MARKET NEWS BULLETIN:

28ST FEBRUARY – 13TH MARCH 2014

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Contents

Summary Section - UK

- USA and Canada

- Australia and New Zealand

- Asia

- International

Full Articles - UK

- USA and Canada

- Australia and New Zealand

- Asia

- International

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Summary Section

UK Back to top

Why International MBAs May Have A Tough Time Finding Jobs In UK – 28th February

International MBA students who want to work in the United Kingdom may have a hard time finding an employee to sponsor their work visa. Changes to the UK’s immigration laws mean that obtaining the right to stay in the UK is a more difficult process.

International student numbers collapse by a third – 3rd March The figures, produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed that the number of people migrating to the UK to study in the year to September 2013 stood at 176,000. This is down 30% on the peak figure of 246,000 in the year to 2011.

Hefce warning over overseas students and pensions – 5th March Slowing growth in international student numbers could have “a material impact on the sector”, while a financial blow from pensions could be looming.

Exclusive: University Ventures launches UK blended degree platform – 11th March

The US investment fund University Ventures (UV) has launched a new platform to help British universities take their degrees online.

USA and Canada Back to top

What Will It Take to Increase Study Abroad? – 28th February

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The Institute of International Education (IIE) wants hundreds of thousands more U.S. students to study abroad by the end of the decade. That's a tall order, even for an organization considered to be the leader in international education exchange.

Helping Foreign Students Thrive on U.S. Campuses – 2nd March Now that foreign students are on American campuses in large numbers, the conversation is shifting from recruitment strategies to questions about serving their needs.

US supports Mexico bid to boost bilateral exchange – 11th March

North American leaders have issued a joint statement via the White House lending their support to Mexico’s international education initiative, Proyecta 100,000, after it was discussed at the annual North American Leaders Summit (NALS) in Toluca, Mexico last month. However some commentators believe the trade-boosting talks between the US, Canada and Mexico did not go far enough on immigration change.

Universities Try a Cultural Bridge to Lure Foreign Students – 11th March

As the anthropology instructor engaged her class, a fault line quickly developed. American students answered and asked questions, even offered opinions, but the foreigners — half the class, most from China — sat in silence.

Australia and New Zealand Back to top

International student campaign in Australia brings awareness to visa rules – 4th March

Overseas students in Australia are being reminded that if their visa runs out before they have completed their studies they must extend it in advance.

NZ universities rank among the world's best – 9th March Five of our eight universities have been named in Times Higher Education list of the top 50 international universities.

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Asia Back to top

Canada invites Indian students to their universities – 28th February

Demands for Indian students are increasing as most of the universities from various countries are opening way for Indian students and Canada is among them. Canada is inviting more Indian students to their university as well as sending their students to India.

International Back to top

Improving conditions for foreign students, researchers – 28th February

The European Union Parliament last week supported draft rules that will offer ‘talented’ non-European international students and researchers improved living and working conditions. The aim is to boost the ability of member countries to attract the world’s finest minds.

Education World Forum 2014 – 11th March The Education World Forum, held in London from 19-22 January 2014, is the largest annual gathering of international education ministers. Supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for International Development and the British Council, it built on ten previous annual Moving Young Minds and Learning and Technology World Forum events.

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Full Articles

UK Back to top

Why International MBAs May Have A Tough Time Finding Jobs In UK

By Seb Murray – Business Because – 28th February http://www.businessbecause.com/news/mba-careers/2413/why-international-mbas-may-

have-tough-time-finding-jobs-uk International MBA students who want to work in the United Kingdom may have a hard time finding an employee to sponsor their work visa. Changes to the UK’s immigration laws mean that obtaining the right to stay in the UK is a more difficult process. For students from outside the European Economic Area, it is even more so. But business schools and MBA employers are finding ways to adapt. And students shouldn’t be put off working in the UK Before the Government abolished the Tier 1 post-study work visa in April 2013, non-EEA graduates who had studied in the UK had the opportunity to stay in the country and seek work for a further two years after completing their studies. Now, MBA graduates face a more arduous task. “It is more challenging for international students since the post study work visa was removed. MBAs are now being treated the same as undergrads, and there is a lack of knowledge among employers about what is involved in sponsoring,” says Clare Astley, Cass Business School’s MBA Professional Development Manager. Those who finish business school this year can only apply for a Tier 2 visa or a Tier 5 temporary worker visa – although entrepreneurs can apply for a Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur visa, which allows them to work in the UK for one year, with an extension option available. The problem that MBAs face is that they must have a firm job offer from an employer that is a UKBA licensed sponsor to obtain a Tier 2 visa. And there are only about 27,000 UK-based companies which are licensed to provide them, out of the 4.9 million businesses currently operating in the UK. Tier 5 visas are temporary, and you must leave the UK altogether and apply from abroad. Most of them are also limited to 12 months.

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A House of Lords Select Committee inquiry was recently launched into the changes to immigration policy. EEF, one of the largest industry bodies in the UK, lambasted the policy as “unreasonable". And it is preventing some companies hiring graduates from outside the EEA, says Tim Thomas, EEF's head of employment and skills policy. “Government policy should not unreasonably restrict employers' ability to access this talent pool; however industry fears that current migration policy is doing just that,” he said in a press release “[They] must work harder to remove the hurdles employers face when recruiting international graduates, giving businesses simple, easy access to skills they desperately need.” Employers have to work hard to help international MBAs obtain visas, says Vladimir Brenner, a Russian MBA graduate of the University of Bath School of Management who was hired by Intel last year, after the changes came into force. “Realistically it is extremely difficult to land a job without the right to work in the UK. And it’s the willingness of the corporation to take an extra step [that makes a difference],” he says. It wouldn’t have been possible to land his job after the visa changes without that support, Vlad says. “I don’t think I can recall many people who stayed in the UK without the work permit,” he says. He thinks that it is essential for MBAs to complete work placements and internships before applying for a visa. Colin Hudson, Director of Career Development at Cranfield School of Management, agrees. “Those who are most likely to succeed in getting a role in the UK are those who are most proactive from the very start of their MBA, and who develop a clear target and action plan early in their program,” he says. Although most UK schools have high MBA employment statistics, Andy Bagshaw, the Lancaster University Management School’s MBA Career Relationship Manager, says that there has been a decline in their international graduates securing work. “It is difficult for international students to secure full-time work in UK-based companies, but we do actively promote the students to companies,” he says. Tripp Martin, MBA Careers Adviser at Aston Business School, another top-ranking school in the UK, agrees. He says that an international MBA student last year didn’t get a single reply from more than 20 companies they applied to, until they changed their CV to say that they had a right to work in the UK. “Only about 45 per cent of the companies at one of the biggest UK careers fairs sponsored visas, and even that number is a bit high. Most companies that approach me looking for MBAs are seeking candidates who have a right to work in the UK already,” Tripp says.

