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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Education in Ontario, Canada, Undergoes Changes

REGIONAL NEWS
Africa
Americas
Asia-Pacific
Europe
Middle East
Russia & CIS

FEATURE
The Trade Debate in International Higher Education

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Americas

Study Abroad Still Popular After Sept. 11 Attacks The following is a brief overview of the Institute of International Education's online survey about how the September 11 terrorist attacks affected international educational exchange. For a complete analysis of the survey results, the news release and a summary of the discussion board responses, please visit the IIENetwork Web site at http://www.iienetwork.org. Major Findings of the Electronic Survey for Fall 2002: • International educational exchange continues to be seen as equally or more important after September 11, 2001, than prior to the attacks. Ninety-eight percent of the international education professionals responding said that international educational exchange, including study abroad, is regarded as more important (46 percent) or equally as important (51 percent) on their campuses in the aftermath of September 11. These findings confirm the initial response of educators polled six weeks after the attacks last fall, when 97 percent reported that international education is of equal or greater importance on their campus. • Study abroad is more popular than ever. Approximately two-thirds of the educators reported that 2002-03 applications for study abroad have either continued to increase or remained the same on their campus. Forty-two percent of the respondents saw an increase in the number of U.S. students applying for study abroad programs in 2002-03, and 31 percent reported no noticeable change in the number of applications or requests for information on study abroad. • International student interest continues to increase. Asked about the number of applications from international students for the 2002-03 academic year, 41 percent of the respondents reported an increase and 32 percent reported no noticeable change. While it is too early to report final enrollment numbers for the current academic year, international student enrollments appear to be steady or rising, with 33 percent of respondents reporting that the total number of international students enrolled on their campuses has increased since last year and 35 percent saying they have not seen any noticeable change. • Enrollments of students from selected major Islamic countries are generally holding steady. However, some educators reported a dramatic decrease in enrollments of students from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and one institution reported a double-digit drop in Indonesian students. For complete survey results, go HERE.

CANADA

Canadian Universities Benefit from 9/11 Aftershock

The number of foreign-student applications at the University of British Columbia (UBC) rose 43 percent this year to 4,029, compared with 2,814 in 2001. Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Center for International Education have also reported substantial increases in foreign-student enrollments since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

University officials attribute much of the increase to fallout from the attacks. Amid current security concerns, they say, many international students fear that getting a visa to study in the United States would take too much time and bother. Canadian schools are taking advantage of the situation and marketing themselves as inexpensive and viable alternatives to U.S. colleges and universities.

According to the Canadian Bureau of International Education, more Arab governments are considering sending their students to Canadian institutions of higher education than they were a year ago.

The biggest surge in applications has come from the Muslim world. At UBC, for example, applications from Bangladesh rose 342 percent, while those from Nigeria increased 271 percent. Likewise, applications from Kuwait are up 300 percent; those from Saudi Arabia and Oman were up 250 percent and 200 percent, respectively.

With the implementation of policies designed to restrict immigration, and amid reports of isolated but well-publicized incidents of anti-Muslim harassment after the terrorist attacks, many international students, particularly those from the Muslim World view the United States as being hostile to foreigners.

— The Vancouver Sun
September 2002

UNITED STATES

New York to Reinstate Tuition Breaks to Illegal Immigrants

The New York Legislature this summer approved a plan to reinstate tuition discounts to illegal immigrants. Under the new provisions, illegal immigrants who have attended at least two years of secondary school in New York are eligible for in-state tuition rates at public universities. To qualify for the reduced tuition fees, the students must pledge to acquire legal-immigrant status.

In 2001, the federal government decreed that public universities in New York could no longer offer in-state tuition fees to illegal immigrants unless Americans from other states were given the same discount. Other states, including California, also prohibit illegal immigrants from attending public universities at the low rates charged to residents.

— The Times Higher Education Supplement
Aug. 9, 2002

Thousands of Muslims Barred from Entering the U.S.

A new policy implemented by the Bush administration has prevented tens of thousands of Muslim men from acquiring visas to the United States. Under the policy, male visa applicants between the ages of 16 and 45 who come from any one of 26 specified countries must be approved by officials in Washington, DC. Most of the countries are in the Middle East, but the list also includes Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Currently, there is a backlog of approximately 100,000 visa applications pending approval by the FBI and CIA. According to some diplomats, the policy is creating tensions in the very countries the Bush administration is trying to win over in its fight against terrorism.

Most of the visa applicants are college students and business executives, according to American diplomats. Many of the students went home for summer vacation and now find they are unable to resume their studies. Business executives and civil servants have reported being denied visas to attend conferences and sales meetings in the United States due to the crackdown.

The Malaysian-American Commission on Educational Exchange reports that several hundred Malaysian students admitted to U.S. universities have not been able to get visas. The majority of the students are ethnic Chinese who don't pose much of a security threat but have been blacklisted anyway because of their country of origin. In addition, at least 400 students from Indonesia have been unable to enter the United States for the start of the school year. U.S. diplomats say that the policy is not doing much to improve the country's image abroad.

— The New York Times
September 2002

Cardean University to Offer New Online MBA

UNext Inc. plans to offer master's of business administration courses through its subsidiary, Cardean University. The new initiative aims to capitalize on the surge in the number of adult students, which always increases during a recession, while diminishing the company's dependence on corporate clients.

Although UNext has been selling its courses to corporations for two years, it will soon include among its clients more established educational institutions such as the University of Phoenix Online and DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management.

However, there are several obstacles to overcome. Analysts say Cardean faces stern competition from bricks-and-mortar universities offering online degrees and from institutions that mix classroom and Internet-based learning. The University of Phoenix, for instance, offers both on-campus and online degree programs.

Accreditation poses another possible problem. Although Cardean is recognized by a distance-learning accrediting body, it needs to enroll more students before it can obtain accreditation from a more prestigious organization.

The average cost of a Cardean MBA will be $30,000. Keller Online's MBA costs $25,920, and the University of Phoenix's costs an average of $23,000.

— Chicago Tribune
Aug. 6, 2002

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