A study has recently revealed that the majority of global learners in Canada decide to stay for good in the country after living there for a few years. Meanwhile, only a quarter of the surveyed international students have made a decision to stay prior to studying overseas in Canada. Factors that shape their decision include family ties, unique employment opportunities, perceived complexity of the immigration system, and feelings of isolation or experiences of racism.

According to police data, reports of hate crimes against Asians rose nearly 150% in 16 of the largest US cities during the pandemic. While overall reported hate crimes decreased seven percent last year likely because of lockdowns, isolated incidents leave a mark on international students. News about anti-Asian hate makes foreign learners more cautious as some of them have experienced getting targeted by hate speech based on their nationality. Based on the statistics from the Institute for International Education, most of the international students in the US are students of color.

The Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom has revealed that Chinese students are the largest group of global learners in the country. Nearly 216,000 international students from China are currently studying in the UK. Statistics even show that since 2012, the number of Chinese foreign students has exceeded the number of students from all EU countries and continues to increase.

The government of Estonia has approved a UNESCO convention facilitating the recognition of Estonian qualifications in secondary and higher education in more countries, particularly outside Europe. Although this aims to promote and strengthen international cooperation in higher education, the convention does not impose an obligation on states to automatically recognize the educational qualifications of other parties to the agreement. Educational qualifications of other states are only recognized if there are no significant differences in the two states' comparable qualifications.

 Baltic Times

A new survey of international students stranded offshore has found that 93 percent of the students have experienced significant adverse mental health issues by not being allowed into Australia to study on-campus. The Council of International Students Australia (CISA) survey also found 36 percent, or one of every three respondents, are now considering studying in a different country. The poll of more than 600 students was conducted in March. The CISA poll follows results from a larger survey of prospective international students released last month that found only seven percent of respondents were willing to study purely online, and 43 percent said they would defer until they could study face-to-face.

Two students from China and Indonesia, enrolled for the Master of Business Administration course at the Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS), are among the first international students to be back in New Zealand. AIS was only allotted 7 of the 1250 spaces made available nationally for the first two cohorts of returnee students. Early in 2020, the Government announced that there would be a border exception to allow some international students to return. Due to the limited number allowed by the government, most institutions have given their allocation to students who are close to finishing their studies.

International students bound for study in the US face visa hurdles that may derail their long-awaited return to campus. The issue has propelled higher education leaders across the country to plead to the Biden administration for faster action and more flexible rules for their international students. Although the US has lifted the travel ban on international students, many students are facing problems getting visa appointments and are confused over travel rules, while having to face exorbitant airfare and limited access to US flights. The American Council on Education and other HEIs have asked US officials for additional changes.

As student learning has moved largely online amid stay-at-home orders, cybersecurity threats have also become rampant in the education sector. This led the University of Toronto to team up with fellow institutions to collaborate on intensifying cybersecurity intelligence especially in protecting the education environment. As the administrative lead of the Canadian Shared Security Operations Centre, U of T tapped organizations in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Universities have become targets of cyberattacks because they oversee huge volumes of critical infrastructure, research data, and personal information.

With no response from the Chinese government until now, Indian students enrolled in medical programmes in China have written to the Ministry of External Affairs as well as to the Indian and Chinese governments to facilitate their return to campuses. Students wrote open letters stating that the looming uncertainty over their return to campus has led to mental strain. They have requested the governments to prioritize the return of the students who need to complete their hospital shifts and clinical rotations to graduate by September. The students have demanded clarity on return dates, a proposal for possible chartered flights, facilitation of visa application, recognition of vaccination certificates of immunized students, and the facilitating of inoculation of students in China.

New research warns Australia is at risk of losing its long-held position as a preferred study destination for Chinese students amid rising tensions between Canberra and Beijing. The new study found that many Chinese students are being turned off by Australia due to closed borders, safety concerns, and worsening diplomatic and trade sanctions. While students from China were still interested in studying in Australia, some education agents say that some students are applying to another country. The continuing uncertainty on when Australia will reopen its international borders is also affecting Chinese students' decisions.

According to the latest health ministry announcement all Pakistani citizens 18 years and above who are planning to travel abroad for work or study can now get vaccinated. As COVID-19 vaccination certificates have become a mandatory travel document around the world, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) will vaccinate those Pakistanis who are working abroad on a work visa, students studying abroad, and registered seafarers. Pakistanis eligible for vaccination can walk into any vaccination center across the country and show their work visa or study visa along with their valid passport to get vaccinated.

A virtual job fair featuring nine companies was attended by over 1,100 students from 24 countries and territories such as Indonesia and Thailand. The event included seminars on job hunting in Japan and a personal consultation corner. Questions from the job seekers included wanting to know what the companies expect from foreign students, the level of Japanese ability required, and how much overtime there would be per month. A labor ministry official confirmed that online job fairs and interviews have helped new graduates get jobs amid the pandemic although many are still looking for work. As of April 1, the start of the business year in Japan, the employment rate for those who graduated in March fell 2.0 points from a year earlier to 96.0 percent as companies cut new hires due to the harsh economic climate due to the health crisis. 

Situated in North Bay, Ontario, Canada, Nipissing University is a public university well known for its excellence in the field of art, science, and teacher education. It is recognized for providing an individualized student experience, having supportive and accessible professors, small class sizes, and research opportunities for undergraduate students. The university has approximately 5,000 undergraduate students, the majority of which are full-time students, and 150 graduate students. Nipissing University offers undergraduate programs in the areas of economics, fine arts, biology, anthropology, and classical studies. It also offers professional studies in business, commerce, criminal justice, nursing, and social work.