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But there are many MBA employers who want to hire international graduates. Wendy Sleet, an Executive Recruitment Manager at Admiral Insurance, says that the new visa laws do not put the company off hiring international MBAs. “It’s not a simple process; it’s fiddly and time consuming but it’s not difficult,” she says. “And it wouldn’t put us off hiring international students. We have a great team of lawyers and we can provide documents ready for visa applications to be made.” Melanie Colledge, a Graduate Manager at Merlin Entertainments Group, agrees. They hire MBAs from Warwick Business School, which is based in the UK. “International students provide us with an excellent resource to help us with our global growth strategy, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region,” she says. “Recruiting international students has enabled us to bring in fresh, new talent who are able to help us understand our customers better in new and emerging markets.” Ify Okolie, a Quality Manager at Fish4Dogs in the UK, says that the more diverse the workforce, the better the quality of solutions they can provide. “International students bring individual talents and experiences, enabling new ideas to be created. They offer employers a range of skills and experience which can help companies expand their presence in countries outside of the UK,” he says. Nikita Knyazev, a Russian SAP Associate at PwC UK, says that international students can provide bilingual qualities. “[Sometimes] there are projects where clients want Russian-speaking people. And being Russian is an advantage both in terms of the language, and in knowing how business is done in Russia and neighbouring countries,” he says. Many companies have had to adapt their MBA hiring strategies. Admiral, for example, has switched from a third-party recruitment agency to an internal process, says Wendy. “We wanted to be closer to what was happening and understand what the border agency is expecting. And we can only do that by dealing with it on a day to day basis,” she explains. Admiral hires predominantly from INSEAD Business School, but the company is happy to take international graduates from around the world, Wendy says. “We’re happy to look at international candidates because we want the best people, even if they don’t happen to live or work within the European Economic Area,” she says. “When they present themselves we can look for an opportunity to find a sponsorship. If other companies don’t do that then there’s more candidates for us to hire. “ Business schools have responded too. Lancaster’s MBA students, for example, benefit from external visa specialists and the school provides UK-specific advice for students developing CVs and applications, says Andy.

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Aston has an internal visa team in their student support center, The Hub. The school has various networking sessions and MBA projects hosted by top UK employers including IBM, Deutsche Bank and Jaguar, says Tripp. Colin from Cranfield says that they invite their MBA students to watch visa-related webinars and provide visa information-packs. “While many organisations have improved on this [hiring], international students still feel the strain. So we are always seeking new avenues for raising awareness,” he says. What is essential, of course, is partnering with employers. Bath has ties with MBA recruiters at Intel and Admiral who come into the school and work closely with the careers department. Clare from Cass says that it’s important to educate MBA recruiters. “We continue to educate employers about the visa requirements of our students and the fact they do not need to complete a labour market test to sponsor,” she says. “Non-EU students at Cass can work full-time over the summer to gain some UK work experience, and leverage this to get a permanent sponsored role.” But Colin says there is still reluctance among UK employers to take on international MBAs. “While many organisations have improved on this, there is still a degree of reluctance from UK recruiters to embrace the visa process for strong candidates, rather than only considering UK nationals,” he says. To address this problem, Admiral has begun hiring international MBA students for short-term internships, says Wendy. “We used to use a project-work approach, but this is the first time we have offered internship opportunities. Providing that all goes well then that could offer us an opportunity to broaden that approach,” she says. But internships will not guarantee MBA jobs and work visas. While they are important for internationals, what is equally as important is persistence, says Bath MBA graduate Vlad. He landed a summer internship at Intel before being hired as a Finance Pricing Specialist on a full-time basis. “Try as hard as you can to get an internship which allows you to learn over the summer. And over those three months you will have the best possible chance to showcase your skills to a potential employer,” he says. The UK Government has made it much more difficult for international MBAs, no doubt. But the long process is worth it in the end, adds Vlad. “I cannot see many other routes to securing a work permit. Other than getting married, of course.”

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International student numbers collapse by a third

By (Not stated) – Education Investor – 3rd March http://www.educationinvestor.co.uk/(X(1)A(Nr6UhHhtzwEkAAAANTcyZGMzMjQtOWZiYS00ZmE3LWJmZTEtZGRlYTM5Y2I0NzA0H6xqWV0PseTzROiyDjkN4u0GWK41)S(viojkfzudpw

gpiiy1yrhqk55))/ShowArticleNews.aspx?ID=3763 International student numbers have fallen by a third since their 2011 peak, figures published last week have revealed. The figures, produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed that the number of people migrating to the UK to study in the year to September 2013 stood at 176,000. This is down 30% on the peak figure of 246,000 in the year to 2011. Meanwhile, the number of student visas issued fell by 32%: from 320,000 in the year to June 2010, to 219,000 in the year to December 2013. The latter figure is actually 4% up on the number issued the previous year. The increase was driven by a 7% increase in the number of applications to universities. But the number of visas issued for students at English language schools and independent schools fell by 2% apiece, while those issued to further education (FE) students fell by 33%. The combined figures also masked differences in the number of visas being issued to students from different regions. Visas granted to students from the Pakistan and India collapsed, by 55% and 21% respectively . In contrast, the number of students from Latin America, and Asia started to improve, with the main beneficiaries including China (up 9%), Malaysia (up 24%), and Brazil (up 147%). There was also a 14% increase in student visitor visas, under which students must return home immediately after their study ends. They remain a small proportion of overall visas (77,664), and the total number is calculated separately from standard visas distributed. Net migration overall rose by 33%, to 212,000, and for the first time since 2009 work overtook study as the main reason for migration to the UK.

