Higher-Edge: Institutions: Publications: Not-So-Foreign©, Volume 8, Issue 38

Not-So-Foreign^©
A Bulletin for International Education Professionals
Volume 8, Issue 38; November 18, 2009

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – CBIE conference raises many questions about Canada’s role in global market for graduate programs
2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - Australia raises the bar on international students
3) OVER THE COUNTER - Will UK University fee reviews impact foreign students?
4) GLOBE TIPPING – Taxicab safety when travelling

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – CBIE conference raises many questions about Canada’s role in global market for graduate programs

Is there a role to play for Canada rolling out more professional graduate programs amidst the backdrop of an increasingly competitive global market for academic talent? Why does it lag behind the United States in proportionate Master and Doctoral degree holders?

Brock University's Dean of Applied Health Sciences, Dr. John Corlett, along with Higher-Edge's Chief Ideas Officer, Mr. Dani Zaretsky, tackled these issues in a seminar at this past week's Canadian Bureau of International Education (CBIE) Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada's premier such event. In the lively question and answer discussion that followed, Dr. Corlett stressed the need for Canadian universities to recognize that the many service features in support of such programs, must be part of the brand image.

To Corlett such features, such as the processing system and the arrivals support must complement and support, not contrast with and undermine, the high standards of academic calibre that are these programs' essential feature.

Read the Higher-Edge accompanying Report: New World: Internationalizing Graduate Professional Education In Canada which is available for download at: http://higher-edge.com/register-nsf.php

2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - Australia raises the bar on international students

The Australian government has raised the amount of money students must prove they have to support themselves from $12,000 to $18,000 per year.

The $12,000 requirement has not changed since 2001 and was widely criticized for misleading students on the cost of living, particularly in larger cities like Melbourne and Sydney.

From next year, students will have to prove the increased requirement. Immigration minister, Chris Evans, said the requirement has been increased to better reflect the cost of living. "International students can supplement their income through part-time work in Australia, but the primary focus of a student visa is to study and students shouldn't rely on part-time work to meet their expenses," he said.

The move is a bid to crackdown on poor international students, mainly from India, entering the country after being recruited by unscrupulous education agents. There has already been a steep drop in visa approvals in the wake of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship cracking down on fraudulent agents in India.

Private colleges will be hardest hit by the anticipated drop in students.

Source “Canberra lifts bar for foreign students” The Australian, November 9, 2009

Source “Colleges squeezed to the limit” The Australian, November 11, 2009

3) OVER THE COUNTER - Will UK University fee reviews impact foreign students?

The review to launch the UK student funding system was launched by higher education secretary Lord Mandelson on Tuesday 10th November.

At present, universities can charge a maximum of GBP 3,225 for local students. However, many universities are lobbying to raise top-up fees to GBP 7,000, bringing the fees closer to those paid by international students.

Although this review remains applicable to local students, it is not a stretch to imagine that if local students will be forced to pay more to raise funding for the universities, foreign student fees may be set to increase too.

Source “UK: Student fees review launched” University World News, November 15, 2009

4) GLOBE TIPPING - Taxicab safety when travelling

Taking a taxi may be an essential in travel but it is fraught with challenges and concerns.

One of the issues arises where taxi drivers as well as purported taxi drivers may turn into perpetrators of crimes. Some cities are known for undue risk in this regard such as Jakarta and Mexico City. Always try to record the licence number and/or driver reference number which may be posted in the taxi and where possible to SMS it to a colleague.

This is also useful in the event of a lost item such as a cell phone. If working with a local counterpart, find out if there are certain taxi companies which have a stellar reputation for security and use these wherever possible and above all at night.

As for purported taxi drivers, in airports avoid unlicenced taxi drivers. Virtually any airport will have a licenced line and procedure for securing a taxi and ask repeatedly where this may be even if it is not initially apparent.