UK & EUROPE
UK GOVERNMENT OFFERS HUNDREDS OF FREE QUALIFICATIONS TO BOOST SKILLS AND EMPLOYABILITY
Millions of adults in the UK can capitalise on the opportunity to access a free qualification designed to boost in-demand skills and employability in the country. The government is offering support for 400 qualifications with funding of £95 million in 2021/22 as a part of its Lifetime Skills Guarantee initiative. The qualifications are available in diverse fields such as engineering, social care, conservation, and more.
NEW EU PROGRAM BRINGS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANIMAL EXCHANGE
A new EU programme, beginning in 2022, will allow an animal exchange for 33 Erasmus+ programme countries. It will allow symbolic animals such as the European Bison in Poland, the Gallic Rooster in France, Red Squirrel in Denmark, and the European Bison in Poland to access funds to travel to other participating countries and experience life at a zoo or wildlife park overseas.
MODERATE DECLINE IN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN FRANCE DUE TO COVID-19
A recently published report indicated that international student mobility in France was disrupted in 2020 due to successive lockdowns, closed borders, and travel restrictions amid the pandemic. It also considers the impact of Brexit as a significant factor for causing a moderate decline in international students in the country this year.
UWE & SKILLED PARTNERSHIP TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL SKILLS
The University of the West of England has announced a partnership with the online provider Skilled Education to offer in-demand digital skills to students and alumni. The agreement will provide a new course for 30,000 current and former students of the university to enhance employability and go the extra mile with academic rigour, student experience, teaching excellence, and research insights.
ECA AND LONDON MET TO COLLABORATE FOR SETTING UP AN INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
Education Centre of Australia (ECA), the leading international education group, has joined hands with London Metropolitan University to set up the ECA International College at the North London campus of the university. The college will initially focus on international students with an International Foundation Programme and a Pre-Masters Programme for them.
INDIA
NEARLY 3 MILLION INDIANS ACQUIRE NEW-AGE DIGITAL SKILLS DURING THE PANDEMIC
Although the pandemic has ravaged the world, there is a silver lining to the crisis. According to Microsoft Corp., it has assisted over 30 million people across the globe gain access to new-age digital skills. Among these digital natives, nearly 3 million are Indians. Microsoft Corp. is taking its commitment to the next level with support to 250,000 global companies to make a skills-based hires this year.
CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY TOPS THE ARWU RANKING AHEAD OF ALL INDIAN UNIVERSITIES
It is a proud moment for Calcutta University as it has topped the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2020, ahead of all other Indian universities included in the list. It has also bagged the third rank among the leading higher educational institutions in the country. A total of 15 Indian universities made it to ARWU 2020, which is also called the Shanghai Ranking.
INDIAN ED-TECH INVESTMENTS EXPECTED TO GO STRONG THIS YEAR AFTER A SUCCESSFUL RUN IN 2020
After a great 2020, the Indian ed-tech market is expected to have a remarkable year ahead once again, as innovative concepts such as study-from-home and the use of AR and VR for immersive learning experiences continue to make it big. A survey indicates that investment in ed-tech startups reached an impressive figure of $2.22 billion last year, which is much larger than the figure of $553 million in 2019.
INDIAN HEI HAVE A NEW ROADMAP PRIORITISING GLOBALLY-RELEVANT TALENT, OPPORTUNITIES, AND RESEARCH
Even as the pandemic brings a host of challenges for the education sector, India is all set to explore the opportunities that it offers and use them to its advantage. The country has taken the first step in the right direction with the new National Education Policy (NEP) batting for globally-relevant educational practices. It also aims to provide international exposure to students by attracting top HEIs to set their base here.
ASIA
TAIWAN MINISTRY TO LET IN MORE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan is allowing more categories of foreign students to enter the country. The announcement came after the three-month entry ban due to the pandemic. The ban started from January 1, although the country allowed students pursuing their academic degrees in the country or those with Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarships to come back from February 9.
STRESS-RELIEF TIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS BY OSAKA UNIVERSITY
Osaka University recently hosted an event in its Toyonaka and Suita Campuses to guide international students with effective tips and measures to navigate the stress caused by the ongoing pandemic. It also gave them the opportunity to interact with fellow students and exchange opinions among themselves.
AUSTRALIA
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT LOSSES TO COST A MASSIVE $18 BILLION TO THE ECONOMY
Australia’s strict border closures due to the pandemic have led to hundreds of thousands of international students not coming back to the country this year. It will translate into a massive loss of $18 billion to the economy. The government has also issued a warning to Australian universities that they cannot be reliant on foreign fees any longer in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES CONSULTATION FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION STRATEGY
The Australian government wants educators, students, and the higher education sector to provide their inputs on the Australian Strategy for International Education 2021-2030. The strategy aims to get the international education sector on the road to recovery from Covid-19. However, it has also been stated that international students will not make it back to the country until 2022.