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Hefce warning over overseas students and pensions

By John Morgan – Times Higher Education – 5th March http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/hefce-warning-over-overseas-students-and-

pensions/2011865.article The Higher Education Funding Council for England’s annual report on the ‘Financial health of the higher education sector’, based on 2012-13 results and 2013-14 forecasts, also predicts that the abolition of student number controls will widen the financial gap between individual universities. Overseas student numbers across all years of study in English higher education institutions grew by 1.2 per cent in 2012-13, compared with 4.6 per cent in 2011-12, says the report, published on 4 March. Universities fear that the government’s tightening of the visa regime has deterred overseas students from coming to the UK. Hefce says in the report: “In terms of overseas student recruitment, the latest data for 2012-13 and 2013-14 indicate a slowing of growth in the numbers of overseas students recruited by the sector, compared to recent years, which could make plans for income growth more difficult to achieve. “This could have a material impact on the sector as overseas fee income represents a significant source of income for many institutions.” Hefce also notes that the increase in home/European Union student numbers in 2014-15 and the abolition of quotas in 2015-16, announced by George Osborne in his autumn statement, will have financial impacts. Institutions “will face increasing levels of uncertainty over student recruitment, with some institutions being more successful in attracting students than others. This could lead to greater volatility of financial forecasting and a widening of institutional financial performance in the coming years,” Hefce says. The report also says that “a new requirement on institutions to include pension scheme liabilities” for multi-employer funds such as the Universities Superannuation Scheme “will have a significant impact on the financial plans and performance of institutions in future”. The deficit of the USS, used by pre-1992 universities, stood at £7.9 billion in June 2013, the report notes. Hefce adds that this “indicates that sector reserves could be significantly overstated, depending on the value of the USS deficit”.

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It continues: “Confidence levels in the financial strength of the sector may be impacted by the inclusion of USS deficits on institutions’ balance sheets.” The English sector’s income grew to £24.3 billion in 2012-13, up from £23.3 billion the previous year. Forecast income for 2013-14 is £25.3 billion. However, the sector’s operating surplus as a percentage of total income fell from 4.2 per cent to 3.9 per cent in 2012-13. And the collective surplus is forecast to be 2.2 per cent in 2013-14.

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Exclusive: University Ventures launches UK blended degree platform

By (Not stated) – Education Investor – 11th March http://www.educationinvestor.co.uk/(X(1)A(i3-

6Od9zzwEkAAAAMDg4ZmIyMTUtNjIzZC00M2QyLWJiYzQtZDRlYWI0MzU3NjQyV0OQcNYon3uFlHq3h23kg4OZd4s1)S(lw3p0s55onwwfn55t3es1445))/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=3789

The US investment fund University Ventures (UV) has launched a new platform to help British universities take their degrees online. International Higher Education Partnerships will allow British institutions to run their own blended master’s courses. These would be studied online and on campus, or at “regional hubs” set up by the firm. Chief executive Geoff Webster, formerly a group strategy director at INTO University Partnerships, said he was in discussions with a number of potential partners. “We’ve got the private capital of University Ventures behind us,” he told EducationInvestor. “Now we’re going to get out in front of the sector and see who’s interested.” Like most enablement companies the firm will handle tasks like lead generation, marketing and pastoral support, while its university partners oversee content and quality. It says it will be competing with US businesses like Laureate and Academic Partnerships, which pitch similar products in the UK. UV invests solely in higher education projects and will fund the venture. It has previously backed St George’s University of London’s medical programme in Cyprus, and counts publisher Bertelsmann as a major investor.

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USA and Canada Back to top

What Will It Take to Increase Study Abroad?

By Stacie Nevadomski Berdan – Huffington Post – 28th February http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stacie-nevadomski-berdan/what-will-it-take-to-study-

abroad_b_4875649.html The Institute of International Education (IIE) wants hundreds of thousands more U.S. students to study abroad by the end of the decade. That's a tall order, even for an organization considered to be the leader in international education exchange. With the launch of Generation Study Abroad, a five-year initiative that seeks to build a coalition of leaders in education, business and government, IIE has set an ambitious goal of doubling the number of U.S. students studying abroad from 295,000 (Open Doors 2011/12) to 600,000. A brand new campaign logo was revealed to launch the kickoff. On one hand, it doesn't sound like that many students. After all, 2.6 million students graduate with baccalaureate or associates degrees every year; another 300,000 increases the total from 10 percent to 20-25 percent or so (if the current number of enrolled students remains the same). But the number of students who study abroad at some point in their undergraduate academic career has only been rising in the low-single digits over the past decade. If the current rate of increase were maintained, it would take nearly 20 years to reach 600,000. How will the Generation Study Abroad initiative accelerate the process? Daniel Obst, Deputy Vice President of International Partnerships at the Institute of International Education (IIE), admits it's an ambitious goal and he recognizes that IIE can't do it alone. He and his colleagues believe that it's up to a much broader group -- education, private sector and government -- to better prepare the coming generations for the interconnected global world. Obst, a native of Germany, knows first-hand the value of study abroad having studied in the U.S. and UK and now works in NYC -- he is passionate about the need for study abroad. "By creating and leading a coalition of diverse yet like-minded players, Generation Study Abroad plans to effect change on a national scale so that study abroad will eventually be viewed as - and become -- an essential component of the college experience," says Obst. "Generation Study Abroad will work to change the culture around study abroad so that the question is not whether a student will study abroad, but rather when and how." Obst points out that although Generation Study Abroad is leading the charge, it welcomes educators at all levels and stakeholders in both the public and private sector to work with it, and clarifies that Generation Study Abroad is not prescriptive in its approach.

