Not-So-Foreign^©
A Bulletin for International Education Professionals
Volume 7, Issue 27; August 13, 2008

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

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – U.K. plans new student visa system

The U.K. government is planning a new student visa system, which will help genuine students and education providers in the country. Under the new regulations, universities and colleges will have to take on greater responsibility and accountability for overseas students. They will require a license for recruiting students and must report those who fail to turn up for classes. According to Dan Chugg, Director, Press and Communications, British High Commission, all colleges and universities will have to maintain attendance sheets and ensure that all students' paperwork is in order, including keeping copies of their passports and alerting the U.K. Border Agency (UKBA) if students fail to enrol. Education providers who fail to follow the new rules will face a ban on recruiting international students in the future and bogus colleges will be shut down. Students will also be discouraged from applying to one institute and joining another as their passports will have the name of the institution they are joining stamped on it.

Source: "UK's new rules promote genuine applicants,"
The Times of India, August 4, 2008

2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - South Korea to Double Foreign Students by 2010

The Korea Times has reported that South Korea is planning to double foreign student enrollment by 2010. This would bring the total number of international students at the nation's colleges to 100,000. Currently, foreign students make up less than 1 percent of total enrollment at South Korean colleges, the lowest in any major industrialized nation. The Ministry of Education is planning a recruitment drive targeting students from neighboring Asian and Middle Eastern countries. In addition, the government is expected to ease visa restrictions and double the number of scholarships offered to international students.

Source: "South Korea to Double International Enrolment by 2010,"
AACRAO Transcript, August 7, 2008

3) OVER THE COUNTER - “Cash-for-certificates” scam in Melbourne

According to an investigation conducted by Australia's The Age publication, unscrupulous trades colleges in Melbourne are taking money from overseas students to provide bogus paperwork certifying attendance and results. The students rarely turn up for classes. The going rate for fake certificates is $5000 ($ 4,366 U.S.), but some pay as much as $9000 ($ 8,305 Cdn.). Overseas students seeking permanent residence in Australia must satisfy attendance rules at an educational institution.

Source: "Rogue colleges in cash-for-certificates scam,"
The Age, August 11, 2008

A note on our summer schedule: Not-So-Foreign will resume its weekly schedule from September.

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