The 10 am Briefing

UNITED STATES : International enrolment drop to cost universities US$4.5bn

United States colleges and universities are bracing for declines in international student enrolments in the coming autumn (fall) semester, a prospect that could lead to a loss of revenues as high as US$4.5 billion and further slow the momentum of overseas recruitment, a pair of reports examining the impact of COVID-19 on US higher education

UK universities outline plans to emerge from lockdown

University leaders in the UK have outlined plans for the next academic year, which includes keeping students in ‘protective bubbles’ where they live and study together and allowing international students to start courses in January. Universities UK published a set of guidelines this week for universities as they emerge from lockdown, in an effort to support institutions and provide

Remember the MOOCs? After Near-Death, They’re Booming

The pioneering online learning networks offer hard-earned lessons for what works and what doesn’t with online education. Sandeep Gupta, a technology manager in California, sees the economic storm caused by the coronavirus as a time “to try to future-proof your working life.” So he is taking an online course in artificial intelligence. Dr. Robert Davidson,

Western universities must try harder to understand Chinese students

Chinese students risk being turned into ideological battering rams; universities must maintain safe spaces for all to learn and debate, says Brian Wong It didn’t take long for Chinese studying overseas to be blamed for the spread of the new coronavirus. Many have reported incidents of name-calling, hostility and even violent attacks in the US

China: four UK visa application centres to open

prospective students to be able to obtain study visas for the next academic year. Centres in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou and Shanghai are part of a UK Visas and Immigration phased resumption of services, VFS Global has announced. UK visa services in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia and Fiji will also resume from the beginning of

Half of international students ‘could shun autumn campus start’

Prospective overseas students are worried about travel restrictions, scholarship complications and finances, Dutch survey shows Almost half of prospective international students say they will not start on-campus study in September because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a survey carried out for Dutch universities. Facing huge budget shortfalls because of a collapse in global student mobility,

Visa restrictions eased for English language students in Ireland

Visa restrictions in Ireland have been eased for English language students, meaning that those who remain in the country because of the coronavirus pandemic and meet certain conditions will be allowed to stay for the rest of the year, provided they re-enrol in an online course. Ireland’s minister for justice and equality, Charlie Flanagan, announced the measures in an

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA VOTES TO END STANDARDISED TESTS

UC plans four years without requirement while it tries to write its own test The University of California’s governing board voted unanimously to phase out the use of commercial standardised testing in its admissions processes, calling the move a critical step to promote equity. In a decision widely expected to set a model for institutions

UNIVERSITIES’ MOVE ONLINE ‘MUST BE DONE THE RIGHT WAY’

Harry Ashworth should be in the final term of his first year at Oxford University, studying music. Instead he is stuck at his parents’ house in south London hunched over a laptop, listening to lectures via Zoom. He doesn’t feel that the sudden and dramatic change in circumstances has affected his learning too much, but

UNITED KINGDOM : UNION WARNS THAT FUTURE OF BRITISH COUNCIL IS AT RISK

The future of the British Council, a key promoter of international education globally, could be in jeopardy due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis on its operations and ability to raise revenue unless the government provides emergency funding, according to the Public and Commercial Services Union. The union launched a campaign to save the