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"Early on in the process, we wanted to ask every institution to double its numbers," says Obst. "But we quickly realized that each institution has its own set of challenges, and it would be much more productive if we let them set their own goals." IIE's strategy seems to be working. In just a few weeks, more than 160 higher education institutions from 41 U.S. states have already signed the Generation Study Abroad Commitment, including large state and private universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges and historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions. And according to Obst, "New pledges are coming in almost every day." In addition, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, key higher education associations and study abroad provider organizations, and eight foreign governments or national exchange agencies (represented by China, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Norway, Spain and UK) have also pledged to support the goals of the initiative. All commitment partners are invited to display the new campaign logo on their website. Once they hit their pledge, they will receive a Generation Study Abroad badge to display as well. But even if hundreds more join the commitment, how will Generation Study Abroad achieve double-digit growth? It's useful to go back to the numbers, which Obst did, and offered the following projected scenarios:

Given the large representation (37 percent) of "medium-size" study abroad institutions (sending 100-499 students), and assuming that most of these institutions already have an internal infrastructure to promote and support study abroad, medium-size institutions have the greatest potential to increase study abroad in a substantial way. If these institutions double the number of study abroad students, that would generate an additional 100,000 participants.

There are approximately 1,100 community colleges in the United States. If every community college sent 36 students abroad (which is the Open Doors average for community college study abroad), that would generate an additional 40,000 participants.

Public institutions have 56-78 percent fewer study abroad students on average than do private not-for-profit institutions of a comparable size. If public institutions matched the average number of study abroad students of private not-for-profit institutions, that would generate an additional 270,000 participants.

Approximately 89 percent of Open Doors respondents have undergraduate study abroad participation rates below 50 percent. Those institutions account for 80 percent of all undergraduates who study abroad. If all institutions with undergraduate participation rates lower than 50 percent double their study abroad students, that would generate an additional 180,000 participants.

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These projections are impressive and illustrate that IIE is thinking creatively in terms of solutions. But the commitment partners also need to do the same in order to "shift the paradigm" in the way study abroad is viewed so as to actually make it an integral part of an undergraduate degree. This includes addressing the issue of cost, which was cited as the number one reason by students for not going abroad in the research I conducted when writing A Student Guide to Study Abroad. It also requires dealing with the issue of coursework, making it easier for students to go abroad and transfer credits, even if that means students are going on (often much cheaper) reputable programs not directly affiliated with the campus. The lack of diversity needs also to be addressed head on. Study abroad is not just for Caucasian women, by far the largest demographic group who go abroad; study abroad should be available for all students, and that's going to take some work. According to Obst, "IIE wants to ensure that every student -- no matter his or her race or ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender or academic major -- has the opportunity to study abroad." He adds, "We know we face difficult challenges, but we will work with our commitment partners to develop innovative ways to do so and then share these best practices across the board." Some of the institutional commitments already made include:

The University of Cincinnati committed to raise its annual fundraising target for study abroad from $467,000 to $1.3 million per year over the next five years.

Miami University of Ohio committed to undertake a $3 million study abroad scholarship campaign in collaboration with its advancement office.

The Ohio State University committed to implementing a new study abroad registration/budget model which directs study abroad revenues to the colleges, thereby providing additional incentives for course integration.

Texas Tech University committed to more effective curriculum integration by implementing an equivalency table to remove doubt regarding course approval.

Millikin University will encourage departments to introduce new minors where students can earn all (or most) of their credits during their time abroad in order to help overcome the barrier of students not pursuing study abroad for fear of "losing a semester".

North Dakota State University will expand underrepresented student participation (veterans, athletes, STEM majors, first-generation students) in study abroad to match campus demographics.

The saying "a rising tide lifts all boats" seems to accurately exemplify what IIE is doing with its Generation Study Abroad initiative, and it deserves credit for building a coalition in what can be a fiercely competitive industry. Instead of commissioning a study or simply telling institutions what to do, Generation Study Abroad has issued a public call to action, challenging all types of organizations to better prepare young people for the future. The goal is ambitious, yes, but it looks like they have what it takes to accomplish it. I'll certainly be rooting for them.

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Helping Foreign Students Thrive on U.S. Campuses

By Karin Fischer – The New York Times – 2nd March http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/americas/helping-foreign-students-thrive-on-us-

campuses.html?hpw&rref=education&_r=0

In recent years, the discussion on international students in the United States has largely been about how to best recruit talented students from overseas. That may be changing. Now that foreign students are on American campuses in large numbers, the conversation is shifting from recruitment strategies to questions about serving their needs. National data on international-student retention and satisfaction is scarce. But two studies presented at last month’s annual meeting of the Association of International Education Administrators may shed some light on those issues. One study, by C.K. Kwai, director of international programs at the University of Maine at Orono, examined what factors contributed to the retention of foreign undergraduates in two Midwestern university systems. Mr. Kwai looked at several factors, including academic performance, integration into campus life and students’ schooling and experience before reaching the United States. Just three of the factors that Mr. Kwai tested had a statistically significant and positive effect on student retention: grade-point average in the spring semester of the freshman year, the number of credit hours attempted (students who took heavier course loads, up to a point, were more likely to continue in their degree programs) and on-campus employment. That two of the factors were academic is significant, Mr. Kwai said, since it suggests that good early academic advising could improve international student success. As for why campus employment would matter, Mr. Kwai hypothesized that having a job could make a student feel more a part of the institution. Notably, however, Mr. Kwai’s results indicated that English-language skill was not a significant factor in foreign-student retention, at least as measured by performance on standardized English-proficiency examinations. That finding seemed to contradict recent concerns that poor language skills, particularly among undergraduates from countries like China, were hampering students’ ability to succeed academically and culturally on American campuses. But after the session Mr. Kwai cautioned that educators ought not to read too much into the seeming lack of connection between performance on English-language exams and retention. He noted a complaint by both international administrators and classroom teachers that such exams were often a better measure of test-taking ability than English skill, especially in countries with traditions of strong test preparation.

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Nafsa: Association of International Educators, a nonprofit organization for international education professionals, is working with World Education Services, another nonprofit group that researches international student issues, to conduct a national study on the factors that contribute to foreign-student retention and success. The findings will be released this year. Mr. Kwai’s co-presenter, David L. Di Maria, director of international programs and services at Kent State University, explored the attitudes toward foreign students of staff members in student-affairs offices at five Ohio public universities. Staff members in offices like residence life, student counseling and career services often are asked to work closely with international students but do not have specific training to meet their needs. In fact, half of the respondents to Mr. Di Maria’s survey said they felt unprepared to work with this growing group of students and 90 percent said they wanted more training. As many as 64 percent said their offices were not doing anything specifically to accommodate the foreign student population. The message, Mr. Di Maria said, is: “Yes, international students have unique needs, but we’re not prepared to provide unique services.” At Kent State, Mr. Di Maria has set up an international-students advisory committee to catch issues “before they snowball.” His office also is trying to provide better training for both faculty and staff members in working with international students. As the foreign-student market begins to mature, the conversation among international educators is naturally shifting from recruitment strategies to retention, Mr. Di Maria said. Ensuring that international students enjoy their time on American campuses and succeed academically is important to continuing recruitment, he noted, adding: “The best recruitment strategy is a good retention strategy.”

