Top 12 Trending International Education News
August 26, 2021
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International Students Remain a Primary Source of U.S. Tech Talent
A report from the National Foundation for American Policy indicates that between 50% and 82% of graduate students in critical technical fields in US universities are international students, most of whom are from China and India. International students have supplied a significant amount of tech talent to the US since 1998. Without them, the US would have far fewer graduate students and other highly educated individuals with backgrounds in science and engineering, as well as a significant talent gap between economic demand and the ability to fill that demand.
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Canada's Foreign Students Look Warily for Return to Normal
With Canada having more than 72% of the population at least partly vaccinated, the Canadian government announced an easing of restrictions on foreign visitors effective September 7. Universities have been, however, cautiously watching the uptick in COVID-19 cases driven by the Delta variant, hoping it will halt the plans for a return to in-person classes for international students. Caseloads are fortunately still lower compared to the United States and other countries, but there is a rise due to the new variant. This is a concerning trend for higher education institution administrators who admittedly are reliant on foreign student tuition fees to balance their budgets.
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Covid in Scotland: Some Students Face £2,300 Hotel Quarantine Bill
While some universities in Scotland took it upon themselves to pay for students’ 10-day quarantine accommodation in a government-mandated hotel, others are expecting students to shoulder almost £2,300 in hotel quarantine bills. This prompted the National Union of Students in Scotland to call on the support of the Scottish government by shouldering what is deemed as an extra financial burden for the foreign students. Meanwhile, the Scottish government urged students to discuss matters with their institution. The 10-day quarantine is a requirement for international students who hailed from red list countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, Brazil, and South Africa.
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Govt Prioritizing Facilitation of Indian Students’ Travel Abroad, 17 EU Members Lifted Blanket Travel Bans: Foreign Secretary
Indian international students who intend to study in Europe received good news as 17 European Union member states as well as Switzerland have finally recognized the vaccine Covishield and will now allow entry of global learners who were jabbed with the said vaccine. Subsequently, travel bans from India have also been lifted in these areas. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said recently that toppling the barriers to the mobility of students is critical to India and its learners.
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Alan Tudge Says Australia is Trying to Move Forward with Overseas Student Return Plans Despite Lockdown
Australian Education Minister Alan Tudge says South Australia and New South Wales have gained approval for their student arrival plans despite the extended lockdowns. He expresses confidence that international students will return “in significant numbers” once the borders open. This pronouncement contradicts the analysis of the education department that predicted the decline in enrolment to persist for several years. Opening the border continues to be dependent on when 70% of Australia’s population becomes fully vaccinated.
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Four Auckland Education Facilities Now Beset With COVID Cases
Four New Zealand institutions have reported active COVID-19 cases among their students and staff since August 18. These institutions are Lynfield College, Northcote College, Avondale College, and AUT. All students and staff members in those institutions must now be isolated for 14 days. The total number of new cases reported in New Zealand is 11, all in Auckland. Auckland and the Coromandel are currently in lockdown.
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US Gets Back to Granting Visas for Chinese Students as Numbers Rebound to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Official US State Department data reveals an increase in the number of visas granted to international students from China, although there continued to be higher scrutiny for postgraduate students in certain hi-tech or strategic fields. The first observation of this uptick was in the May 2021 figures when the number of F1 visas granted climbed to where it was in May 2019. Education consultants in China believe the visa approval process has normalized. However, tensions continue between the US and China. Chinese vice-foreign minister Xie Feng is urging the US to ease visa restrictions for Chinese students during a July 2021 meeting with US deputy secretary of state Wendy Sherman in Tianjin. Non-virus-related issues between the US and China are also contributing to strained relations.
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How International Students Heading to Canada are Navigating Pandemic Travel
More than a year into the pandemic-induced shift to online classes, many Canadian higher education institutions are doubling efforts to open their doors for in-person classes this fall. Meanwhile, international students from various countries have been overcoming challenges themselves as the pandemic continues to create roadblocks in their study-abroad journey. In this feature, four global learners hailing from different source markets share their experiences in navigating pandemic travel.
