Higher Edge: Institutions: Publications: Not-So-Foreign©, Volume 7, Issue 25

Not-So-Foreign^©
A Bulletin for International Education Professionals
Volume 7, Issue 25; June 25, 2008

The PDF version of this week's issue can be found here.

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – Cheating gets closer examination
2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - Cameroon students choose to study abroad
3) OVER THE COUNTER - Sweden to charge tuition from foreign students
4) GLOBE TIPPING – Passport renewal tips

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – Cheating gets closer examination

Some academics are concerned that an increasing number of students, desperate to get good scores in English language tests like the TOEFL and IELTS in their quest for an international qualification, have been resorting to unscrupulous means.

While the companies responsible for the tests dispute this claim, they continue to institute new security measures such as checking students' identities before the exams, holographic strips and water marks to detect fake certificates.
The exam boards deny there are more cheats or attempts at cheating. According to Tom Ewing, director of external relations at Educational Testing Service, the owner of TOEFL and TOEIC, "the number of cheats has not increased in recent years". However, international officers at certain British universities claim that there has been an increase in incidences of cheating during these English language tests. David Baker, director of the international office at Durham University, U.K., is discovering more students with fake IELTS certificates. "My colleagues tell me it's getting worrying," he says.

British universities are tackling the cheating problem in their own way. Many run classes for international students before degree courses start to ensure they have a sufficient grasp of English. Some universities do not allow students start their studies until they show progress in English. According to Guardian, universities have the right to throw out students if they think they cheated to get admission.

Source: "Cheating gets closer examination,"
Guardian, June 20, 2008

2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - Cameroon students choose to study abroad

Disillusioned by the lack of job opportunities for qualified students in their home country, a significant number of students are leaving Cameroon in recent years, to pursue higher studies abroad. According to a 2007 study by the non-governmental organisation, Association for the Fight against Illegal Immigration, (ALCEC), as many as 83 percent of 15-35 year olds said they planned to leave the country. Most of these students travel to Europe and North Africa. In France alone student numbers increased by 40 percent in eight years, according to Jacques Nkene, professor of international relations at Yaoundé II university.

Source: "Cameroon: Brain Drain Hampers Public Services,"
Allafrica, June 19, 2008

3) OVER THE COUNTER - Sweden to charge tuition from foreign students

Sweden is to planning to start charging tuition to non-European university students. Currently Sweden is the one of the few countries in the world that does not charge tuition from foreign students. Free education is one of the main reasons that students choose Sweden as an international education destination. A study carried out last year by Sweden's National Agency for Higher Education and the Swedish Institute found that many may choose not to pursue their studies in Sweden if fees are introduced.

Around 13,000 foreign students that study at Swedish universities and colleges travel to Sweden on their own initiative rather than as a part of an organized exchange program. Most of them are Asian students pursuing technical degrees.

Source: "No more free education for non-Europeans,"
The Local, June 23, 2008

4) GLOBE TIPPING – Passport renewal tips

Remember that many countries have standing policies precluding entry of persons whose passports have less than 6 months of validity left in them. This is not withstanding that a valid visa (where required) has been issued, and even in some cases, irrespective of whether the person has boarded a plane and landed at the port-of-entry. It is also important to do some planning when thinking about renewing passports. For example, it
may be wiser to apply for a new passport, even if it has significant time to run, so that that it will not later expire in the middle of one or more visas which are for multiple entry and of long-standing validity.

A note on our summer schedule: Not-So-Foreign will be published this summer on July 16 and August 13, before returning to its regular weekly schedule in September.