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US supports Mexico bid to boost bilateral exchange

By Beckie Smith – The Pie News – 11th March http://thepienews.com/news/mexico-targets-100000-students-us-2018/

North American leaders have issued a joint statement via the White House lending their support to Mexico’s international education initiative, Proyecta 100,000, after it was discussed at the annual North American Leaders Summit (NALS) in Toluca, Mexico last month. However some commentators believe the trade-boosting talks between the US, Canada and Mexico did not go far enough on immigration change. Mexico has embarked on an ambitious strategy to boost the number of students it sends to the USA each year to 100,000 by 2018 and is hoping that various proposals to ease student exchange can help it achieve its aims. Proyecta 100,000, which also aims to increase the number of US students in Mexico to 50,000, aims to double the number of Mexican international students enrolled at US colleges to 27,000 this year, increasing the number every year thereafter. There are currently 13,893 Mexican students studying abroad on accredited US higher education programmes, and just 4,167 US international students in Mexico, according to Institute of International Education statistics. Mexico’s initiative was published in September 2013 by the Bilateral Forum on Higher Education Innovation and Research (FOBESII), which was set up by Mexico and US Presidents Enrique Peña Nieto and Barack Obama to propose initiatives for bilateral cooperation and policy coordination. Via FOBESII, Mexico and the US plan a number of measures to overcome specific barriers to student mobility, including visa processing and tuition fee gaps. One proposal is a reciprocal agreement whereby Mexican students will be eligible for In-State Tuition at some US institutions and vice versa. Another is that Mexican students can study on a J visa which can be swifter to be issued than an F-1 or M-1. Other measures include increasing English tuition at elementary level and encouraging higher education institutions to teach some core major subjects in English within Mexico. Proyecta 100,000 would “contribute decisively” to the US government’s ’100,000 Strong in the Americas’ initiative, which aims to boost student mobility between the US and Latin America, the document states. “The potential to develop cooperation in higher education, innovation and research to benefit citizens of both countries must be seized,” it adds.

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After the NALS event in President Enrique Pena Nieto’s hometown, a statement was issued from the three participant countries that said, “We commit to increase the number of student exchanges from within the region in our respective higher education systems, in line with the United States’ 100,000 Strong in the Americas Initiative, Mexico’s Proyecta 100,000, and Canada’s International Education Strategy.” No further detail however was given on specific proposals made in last year’s document.

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Universities Try a Cultural Bridge to Lure Foreign Students

By Richard Perez-Pena – The New York Times – 11th March http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/12/education/universities-try-a-cultural-bridge-to-lure-

foreign-students.html?ref=richardperezpena&_r=0 As the anthropology instructor engaged her class, a fault line quickly developed. American students answered and asked questions, even offered opinions, but the foreigners — half the class, most from China — sat in silence. It became clear that some had understood little of the lecture here at Oregon State University and were not ready to be enrolled. In fact, they are not, at least not yet. Instead, those students fit into a fast-growing and lucrative niche in higher education, of efforts to increase enrollment of foreigners with transitional programs to bridge the cultural divide — often a chasm — between what it means to be a college student in their own countries and in the United States. Oregon State’s program, a joint venture with a private company, Into University Partnerships, prepares students to move into the university’s mainstream after a year, as Oregon State sophomores. Colleges want, and increasingly need, more foreign students, not only for high-minded reasons, but also because foreigners generally pay full price. Recruitment from overseas is a rare and increasingly important financial bright spot at a time when state support for higher education has dropped to historic lows, research grants are declining, consumers are objecting to tuition increases, and the supply of college-age Americans is stagnant. “It is a wonderful source of revenue,” said Sabah U. Randhawa, Oregon State’s provost. “It helps us afford to admit more resident students, offer them more aid, expand the faculty and infrastructure.” The university’s joint venture, called Into Oregon State, has about 1,400 students, most from China and most studying engineering. Dr. Randhawa wants to expand it significantly, in part, he said, “because we want more academic and national diversity, and because engineering is an expensive discipline.” English is just one of numerous challenges for the foreigners that must be addressed in the transition year. Many say they are used to classes in which only the teachers speak, they do not call on students, students have few choices about what work they will do, and grades are based entirely on a few written exams. “This tradition of class discussion and activities is very strange to us,” said Yuqi Zhang, a student from China. A recently arrived South Korean student, Min Jae Lee, said, “In American university, student is free, study attitude is free.”

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Even taking notes can be an obstacle in a class taught in English, with frequent digressions that can make it harder to extract the central points. Instructors and students say that in many cultures, students are largely expected to repeat information given by the authorities, and they have to learn Western views of plagiarism and attribution. Into Oregon State has a 12-person student care team that offers workshops and personal counseling on cultural issues that go far beyond the academic: dating etiquette, notions of personal space and privacy, driving and drinking laws, attitudes toward mental health, body language, and standards of interaction with peers, faculty members or even, if needed, the police. The most prestigious American schools have no shortage of foreign applicants and have their pick of the best. But most colleges and universities are relatively unknown worldwide and lack the resources to do overseas recruiting. And while the supply of students abroad who want an American education is immense, the number who are actually prepared for it is much more limited. A number of for-profit companies have stepped into that breach, offering recruitment services or college preparatory boot camps, but a handful offer something more ambitious, working with American colleges to create bridge programs for foreigners, a more common practice in Britain and Australia. Six years ago, there were no programs of that kind in the United States, but now at least 15 American universities have them, working with companies like Into and Study Group, both based in Britain; Navitas, an Australian company; and Kaplan Inc., with more scheduled to come on line. The trend of colleges’ hiring private companies for new functions has been underway for decades. Few colleges, for example, run their own dining halls anymore, and many campus bookstores have become outposts of national chains. “But this is an additional leap because it’s much closer to our core mission,” said Peter N. Stearns, provost of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., which recently announced an agreement with Into. He and other administrators say universities have moved cautiously with this particular strain of outsourcing, worried about ceding control of curriculum or admissions, or watering down either academics or the caliber of the student body. “Into approached us five years ago, but we decided to build our own program, which in retrospect was probably a mistake,” Dr. Stearns said. “We’re pleased with what we’ve got, but it’s small, 125 students. We want to do it on a much bigger scale, and we’ve come to the conclusion that we can’t.” The private companies have recruitment operations around the world, so they can find students, screen them for quality, direct them to Western schools they might not have heard of, and provide support services on campus. The programs vary in structure, duration and revenue-sharing arrangements. In Into’s program, the universities control the academic side, providing the curriculum and employing the professors, and the students attend for at least a full academic year before enrolling in the university.

