and professionals.[View Full Article]

A Handwritten Passport: A Nepalese Student's Immigration Woes

…………………………………. No matter how far I travel, I proudly carry my Nepali identity with me. Unfortunately, my identity and my green passport often attract unwanted attention, for the simple fact that I am from the third world. The fact that all my information in my passport is hand written does not help me much either. Every time someone asks me why my passport is that way. I tell them that some people like to modernize and digitalize everything but my country’s government officials want me to hand write my information. This is the only passport I get, so I take it rather than try to change Nepali bureaucracy.However, my handwritten passport does not help me make a good impression when I’m in an airport checking in or I’m passing through immigration. The second they see my Nepali passport, they quickly start scrutinizing it, looking carefully at my picture and then at me. They tend to repeat it about three times until they are convinced that the person in the passport is me. Then they put my passport through the scanner and check it for validity. Knowing the state of passport making in my country and the number of people who have made fake passports,………………………..I stand there hoping that the official stamps my passport and allows me to go to school.………………………………………….. Once the officials see my US visa, my I-20 ……………………… they never stop me or question me much more than asking what I study. [View Full Article]

Microsoft Targets Indian Student Market With $500 Vista PC

……………………………… Microsoft………….. will sell "affordable" Windows computers aimed at students in India, ………………………………
Microsoft, with chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices………..and Indian PC maker Zenith Computers, said the $500 "IQ PC" runs the most basic version of the Windows Vista operating system and comes packed with the Office suite and programs to help students practice English and prepare for exams. The computer and related online content will be available in Bangalore and Pune on Sunday.
In a blog post, Orlando Ayala, a senior vice president for Microsoft's emerging segments market development group, described the computer as "low cost" and "affordable." [View Full Article]

GPA Oriented University Admission Just Won’t Revitalize Public Education

Korea’s 2008 university entrance policies are turning into a mirage, failing to take a definite turn. Heads of the nationwide university admission office recently gathered to rebuff the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development’s (MOE) GPA oriented admission policiy, each refusing to change their school’s admission guidelines which had been announced earlier this year….Presidents of private universities had also repeatedly expressed their oppositions against MOE’s admission guideline. The prolonged tangle between MOE and universities surrounding the admission policy, compounded by Korea’s College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) only four months prior, students and parents are the only victims in this terribly unfunny farce. [View Full Article]

Arvind Singhal: Cost of political myopia

A series of unconnected events has made me ponder on estimating the price India has been paying over many decades and continues to pay while our political leadership cutting across party lines remains afflicted with an acute, degenerative myopia.
The economic benefits of a modern, efficient retail system have been internationally well-documented and well-reported in India. Yes, the government continues to dither and takes one slow step forward only to retrace and go back two. …………………
Commercial rents in India are almost literally going through the roof. ………………..
Over 120,000 Indian students currently study outside India, costing their families over Rs 16,000 crore per year. This number is increasing year on year by over 15 per cent and hence it would not be long before more money is spent by Indian households in educating their children abroad than the entire budget of the government of India for higher education. [View Full Article]

U.S. Colleges Urged To Improve Access For Disadvantaged International Students, Particularly Africans

U.S. colleges are beginning to reverse the decline in international student enrollment that followed the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But the key to future growth may be the ability to attract lower-income and disadvantaged foreign students, including those from Africa, …………………………….

A top U.S. priority must be to “provide educational opportunities to a broad and diverse segment of young people overseas, including women, minorities and those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds,” said Thomas Farrell, assistant secretary of state for academic programs. Many of these students want to study in the United States but lack the resources to do so, he told a joint meeting of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House higher education subcommittee.

One major factor is the high cost of U.S. higher education, which is more expensive than college in other industrialized countries. “We believe that cost of U.S. higher education is the most significant barrier to building back our higher education international student numbers,” Farrell said.[View Full Article]

Quality High School Graduates Leaving Korea

Many complain that the government’s guidelines for 2008 college admissions are biased against students of prestigious high schools, such as foreign language schools and boarding schools. According to a recent survey by the Dong-A Ilbo and Hanul Education, more and more students from Korean prep schools favor overseas universities rather than Seoul National University (SNU), which is the number one school in Korea....The new trend attests to the much-worried phenomenon of “educational exodus.” Unsatisfied with the educational quality offered by Korean universities, students are opting for overseas studies. Thus, South Korea is in dire need of improving its admissions procedures and the quality of its college education. [View Full Article]

International Students Welcome in America, Officials Say United States seeking ways to make more financial aid available.

