Asian universities “snapping at the heels” of UK, US universities

September 24th, 2009 LONDON - A recent report on the 'Patterns of Higher Education Institutions in the UK' has found that students from China and India have played a major role in almost doubling the number of foreign students at UK universities in the last decade. According to figures from universities in the UK, some 2,29,640 students were recruited from outside the European Union in 2007, compared to 1,17,290 students in 1998.

August 30th, 2009 MELBOURNE - The racist violence targeting Indian students in Australia is going to have a big impact on its economy, with enrolment of Indians at Victoria's universities expected to plunge by up to 50 per cent in 2010. The shortfall, comprising existing students who plan to abandon their courses here and hundreds more who intended to enroll, but are now seeking positions at universities in other countries, will cost the Victorian economy tens of millions of dollars.

August 20th, 2009 MELBOURNE - The Australian Government proposed crackdown on vocational colleges and universities could leave thousands of international students, especially those from India, looking for somewhere else to study or needing refunds as rogue operators are shut down. In a move to root out unscrupulous operators in the visa-driven sector, Education Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday introduced legislative changes forcing all 1300 registered colleges and universities to re-register under tighter guidelines.

July 30th, 2009 LONDON - Thousands of foreign students, most of them of Pakistani origin, who are granted visas to study at UK universities never turn up. According to The Sun, three universities alone have shown nearly 2,500 applicants who failed to enroll in the last three years.

July 4th, 2009 TORONTO - Two prestigious universities - Oxford in Britain and McGill in Canada - have joined hands for research on the human brain. The two universities are among world leaders in neuroscience research.

July 3rd, 2009 CANBERRA - Newly arrived international students could be given priority for on-campus accommodation as one way of boosting safety, according to a position paper released on Thursday by Universities Australia. University Australia chief executive Glenn Withers stressed that priority should also be given to domestic students from regional areas and interstate who have to move to attend university.

June 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Promising jobs with partnering industries, Scottish universities have managed to triple the number of Indian students heading there for higher education in the last five years, university representatives said here Friday. Enrolment in Scottish universities by Indian students has tripled over the last five years, said Caroline Boddie, senior international officer for southern and central Asia at the University of Glasgow.

June 5th, 2009 KUALA LUMPUR J - Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) secretary-general Dr. S. Subramaniam has said that the MIC will monitor the intake of students in local public universities this year to ensure a fair selection process.

June 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - A Chinese man, who believes that college students are pure, has handed out 1000 posters at 10 university campuses in search of a perfect wife. Fu Bing, 32, who wants to find his true love from among the student population, distributed the posters to campuses in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, reports the China Daily.

June 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Australian universities Wednesday joined their government in condemning the attacks on Indian students in that country. Glen Withers, the chief executive of Universities Australia - a body representing 38 universities, expressed regret at the attacks on Indian students.

June 3rd, 2009 LONDON - The latest Times Good University Guide has named Oxford as Britain's leading university for the eighth successive year, but there are big changes in individual subjects. According to The Times, Oxford maintained its lead over other British universities because of factors like better staffing levels, degree classifications and higher spending on student facilities.

May 23rd, 2009 PETALING JAYA - Malaysia's Public Service Department (PSD) has awarded scholarships to 323 Indian origin students this year. Malaysian Indian Congress secretary-general Dr S.

May 7th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Overseas students continue to defy economic downturn to come to Australia. In one of the few bright spots for the Australian economy, universities set another record with a 21.7 per cent growth in new students in March, driven by a 40 per cent leap in enrolments by Indian students and a 19.6 per cent jump among Chinese students.

April 3rd, 2009 LONDON - While many women find it hard to wear high heels, supermodel Heidi Klum is an exception. The 35-year-old German beauty added eight inches to her height when she wore a pair of platform heels for a daring fashion shoot in Los Angeles, reports the Sun.

January 26th, 2009 LONDON - British universities and colleges were Tuesday warned to sign up now to a new points-based immigration system if they want to teach international students. Universities, colleges and schools who want to sponsor international students have until Feb 2 to apply under the student tier of Britain's tough new points system.