Le président français promet de faciliter les formalités de visa et de créer un bon environnement pour les étudiants chinois.
La France va faciliter les formalités de visa et créer de bonnes conditions de vie et d'études pour attirer davantage d'étudiants chinois, afin d'assurer un brillant avenir à l'amitié sino-française et aux échanges sino-européens, a déclaré vendredi le président français François Hollande dans son discours prononcé à l'Université des Communications de Shanghai.
Les formalités de visa seront accélérées, a promis M. Hollande, en proposant d'établir des "familles chinoises" dans les universités françaises pour rendre service aux étudiants chinois. Selon lui, le renforcement de la coopération sino-française dans les domaines de l'éducation, des technologies et de la santé ainsi que la promotion des échanges entre les jeunes, non seulement contribuent à l'approfondissement de l'amitié et à l'amélioration de la confiance mutuelle, mais répondent aussi au besoin de chercher un nouveau mode de croissance et de faire face aux défis mondiaux.
Actuellement, 35.000 étudiants chinois font leurs études en France, et environ 30.000 élèves français à l'école secondaire apprennent le chinois. Les écoles secondaires donnant des cours de chinois sont de plus en plus prisées par les familles françaises, ce qui signifie que les Français attachent une grande importance aux échanges et à la coopération avec la Chine, a-t-il indiqué.
Avant son discours, M. Hollande a également inauguré l'école d'ingénieurs ParisTech -Université des communications de Shanghai, qui formera des ingénieurs dans le cadre du partenariat entre les deux universités.
M. Hollande est arrivé vendredi après-midi à Shanghai, la seconde étape de sa visite en Chine les 25 et 26 avril.

RHB Research expects the earnings of higher education institutions to be affected if the delay in foreign student visa approvals persists.
In a research note today, it said that Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS), established by the Ministry of Higher Education, had tightened entry requirements of foreign students.
"This could potentially mitigate the misuse of foreign visas and attract quality students.
"But despite early submissions from foreign students, it was revealed that they still faced delays in having applications approved. This delay if left unresolved, could turn prospective students away and potentially affect the revenue of education institutions," it added.
RHB Research highlighted that the earnings of SEG International (SEGi) and HELP International Corp may decrease by 10 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, if their international student base were to be cut by half. Read more...

By John Worne, Director of strategy, British Council. Polly Toynbee rightly identifies education and culture as our most valuable international assets (1 March). Our research clearly shows that these – and the English language – are vital in attracting talent, trade and tourism. She is also right that perceptions about UK immigration policy must not be allowed to pull out the welcome mat from under hard-working international students. There is a clear case for continued investment in education and culture – but those of us who are able must adapt to an age of austerity. Public service organisations like the British Council, the BBC and UK universities already look to the world to earn and partner to deliver more public benefit at less cost to the public purse. For entrepreneurial public services and private sector providers in education and culture, the global demand is immense. To know the UK is to love the UK – but it starts with seeing all the world as our stage and throwing open our own doors wide enough to let talent in.

By Shiv Malik. London mayor intervenes after film school students were asked to hand over passports to Border Agency in November.
Scores of international students have been stranded without passports and are unable to get home for Christmas after the UK Border Agency asked them to reapply for their visas.
London School of Film students from as far afield as the US, India, Russia and Lebanon were asked to hand over their passports to the Border Agency in November so they could be issued with new study permits, following the decision to strip London Metropolitan University of its "higher trusted status" before the start of the academic year.
The Guardian understands that London Met, which sponsors the students and issues degrees on behalf of the film school, also has hundreds of international students who are unable to get home due to lengthy delays at the Border Agency, despite being promised a fast-track service.
Education vice-president at London Met, Syed Rumman, said he believed around 600-700 Met Uni students were stuck because UKBA still had their passports.
After a petition by the film students, the office of the London mayor, Boris Johnson, said it had written to the Border Agency to try to expedite the process. Read more...

By DNA Correspondent. Foreign students studying in colleges and universities in India will now be monitored.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is developing a foreign students information system to monitor the activities of those coming from other countries to study here.
A letter issued by the MHA states that it is implementing Mission Mode Project on Immigration, Visa and Foreigners Registration & Tracking under the National e-Governance Plan. “The core objective of the project is to improve facilitation to foreigners and enhance security,” stated the letter. Read more...

By Michael Stratford. The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed legislation that would reallocate up to 55,000 green cards to foreign graduates of American research universities who receive advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
The bill, called the STEM Jobs Act, was approved by a 245-to-139 vote. The measure would eliminate an existing "diversity visa" program that currently provides 55,000 visas a year to people from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Under the legislation, those visas would be redirected to highly educated graduates. The bill would create a new category of visas specifically for foreign students who graduate from an American research university with a doctorate or master's degree in a STEM field.
Proponents of the bill, which included nearly all House Republicans and 27 Democrats, said the new program was essential for economic growth and maintaining the nation's global competitiveness because it would keep highly trained, in-demand workers in the United States. Read more...