Bangor University has officially opened an office in Beijing, China with the launch being led by the University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor John G Hughes and including speeches by both the UK’s Ambassador to China, Sebastian Wood CMG and Director An Yuxiang of the Chinese Services Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE). The event also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CSCSE and Bangor University.

In his introduction Professor Hughes said “Bangor is well established as a destination of choice for Chinese students and China forms a key part of Bangor’s strategy to recruit 20% of its students from overseas.” However the underlying theme of the event was not one of recruitment but partnership, Bangor’s commitment to which was illustrated by the agreement with CSCSE that was signed at the same event. Professor Hughes said “Partnership is the way forward and that is not just in the terms of student recruitment and exchange but in areas such as research collaboration and quality assurance. These partnerships need to be underpinned by deep, trusting relationships and joint activities.” He went on to add “In my opinion the UK Education sector has a lot to learn from their Chinese counterparts. This new office and the MoU with CSCSE demonstrate Bangor’s intention to be at the forefront of this knowledge exchange.”

In his address Ambassador Wood took up the partnership theme saying, “The Prime Ministers of both China and the UK have recently confirmed their commitment to a ‘Partnership for Growth’ in which they will contribute to each others development strategies.” He went on to talk about how, as China moved into the next phase of its development that the UK was well placed to be a valuable ally in the development of the Chinese service sector particularly in areas such as finance, business and education. He concluded by congratulating Bangor on the establishment of its Beijing office saying “I am confident that it will lead to a further deepening of Bangor’s relationships with its Chinese partners to mutual benefit.”

Before signing the MoU Director Yuxiang, again echoing the theme of partnership, said that “It is a special day for the CSCSE and Bangor as this MoU will deepen cooperation between the two institutions, to the benefit of both, and provide greater opportunities for Chinese students.”

Summing up the success of the event Dr Xinyu Wu, Bangor’s International Development Director concluded by saying that she expected that this type of activity would allow partners to increase “Mutual respect, mutual understanding and mutually beneficial collaborations.”

Also present were British Council Education Marketing team, senior representatives from a number of Bangor University’s partner universities based in Beijing including Beijing Normal University, China University of Political Science and Law, Renmin University, Beihang University, State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs (SAFEA) and the Chinese Services Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) and a number of Bangor’s Chinese Alumni.

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Republished with the kind permission of Wales International Consortium. To read more about international education in Wales, visit the WIC website at http://www.walesinternationalconsortium.com/

The expanded scholarship scheme is intended to boost the development of leadership skills and provide young Pacific islanders with the advanced education and skills necessary to support their home countries, which have suffered an apparent “brain drain” over recent years, as well-educated young people emigrate.

To combat this, the scheme will involve a combination of full scholarships and student loans; if graduates return to their home countries to put their new-found skills to work, they could see their loans written off.

Commenting on the scheme, Mr. Key said: “An educated and highly-skilled Pacific population is vital to future leadership in the region, and critical for economic and social development.”

“This will boost our education investment to $15 million per year. I believe this is a key building block for the future success of the region.”

“We thought it would be a good way for New Zealand to show its leadership by continuing to open our doors to our tertiary education facilities. An additional 100 is going to be important …”

The funding for the programme is being made available through NZAID, the agency within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that manages New Zealand’s official development assistance programme and provides policy advice on international development issues. For information on the scholarships, visit the NZAID website here.

John Key announced that the government will be assessing the education market in New Zealand to ensure that the $2.78bn the nation spends on tertiary (higher) education is being used effectively, and determining where New Zealand can get more value for their money.

Courses will be re-examined to ensure that they teach relevant skills necessary for employment, in order to ensure students have the knowledge and expertise required in the job market. Students themselves will also come under the microscope; those who fail to put in the required work and effort may find their applications for student loans and allowances refused in a move designed to ensure that government aid is only granted to those who are serious about their education.

Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce confirmed that the details of the edcuation reform have not yet been finalised, but has assured students and families that New Zealand’s policy of zero interest student loans will remain in place:

“The Prime Minister has signalled previously that the principle of the student loan scheme as zero interest remains the same. What we are looking at is around the edges where there are potentially issues in terms of whether it’s being used effectively to advance people’s studies or not.”

The New Zealand governments draft education strategy has also proposed funding institutions based on the performance of their students and their ability to satisfy key skills demands in the graduate sector.

Find out more about studying in New Zealand in our latest i-studentadvisor guide.

An official statement released by Gillard stated: “The Indian education system is growing rapidly as a result of government reforms and population growth. This new dialogue creates a major opportunity for Australia and Australian education institutions to be partners and collaborators in this growing sector.”

Nearly 60% of India’s population is under the age of 25, meaning the demand for good quality higher education is extremely high. However despite this demand, some university officials have announced investment in new Australian campuses overseas is just not possible in the current economic climate. Talks are set to continue between Australia and India.

To read the ABC News full report, click here.

The long awaited decision, reported by the New York Times, sees an abandonment of the English policy implemented in 2003 by former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad. The intended outcome of the policy was to improve the employability and language skills of Malay graduates. The Malaysian Government state that the policy has failed to improve English in the vast majority of students and that grades have fallen since the policy was introduced.

Some critics have argued that the decision by the Government is mainly political. Professor James Chin, Head of the School of Arts and Social Sciences at Monash University in Malaysia, said of the Government “they decided to buckle under the pressure from the Malay nationalists who argue that by teaching students in English you are neglecting the position of the national language.”

Other critics are concerned at how the decline in English tuition may affect students after graduation. Shamsuddin Bardan, Executive Director of the Malaysian Employers Federation said, “this is a setback for the efforts to enhance the command of English for the students.”

Malaysian former student Gabrielle also commented “I am against the decision. For the country to move forward more students should be taught in English. It is essential for them to get ahead in the job market, particularly in today’s climate.”

What do you think? i-studentadvisor would love to hear your comments on this issue.