Higher Edge: Institutions: Publications: Not-So-Foreign©, Volume 8, Issue 30

Not-So-Foreign^©
A Bulletin for International Education Professionals
Volume 8, Issue 30; September 16, 2009

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – Turkmenistan Students Stranded Following New Rules On Studying Abroad
2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - UK/US Collaboration On Higher Education
3) OVER THE COUNTER - Foreign Students To Pay Fees In Sweden
4) GLOBE TIPPING – Travel Bugs: How To Avoid Getting Sick

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – Turkmenistan Students Stranded Following New Rules On Studying Abroad

Turkmen Ministry of Education has implemented new rules requiring Turkmen students wishing to study abroad to obtain approval from the education ministry and state immigration service.

Students are being turned away at border check-points and at Ashgabat airport. Students who have obtained approval are issued a certificate by the Institute of Education. However obtaining this certificate is not guaranteed and applications from students wishing to study in private universities such as the American University in Central Asia (AUCA) based in Bishkek are being turned down.

Attempts to leave Turkmenistan with a tourist visa or private invitation are also being thwarted. Border-check-points are supplied by the Ministry of national security and education with lists of students studying abroad.

Human Rights Watch this week called for an end to the ban.

Source: "Turkmen Ministry of Education to Students: “You’re traitors.”" Neweurasia.net, August 13, 2009

2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - UK/US Collaboration On Higher Education

A report commissioned by England's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and released at the end of July encourages a UK/US collaboration among leading universities.

The report argues that in order to continue to assert themselves in an increasingly competitive market, the countries should collaborate across borders and consider extending themselves to third locations.

Source: "Higher Education and Collaboration in Global Context: Building a Global Civil Society" Global Higher Ed, July 28, 2009

3) OVER THE COUNTER - Foreign Students To Pay Fees In Sweden

The Swedish Government has proposed that foreign students should pay fees starting the autumn term on 2011.

Sweden is currently on of few countries in the world that does not charge foreign students yet ‘Swedish students who wish to study abroad have to pay’ says Minister for Higher Education and Research, Tobias Krantz.

The proposal targets students from outside the European Economic Area. The Universities and higher education institutions themselves will determine how much they will charge. The move intends to help Sweden compete in the global education market by having higher education institutions of quality, not by offering free education.

Source: "Swedish Government to Introduce Tuition Fees for Foreign Students in 2011" EGov Monitor, September 15, 2009

4) GLOBE TIPPING - Travel Bugs: How To Avoid Getting Sick

Sick of being sick on business or holiday? It is important to find out preventative measure before travelling to a foreign country. Some vaccines like yellow fever are necessary but things like taking a course of anti-malarials are frequently overlooked and yet could mean the difference between life and death.

See more tips on staying germ-free abroad at:

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/health-advice-from-the-frugal-travelers-doctor/