Asia

The Canada India Education Council (CIEC) has launched a certification programme that recognises quality and ethical practice among education agents. Indian Canadian Advisors Representing Excellence (iCARE) is the only bespoke certification system of its kind and aims to establish rules on agent practice and increase accountability.

Hong Kong’s strategy to become an international education hub is starting to bear fruit, with 18,000 students from more than 70 countries said to have pursued post secondary studies across 16 national universities in 2010/11. The region now wants to diversify its student base by boosting recruitment from Asia and Europe.

The number of international students studying in China exceeded 290,000 in 2011 – a sign China will achieve its goal of attracting 500,000 overseas students by the end of the decade. South Korea, the US, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam were said to be the top senders...

QS has officially entered the student recruitment market by partnering with one of one of India’s largest test preparation companies, Manya Education Group. The deal hopes to leverage both companies' reach with universities, students and parents, while providing universities with a "quality seal" when recruiting internationally.

Examinations body, Cambridge ESOL, is holding a competition in Asia to find the best Speakers of English, in an effort to reward excellence and promote its growing presence in the region. Two winners can win an MBA scholarship in the UK or Australia...

Universities, TAFE Institutes and leading education providers from Victoria, Australia, are visiting India this week to promote international education. The six-day trip, led by Victorian premier Ted Ballieu, has so far seen agreements between seven Indian and Australian institutions and new initiatives unveiled.

A record 340,000 Chinese students studied at universities abroad last year according to China’s ministry of education. Figures show a rise of 55,000 students on 2010, a 20% climb. However, when viewed against 2007 figures, this is up by almost 200,000 – well over 100%.

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), UK, has announced plans to launch campuses in Cyprus and Thailand. It is also guaranteeing work or study abroad to its students from autumn...

ACPET in Australia is to open an office in China this year to promote Australian offshore delivery, with a focus on vocational education and training (VET). The private industry association will open a base in the city of Chongqing to support members seeking opportunities or partnerships in China.

Industry event K Conference in Korea signed a memorandum of understanding last month with the Korean Association of International Educators, ensuring its event spotlights inbound and outbound study...

Following the depreciation of the rupee against most major Western currencies in 2011, observers are warning that Indian study abroad traffic could slow in 2012. However, agents who talked to the PIE remain confident.

IDP Education has seen satisfactory demand for its second ELT centre in Cambodia, but competition remains stiff...

South Korean universities say that they are keen to boost Latin American enrolment after numbers from that market more than doubled in three years. One link-up with Guatemala has already occurred...

Indian enrolments in Germany shot up 24% in 2011, thanks to scholarships, English-medium courses and restrictive visa conditions in rival study destinations. German plans to increase work and residence rights for international students should accentuate the growth in 2012.

Indian students can meet Australian university representatives online at the IDP virtual student fair, which is running for the next week or so. IDP is also staging roadshows across the country.