28 January 2012 Register to receive our free newsletter by email each week
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Features
CHINA
China to evaluate foreign university presence
Yojana Sharma
China is to take stock this year of international branch campuses and foreign higher education provision with a comprehensive evaluation of Sino-foreign joint university programmes, foreign diplomats in Beijing told University World News. Clearer guidelines will be prepared on the kind of partnerships China is willing to support.
Breaking News
EUROPE
Top universities call for big push on research area challenges
David Haworth
The European Union must make huge efforts to attract research talent from all over the world if its ambitious plans to launch a European Research Area in two years’ time are to be successful, a League of European Research Universities (LERU) conference in Brussels agreed this week.
GLOBAL
Rising number and changing focus of think-tanks
Eileen Travers
America’s Brookings Institution was named the best think-tank in the world for a second year running, according to a University of Pennsylvania ranking report released this month. North America and Europe have 60% of the world’s think-tanks while Asia’s share has grown to 18% and Latin American and the Caribbean’s to 11%.
DENMARK
Minister wants all students to study abroad
Jan Petter Myklebust
Morten Østergaard, Denmark's minister for higher education, wants to see all Danish students taking a study period abroad, gathering knowledge and experience outside the country that will enable Denmark to succeed in global competition.
World Blog
ASIA
International mobility: The future is Asia
Rahul Choudaha*
As budget cuts affect the West, Asia will provide a growing number of the world’s self-financed international students. Institutions should develop comprehensive strategies that include deep understanding of countries and students choices.
Commentary
GLOBAL
International branch campuses continue to expand
William Lawton and Alex Katsomitros*
The number of international branch campuses continues to rise, and another growth spurt is expected in the next year. But the landscape is changing, in line with prevailing geopolitical currents.
GLOBAL
What is wrong with global inequality in higher education?
Elaine Unterhalter*
Global inequalities in higher education are routinely taken for granted. But justification for them is often based on neutral presuppositions and the social context is ignored. Naming these inequalities and questioning their foundations is important.
EUROPE
University mergers must be transparent, inclusive
Jani Ursin*
What makes for a successful university merger? The Finnish experience reveals that major challenges include handling mergers transparently and inclusively.
Features
THAILAND
Academics launch campaign against lèse majesté law
Suluck Lamubol
A group of academics, social activists, writers and students have launched a new campaign to push for amendments to Thailand’s draconian lèse majesté legislation in the hope of ending abuses of the law that they say violates the principle of free speech.
SENEGAL
Ongoing lecturer strikes threaten ‘lost year’
Mamadou Mika Lom
Lecturers at universities in Senegal have been observing 72-hour strikes since 7 December. And with issues far from resolved, many fear that the academic year is under serious threat.
AFRICA
Graduates self-immolate over lack of jobs
Wagdy Sawahel
Last Wednesday five jobless Moroccan university graduates set themselves alight in the capital Rabat, in protest against youth unemployment. It was the latest in a wave of horrific self-immolations that began with the December 2010 death of a young Tunisian vegetable vendor, which helped to spark the Arab uprisings.
News
CANADA
Huge pension shortfalls erode university budgets
Erin Millar
Facing staggering pension plan shortfalls, some Canadian universities are resorting to desperate measures including dipping into operating budgets and negotiating higher employee contribution rates.
SRI LANKA
Private universities bill halted, for now
Dinesh De Alwis
INDIA
Overseas education plans hit by currency woes
Alya Mishra
NORWAY
Mass killer tells of US diploma racket
Jan Petter Myklebust
SWEDEN
'Balance' rules hit Danish exchanges
Jan Petter Myklebust
PAKISTAN
New era for research collaboration with India
Ameen Amjad Khan
ITALY
Chinese university to open branch in Florence
Lee Adendorff
GERMANY
Centre to train Islamic scholars opens
EGYPT
German technical university launches branch campus
Wagdy Sawahel
KENYA
Bogus colleges crackdown, 21 managers charged
Gilbert Nganga
MAURITIUS
Vice-chancellor’s resignation sparks controversy
Guillaume Gouges
UAE
Universities form council to lobby support
Wagdy Sawahel
World Round-up
ASIA
Asian countries collectively top US R&D spend
UNITED STATES
State funding for top universities dropped by 20%
FRANCE
Barrier lifted to jobs for foreign graduates
CHINA
Taiwan relaxes rule for mainland students
UNITED KINGDOM
One-sixth of UK degree students study abroad
EGYPT
Scholars struggle to protect history amid violence
CHILE
Universities lower admission standards
AUSTRALIA
Universities take on low-scoring students
UNITED STATES
Applications slow down at top universities
RUSSIA
Putin praises ‘educational revolution’
UAE
Free-zone degrees accepted for government jobs
UNITED STATES
MIT expands its free online courses
UNITED STATES
Cracking open the scientific process
WALES
Funding body unveils plan to force down fees
UNITED KINGDOM
Calls for high pay clampdown to reach universities
INDIA
Ombudsman set to be in place next session
UNITED KINGDOM
Universities drop alternative medicine degrees
NIGERIA
Senate extends lecturer retirement age
UNITED KINGDOM
Female professorships reveal 'glass ceiling'
BOTSWANA
Tertiary education fund to be outsourced

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