Europe

There is a false debate about English medium teaching in France, because actually we already offer more than 850 programmes taught in English. What is important is that the government has come out and said it supports it.

LSBF is to rebrand its LSBF School of English chain as The Language Gallery (TLG), as it kicks off an expansion drive. A spokesperson for the global business school said it planned to launch three more language schools, either in the US or UK, to its portfolio by the end of 2014.

The essential role skills play in the global economy was highlighted last week at the 42nd World Skills Competition in Liepziger, Germany, organised by WorldSkills International. The competition involved one thousand youngsters from 52 countries and regions who competed in a variety of skill sets.

Study Group, the global pathways and language provider, saw profits fall again this year due to poor performance in the US and Australia, although the firm’s UK operations grew. The Australia-based firm reported a 3.7% fall in revenue for the year ending December 31 2012 along with a pre-tax loss of £33.6m.

France has made it easier for students from outside the European Union to obtain visas and work in the country after they graduate, in a bid to attract more international students to the country. Students will no longer have to renew visas annually and can stay in France for up to a year to find work after graduation.

Non-European Union undergraduate applications submitted by the June deadline have climbed 6%, in a sign that toughened visa policies are not deterring students at tertiary level. However, Dominic Scott, CEO at UKCISA, said that the figures only represented a proportion of the overall market, and that the sector continued "to hold its breath" about enrolments in the autumn.

The Home Office has warned the UK higher education sector that it should expect further policy changes that could impact international student recruitment in the run up to the 2015 election. Speaking at the annual UKCISA conference last week it also raised eyebrows by unveiling a new video interview system to vet students in 74 locations around the world.

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.

The international pathways operator ELS has launched its first centre in Europe through a partnership with SKEMA Business School in France, and says it now plans to expand on the continent. The company now wants to explore further partnerships in France, as well as Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

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.

The British government is to launch its first ever national campaign to increase outbound student mobility, The PIE News can reveal. The Outward Student Mobility Programme, which will be run by Universities UK's International Unit, starts next month and will try to tackle Britain's historically low level of study abroad.

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.

I believe the main mistake schools make is not thinking enough about the peculiarities of the Russian market. That’s why it’s better to take advice from the agents who work directly with students and who know them very well.

Instituto Cervantes centres across the world hosted Día E celebrations last week to commemorate the Spanish language and culture. Teaching centres on five continents opened their doors to the public, provided cultural activities and helped to promote the world's second native language of the world.