Washington – The United States wants to provide more opportunities for international students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to attend U.S. colleges and universities, says State Department official Thomas Farrell….The key message to international students is that “we want you to come here” and that “building a financial package for talented students is something we are expert at,” he told a House of Representatives subcommittee hearing June 29.
[View Full Article]

Overseas colleges lure Indian students

……………... The increasing interest among Indian students for non-engineering courses in overseas educational institutions, especially at US universities, has made the latter loosen their purse strings for Indian brains like never before……………………………... ………….Little wonder then, the number of students taking up non-engineering courses after clearing Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is steadily on the rise. The increased demand is driven partially by the students’ awareness for the financial assistance and the foreign universities increased recognition of Indian intellect in these fields. “There is increased interest among Indian students for non-engineering and non-MBA courses,” says Saugato Ghosh, head, international education, Career Launcher. [View Full Article]

Out of Africa (to American Colleges?)

Efforts by higher education and the federal government to attract international students to the United States are largely focused on Asia and Europe and should shift to Africa and Latin America, some lawmakers and witnesses argued before a House of Representatives panel on Friday.
At a hearing on the role of international students and visiting scholars in American universities, Rep. Bill Delahunt (D.-Mass.), chair of the House Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights and Oversight, stressed his desire to see international student recruiting aimed increasingly at students from developing countries and continents.
…………….Delahunt wants the United States to dominate the international educational options for Africans and Latin Americans. …………………Europeans are focused on [recruiting students from] Africa.”[View Full Article]

Nafsa Official Urges Congress to Take Steps to Raise Foreign-Student Enrollments

Congress should establish an International Education Council, led by a senior White House official, to spur the removal of barriers faced by international students who want to study in the United States, lawmakers were told at a hearing on Friday on Capitol Hill.
Such barriers have a direct impact on foreign students' interest in coming here and on their ability to enroll, said an official from Nafsa: Association of International Educators.[View Full Article - Subscription- the Chronicle]

Surging ahead with 10,000 students from 52 countries

The not-for-profit Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) is an example of a local education brand that has made such a name for itself. It counts citizens from 52 countries as its students, making it a United Nations of sorts…………………..
The United World College alumnus said: 'Universities overseas are expensive, and I've always known that the education system in Singapore is very good...Friends I spoke to also recommended MDIS to me.'………………………………….
'French is our first language, and I couldn't speak English before I arrived. But I chose Singapore because I saw it as a way to learn a new language quickly.'[View Full Article]

Should College Be Free

Geographically the world has shrunk due to the advent of internet and mobile phones. Outsourcing and off shoring work for cheap labor has made capitalist America lag behind in growth and countries like India have prospered. This is possible because the Indian population feels the need to educate their children and knowledge based education is popular among the middle class and lower middle class in India. The expense to educate a child in college is fairly cheaper compared to U.S…………………………………….If India is emerging as an IT hub it’s mainly due to knowledge and education. This education is very expensive in America. University education has become so expensive that other countries like U.K and Australia are wooing students to study in their country. They are less expensive and there are many attractive incentives and benefits.[View Full Article]

Chinese Nationalism and its Foreign Policy Implications

….As China becomes more powerful, China needs to integrate the moral standards internationally recognized into their pragmatic foreign policies. Chinese international students can help, on the one hand, by taking what they’ve learned in the U.S. in terms of technology, social sciences, and research and bringing that knowledge back to China. This infusion of western ideas and education can help China make some changes and reforms, and help China fit more into the international community. On the other hand, Suisheng Zhao further suggested that Chinese international students in U.S. have a mission to help American understand China. There is a huge interest in China among the American people. Chinese international students in the U.S. are a bridge between Americans and Chinese and must promote mutual understanding. Ultimately, Chinese students should make American friends. [View Full Article]

Fourth graduation set for Troy-China program

Troy University officials will travel to the People’s Republic of China to conduct the fourth commencement ceremonies for the Sino-American 1-2-1 Dual-Degree Program.

The ceremonies will award degrees to 48 students… To date, 11 of the 1-2-1 students have returned to Troy for graduate school...

[View Full Article]

Ayr College Takes the Lead on New International Business Concept

Ayr College has developed an innovative new way to attract international business by offering “Study at Home Programmes” to Indian students. The programme is run in partnership with the Canadian Institute of International Studies, and offers students a low-cost way to study foundation courses in preparation for entering HNC level at Ayr College, as well as specialised vocational training.International students provide vital revenue for many of Scotland’s colleges and the competition to attract them is growing – not just in Scotland but internationally. In particular, Indian students are a key target market as many students are left with no option but to gain their qualifications overseas due to the dense population and over-subscribed education system in their home country. Scotland’s colleges are competing against other countries such as America, Australia and Canada for their business and it’s vital they attract them.[View Full Article]