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Students Hit Visa Jackpot for US in Pandemic Year
The United States has approved a record number of Indian student visa applications in 2021 despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Education consultants in India report that more than 95% of their student visa applications have been granted. This is the highest success rate witnessed by India in any season in the past decade. They claim that there is a focus to revive the arrival of foreign students back on the US campuses, paving the way for a significant jump in student visa grants. Ultimately, this move benefitted Indian international students.
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Foreign Students to be Allowed to Enter Russia for Further Education — Ministry
The Russian Ministry of Education and Science has announced that foreign students will be permitted to enter Russia to continue their education. The ministry came up with an initiative to open state borders for all international students and the entry rules had already been formulated and would be approved shortly. Conditions for remote learning would also be organized for those students who would not be able to come to Russia this year.
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CECC Greenlights Entry of International Students
Taiwan’s Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) has approved a plan to allow international students enrolled in Taiwanese universities to enter the country. Students entering the country must have a valid visa and present a negative RT-PCR test result within three days of boarding a plane to Taiwan. Upon arrival, they would undergo a quick test for COVID-19 at the airport, enter a 14-day quarantine, and undergo another RT-PCR test upon ending the quarantine. Before students will be allowed on campus, they would have to monitor their health for another seven days.
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Classes Starting, But International Students Failing to Get US Visas
Visa processing is delayed as US embassies and consulates operate at reduced capacity around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving some students abroad unable to make it for the start of the academic year. Educational advocacy groups are calling for interview waivers and video interviews for students in place of the required in-person interview to obtain an F or M student visa. To address visa processing slowed down by the pandemic, the State and Homeland Security departments last year expanded the ability of consular officers to waive in-person interviews.
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Featured Institution: University of Missouri-St. Louis
The University of Missouri-St. Louis is the largest public research university in eastern Missouri, United States. It serves the most diverse and economically important region in Missouri and delivers exceptional educational, research, and engagement experiences to its more than 16,000 students.
The campus of UMSL is spread over 470 acres in suburban St. Louis County. Its mix of modern and historic academic buildings is the perfect setting for students to gain insights through the university’s outstanding faculty and work experience from internships at companies and organizations found in an excellent metropolitan region. UMSL graduates are in all 50 states and 65 countries around the globe, and the more than 75,000 alumni that call the St. Louis region home drive the region’s economy and contribute significantly to its social well-being.
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Featured Program: Post-Degree Diploma in Network Technology Administration and Security
Offered at Vancouver Community College, this program is designed for students looking to advance their skills in network infrastructure, administration, support, and security for careers in computer information systems management and analysis. Throughout the program, students will engage in hands-on exercises and projects involving typical IT work situations, including real scenarios from the industry. Graduates of this course will be able to create and maintain computer network systems, build data security policies, and manage small-to-medium scale IT projects. Founded in 1965, the Vancouver Community College (VCC) is the largest and oldest community college in British Columbia, Canada. The college accommodates 26,000 students each year, of which about eight percent are international students.
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International Education Conferences & Workshops |
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Toronto, Canada
September 1 to 3, 2021
September 14 to 16, 2021 (Online)
September 28 to 30, 2021 (Online)
Australia’s Gold Coast
October 5 to 8, 2021
(Online)
October 18 to 22, 2021
(Online)
October 19 to 22, 2021 in Chile (Online)
Relevance and Value of Universities to Future Society
October 26 to 29, 2021, Dublin, Ireland
November 15 to 19, 2021 (Online)
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September 28 to October 1, 2021, in Gothenburg, Sweden
December 1 to 3, 2021 in New Zealand
December 8 to 12, 2021 in Miami, Florida
Education: building forward; stronger, bolder.
January 16 to 19, 2022
March 27 to 31, 2022 in Vancouver, Canada
Building Our Sustainable Future
May 31 to June 3, 2022 in Denver, Colorado, USA
September 13 to 16, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain
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