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At Into Oregon State, some students are just studying English, while others are heading to graduate school, but most intend to enroll as undergraduates. The university decides whether they have performed well enough to make that transition. Most do. The foreign students take courses that a domestic freshman might take, but with a twist. Irene Rolston, for example, teaches several sections of Comparative Cultures, some with only Oregon State students, and some where about half the students are in the Into program. In the mixed classes, she is helped by language instructors who also work with the foreign students outside class on their English skills. Students in the Into program pay slightly more than the usual price charged to non-Oregonians, which is roughly $34,000 this year for tuition, fees, room and board. Once they enroll in the university at large, they pay the standard out-of-state charges. Before the program began, Oregon State had about 900 international students, fewer than half of them undergraduates, out of more than 20,000. That figure has more than doubled and continues to rise. The next goal is a big increase in the number of Oregon State students who study abroad, said Dr. Randhawa, the provost. “I think it’s absolutely critical for folks to know different cultures and understand the world,” he said. “To me, this is more important in the long haul than any discipline they learn.”

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International student campaign in Australia brings awareness to visa rules

By Ray Clancy – Australia Forum – 4th March http://www.australiaforum.com/information/australia/international-student-campaign-in-

australia-brings-awareness-to-visa-rules.html Overseas students in Australia are being reminded that if their visa runs out before they have completed their studies they must extend it in advance. As part of a major campaign to make sure foreign students are aware of strict visa rules, the Department of Immigration and Border Protection has issued a case study of how easy it is to make sure you don’t encounter visa problems. Shuxia from India applied for her visa to do a package course leading to a bachelor degree and was looking forward to living away from home for the first time and studying in Australia. While studying for an ELICOS language course she spent too much time enjoying her new life in Australia and did not pass the course so had to retake the course before going on to her diploma course. By the time Shuxia passed the ELICOS course and began studying her advanced diploma, she started to take her study more seriously but then she realised that her student visa would cease before she would be able to finish her bachelor degree. Two months before her visa expired, Shuxia went to the immigration website to find out about making an application for another student visa. She found a calculator which told her how much her visa would cost her and she completed an application. She was granted a bridging visa A so that if her current visa ceased before her application was finalised, she could lawfully stay in Australia until the immigration department made a decision about her visa application. After providing documentation to show her progress at university was good, Shuxia was granted her subclass 573 student visa and was able to finish her bachelor degree. The DIBP is also reminding international students that if they are having personal difficulties while they are studying they should seek help, initially from a student advisor. Another student, Swati successfully completed a Certificate IV in Business and applied for a second visa, a subclass 573 student visa to study a Bachelor in Management course.

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A week before she was due to start her management degree, she received a call from her father telling her that mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Swati was upset and worried about her mother and wanted to return home but her father insisted she continue her studies in Australia. Swati tried hard to continue with her studies but she could not concentrate because she was so upset. Swati’s course attendance started to decline, until she was too upset to attend her course at all and as a result received a warning letter from the university advising that her course progress was not adequate and she risked being reported. This made her even more depressed. Eventually she went to see a student advisor who suggested she speak to her doctor who at referred her to a psychologist who diagnosed depression. Swati wanted to feel better before continuing her studies. She took her documentation from the doctor and psychologist to the student advisor and she was granted a six month deferral on the grounds of compassionate circumstances. This allowed her to return to India and she returned to Australia five and half months later and resumed her course.

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NZ universities rank among the world's best

By Carla Penman – News Talk ZB – 9th March http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/auckland/news/nbedu/406112802-nz-universities-rank-among-

the-world-s-best New Zealand has been deemed one of the world's best destinations for international students and teachers to pursue tertiary studies. Five of our eight universities have been named in Times Higher Education list of the top 50 international universities. Auckland University and Canterbury University have been jointly ranked at 19. Universities New Zealand chair Professor Roy Crawford says they have known for some time that New Zealand universities work well with other universities around the world. "This is the first time that there's been a world ranking with internationalisation and it's very pleasing that we've done so well." Professor Crawford says it's a huge achievement, especially when you consider there are 17,000 universities worldwide. As one of the world's most geographically isolated countries, and with one of the lowest funding per student for OECD countries, he says we are always having to work hard to maintain a strong profile overseas.

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Asia Back to top

Canada invites Indian students to their universities

By (Not stated) – India Today – 28th February http://indiatoday.intoday.in/education/story/indian-students-demand-increases-in-

canada/1/346063.html Demands for Indian students are increasing as most of the universities from various countries are opening way for Indian students and Canada is among them. Canada is inviting more Indian students to their university as well as sending their students to India. According to reports, Indian students hold second position of international students in Canada, which has witnessed four-time increase from 2008. Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, David Johnston has stated that by 2020, double number of Canadian students will be going abroad to study. According to Johnston, they are also seeing Joint research collaborations between the two nations. Stewart Beck, High Commissioner for Canada to India said that there are world class institutions which are as good as universities back home. According to sources, Canadian educational institutions have signed over 400 MoUs with Indian universities and institutions. Education, which is Canada's revenue from international students, is valued at over $6 billion. Also, IDP Education, the world's leading student placement service provider and co-owner of IELTS examination, will be hosting the second edition of its multi-destination education fair in India from February 15 which will see over 40 universities, and colleges from the UK, U.S. and Canada hold dialogue with Indian students aspiring to pursue higher education in internationally acclaimed institutions.

