Jon Aizlewood

Scotland has announced plans to re-introduce the post-study work visa enabling international students to work in the UK for two years post-graduation, should it become independent from the UK. The proposal is included in a white paper outlining plans for Scottish independence, 'Scotland's Future'.

UK-based Cambridge Education Group has been sold to a US-based private equity firm, Bridgepoint Capital, it was announced today, for an enterprise value of UK£185 million. Ex-owners, Palamon Capital, acquired CEG in 2007 and achieved an acquisition multiple of 11 times the current year trading forecast.

Education giant Pearson has made a major acquisition in Brazil of an ELT business that spans several brands and serves 800,000 students. The acquisition of Grupo Multi for UK£500m will enable Pearson to leverage booming demand for ELT from the expanding middle classes, it said.

China's largest agency association has begun an evaluation process that will help to regulate agencies in China. BOSSA is receiving government support to fund the inspection process and the outcome of its first round of assessments, focusing on Beijing-based agencies, will be published in March 2014.

A global travel bookings website for homestay accommodation has launched this month and Co-Founder, Tom Kennedy, is keen to emulate the success of his first venture, Hostelworld.com, which became the dominant booking site in the sector.

A survey by Hotcourses on the quality of university response to student emails indicates that many institutions need more resources to successfully convert enquiries into applications. Of 406 universities surveyed, 35% of email queries did not receive a response at all and only 36% were answered within 24 hours. New Zealand had the best response rate with an 80% score.

English as a medium of instruction in HE is on the rise. In Spain, for example, 52 of 89 HEIs now offer English-taught Bachelor's. Delegates met at IE University in Madrid to focus on understanding new multilingual education opportunity in Europe.

A new 'Ivy League' level school which uses interactive technology to deliver remote teaching at a quarter of the price of other elite, private American universities will begin teaching in 2014. Students will live and study together, in a new model that that CEO Ben Nelson hopes will revolutionise the education industry.

These students who will in the future run the world – would you want them to spend 75% of their undergraduate years in a secluded bubble? I want my future president to have lived and seen the world with people from other cultures.

Student support and guidance company Gateway Education reports a significant increase in click through rates using innovative technology to send attachments via text message compared to its previous email communication.