The 10 am Briefing

PM issues warning on degree value as FE takes precedence

Boris Johnson says ‘talent and genius are expressed as much by hand and by eye as they are in a spreadsheet or an essay’ Too many courses in universities “are not now delivering value”, Boris Johnson said, as he signalled that further education would be prioritised when the government bids to rebuild the UK economy

Student recruitment tour companies planning for online-only until 2021

With stakeholders predicting travel for international student recruitment will not resume until at least 2021, companies offering study fairs, high school tours for universities and student campus visits have found themselves only operating online, with attention now focused on recruitment for the 2021/22 academic year. Tour operators said that while they have been looking into

Westerners sceptical of value of higher education – global poll

Survey finds Chinese most appreciative towards their universities People in Western nations are broadly doubtful about the value that universities represent in their lives, and are especially sceptical about their contributions to reducing societal inequality, a global poll has found. The survey of more than 10,000 people in 11 countries, by Ipsos MORI and the

“Massive” surge in int’l student lending

Student financing companies have reported a “massive” surge in int’l student lending demand across the globe, in part because of Covid-19. Platforms including MPOWER, Leverage Edu and Prodigy Finance have all reported high demand. According to Emmanuel Smadja, chief executive officer of MPOWER, Covid-19 has created financial stress for a lot of families around the planet. “We’ve seen a massive surge in

Student deferrals dip in UK despite coronavirus fears

Ucas data suggest fears of a spike in delayed starts yet to materialise The number of students choosing to defer their entry to university in the UK has dipped, despite fears of a coronavirus-fuelled surge in delayed enrolments, according to Ucas data. Figures released by the admissions service on 25 June showed that the number

White paper urges Taiwan to reinvent itself as global talent hub

But local experts lament that recommendations in the US-produced document may be easier said than done Sweeping changes are needed in the higher education system if Taiwan wants to boost modernisation, internationalisation and industry ties in the face of numerous challenges, according to a US government white paper. The self-governed island has a relative lack of natural

Which nations will weather the storm on international recruitment?

Five key recruiting nations’ crisis measures on international student recruitment compared and analysed Across the nations usually regarded as the world leaders in higher education, recruitment of international students has become an increasingly essential enterprise, with global student flows providing both scholarly talent and crucial streams of income for Western universities. By halting or drastically

Most UK unis preparing for in-person teaching in 2020, survey finds

The majority of UK universities are preparing to provide in-person teaching this upcoming academic year according to a survey, while several institutions are offering prospective postgraduate students options to begin their studies in January 2021 rather than in autumn 2020. A survey carried out by Universities UK found that 97% of the 92 universities surveyed said they

NEW ZEALAND : University offers students ‘guaranteed entry’

New Zealand’s Victoria University of Wellington is making access easier for students wanting to study at the university in 2021, reports 1News. The university agreed to remove grade entry requirements, meaning any student who successfully completes ‘University Entrance’ will be guaranteed entry to undergraduate study if they apply. “Previously students needed a rank score in NCEA

Jo Johnson calls for four-year post-study UK work visa

Former universities minister also recommends that UK prioritises recruitment from India to remain competitive after pandemic The UK should introduce a four-year post-study work visa and a target to double the number of Indian students, if it is to remain competitive in global international student recruitment after Covid-19 and Brexit, according to former universities minister Jo