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International Back to top

Improving conditions for foreign students, researchers

By Karen MacGregor – University World News – 28th February http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20140228122321595

The European Union Parliament last week supported draft rules that will offer ‘talented’ non-European international students and researchers improved living and working conditions. The aim is to boost the ability of member countries to attract the world’s finest minds. The draft rules were backed by parliament with 578 votes to 79 against and 21 abstentions – showing considerable support for a rule change that, it said in a press statement, “would also clarify entry and residence conditions”. The idea was to boost the long-term competitiveness of member states and to “create better conditions to make the EU more attractive to third-country nationals seeking opportunities to do research, study, take part in a student exchange, or do paid or unpaid training, voluntary service or au pairing”. On 25 February, parliament voted on its first reading of the draft legislation, which will be handed over to the next parliament, due to be elected in May. The new parliament will either build on the work done by the current sitting, or “start afresh”, the statement said. Competing for brains “Other countries in the world are doing a better job than we are in attracting competent and well-qualified workers. We often have complicated bureaucratic procedures,” said rapporteur Cecilia Wikström from Sweden. Simpler and clearer rules were needed to make the EU more attractive. “More foreign students and international exchanges would boost economic growth, promote innovation, create more jobs in the long-term and make our member states more competitive.” The EU spends 0.8% less of its gross domestic product on research and development than the United States and 1.5% less than Japan, according to the European Commission, “prompting many of the world’s best researchers and innovators to go there instead”, the statement said. Parliament voted to entitle people from outside the European Union to stay in the country in which they studied or conducted research for 18 months in order to seek work or set up a company. The European Commission had proposed an entitlement of 12 months.

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“Researchers' and students' family members would also have the right to stay and work for the same period,” said the statement. Researchers, students, trainees and volunteers would also have the right to move to other European Union countries and carry out activities there for up to six months. The draft rules propose a 30-day deadline for accepting or refusing visa applications – the commission had suggested 60 days – as well as for deciding on appeals against refusals. Fees charged for applications should “not be so excessive or disproportionate as to hinder the aims of the legislation”, and host institutions should reimburse fees paid by applicants. Moves towards greater internationalisation Although higher education is a responsibility of member countries, at the European level the commission, ministers and parliament have – in necessarily rather ponderous processes – been working to encourage higher education cooperation and internationalisation and to attract and retain highly skilled migrants. Among other actions, last November the European Union Council of Ministers issued a policy declaration that supported reforms to EU directives that would assist non-EU nationals to enter member states for research and studies. It urged countries to develop comprehensive programmes to make higher education more international in terms of student and staff mobility, curriculum development, and strategic cooperation, partnerships and capacity building. And the declaration called on states to promote international degree and credit mobility systems, provide assistance for academics to work abroad, and support “the recognition of credits, degrees, qualifications and competences gained abroad by internationally mobile students, researchers and staff”. Last July the commission launched a new strategy, European Higher Education in the World, pledging stronger policy and financial support for the internationalisation of higher education and calling on countries to use immigration rules to enhance rather than create obstacles to student and academic mobility. It stressed both the need to attract more foreign students to Europe, and to bolster the international dimension in higher education for the benefit of the 85% of European students who are not mobile. In 2005, concerned that Europe was losing out to competitors in attracting highly skilled migrants, the EU adopted the Scientific Visa, which was directly targeted at attracting foreign scientists and researchers. And in 2009 it produced the Blue Card to attract highly qualified foreign professionals.

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Education World Forum 2014

By (Not stated) – Digital Journal – 11th Match http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1783469

The Education World Forum, held in London from 19-22 January 2014, is the largest annual gathering of international education ministers. Supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Education, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for International Development and the British Council, it built on ten previous annual Moving Young Minds and Learning and Technology World Forum events. Over 90 countries were represented by ministers in attendance and the Forum brought together more than 500 delegates to address the event's themes, key issues and to share the education system challenges they face, the solutions they have found, their learning and the successes they have achieved. Education Ministers were joined by Deputy Prime Ministers and by leaders from global and international organisations including the World Bank, the OECD and UNESCO, as well as by senior representatives of international corporations with focus and commitment to education and its support. These corporations included HP, Intel, JPSaCouto, Microsoft, Pearson and Promethean. In addition Airwatch, Britannica, Cambridge International Examinations, Cambridge English, Cambridge University Press, Lego Education, Macat and Oxford University Press also supported the event. The pre-event programme included the launch of the partnership "New Pedagogies for Deeper Learning", Education Fast Forward's global debate "To school or not to school" and presentations explaining England's policies for schools, technical and vocational education and universities. The start of the main programme was heralded by the world premiere of "Give Me Wings" a specially commissioned anthem for the Education World Forum composed by Dr John Rutter CBE and performed by the Children's International Voices of Enfield Choir. Throughout the forum, a piece of artwork depicting map of the world, allowed Ministers to interact and indicate priorities for their own countries from the forum's themes. Also during the forum a second short film in the series, a Global Education Conversation captured personal views from Ministers and other participants about education's needs and trajectories. The film resulting edited film was shown first on 22 January, and both film and presentations are now available on the Education World Forum website, http://www.ewf2014.org. Education World Forum 2014 Forum Programme The programme comprised keynote addresses, Ministerial keynotes, Ministerial Exchanges as well as time and opportunities for networking and informal discussions. These networking opportunities included an official reception, hosted by Rt Hon William Hague MP, First Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and addressed by Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP, Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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Ministerial and other speakers at the event, listed in order of appearance included: Vicky Colbert, Founder and Director, Fundación Escuela Nueva, Colombia Ramji Raghavan, Chairman, Agastya International Foundation, India Mohammad Nuh, Minister of Education and Culture, Indonesia Andy Hurdle, Deputy Director of Behaviour, Attendance and Disadvantage Division, Education Standards Group, Department for Education, England Heather Miller, Deputy Director, Pathways to Higher Skills Unit, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, England Griff Jones, Senior Strategy Adviser, Higher Education Policy and Strategy Division, Department for Business Innovation and Skills, England Dominic Savage OBE, Director, Education World Forum Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Education, England Gavin Dykes, Programme Director, Education World Forum HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands David Aaronovitch, Chair, Education World Forum 2014 HE Paulo Sacadura, Cabral Portas, Deputy Prime Minister of Portugal Andreas Schleicher, Special Advisor on Education to the Secretary General, OECD Dr Maciej Jakubowski, Former Deputy Minister of National Education and Education Expert, Poland Jim Marshall, CEO Promethean Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi, Minister of Education and Skills Development, Botswana Sir Michael Barber, Chief Education Adviser, Pearson Professor Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Canada Anthony Salcito, Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector Education, Microsoft

