Policy

The newly appointed Finnish Minister of Education and Science, Krista Kiuru, is in Asia this week to promote education as an export for the first time. The government is making bold moves to explore ways to turn the country's top-notch education model into a profitable business. A working group reports back in October.

The Japanese government has launched a programme that will support young people to travel abroad to undertake internships, volunteering, working holidays or overseas language training. Implemented by JAOS, Global ACE aims to boost the employability and vocational skills of under-35s.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s landslide victory in last month’s general election confirmed that plans to internationalise the country’s higher education system will go forward. Around £284 million (￥43.2 billion) has been allocated toward initiatives to increase inbound and outbound mobility, improve universities’ ranking status and boost academic collaborations.

Twenty nine Azerbaijani students have been awarded scholarships to study in Europe and North America in the latest round of scholarships through the government-backed State Programme on Education of Azerbaijani Youth Abroad which aims to fill skills gaps in the country, encouraging students to study engineering, computer science, law and public health.

Australia is the most expensive country in which to study abroad, according to a study by HSBC Bank which has ranked 13 countries. This news comes as a joint statement by Australia's peak bodies was released urging for greater government support to stop students turning instead to Canada, New Zealand, the UK and USA.

A review released by the Australian government calls for significant reduction in "red tape" for universities under the Tertiary Education Standards and Quality Agency (TEQSA), established just two years ago as the country's HE regulator. The sector has welcomed calls for more cohesion between regulatory bodies and lighter touch rules for those proving compliance.

An International Post-Graduates (IPG) pilot visa scheme is to become a permanent category of British Columbia's Provincial Nominee Program, it was announced this month. The project aims to attract and retain highly skilled international postgraduates in the science and technology fields by enabling them to apply for permanent residence in Canada.

Study Brisbane is holding another series of Student Friendship Ceremonies which are designed to ensure that international students feel welcome in the state and retain links with the city long after graduated. Brisbane's Lord Mayor Graham Quirk attended an event last week at Griffith University's Nathan Campus.

The Australian Council of Private Education and Training (ACPET) has said that the upcoming Australian election will benefit private international education operators, whichever side wins. However, CEO Claire Field told The PIE News that the Opposition Coalition was most likely to push through overdue reforms to the sector.

China's position as a study destination will be solidified in October, when more than 200 Chinese and Western institutions convene at the country's first ever conference promoting in-bound mobility. China wants to increase international enrolments from 250,000 to 500,000 by 2020—a number the Beijing Overseas Study Service Association (BOSSA) says is easily reachable.

International education giant Navitas has returned to profit in FY2013 after a tough 2012, largely due to improved operating conditions in its biggest market, Australia. The firm, which offers pathway, English language, vocational and corporate courses in a number of countries, saw revenue climb by 6% to AUS$731.7m and net profit by 2% to $74.6m. This follows a 5% profit fall in 2012.

The UK government says it wants to see 15-20% growth in overseas enrolments at its universities, as part of a major new industrial strategy to ensure international education becomes one of Britain's "great growth industries". Released today, the strategy also calls for greater outbound mobility; however some suggest its recruitment goals clash with restrictive immigration policies.

Hungary has included educational exchange as part of its foreign policy strategy of "Opening to the East" by offering 2,000 scholarships to students in Central and East Asia. At a time of cuts to subsidised domestic education the government has argued that the scheme will pay for itself by developing trade ties for Hungary - and that the scheme could be extended to other regions.

Sri Lanka says it still aims to become an international education hub by 2020, despite signs earlier this year that the plans had stalled. The Higher Education Ministry said last month that it wanted attract more foreign branch campuses as well as convert local universities into world class universities.

International students supported 300,000 US jobs through their spending in the country in 2011-2012, NAFSA's annual economic report has shown. The organisation has also launched an interactive value tool online, which makes it easier to see the economic benefits overseas students contribute to individual states and regions.