USA & CANADA
DUOLINGO ALL SET TO GO PUBLIC; FILES WITH US SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The leading learning company Duolingo is all set to go public. It has submitted documents to the US Securities and Exchange Commission to initiate the process. Right now, Duolingo has courses in 40 languages on offer. These include endangered languages such as Navajo. Learners can also pick courses in fictional languages from popular TV shows like Game of Thrones and Star Trek.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE US BELIEVE THAT VACCINE ACCESSIBILITY IN THE COUNTRY IS A PRIVILEGE
International students at Quinnipiac University stated that vaccine accessibility in the US is like a privilege to them as their countries struggle with issues such as incompetent government, vaccine shortages, fake vaccines, and vaccine hesitancy. More than fifty countries have not attained a vaccination rate of 10%, and studying here is a blessing for them as they need not worry about the vaccinations.
NEW BRUNSWICK UNIVERSITIES GEARING UP FOR VACCINATED INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
As international students initiate steps to travel to New Brunswick, they will have to fulfil COVID-19 isolation requirements. But the universities in the province have different plans for supporting them. St. Thomas University in Fredericton stated that international students not meeting the federal requirements will get support for self-isolation accommodation and meals. Conversely, the University of New Brunswick has not made vaccinations mandatory, but they are recommended.
7 MORE COUNTRIES GET FAST-TRACKED STUDY PERMITS FROM CANADA
Canada has recently become even more popular as a study-abroad destination as the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced fast-tracking for international student applications from seven more countries. These include Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Costa Rica, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Study permits for students from these countries will be processed in only 20 days on average.
AUSTRALIA
ED EXPORT EARNINGS IN AUSTRALIA DECLINED 21.4% IN 2020
The Australian international education sector is amongst the hardest-hit segments during the pandemic. According to travel export data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the country’s education export earnings decreased by a whopping 21.4% in 2020, falling to $31.7 billion. Despite the drop, the higher education segment generated two-thirds of the export income of international education.
AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES NOT PAYING HEED TO HARASSMENT BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT
Australian universities have been accused of not paying heed to the harassment of the Chinese students who express views countering the Chinese Communist Party. Human Rights Watch describes incidents of threats and reporting of such anti-government incidents by pro-Beijing students to the Chinese embassy. Students have also reported that people wait for them outside their homes to threaten them.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CANNOT TRAVEL TO NSW UNTIL LOCKDOWN ENDS
International students planning to travel to NSW cannot go ahead with their plans until lockdown ends. It is equally bad news for the struggling education sector, with the upcoming pilot program coming to an abrupt halt. The state government has not declared a date for ending the lockdown yet. But a lengthy extension can drag the start date of the program into the later months of 2021.
UK & EU
UK INSTITUTIONS DIRECTED TO BRING DIVERSITY IN RECRUITMENT
The international higher education sector in the UK needs to keep pace with the evolving global economic trends due to the pandemic as a part of its long-term recovery. Speakers at the BUILA Annual Conference 2021 urged them to take necessary measures to diversify regions for student recruitment. Other key topics picked at the event included focusing on the emerging markets and handling China.
£10 MILLION SCHEME IN THE UK TO HELP STUDENTS BOOST CORE SKILLS
The UK government has announced a £10 million scheme for aiding students to boost their core skills in English and maths. The programmes are targeted at primary and secondary school pupils in participating schools. They will get access to focused catch-up sessions to enhance their literacy and numeracy skills to ensure they get better at these core subjects.
25% SHARE OF ERASMUS+ 2021-27 BUDGETS WILL GO TO AFRICA
The Erasmus+ programme, EUs international education and training cooperation initiative, will dedicate a massive share of its budget to the Sub-Saharan Africa region for the next seven years. The action comes as compensation for lower allocations to this lowest income region in the past. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to receive nearly 25% of the budget in the upcoming 2021-2027 period.
ASIA
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT RETURN TO JAPAN IS TAKING TOO LONG
The return of international students to Japan is taking too long because of travel restrictions. Consequently, students are facing mental health issues, while the pressure of studying online through the night is taking a toll on their health. An initiative called “Open the borders to safe study in Japan Association” was started to generate awareness about these challenges of international students.
MORE THAN 1,000 CHINESE STUDENTS TO SUE US FOR VISA RESTRICTIONS
More than 1,000 Chinese students are planning to file suit against the US for the visa restrictions imposed by the country. While the US Embassy in China reopened in early May to process visa applications, there were strict restrictions on people with high-tech backgrounds. Similar restrictions are also extended to students applying for literature and business programmes.
INDIA
CANADA-BOUND INDIAN STUDENTS IN A FIX AS SERBIA IMPOSES NEW QUARANTINE RULE FOR INDIANS
The unexpected imposition of seven-day quarantine for Indians in Serbia came as an unpleasant surprise for students travelling to Canada. Around 200 Indians suffered a similar fate, though the local Indian Embassy intervened and facilitated onward travel for these passengers following their appeals for help. Most Indian flyers were unaware of this new rule till they landed in Belgrade.
INDIAN MEDICAL STUDENTS ANXIOUS ABOUT RETURNING TO CHINA
International students from India studying medicine in China are stressed out due to the uncooperative response of the country regarding their return to complete their courses. The authorities have neither communicated clearly with the students nor provided a clear timeline since the closure of borders to students last year. The absence of hands-on classes is a major concern for medical aspirants.
PUDUCHERRY SCHOOLS ALL SET FOR REOPENING FROM JULY 16
Puducherry schools are gearing up for reopening from July 16 onwards. The welcome move comes after an extended break of more than nine months due to the worsening pandemic situation in the country. Students of classes 9 to 12 will be back to school during the initial phase of the reopening plan, but everything will happen with stringent safety norms in place.
NEET 2021 EXAM ON SEPTEMBER 12 AND REGISTRATION STARTS JULY 13
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced that NEET, the national-level medical entrance exam, will now be held across the country on September 12 in 2021. All security protocols will be followed while conducting the exam. The NEET examination was originally scheduled for August 1. The registration process will start on July 13, 2021, on the official website.
INDIA TO GET A NEW FOUNDATION WITH ITS ROBUST EDUCATION SYSTEM
Dharmendra Pradhan, the newly appointed Union Education Minister, stated that a modified and improved school education system will shape the foundation of India and build a new knowledge society in the country. He also discussed the roadmap to take Indian school education a step closer to future readiness.
If you are considering studying abroad why don’t you discuss your prospects and opportunities with experts at Lurnable’s dedicated study abroad counselling division LurnPathways?