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Honourable Minister Shri Pallam Raju, Minister of Human Resource Development, India Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Lynn Featherstone MP, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for International Development, UK Dr Elizabeth King, Vice President for Human Resource Development and Director of Education, The World Bank Professor Dmitry Livanov, Federal Minister of Education and Science, Russian Federation Vineamin Kaganov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, Russian Federation Dr Saleh Al-AMr on behalf of Dr Ali Al Ghafis, Governor, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Eduardo Briceno on behalf of Eduardo Jaén, Minister of Innovation, Republic of Panama John Davies, Vice President of the World Ahead Program, Intel Hon Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Minister of Education and Sport, Uganda Freddy Peñafiel, Deputy Minister of Education, Ecuador David Atchoarena, Director Planning and Development of Education Systems, UNESCO Gus Schmedlen, VP Global Industry Solutions Group, HP Karen Cator, CEO Digital Promise Eddie Hak-Kim Ng, Secretary for Education, Hong Kong Hon Adrian Piccoli MP, Minister for Education NSW, Australia Hon J Alan McIsaac, Minister for Education and Early Childhood Development, Prince Edward Island, Canada Mike Trucano, Senior ICT and Education Policy Specialist, The World Bank Miguel Brechner, President, Plan Centro Ceibal, Uruguay Mario Franco, Director, Millennium@edu, Portugal Tomi Davies, CEO at Technovision Communications, Nigeria

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Vera Costa Cabral, Sao Paolo, Brazil Angelina Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education, Republic of South Africa Rana Mashood Ahmed Khan, Minister for Education, Government of the Punjab, Pakistan Dr Leslie Conery, Partnership Director, Matuto: literacy partnership Professor Tim Unwin, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization Bertil Östberg, State Secretary for Education, National Ministry, Sweden Dr Anne Looney, Chief Executive, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Ireland Dr Michele Bruniges, Director General of Education and Communities NSW, Australia Professor Stefan Dercon, Chief Economist, Department for International Development, UK Rajay Naik, Director of Government and External Affairs, Open University, UK Marguerite Khasaka, Kenyatta University, Kenya Michael Furdyk, co-Founder, Taking IT Global, Canada Pere Torres Poblador, GSMA, Spain Alexa Joyce, European Schoolnet, Belgium Dr Pilvi Torsti, State Secretary for Education, Finland Alejandro Caballero, Senior Education Specialist, IFC, the World Bank Dr Barbara Kurshan, Executive Director of Academic Innovation, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, US Dr Stephan Vincent-Lancrin, Senior Analyst, OECD Felicity Gillespie, British Council Advisor, UK Agnetta Nyalita, Social Entrepreneur, South Africa Vlad Atanasiu, Founder - the alternative University of Bucharest, Romania Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated Photographer and Videographer, US

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Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science, England Sir Martin Davidson KCMG, Chief Executive, the British Council Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Malaysia Dr Aslan Sarinzhipov, Minister of Education and Science, Republic of Kazakhstan Pauline Rose, Director of Education for All Global Monitoring Report, UNESCO Luis Silveira Pinto, Director of Education Business Solutions, JPSa Couto Opening keynote Michael Gove's opening presentation reflected on the high standards demonstrated by the children in the choir singing the Education World Forum anthem saying that their performance should challenge the adults to do the same. He talked of celebrating London's diversity, the positive forces that global competition and collaboration can bring, and the importance of providing a good start in life to every child. Princess Laurentien built on Michael Gove's words, questioning whether we are doing enough when more than 300m children do not have the reading and writing skills they need to get ahead in life, and with 780m adults still illiterate. Her Royal Highness then questioned whether we do enough to listen to the views of children as we develop policy. Too often we focus on the supply side of what we say they need, rather than listening to their wishes, and addressing the demand side. Princess Laurentien explained how in the literacy project Matituto, strategies are being applied to ensure that both supply and demand are addressed and used to increase chances of success. It is perhaps worth reflecting that one of the purposes of Education Fast Forward debates, such as "To school or not to school" is to remove barriers between education policy makers, teachers and students, so that better crafted debates, understanding and policy can result. HE Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas linked education, foreign policy and economic development, citing Example as a collaborative way forward. Andreas Schleicher built on those links in his presentation "better skills, better lives and better jobs". Jim Marshall reinforced these links and Maciej Jakubowski explained Poland's strategies that led to PISA success.

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In subsequent sessions, there was discussion of the challenges for driving improvement in learning and in education. The case was ably made for the need to act now and to take advantage of the new opportunities that technology offers. A significant development in this area, could be said to be the degree to which technology could act in support of learning and education aims. The potential for countries with few resources, and those with many were explored and addressed through questions from participants and discussion by panels. Challenges associated with addressing youth employment were addressed, and the importance of increasing education's impact and reach was explored from different national and multinational viewpoints. Aside from the plenary sessions, and the private conversations that happened in the large and busy networking area of Central Hall, Ministerial Exchanges allowed discussion of particular issues in greater detail and in smaller groups. These Ministerial Exchanges included the following discussions:

Learning and technology developments in cities, states and provinces

1:1 learning projects

Reading, writing, numerical and digital literacy

Assessment

STEM and technology

Stimulating Innovating and Enterprise in Education The final plenary panel session brought speakers together to reflect on what needed to happen in education in the coming decade. Speakers looked at this area from national viewpoints, from a commercial perspective and from the perspective drawn from UNESCO's work on the Education for All Global Monitoring report. Looking globally there is still much that needs to be addressed. Perhaps a conclusion from the event as a whole is that, we are much more likely to make progress in addressing the education and learning needs in the world by acting together in partnerships and through collaboration. The Education World Forum is the largest gathering of education and skills ministers in the world and is the internationally recognised ministerial forum for debating future practice in education. The event is by official invitation only.

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