African PhDs abroad 'anticipate to return home'
Most African doctoral students studying abroad plan to return home at the end of their studies, according to a survey due to be published in October. Nine in ten of the nearly 400 African students surveyed wished to work in their country of origin. But there are few doctoral schemes in Africa, and international funding often involves a period studying abroad, the team behind the survey has found. To curb the continent's 'doctoral deficit' African universities must provide more support and information to staff and students undertaking PhDs about what is available in Africa, a needs analysis says. The survey and analysis were conducted by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) as part of their DocLinks project, which has been collecting information about PhD schemes and funding on its website. Read more...
Internships open doors to 'hidden' UAE for overseas students
By Melanie Swan. Leah Reynolds, 22, and Petrus Layarda, 21, have been working for Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research this summer. Unlike many placements, which involve little more than making coffee and data inputting, the students have been fully immersed in the foundation's research work. Ms Reynolds, from the United States, is about to complete her bachelor's degree in social research and public policy. She said the experience opened her eyes to the UAE beyond the comfort zone of her downtown campus. Read more...
Students are cool with MOOCs, so why aren’t profs?
By Konrad Yakabuski. For those of us who still use calendars – the paper kind, with glossy photos of places we’d rather be – turning the page to August is always a bittersweet experience. It reminds us of the compressed nature of a Canadian summer and the cool nights that will soon herald its end. August is also the month when the phrase “back to school” re-enters our daily lexicon, sending shivers up the spine of the Huck Finn in us all and a wave of relief among parents everywhere. It’s the month when we have to get serious about our futures again. Read more...
Are MOOCs the answer?
By Raj Chakrabarti and Anisha Ghosh. The quote paints a picture of how education should be delivered in an ideal world. However, the reality is the exact opposite, especially in India. Over the years, there has been a phenomenal growth in the number of students enrolling in higher education. But, looking at the current scenario in India, several hindrances have resulted in students being deprived of the best of education – including easy access to the same, top-quality content, and the ability to translate the knowledge imparted into enhanced job readiness. Read more...
Chinese students head overseas at younger ages
By Wang Zhuoqiong. Parents protect children from exam pressures by sending them abroad. Next month, Chen Deming, 13, will enter a junior high school in the United States. His parents are going along. His mother, Kang Qingjun, 43, is gearing up to learn to drive, and she's practicing her conversational English. "Chinese parents will scrimp on many things, but not education," said Kang. "We've saved enough money for him to finish his studies."
To protect their children from the pressure of the fierce competition faced by millions of college-bound exam takers in the country, an increasing number of Chinese parents are sending their sons and daughters abroad, making the country the leading exporter of students. Read more...
Regional universities boost co-operation
By Bedrana Kaletovic. Universities in Southeast Europe are increasingly co-operating with each other in an effort to strengthen the academic community, as a result of the EU strategy for the Danube region that was adopted by the European Commission in December 2010. The strategy was developed to address common educational challenges and co-ordinate between existing policies and initiatives. The Southeast European member universities are from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia and Kosovo. They are focused on co-operation in science, student mobility and joint research projects. The latest BiH academic co-operation was established between the University of Tuzla and Croatia's University of Zagreb, with a goal to boost advancements in science in the region. Read more...
Chinese students targeted for British university growth
By Liz Heron. British government sets sights on Chinese students to reach its target over next five years. The British government has launched an ambitious drive to expand the number of foreign students going to British universities by 20 per cent in the next five years, with China being one of the targeted growth markets. It aims to attract 90,000 extra international students to Britain before 2018 and secure contracts with overseas institutions worth £3 billion (HK$35.6 billion) by 2020. Under the international education strategy launched on Monday, Britain will also double investment in partnerships with universities in developing countries and expand the Chevening scholarship scheme.
Last year, 10 students from Hong Kong and 89 from mainland China received scholarships to study in the UK under the British government's global scholarship scheme. International students contributed £6.3 billion in living expenses and £3.9 billion in tuition fees to the UK economy last year. Undergraduate and postgraduate students from outside the EU need to pay twice as much for courses as home students. Income from students outside Britain and Europe now accounts for almost 10 per cent of universities' total funding. British education exports were worth an estimated £17.5 billion in 2011. The global education sector was valued at US$4.45 trillion last year and is expected to grow by 7 per cent a year up to 2017. Read more...
