UK international schools to be inspected

International schools offering a British education overseas are to be accredited by designated inspection bodies and monitored by Ofsted from September 2009, according to the UK government.

Baroness Morgan, UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families, said, “Education remains one of our finest exports and it is testament that so many people admire our system and have trust and confidence in it. All parents will be able to see the inspection report of a British school on an independent inspectorate’s website and be able to make an informed decision about the suitability of the school for their children.”

The government plans to draw up draft standards for British schools abroad that take into account local regulatory requirements while also being based on existing standards for schools in the UK. There will also be options for the implementation of the inspection scheme for schools that have recently been inspected by an independent body. Some schools are already affiliated to the Independent Schools Council in the UK and so are able to access inspection by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which is monitored by Ofsted.

The new plans will affect over 2,000 international schools worldwide that claim to offer a British curriculum, including the overseas branches of UK independent schools, such as Haileybury in Hertford, which opened a school in Almaty, Kazakhstan in September last year. The new school in Almaty reflects an increasing trend in the provision of English-medium secondary schools worldwide, the number of which increased by nine per cent in the 2007-8 academic year, according to ISC Research. The most recent report on English-medium secondary schools overseas shows that the number of such schools grew from 1,700 in 2000 to nearly 5,000 in 2008 and the sector has an average market value of US$20 billion.

The growing market for such schools worldwide is largely fuelled by the demand for higher education places in English speaking destinations as well as the perceived value of a British-style education. Stuart Westley, Master of Haileybury, said at the opening of the Almaty school – the first UK independent school to open in Central Asia – in September, “Haileybury is delighted to be part of this exciting opportunity which reflects the great interest in and respect for the values of the British public school clearly evident now in many parts of the world.”

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Higher Education is to introduce an extensive orientation course for students on its international scholarship scheme after 512 students were expelled from the programme due to poor performance.

So far the Ministry has funded the international education of 42,000 Saudi students since the King Abdullah Scholarship Program was first introduced at the beginning of 2005. The orientation courses will last for between three months and one year depending on the needs of individual students and are hoped to improve the academic performance of scholarship holders once they get overseas. The ministry has also stopped sending students to 42 universities around the world due to overcrowding or substandard performances on behalf of the institution.

Saudi students taking part in the scheme already have to attend a four-day orientation programme which also teaches students how to behave in foreign countries. Dr Abdullah Al-Nasser, General Supervisor of the General Administration for Scholarship Programs, said, “Students going to study abroad, especially in the UK, have to try hard to adapt not only to the environment of the countries, but to adjust to meet the high standards of the universities they are going to.”

In an agreement with Universities Australia, formerly the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee, the Chilean government has pledged to provide scholarships worth US$200 million to Chilean students wanting to study on PhD and Masters degree courses at Australian universities over the next five years.

Under the scheme, 500 Chilean students each year will be able to apply for funds to cover their flights, tuition fees and living expenses while enrolled at an Australian university, as well as resources to pay for up to six months of living costs if they need to undertake a full-time English language course in Australia to meet university English language requirements. Universities Australia members will also be encouraged to provide free or subsidised tuition for students on the programme, including the provision of up to six months English language tuition.

Professor Richard Larkins, Chair of Universities Australia, said, “Universities Australia is pleased to have played a key role in bringing this agreement into effect and the benefits for our two countries are wide-ranging.” Priority fields of study for Chilean scholarship holders include mining, agriculture and the food industry, Aquaculture, Tourism, Biotechnology, Environmental issues, Health, Housing and Public security.

Students apply online for work permits
International students wanting to work off -campus in Canada can now apply for a permit online after a pilot project was tested last summer. The new application system means that international students can now complete, sign, pay for and submit their application for an off-campus work permit entirely online.

Earlier this year, Diane Finley, Canadian Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, announced that work permits for international students who have graduated from a Canadian university would be valid for three years instead of the previous one or two years.

Victoria introduces student taskforce
The state government of Victoria, in Australia, has set up a taskforce to examine the problems that face the international education industry, which will contribute to a new international education strategy to be developed this year.

Jacinta Allan, Minister for Skills and Workforce Participation, said, “The overwhelming majority of international students have a very positive experience. Unfortunately there is a small number who are having issues, whether it’s around safety, accommodation or exploitation in the workforce.”

ELS organises tour of China
ELS American Education Center organised an 11-day tour of China for 28 US universities in October. The group toured Shenyang, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and attended events with prospective students.

Mark Harris, President and CEO of ELS Educational Services, parent company of ELS American Education Centers, said, “This tour is just the first volley in a new offensive to recapture the attention of Chinese students. European universities presently have twice as many Chinese students as we have here in the USA.”