By Yojana Sharma. New measures to tighten up on the quality, financial viability and information provided by private higher education institutions in Singapore, including foreign branch campuses, that offer external degrees from foreign institutions – also known as transnational education or TNE – have been published by the Singapore government. Read more...
Minister in storm after overriding university autonomy
By Jan Petter Myklebust. Thirty-five university rectors, including the rectors of the major universities – Lund, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Uppsala, Chalmers University of Technology and the Karolinska Institute – as well as the Swedish National Union of Students have criticised the government for a decision which sets aside the principle of autonomy for universities. Read more...
Foreign students and graduates thrive in Sweden
By Jan Petter Myklebust. A new study by the Swedish Higher Education Authority, or UKÄ, shows that 79% of those with a foreign degree who supplemented their qualifications with additional studies in Sweden were established in the labour force three years after having completed their supplementary studies. Read more...
Non-European cooperation in Horizon 2020 in decline
By Jan Petter Myklebust. Through the European Union research programmes there has been a growing ambition to include international partners from all over the world to participate in the formation of the European Research Area. One such ambition has been the opening up of the European Union ‘flagship programme’ Horizon 2020 to researchers and innovators across the world. Read more...
University applications from EU countries fall by 9%
By Brendan O'Malley. Applications from European Union countries for places on medicine, dentistry and veterinary degrees in the United Kingdom and for all courses at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge have fallen by 9% in a year, ending a trend of annual increases over recent years, according to new figures. Read more...
US top, China rising in extended global ranking
By Brendan O'Malley. United States universities again dominate the US News & World Report Rankings, claiming the five top spots for the first time and taking 210 places out of 1,000 research universities evaluated, expanded from 750 last year – from 65 countries. Read more...
DFID project attempts to catalyse change in HE systems
By Brendan O'Malley. A consortium has launched an open call for proposals for an ambitious initiative funded by the UK’s Department for International Development, or DFID, aimed at catalysing innovation and reform in higher education systems in developing countries, including fragile and conflict-affected states. Read more...
Zero tolerance to sexual violence required on campus
By Brendan O'Malley. Universities should embed a zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence, harassment and hate crime, highlighting up-front the behaviours that are expected from all students, as well as ensuring staff understand the importance of fostering a zero-tolerance culture. Read more...
Academy of Sciences in revolt over political silence
By Brendan O'Malley. More than 150 internal members and doctors of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences have signed an open letter to Academy President Professor László Lovász, voicing concern about the “anti-democratic processes” that have taken place in the country in the past few years, especially the threat to freedom of the press, and demanding that the body investigate or initiate debate about the “urgent issues facing Hungarian society”. Read more...
Universities unite in push to complete academic year
By Sharon Dell. Amid ongoing threats to shut down the sector, and in the absence of a long-term plan to fund higher education, vice-chancellors of South Africa's 26 public universities last week issued a public "call to action", imploring all South Africans to work with universities to ensure the successful completion of the academic year. Read more...