Policy

British PM David Cameron signed a number of education agreements with Kazakhstan last week, extending opportunities for UK providers. UK Trade and Investment said that the oil-rich country offered opportunities in vocational education and skills development.

A leaked memo reveals UK PM David Cameron is keen to develop an industrial strategy around education exports, which could include universities actively helping international graduates to find a job; swifter routes to citizenship; more foreign universities in the UK and extending access to the secondary school system to internationals.

International students could have to pay £200 a year on top of their visa fees to use Britain’s free healthcare system, under proposals unveiled by the health secretary today. Other levies are planned plus a NHS immigrant tracking system; critics warn they could deter migrant visitors and pose a public health risk.

Seven top universities in Malaysia held a two-day exhibit in Doha last month to boost interest among outbound Qatari students, whose number is growing. Meanwhile, a number of French institutions have agreed to provide Qataris with French language training to help them gain entrance to universities in France.

International educators have criticised a decision by the chancellor, George Osborne, to raise the cost of a student visa by up to 10% every year for the next two years, saying it will create more barriers to studying in the UK. They also worry that the rises will not be matched by an improvement in services, despite widespread criticism of processing delays last year.

European member states have agreed to allocate €16 billion in funding to the new "Erasmus +" programme, which consolidates a range of European Commission (EC) education initiatives including mobility grants for higher education and vocational training. The new programme aims to reach almost double the numbers who currently receive support to study abroad.

An immigration bill has been dramatically passed by the US Senate that could expand permanent visas for many foreign graduates from universities in the sciences and related fields, increase over time the number of temporary high-skilled visas based on demand, and expand opportunities for entrepreneurs.

A strike by Canadian foreign service officers threatens to affect student mobility into Canada as visa processing times around the world have become severely delayed. Languages Canada has confirmed that its members have felt a "definite impact" on registration numbers. Waits of up to 6 weeks are being reported.

A group of Scottish MSPs have called for an increase in Mandarin language teaching across all school levels as part of a larger plan to increase trade opportunities for Scottish business in China and encourage more Chinese investment in Scottish industry and infrastructure. As of now, there are just six public high schools that offer Chinese language courses.

The UK’s universities minister, David Willetts, has told The PIE News he wants to attract more foreign students to the UK, days after the Home Office revealed it will pilot a cash bond scheme for some high-risk visitor visa holders. The VC of the University of Exeter said that the minister was serious about increasing numbers but his hands were tied by his party.

Nearly 4.3 million students studied tertiary education outside their country of citizenship in 2011, according to the OECD's latest Education at a Glance report. The report suggests students are increasingly seeking a foreign education to boost their chances in the global job market, but warns a slowdown in scholarships could impair mobility.

Australian educators say they are outraged by government plans to increase the cost of student visas at a time when the country is fighting to regain its position in the global education market. They object to an AUS$700 surcharge for anyone transitioning to a new visa once in the country. It comes as Brazil complains the cost of Australian study permits is too high for its students.

Language schools and business schools say they are losing thousands of pounds in fees due to restrictions on business visas which disallow holders to study short courses during visits to the UK. However, the Home Office has told The PIE News it is "considering" their concerns.

Asia’s best universities have seen a surge in international students since 2008 as they upscale and gain ground on their Western rivals, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) says. The firm's Asian university rankings 2013, released last week, show fast rising Asian economies have made "unprecedented investment" in HE enabling them to "attract the world’s best faculty and students".

As Libya begins to rebuild its infrastructure two years after its civil war, a "golden opportunity" has arisen for foreign English language, VET and HE institutions to recruit students funded by the government or private companies. The British Council alone expects 17,000 Libyans to study at UK institutions this year through a new government scholarship programme.