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Kingston University in southwest London and leading international education provider, Study Group, have joined forces to establish the first London-based international study centre.
Situated on the Kingston Hill campus, the centre – which opens in summer 2010 – will offer a wide range of courses preparing international students for both undergraduate and postgraduate study in the UK. These include International Foundation Year (offering specialist preparation for direct entry onto engineering, computing, mathematics, life sciences and pharmaceutical degree programmes) and a number of pre-masters electives leading to a variety of Masters degrees in business, management, computing, information systems, mathematics and engineering.
A customised art and design course, specifically designed for international students, has also been added to the list of offerings.
James Pitman, Managing Director of Study Group UK, said, “The collaboration between Kingston University and Study Group is a significant development in international education, especially since this is our first London-based ISC. Through this public-private partnership, Study Group will actively support Kingston in achieving its international student objectives.” Meanwhile, Professor Martyn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor of External Affairs at Kingston University was equally as positive about the partnership. “Our decision to partner Study Group was based on their past expertise and the fact that they have an excellent understanding of international academic issues being the largest independent provider of international students to the UK HE sector.”
Study Group currently works in conjunction with 10 other host universities to provide non-UK students with on-campus training.
Australia gets tough on visa fraud
The Australian government has vowed to stamp out visa fraud by imposing stringent tests on nationals from five of its largest source countries.
Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, announced that owing to the significant increase in student visa applications (it is estimated 360,000 applications were made in the first two quarters of 2009, 28,000 of which were rejected) that greater regulation was needed. Students from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Brazil and Zimbabwe face a tougher application process including additional interviews and restricted access to eVisa – the online visa application system. ‘’There are elements of concern in this large caseload,’’ said Evans. ‘’The message is clear: genuine international students remain welcome in Australia but we will not tolerate fraud in the student visa programme.’’
Meanwhile, according to figures released in the Undergraduate Applications, Offers and Acceptances 2009 report, and the Selected Higher Education Statistics report, domestic university applications grew by 5.6 per cent in 2009 – the largest increase the sector has seen since 2002.
New off-shore campus in Egypt given frosty reception
The Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-Just) in New Borg Elarab, Egypt – a joint collaboration between the Egyptian and Japanese governments – will open despite criticism it has received from opposition parties.
Industry peers have questioned the need for more foreign universities in a country where few can afford the extortionate tuition fees.
William Ebeid from the National Council of Education stated that, “The private and foreign education system might well make people look down on governmental education,” while Mahmoud al-Naqa, Professor of Methodology at Ain Shams University – Egypt’s second largest public university – added that foreign institutions catered for a small minority, namely wealthy Egyptians who could afford higher tuition fees.
However, Farouk Ismail, ex-president of the state-run Cairo University and current head of Al Ahram-Canadian University (one of two other foreign universities in the country) said that foreign partnerships were important if the nation was to grow its higher education system. “Egypt needs around 70 universities in order to assimilate the annual increase in applicants. All in all, Egypt has 35 universities – 18 governmental and 17 private universities. This is not enough,” he said. “These [foreign] institutions provide high quality education, which should inspire governmental and private universities to follow in their footsteps.”
News in brief
New academic pathways in UK and USA
In the UK, Twin Group has announced a new International Study Centre that will offer a foundation programme and a Diploma in Hotel Management, which provides entry into year two of a hotel/hospitality management degree programme. The foundation programme is approved by London School of Economics, Durham University and others and guarantees admission at Middlesex University depending on course completion. Meanwhile, in the USA, the International Language Institute of Massachusetts in Northampton, MA, has announced partnerships with Greenfield Community College, Springfield College, Western New England College and Bay Path College. They will now accept intensive English language course graduates for conditional admission.
Forum of Education Abroad in USA points to outbound decline in students
According to a recent survey conducted by the Forum of Education Aboard, the number of US students travelling overseas for study purposes has depleted. The survey, which analysed the responses of 165 US colleges and independent study abroad providers found that 60 per cent had experienced a decrease in enrolments. Public colleges and US-based organisations that provide education abroad experiences were amongst the most affected with a 69 and 87 per cent decline in enrolments respectively. The financial downturn is thought to have been the reason, with students opting for cheaper destinations and shorter courses.
Higher education in Ireland primed for overhaul
Free higher education in Ireland could soon be a thing of the past. Early reports suggest that the economic crisis may prompt the Irish government to reintroduce tuition fees or a scheme whereby graduates contribute to the state once a certain level of income is reached.
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