|
Volume 13, Issue 4 
COVER PAGE
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
REGIONAL NEWS FEATURE
Masthead: Learn more about eWENR and its editorial staff.
Subscriptions: Don't miss future issues of eWENR.
Workshops: See a listing of upcoming workshops sponsored by WES.
Search or Browse WENR Archives: View back issues of this newsletter or search for specific words or terms.
Useful Links: See a list of Web sites that may be helpful to eWENR readers.
|
Regional News
The introduction of this system will greatly facilitate matters for international students who wish to study in Australia. Students will be able to easily find out which institutions are accredited, and which are not.
— Studying Abroad
The mission will also promote the Study Away UK program — a combined effort of British and Australian universities to increase international education opportunities for students. Students who participate in the program will spend a semester studying in the UK and have their British credits applied toward their Australian qualification.
— Campus News
Increasing enrollments have meant government funding can no longer keep up with rising costs. The demise of university budgets has resulted in poorly stocked libraries and dilapidated laboratories, impelling many institutions to seek funding through tuition and commercial ventures, such as research for hire.
In 1998 public universities introduced tuition of US$890, which represents a large sum of money in a country where the per-capita income is less than US$680. Officials say even more increases are forthcoming, but the government has asked colleges to allocate 10 percent of tuition fees to work study programs for poor students.
— The Chronicle of Higher Education
The college has pursued a different approach to higher education than most of the state-run schools by providing a combination of language and hands-on training with the aim of better preparing students for an increasingly globalized job market. Academic programs, lasting between three and four years, are offered in international accounting, international trade, foreign-oriented secretarial skills, marketing and computer applications.
There is a strong emphasis on language skills, especially spoken English and listening comprehension. Students enrolled in any of the above mentioned programs are also required to complete English courses equivalent to those taken by English language majors. In addition, the Xi'an Translator Training College provides courses in written English, computer skills, etiquette, public relations, foreign trade correspondence, calligraphy and driving.
However, the college does not grant degrees. Students who successfully complete their studies here must apply for adult education degrees issued by the Ministry of Education.
— China Daily
ARTS
1) St. Xavier's, Mumbai SCIENCE
1) Presidency College, Chennai
COMMERCE
1) Sri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi
ENGINEERING
1) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Powai
LAW
1) National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bangalore MEDICINE
1) AIIMS, Delhi
Further information about these colleges and the methodology used in ranking them is available at: www.india-today.com/itoday/20000619/cover.html.
— India Today International
Malaysia, traditionally a consumer of international education, is now looking to recruit students from overseas by offering high-quality academic programs. The government, for instance, is now encouraging private colleges to merge, so they can pool resources to attract more foreign students. There has already been a large inflow of students from China and Indonesia. However, their reasons for choosing Malaysia over their own countries for higher education may be more political than academic.
Malaysia is also attracting foreign partners to work with local institutions at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. A number of British universities have already entered into agreements with Malaysian schools aimed at facilitating student exchanges, staff cooperation and creating offshore programs. More recently, institutions from Germany, Finland, France and the Netherlands have formed similar partnerships in Malaysia.
The government is also undertaking efforts to increase the number of scientists and engineers needed to sustain Malaysia in the information age. The current target for upper secondary school enrollment into the science stream is set at 60 percent, up from 21 percent in 1995. Traditionally Britain has attracted significant numbers of Malaysian law and business students.
Will British universities continue to succeed in reeling in science and engineering students from Malaysia, or will the latter be able to provide enough local education to meet the demand? Another possibility still is that Australia will step in to corner the market.
— EAIE Forum
Some returning students are being forced to transfer to new schools. These students are from universities that the government considered to be hotbeds of radical activism, including the Yangon Arts and Science University.
During the three years the universities were closed, some students traveled abroad to study. However, most could not afford to go overseas for higher education and remained at home.
— BBC News
Male students in Thailand still choose more technical courses like engineering and computers. He said that another reason women predominate in the international business program is because they receive higher scores than males on the highly competitive written entrance exam.
— Campus Review
A new National Education Act allows universities to raise tuition beginning in October 2001. Perhaps as a way of avoiding, or at least minimizing student protests, the government allows each university to decide when a tuition increase is necessary.
— Chronicle of Higher Education
Due to severe government budget cuts that year, the university was forced to discontinue three costly programs: journalism, creative arts and health sciences. In addition, academic disciplines were merged into newly created faculties, and all academic programs were reorganized to comprise fewer compulsory courses and more electives.
The academic year was also changed from two 14-week semesters to three 10-week semesters.
Students responded to the changes with strikes and demonstrations, which sometimes became violent. Classes resumed, however, following negotiations between student leaders and the prime minister.
— ACU Bulletin
E-mail your comments to the editor The eWENR staff welcomes your feedback regarding this article or the newsletter in general.
|
The Ministry of Education recently announced plans to provide quality assurance for the country's 40 colleges and universities. The Australian Quality Assurance Agency will audit data provided by self-accrediting institutions of higher education. Everything from teaching to management and research levels will be duly assessed. Only institutions that meet national standards will be granted accreditation. For more information, the Minister of Education's speech announcing the plan is available online at: