New Leiden University rankings published

INTERNATIONAL, Dec. 23 (Bloggernews) -- The Leiden Ranking 2011/2012 has just been published. “They are really only useful in ranking American universities,” the Australian blogger Dr John J. Ray comments. “As rankings of universities worldwide they are essentially useless.” ... read more

2011: Mass benefits from Russian tech modernization

USA/RUSSIA, Dec. 28 (Boston Globe) -- During 2011 there were significant new developments in Russian involvement with the Massachusetts high tech sector, with more to come in 2012. RUSNANO, a Russian development agency, announced significant investments in local startups. MIT signed an agreement with the Skolkovo Foundation, another Russian development agency, to collaborate in the creation of the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in a Moscow suburb. Early next year, a third development agency, the Russian Venture Company, will open its US headquarters in Boston ... read more

New Ukrainian higher education law announced

KYIV, Dec. 27 (Interfax) -- Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Dmytro Tabachnyk has said that the law on higher education is likely to be passed in the first half of 2012 ... read more

Merkel wants stronger cooperation with Latin America

BERLIN, Dec. 30 (ESNA) -- “We want to develop more common initiatives,” German chancellor Angela Merkel said. “Germany sees Latin America as an important partner for science and research. The cooperation between our universities and research centers is becoming stronger ... read more

Living costs and fees deter foreign students

SWEDEN, Dec. 15 (UniversityWorldNews) -- A government survey of the impact of the introduction of tuition fees on international students in Sweden has revealed that one in three of those accepted into universities did not take up the places because living costs are too high ... read more  (→ the survey)

New Education minister in Spain

MADRID, Dec. 22 (El País) -- José Ignacio Wert is the Minister for Education, Culture and Sports of the new government of the neo-liberals in Spain. Wert is sociologist, public opinion expert and a close friend of the Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy ... read more

A ‘school report’ for national higher education policies

MAASTRICHT, Dec. 23 (ESNA) -- Jo Ritzen, former Dutch science minister and rector in Maastricht, has launched an association called ‘Empower European Universities’ (EEU) in order to develop a measuring instrument for the efficiency of national higher education systems. Its framework and the latest EEU conference report have just been published ... read more

Eight thoughts on higher education in 2012

USA, Dec. 22 (Washington Post) -- These days it’s perplexing and painful to think about the future of traditional universities. Daniel de Vise asks, how can the US properly prepare for change without sacrificing the university’s best traditions? ... read more

Dublin science gallery to take vision global

DUBLIN, Dec. 15 (science) -- An edgy Irish center that seeks to merge art and science and get young people hooked on discovery and technology will get a chance to export its model globally. The Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin ... read more

Industry happy about €1 billion for universities

VIENNA, Dec. 21 (APA) -- “With his pledge to increase the universities’ budget by €1 billion,” the secretary-general of the Industrial Association, Christoph Neumayer, in response to a statement of science minister Karlheinz Töchterle today, “the federal government makes a real future investment ... read more

Steep rise of student numbers in Brussels

FLANDERS, Dec. 15 (Brusselnieuws) -- More and more students opting for Flemish universities in Brussels, according to a report by the government. Why the increase? “One reason is certainly the reform of higher education,” said Tim Peeters from the VUB ... read more

Russian orthodox church asserts role in civil society

MOSCOW, Dec. 18 (NYT) -- Just over 20 years ago, any religious education outside church walls was still banned in the Soviet Union. Today, churches are being built on state university campuses, theology departments have opened around Russia, and the Russian Orthodox Church has built its own educational network ... read more

Up to 15,000 students may be hit by new degree fraud

AMSTERDAM, Dec. 19 (Telegraaf) -- The degrees awarded to 15,000 students at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam may have been influenced by years of intimidation, mismanagement and other problems. Students have been given degrees under pressure from the authorities ... read more

New YÖK head vows to make Turkish universities globally competitive

ANKARA, Dec. 12 (worldbulletin) -- Gökhan Çetinsaya, the new president of the Higher Education Board (YÖK), said he aims to continue a restructuring process to make Turkish universities more globally competitive in the fields of research and education ... read more

Young people being left behind by the crisis

EUROPE, Dec. 15 (ESNA) -- One in six 18 to 24 year olds was neither in education nor employment in 2010. This "NEET rate", deriving from an EU Labour Force Survey, is likely to show further deterioration ... read more

Cambridge strikes deal to cream off top Chinese engineering students

UK, Dec. 19 (THE) -- The University of Hong Kong and the University of Cambridge have struck up a new partnership to recruit engineering students from mainland China. Top-performing Chinese students will be offered a place to study engineering at HKU, with the best being invited to switch to a four-year degree at Cambridge ... read more

President Komorowski invites Chinese to study in Poland

BEIJING, Dec. 20 (Polskie Radio) -- Polish president in official trip took part in an academic forum in Beijing, where he was joined by Minister of Science and Higher Education and rectors of some of Poland's leading universities ... read more

Teacher training: Pedagogical Schools get ready for battle

VIENNA, Dec. 19 (diePresse) -- Instead of merging seamlessly into the universities, the majority of the 14 pedagogical schools of Austria grade up curricula and working conditions for professors ... read more

Doubled grants to young people and university staff involved in the Arab Spring

BRUSSELS, Dec. 16 (euroalert) -- The European Commission has doubled the number grants available for students and teachers from countries involved in the 'Arab Spring' uprisings. Thus through 'Erasmus Mundus' programme ... read more

Education minister in tug of war with rectors

ATHENS, Dec. 13 (kathimerini) -- Greek Education Minister Anna Diamantopoulou on Tuesday stepped up a standoff with university rectors, accusing them of seeking to safeguard their own positions and hampering the government’s efforts to streamline the state sector ... read more

New OECD PISA report on immigrant students

Spanish business schools nearly as good as French

EUROPE, Dec. 14 (Le Monde) -- France is first in the ranking of Business Schools by the Financial Times. But Germany and Spain are right behind ... read more

300 million Euro for Italian universities

European students oppose Belarusian integration ‎

BRUSSELS, Dec. 14 (ESNA) -- The European Students' Union opposes an invitation for Belarus to become a member of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). “There is no such thing as academic freedom in Belarus,” ESU chairman Allan Päll said in a statement ... read more

Norway to fund more study abroad in BRICs

OSLO, Dec. 14 (UniversityWorldNews) -- A parliamentary committee has asked the Ministry of Education to fund more Norwegians to study in Brazil, Russia, India and China from 2012 ... read more

The next trillion Dollar bubble

NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (frontpagemag) -- The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education discovered that published college tuition and fees increased 439% from 1982 to 2007, while median family income rose 147% ... read more

Students turning to prostitution to fund studies

LONDON, Dec. 14 (BBC) -- The National Union of Students in England has claimed that students in the UK are taking incredible risks to fund their education. A greater number of students are using prostitution to pay for increased tution fees and living costs ... read more

Private universities form partnership

BARCELONA,  Dec. 13 (La Vanguardia) -- Three universities in Spain have formed a partnership in accordance with the  'Aristos Campus Mundus 2015', which aims to promote academic excellence and joint innovation commitments. The University Ramon Llull (URL), the University Deusto from Bilbao and the Pontificia Comillas from Madrid ... read more

Italy to open first international business school in India

MUMBAI, Dec. 14 (Financial Times) -- Bocconi University is set to become the first leading international university to open an India-based business school under its brand. Next July the Mumbai International School of Business Bocconi will open ... read more

Business community unhappy with cuts for vocational education

TALLINN, Dec. 8 (ERR) -- The Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry opposes the government’s plan for implementing the vocational education development plan because the Cabinet is not allocating enough funding ... read more

British university offers 'golden ticket' scholarship worth up to £50,000

CARDIFF, Dec. 6 (Wales Online) -- Cardiff University’s “ultimate scholarship” could be worth more than £50,000 to one lucky competition winner. Applicants will have to undergo a series of academic tasks in a process opened to all domestic and European undergraduates ... read more

A German monitoring system for Lithuanian higher ed.

HANNOVER, Dec. 12 (ESNA) -- The German higher education research institute HIS supports the establishment of a monitoring system for higher education and research in Lithuania. Together with partners Ernst & Young Baltic and S2P ... read more

Students approve public actions of protest

BRAGA, Dec. 10 (Público) -- Portuguese student associations, in a extraordinary national meeting, approved for days 20, 21 and 22 December street actions against the current regime of allocation of scholarships for higher education ... read more

Hungarian universities failing part-time teachers

HUNGARY, Dec. 8 (caboodle) -- Part-time lecturers at Hungary’s universities have gone months without pay and contracts are not being produced for external examiners. An agreement has been reached between the government and university rectors over funds but the rectors are waiting ... read more

Science Minister and President

ROME, Dec. 5 (romacapitale) -- A month after his nomination, Italy's new Minister of Education, Universities and Research, Francesco Profumo, has not resigned from his post as President of CNR, the national research council. He left, as legally required, his position in the board of directors of Telecom Italia, and his role as rector of the Politecnico di Torino will expire with the imminient elections. His ongoing presidency of CNR, however, is uncompatible with the law ... read more

In Tunisia, Islamists disrupt universities

TUNESIA, Decd. 10 (bikyamasr) -- Human Rights Watch has called on the Tunisian government to crackdown on “fundamentalists” over the continued attacks at university campuses in the country ... read more

Austrian-Serbian university cooperation

Multi million package announced to boost innovation and research in the UK

LONDON, Dec. 8 (ESNA) -- A £75 million boost for high tech small and medium sized businesses is part of a package of measures announced today in the Government’s new Innovation and Research Strategy for Growth. The strategy ... read more

Cyprus’s austerity measures lead to strikes

LARNACA, Dec. 8 (Cyprus Mail) -- Large families yesterday protested against the government’s intention to cut child and student benefits as part of a drive to shave €200 million from around €1.3 billion paid in allowances annually ... read more

Smet urges more students to study abroad

BRUSSELS, Dec. 6 (Knack) -- By 2020, the Flemish education minister, Pascal Smet, wants one in five Flemish students to study abroad. “A quarter of those students must come from disadvantaged social groups,” said ... read more

U-Multirank will do UK a disservice

LONDON, Dec. 8 (THE) -- The British universities association 1994 Group is afraid of losing ranking points. It argues that U-Multirank, an EU project to compare universities is "highly complex", will "confuse applicants and will act to the detriment of research-intensive institutions, particularly those in Britain" ... read more

Universities have a €37 million deficit

FRANCE, Nov. 23 (AFP) -- 83 French universities have an accumulated deficit of €37 million. Seven institutions, five universities and two grandes écoles, will be put under surveillance of a ‘committee of peers’ ... read more

Tuition fees to be eliminated

STUTTGART, Dec. 8 (StZ) -- Students of Baden-Wurttemberg have probably paid tuition fees for the last time. Starting next summer, the regional government will assume liability for the losses of the universities. Science minister, Theresia Bauer said ... read more

700 extra student places

NORTHERN IRELAND, Dec. 7 (BBC) -- An extra 700 undergraduate places will be made available in Northern Ireland by 2015, Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry has announced … read more

Higher education spending to be cut by 2%

DUBLIN, Dec. 5 (Silicon Republic) -- Ireland’s education budget – which accounts for 17% of total State expenditure or €8.6bn – is to be cut by €132.3m in 2012, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin announced … read more

Universities should avoid teaching in English, minister says

THE HAGUE, Dec. 2 (DN) -- English should only be used in Dutch university and college lecture theatres if it is necessary, junior education minister Halbe Zijlstra said in parliament … read more

"The state will provide 85 million for students"

PARIS, Dec. 1 (20minutes) -- A partnership was signed last week between French Ministers of Education and Health, the National Insurance Fund (CNAM) and student Insurance. The agreement states that state funds will rise, from € 51.60 to € 52 per student per year … read more

€5,5 million gift to the Central European University Business

BUDAPEST, Dec. 4 (FT) -- George Soros, the Hungarian-born billionaire investor, founded the business school in 1988 in Budapest. This latest donation will go towards setting up an Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation … read more

European Commissioner for Education & Culture in Ukraine

KIEV, Dec. 5 (NRCU) -- Androulla Vassiliou visited Ukraine to meet with lecturers and students of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy as well as graduates of the EU educational programs. The visit also marked the opening the conference Tempus and Erasmus Mundus … read more

Duma simplifies foreign degree recognition

MOSCOW, Dec. 4 (UWN) -- The Russian parliament has adopted a bill which will make it easier for foreign scientists and other academics to work or study in the country by recognising the diplomas of leading foreign universities … read more

Iran-Bosnia universities strengthen scientific research ties

TEHRAN, Dec. 3 (Irna) -- Cooperation between Bosnia and Iran aims to strengthen scientific, educational and research ties. Iranian Deputy Minister of Higher Education Arsalan Ghorbani met with the President of Sarajevo University called for boosting of mutual academic ties based on the common religious and cultural commonalties … read more

New director after controversial links with Qaddafi’s son

LONDON, Dec. 2 (CHE) -- An American academic has been appointed to head the London School of Economics and Political Science, the elite British institution whose former director stepped down earlier this year amid controversy over the school’s links with Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi’s government … read more

"The state will provide 85 million for student mutual"

PARIS, Dec. 1 (20minutes) -- French Minister of Higher Education and Research has called for an increase in state funding, which will increase from 51.60 euros to 52 euros per student per year. The State, through the National Health Insurance Fund, will commit 85 million euros per year … read more

Spanish university cooperation in the Sahara

BURGOS, Dec. 2 (Universia) -- An agreement of academic, scientific and cultural cooperation has been signed between the University of Burgos (UBU) and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Alumni of UBU will carry out an internship in the refugee camps and support the development ... read more

Merger of top universities opposed

NETHERLANDS, Dec. 1 (UWN) -- Plans for three major Dutch universities (Leiden, Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam) to merge are opposed by more than half of their academics and students, according to a survey … read more

Top Scots universities slated for €40,000 fees

EDINBURGH, Nov. 30 (scotsman) -- Education secretary Mike Russell has criticised the universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews for failing to show restraint after setting tuition fees at the highest level possible for UK students from outside Scotland … read more

Foreign students angry with France

FRANCE, Nov. 30 (Le Monde) -- The “circular Guéant” risks tarnishing the image of France. The text, spread by Interior Minister Claude Guéant earlier this year to limit the possibility for foreign graduates to remain working in France, made waves across the world. “Yes, damage has been done,” says Pierre Tapie, president of the Grandes Écoles Conference ... read more

New higher education law to offer different financing options

BUDAPEST, Nov. 30 (Politics.hu) -- Courses in higher education will be offered in a fully or partially state-financed or a self-financed form in the future, Miklós Réthelyi, Hungarian minister of national resources said ... read more

More resources for universities

BULGARIA, Nov. 23 (BNR) -- State subsidies for universities will grow by €12 million next year. They are destined to improve the teaching quality, and to finance more student places and scholarships. Education minister Sergei Ignatov ... read more

Top Swedish university reconnects with alumni in Asia

STOCKHOLM, Nov. 30 (Asian Correspondent) -- Karolinska Institutet wants to strengthen its Asian ties by reconnecting with former Asian students and former Swedish students living in Asia. Alumni Relations Officer, Linda Hedstrom Eriksson: “As far as it is possible, we plan to hold alumni events in several Asian countries ... read more

World’s first school in applied sexuality

VIENNA, Nov. 30 (ESNA) -- Anyone over the age of 16 can enrol at what new headmistress Ylva-Maria Thompson describes as “the world’s first school of practical sex.” The school in Vienna, which costs €1,400 a term has opened amindst protests and contorversial advertising ... read more

Commission confirms underfunding of Vienna University

VIENNA, Nov. 28 (ESNA) -- Open university access while keeping the budget low is deemed unconstitutional: The Austrian science ministry must pay an additional €6 million to the Vienna University of Economics. The Conciliation Committee’s decision puts indirect pressure on the government to either to limit access, or to increase the university budgets ... read more

Danish Board of Technology threatened with closure

COPENHAGEN, Nov. 23 (ESNA) -- The Danish Board of Technology received on November 15, 2011, the shocking news that it is to close down due to a set of really difficult negotiations on the national budget for research and innovation next year ... read more

Slovak doctors to quit en masse over low pay

BRATISLAVA, Nov. 28 (Times of Malta) -- Slovak hospitals are bracing for the mass resignation of nearly 2,000 doctors in protest over low pay, poor working conditions and what they term an alarming health care situation ... read more

Most Schools to be closed in pension strike

LONDON, Nov. 30 (BBC) -- The biggest public sector strike in 30 years in Britain has also affected universities. Students face cancelled lectures as the UCU lecturers’ union joins the dispute over pensions ... read more

Turkish internationalisation in Kazakhstan

ANKARA, Nov. 28 (Today’s Zaman) -- In the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the sovereignty of Kazakhstan, Turkey has announced 175 scholarships for Kazakh students. As the first country to recognize the country’s sovereignty ... read more

University Games 2014 will be in Rotterdam

ROTTERDAM, Nov. 28 (Erasmus Magazine) -- The University Games 2014 will be celebrated in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. University Games are the greatest European sport event for students with near of 4,000 participants in 10 different sports ... read more

Students far more attractive to employers from 2012

BELGIUM, Nov. 28 (SIA) -- From 1 January 2012 onwards, Belgian students will be allowed to work for 50 days per annum (4 days more than now) and still benefit from tax reductions. Without any restrictions, they can ... read more

International laser network launched

EUROPE, Nov. 26 (Financial Channel) -- A multimillion Euro international research network exploring the latest in laser technology has been launched in Liverpool. Funded with an EU budget of €4.6million the network will employ 17 researchers from universities across Europe … read more

New Nordic science news agency

EUROPE, Nov. 27 (ESNA) -- SCIENCENORDIC, a news service which reports on science news from all Nordic countries has been published. Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education Tora Aasland opened the news service and said the new portal would make Nordic research more visible in the global arena … start reading

Spanish director to face court after expelling gay student

MADRID, Nov. 24 (El País) -- The director of a university dormitory in Madrid has come under fire after expelling a gay student. It is the first time in the history of Spanish democracy that the director of a college dorm is charged with an alleged discriminatory action based on orientation discrimination … read more

Cooperation between the EU and the Arab Peninsula can be a win-win

BRUSSELS, Nov. 23 (CORDIS) -- A meeting on “Science Diplomacy with the Arab Peninsula” in the attendance of Sulaiman Hamid Almazroui, United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Belgium, was held in the European Parliament. At the meeting the possibilities for R&D collaboration in biological and medical science between two regions were explored ... read more

Turkey’s education budget tripled since 2002

ISTANBUL, Nov. 27 (Today's Zaman) -- Professor Mehmet Sağlam in an interview about Turkey's current situation in higher education: "Now, we have a total of 165 universities. But, only 20% of senior students have a chance to study in a four-year undergraduate program. What is important is increasing this percentage to at least ... read more

British universities to cut 5,000 courses

UK, Nov. 20 (Telegraph) -- Universities have slashed more than 5,000 degree courses because of government cuts and the hike in tuition fees. A new study claims there will be a 12% drop in the number of courses provided next year ... read more

Tuition fees will rise to the legal maximum

BARCELONA, Nov. 24 (La Vanguardia) -- The president of the Catalonian government, Artur Mas, said on Tuesday that they would like to increase tuition fees. But to rise the fees beyond the legal cap, Catalonia needs the consent of the national education ministry ... read more

Obama effigy burned by right-wing students in UK

ST ANDREWS, Nov. 23 (MSNBC) -- An Obama effigy was burned by members of a Conservative party college student association in Scotland. Its committee chose to burn the U.S. president over the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi ... read more

Students march against "death of education"

DUBLIN, Nov. 23 (Irish Times) -- University students held a symbolic funeral march through the streets of Dublin protesting against further fee increases which they warned would be “the death of education” ... read more

Europe must support R&D if it is to thrive economically

BRUSSELS, Nov. 24 (PS) -- Political processes and funding for science have yet to adapt to globalisation and the challenges presented by the all-pervading eurozone crisis - delegates at the SciTechEurope conference, in Brussels, were told today ... read more

UK universities to pay cash incentives to attract students

UK, Nov. 20 (Telegraph) -- Institutions across the country, including City University London, and Leicester, Surrey and Northumbria universities, are introducing payments of up to £3,000 to attract candidates with the best exam grades ... read more

Should universities rush to buy a .xxx domain?

INTERNATIONAL, Nov. 22 (Reuters) -- The new .xxx domain name is coming later this year. In order to avoid association with pornographic sites, many universities are rushing to purchase their school's name in order to combat potential trademark infringement and abuse ... read more

How students landed on the front lines of class war

USA, Nov. 22 (truthdig) -- The deliberate pepper-spraying by campus police of nonviolent protesters at the University of California on Friday has provoked national outrage. What led comfortable, bright, middle-class students to join the Occupy protest movement against income inequality and big-money politics in the first place? ... read more

Dutch heart researcher fired

ROTTERDAM, Nov. 23 (University World News) -- A renowned Dutch heart research expert has been fired from the Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam after a serious "violation of academic integrity." The professor has allegedly faked research and not been accurate enough in his study ... read more

The EU supports mobility with language courses

BRUSSELS, Nov. 23 (Euractiv) -- Programmes for language learning in the European Commission should benefit from an increase in funding of several million Euros. Details of the new scheme "Erasmus for all" will be unveiled by Vassiliou. The scheme will build on the success and brand name of the celebrated student mobility programme ... read more

Political parties propose cuts for privately funded researchers

PORTUGAL, Nov. 22 (Público) -- The PSD and CDS-PP presented a proposal stating that teachers and researchers involved in projects funded by private entities are subject to subsidy cuts ... read more

Are the arts irrelevant to the next generation?

NORWAY, Nov. 11 (Miller-McCune) -- A new study has suggested that art forms such as literature and classical music “are becoming increasingly more irrelevant for most students cultural lives." The study, produced by two leading Norweigan universities suggested ... read more

Aix-Marseille to become the largest university in France

FRANCE, Nov. 17 (La Provence) -- In less than two months, Aix-Marseille University (AMU) will rise from the ground. With 70,000 students, more than 7500 staff and a budget of €650 million, it will be the largest university in France ... read more

Russian Institute at King’s College

Iberoamerican Innovation Program will have approximately €75 million

BRASIL, Nov, 18 (Emprendia.es) -- The second meeting of the Ibero-American Intergovernmental Innovation, which met leaders of 12 Latin American countries including Portugal and Spain, has agreed to launch a program to finance the projects in R&D of innovation ... read more

Graduate program for Holocaust studies

HAIFA, Nov, 20 (Israel National News) -- Next year will see the opening of the first Israeli graduate program in Holocaust studies at the University of Haifa. The three semester program will enable students to access Holocaust archives in Israel, Germany and Poland ... read more

Italy names new Research Minister: Francesco Profumo

ROME, Nov. 16 (Science) -- Italy’s new government has chosen Francesco Profumo, the relatively green chief of the national research agency, to be Minister for Education, Universities and Research ... read more

Court denounces cost of Jussieu Campus asbestos removal

PARIS, Nov. 17 (Le Monde) -- Costs of freeing the campus from asbestos reach €2 billion. “An operation poorly led, poorly conducted and that is the subject of an extremely strong fiscal drift.” This is how the first President of the Court of Auditors, Didier Migaud, described ... read more

Turkish students: savvy, over-educated and jobless

ISTANBUL, Nov. 16 (The Atlantic) -- Turkey’s official overall unemployment rate stands at 9.6 percent.  But the rate of youth unemployment (ages 18-22) is double that at 18.6 percent ... read more

All against Article 42

LISBON, Nov. 17 (Público) -– A consensus bridging party lines opposed the approval of the state budget 2012. Art. 42 of the budget, limiting university autonomy, met with common resistance ... read more

Joint efforts for stronger science and research in Austria

VIENNA, Nov. 10 (OTS) -- The Austrian Science Council and the Council for Research and Technology Development underlined in a joint statement the necessity to modernise the country’s research infrastructure. Research equipment should be used across institutions and ... read more

Spanish university creates intercontinental degrees network

BARCELONA, Nov. 17 (Dinero) -- The Autonomous University of Barcelona has pioneered a program to boost mobility of students from Asia and Latin America. Double and multiple degrees in a network of 32 universities available for up to 900,000 students ... read more

Universities forced to come clean about controversial primate experiments

Serbia: 30% of degree holders needed to maintain literacy levels

BELGRADE, Nov. 14 (tanjug.rs) -- Today in Serbia only 21 percent of the population aged 30-40 hold a university or college degree. We aim to increase this figure to 30 percent, said Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic ... read more

Swiss Federal Council supports innovation park

BERN, Nov. 9 (NZZ) -- Following the example of the MIT in Boston, Switzerland is planning to build a national innovation park. The Federal Council pledged financial support to the project ... read more

Spanish Campus of Excellence in danger

CÁDIZ, Nov. 11 (El País) -- The rector of the University of Cádiz warned that the lack of understanding between the regional government of Andalucia and ministry of finance in Madrid are putting the local Campus of Excellence in danger ... read more

Irish student fees protest under way

DUBLIN, Nov. 16 (Irish Times) -- 10.000 students took part in the protest against college fees increases in Dublin city today. The protest was organised by the Union of Students in Ireland ... read more

Austerity threatens autonomy

EUROPE, Nov. 15 -- A new report on university autonomy has been launched by the EUA. According to it, the economic crisis and austerity measures have led to tighter controls of university budgets and “unnecessary” bureaucracy ... read more

Ankara intimidating academics, restricting free speech

Geneva plans futuristic brain and arts complex

GENEVA, Nov. 13 (swissinfo) -- The very point where the Rhône and Arve rivers flow into each other in the centre of Geneva is set to become a unique rendezvous for neuroscientists and artists. On Thursday the government presented a multi-million-franc project ... read more

Start for new Network of Excellence in Africa

BONN, Nov. 15 -- The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation launches, together with researchers from various African countries, the “African-German Network of Excellence in Science” (AGNES). The inaugural conference on Nov. 16-18 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ... read more

Barroso: “Wrong cuts will lead to a European recession”

LISBON, Nov. 11 (PS) -- With university funding slashed by governments, it was “important to look at alternative governance and funding mechanisms for the higher education sector,” the President of the European Commission said ... read more

The Netherlands popular with foreign academics

NETHERLANDS, Nov. 13 (Expatica) -- The Netherlands is a popular destination for researchers from outside the EU. Their number per 100,000 inhabitants almost doubled since 2008 ... read more

UK universities wary of a European threat to autonomy

LONDON, Nov. 11 (THE) -- British universities should be wary of any attempts by the European Commission to take greater control of higher education policy, a vice-chancellor has told a House of Lords committee ... read more

Student fees protest: 'This is just the beginning'

LONDON, Nov. 10 (Guardian) -- Tens of thousands of students took to the streets of London in a demonstration that spiralled out of control when a fringe group of protesters hurled missiles at police and occupied the building housing Conservative party headquarters ... read more

Spain chooses its university for Olympia 2012

Student leaders slam educational flaws in Europe

SOFIA, Nov. 10 (PressTV) -- “Europe is grappling with educational woes. And the time to act on them is now!” That’s what the General Assembly with delegates of European student unions from 35 countries urged in Bulgaria ... read more

Portugal's oldest university closes in 2013 if the Government makes more cuts

COIMBRA, Nov. 9 (Público) -- The rector of the University of Coimbra said that the institution will close in 2013 if the Government budget cuts continue. This also means removing university autonomy to exacerbate the deficit of the state because they can not raise revenue ... read more

Plea for Europe as one higher-education space

MAASTRICHT, Nov. 9 (Guardian) -- A fresh perspective and a new pilot scheme is needed to unify higher education across Europe, says University of Maastricht president Martin Paul. The House of Lords in the UK has announced an inquiry into European Union ... read more

350 teachers reject Rodrigo Rato as Doctor Honoris Causa

ALICANTE, Nov. 9 (Terranews) -- About 350 teachers from the University of Alicante have signed a document rejecting the appointment of former director of the International Monetary Fund, Rodrigo Rato, as Doctor Honoris Causa by the academic institution ... read more

€ 22b for higher education in France

FRANCE, Nov. 9 (Hindustan Times) -- Education Minister Laurent Wauqiez elaborates on the changes which will occur in France in the next few years. These include the investment of € 22b for education in France and the investment and the establishment of 1221 new campuses ... read more

Vatican approves online teaching

VACTICAN CITY, Nov. 9 (El Correo Digital) -- The Congregation for Catholic Education in the Vatican has approved the plan presented by the University of Deusto to teach Religious Studies 'on line' from this academic year 2011-2012. Under this plan ... read more

Educational initiative for women farmers

TURKEY, Nov. 6 (Daily Tagrum) -- In a new program launched by a university professor, centres in Turkey have new schemes to train Turkish women as farmers. “Women farmers are critical agents for enhancing agricultural and rural development, poverty reduction and a healthier planet,” stated creator of the programme Mick Minard ... read more

Kuwait to establish distinguished overseas students' office

PARIS, Oct. 28 (KUNA) -- Kuwaiti Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education Ahmad Al-Mulaifi said here Friday a new office would be opened for distinguished students abroad ... read more

Scottish university opens a new £35 million campus in Dubai

UK, Nov. 4 (THE) -- A Scottish university has opened a new £35 million campus in Dubai aimed at the United Arab Emirates job market. Heriot-Watt University, which earlier this year unveiled a global strategy that it hopes will double its income from international activities over the next seven years, has operated in the Arab emirate since 2006. The university said the new campus would double its capacity to 4,500 students and over 100 staff ... read more

Universities become more feminine

BERLIN, Nov. 1 (taz) -- Whereas on average just 5% of chairs are occupied by women nationally, nearly 28% of the university's professors in Berlin are female. Senator for Science Jürgen Zöllner: It's the merit of the universities ... read more

Thousands of students and demonstrators are expected to gather for protests against tuition fees

LONDON, Nov. 9 (Telegraph) -- Police said around 4,000 officers will be on duty for the protest against a hike in tuition fees and cuts to funding, with organisers expecting about 10,000 students to take part. The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, led by Michael Chessum, is said to be the protest's "organiser" ... read more

Release of EUROSTUDENT IV Synopsis as book publication

(ESNA) -- This publication represents an important contribution to comparative research on European higher education. The study provides  a  comprehensive Synopsis of Indicators on the social and economic conditions of student life from 24 countries.
The most striking feature of the results in this report is the demonstration of the heterogeneity of the student population. This is evident in all phases from their transition routes into higher education through the examination of their study and employment experiences, their resources and living conditions and their experience of mobility.

Download: www.eurostudent.eu

American Students gaze across the Atlantic

USA, Nov. 2 (NYT) –- While more international students are choosing to study in the United States, a separate phenomenon is on the rise: American students ... read more

Austria seeks trained Chinese language teachers

VIENNA, Nov. 1 (ChinaDaily) -- Austrian universities have begun a training program for students who will become teachers of Chinese in high schools where the language is an optional course ... read more

French student complains after 'letters of blood' hazing

PARIS, Nov. 7 (LeParisien) -- A first-year student at a Paris university has lodged an official complaint after an initiation ceremony left him with letters written in blood on his back ... read more

Councils propose plan to improve research

SWEDEN, Nov. 4 (UniversityWorldNews) -- Six research councils have urged the Swedish government to adopt a five-point plan for improving research and innovation and have voiced concern over a sharp decline in private sector research ... read more

Deadly flash floods in Genoa

GENOA, Nov. 7 (universita.it) -- Much of northern Italy was hit by heavy rains on Friday. At least six people were killed when Genoa was hit by flash floods during torrential rainfall. Schools and universities remained closed on Monday ... read more

Merger of three Dutch teacher schools

LIMBURG, Nov. 7 (ScienceGuide) -- The three high schools for teacher training in Sittard, Maastricht and Herleen have been merged in one location. This is in line with the policy of education minister Van Bijsterveldt to give demographically shrinking regions the opportunity to experiment new ... read more

Political disputes provokes a resign in Coimbra Academic Association

COIMBRA, Nov. 3 (Público) –- Miguel Andrade, Academic Association of Coimbra treasurer, resigned from his rol after a dispute with the general management of the institution president because of a list for the next AAC elections, like Andrade said  ... read more

Berzins promises to keep the language in

LATVIA, Nov. 2 (LA) –- President Andris Berzins decided to restore the State Language Commission activities to assess and identify the situation in the Latvian language and to develop specific recommendations as the only state language to strengthen their position, the improvement and development ... read more

Spanish lawyers guild takes with enthusiasm the new European card

SPAIN, Nov. 2 (DJ) –- More than 500 lawyers have requested or already have their own new European lawyer card. This card identifies its holder as a practicing lawyer in one of the member states and facilitate access outside their country of origin to European institutions ... read more

Should scientific research still be in Latin?

TALLINN, Nov. 3 (Maaleht) -- Estonian scientists believe that a single global language of science would ensure a better standard of science and would facilitate communication among researchers ... read more

Bulgarian austerity budget prompts protests among academics

SOFIA, Nov. 2 (PressTV) -- To survive, the Academy of Sciences – the only Bulgarian research institution among the top 100 in the world – needs €50 million. But it will get only 25 million. Hundreds of academics walked in silent protest with lit candles against the reduced budget. “Teachers and students used to hold torch parades on this occasion ever since the 30s. Today, we are holding candle vigils, because our science is dying”, a scientist tells Press TV ... read more

10.000 students will lose the scholarship

PORTUGAL, Nov. 1 (Público) -- About 10.000 students in higher education will lose the scholarship this year. The rejections are expected to reach almost to 30%, the highest number in recent years ... read more

Top universities criticize student visa plans

PARIS, Nov. 3 (THE) -- Leading universities in France are protesting against the government’s post-study visa rules for overseas students. The education ministry denies that it turns its back on foreigners, however graduates claim the strict rules ... read more

Norwegian students arrested for cheating

OSLO, Nov. 2 (AP) -- Seven students have been expelled for cheating at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. Most cheating was discovered at the University of Oslo ... read more

New budget gives 1 billion Kroner to higher education

COPENHAGEN, Nov. 2 (Copenhagen Post) -- The first budget of the new Danish government aims to ‘kick start’ the economy through increased spending. Universities will get an extra 1 billion Kroner (€135 million) to spend on a predicted increase of students and students will no longer pay administrative fees ... read more

Humanities researchers need technology for a new age

STRASBOURG, Nov. 2 (ScienceCodex) -- Europe's leading scientists have pledged to embrace and expand the role of technology in the Humanities. In a Science Policy Briefing they argue ... read more

Handbook on Globalization and Higher Education

(ESNA) -- In the context of the knowledge economy, higher education has taken centre stage. Global cooperation and competition are the main players in globalization.
This handbook explores worldwide similarities and differences of national higher education systems. It is a comprehensive reference tool for researchers, academics and students ... read more

September 2011, Edward Elgar Publishing
Editors: Roger King, Simon Marginson, Rajani Naidoo

So many science careers‎!

USA, Oct. 28 (Science) -- Unlike a consulting firm, which overpays you to advise wealthy companies to rely too heavily on your minimally informed advice, a job in science policy will ... read more

Green cards entice students to stay in Denmark

COPENHAGEN, Oct. 22 (DR) -- Radical education minister Morten Østergaard will issue green cards to foreign students who graduate in Denmark. The current legislation states that a foreign student has a maximum time period of six months to secure employment after graduating ... read more

Pitfalls of an EU student loan system

BRUSSELS, Oct. 31 (ScienceGuide) -- The EU Commission plans on implementing a new loan scheme for Master students to finance their studies abroad. The Chairman of the European Students’ Union, Allan Päll, criticizes this policy suggesting it will create “tomorrow’s indebted generation of graduates” ... read more

University study trip to Europe

Minister: ”Demography is now on our side for promoting university mergers”

SWEDEN, Oct. 28. (University World News) -- Education Minister, Jan Björklund, has warned that universities in the country will have to give more funding to popular institutions, forcing less popular universities to merge together in order to survive. He said that mergers will be necessary considering the demographic changes in the country ... read more

British universities to revaluate university admissions system

LONDON, Oct. 31 (THE) -- Plans outlined by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service suggest that prospective students will apply for university after receiving their A-Level results, rather than relying on their predicted grades. These proposals will be the biggest shake up in university admissions in the last 50 years ... read more

Universities cautious over free seminars on the web

AUSTRIA, Oct 28. (Der Standard) -- After ten years a total of 13,000 free seminars and university courses have been accessed online from universities across the world through the Open Courseware Consortium (OCC). The aim is that knowledge should be freely accessible to everyone, however Austrian universities are still cautious over… read more

Constitutional Court calls in question salaries of professors

KARLSRUHE, Oct. 24 (Forschung&Lehre) -- The judges of the German Constitutional Court have serious doubts that university professors are sufficiently paid. Since 2005, newly hired professors receive a considerably lower salary than ... read more

Facing a student "health crisis", unions sound the alarm

PARIS, Oct. 28 (Humanité) -- On a press conference on Thursday, the two national student unions UNEF and Fage demanded quick solutions from science minister Laurent Wauquiez for the "looming health crisis" of French students. Though "€40 million have been collected by the state on the health of students since 2007," UNEF president Emmanuel Zemmour criticises, "34% of students have given up medical treatment, 19% cannot afford supplementary health care anymore, and 20% reported that their health has deteriorated ... read more

Namibian embassy in Russia pockets student money

MOSCOW, Oct. 26 (Informanté) -- Namibian students pursuing studies in Russia are accusing the second secretary at the Namibian embassy in Moscow of embezzling money from the Ministry of Education earmarked to pay for academic fees and lodging ... read more

Northern Ireland universities worried about religious imbalance

UK, Oct. 18 (BBC News) -- Independent Member of the Legislative Assembly Northern Ireland Jim Alister has said that universities in Northern Ireland must do all that they can to encourage increased admissions from Protestant students. This comes after the revelation that just a third of students attending local universities are Protestant … read more

National demonstration against higher education bill

BUDAPEST, Oct. 27 (Politics.hu) -- A demonstration against the government’s planned changes to higher education was held in front of the education ministry in Budapest on Thursday. About 10,000 participants from various parts of the country ... read more

New technology to make learning easier

GERMANY, Oct. 26 (deaf-deaf.de) -- Archos, a leading provider of Android tablets, has customised the adaptability of its equipment and made its prices more aggressive in order to start providing solutions for the education sector ... read more

Unions consider private sphere of influence

Snapshot of doctorate holders in Malta

MALTA, Oct. 26 (TM) –- An official survey has found that two-thirds of holders of a doctorate are employed by the government, and two-thirds are lecturers in higher education. A significant share of doctorate holders obtained their degree from abroad ... read more

Dutch PM launches Russian alumni network

NETHERLANDS, Oct. 24 (Nuffic) -- Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited Russia to launch the Netherlands Alumni Network in Russia. Rutte talked with President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin, about the current plans ... read more

143 new patents that won't see the light of day

USA, Oct. 21 (Science) -- The number of U.S. patents classified as secret by the government each year is on the rise. In 2011, the number was 143, 66% more than last year ... read more

University applicants drop by 12% before tuition fee rise

UK, Oct. 24 (Guardian) -- Universities and Colleges and Admissions Service reveals 52,321 UK-born students have applied for university next year, when fees will rise to up to £9,000 a year ... read more

Berlin students don’t buy Trichet’s vision

BERLIN, Oct. 25 (WSJ) -- Rather than deferential silence and rapturous applause, Mr. Trichet was met with heckling and aggressive questions about the ECB’s actions in Greece and its support of European banks by the students of Berlin’s Humboldt University ... read more

No more “asylum” in Greek universities

GREECE, Oct. 21 (THE) -- Freedom of speech laws that banned police from entering Greek universities and led to campuses being labelled “havens for criminals” have been repealed as part of sweeping higher education reforms ... read more

Let the foreign students pay what they would back home!

NETHERLANDS, Oct. 25 (EM online) -- If the origin of the student is Austria, then he/she will have to pay the equivalent of Austrian tuition ... read more

Norwegian students are the oldest in Europe

NORWAY, Oct. 24 (UA) -- Norwegian students have the highest average age than students in many other European countries. In France, the average student age of 22, in Norway, it is 27 ... read more

Management of Polytechnic University in Madrid investigated

SPAIN, Oct. 24 (Economista) -- The management of a Polytechnic University in Madrid is under suspicion due to alleged irregularities in their balance sheets. The prosecution of the Court has decided to open pre-trial proceedings ... read more

Hungarian students on hunger strike

SZEGED, Oct. 21 (Politics.hu) -- From Thursday to Monday, students at Szeged University took part in a hunger strike in protest against the new higher education bill. Meanwhile, over 1000 students have been protesting at the University of Miskolc ... read more

Tuition fee rises deterring A-level students

LONDON, Oct. 24 (Guardian) -- New survey suggests 10% of current A-level students put off applying in UK, with nearly half considering going abroad ... read more

French universities receive €14.5 million to spend on pensions

PARIS, Oct, 21 (AFP) -- The Conference of University Rectors (CPU) expressed its “satisfaction” after higher education minister Laurent Wauquiez agreed to make €14.5 million available for additional pension costs of universities ... read more

Google sponsors Humboldt-Institute of Internet and Society

BERLIN, Oct. 19 (googlewatchblog) -- The Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society in Berlin, sponsored by Googly with €4.5 million, starts operating on October 25. From October 26-28 the institute organises its first symposion “Exploring the Digital Future” ... read more

Spanish students prefer to work in Multinationals

SPAIN, Oct. 21 (trabajando) -- The University of Spain has conducted a survey, which reveals that two of three Spanish students would prefer to have a career in a multinational corporation, 16% would like to work in a SME, 9% in NGOs and the same percentage want to become independent ... read more

Medvedev ready to hold master class on Twitter

MOSCOW, Oct. 20 (RIA) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who has a personal page on Twitter and Facebook, told a group of university students he is willing to hold a master class on Twitter in South Ossetia and plans to register on Russia’s largest social networking site Vkontakte ... read more

In Germany, calls for a “blue-collar” bachelor's degree

GERMANY, Oct. 20 (SZ) -- Concerned that skilled tradespeople and craftsmen don’t get the respect they deserve, trade lobbyists in Germany are promoting the idea of a ‘Professional Bachelor’s’ degree. Universities and government representatives dismiss the idea as “confusing” ... read more

University staff protests against exploitation

SAINT-DENIS, Oct. 17 (Zinfos 974) -- 50 employees of the Université de la Réunion in Saint-Denis (an island in the Indian Ocean belonging to the French Republic) gathered at the gates of the university in protest against low pay and short term contracts ... read more

In-debt graduates sell advertising space on their faces

LONDON, Oct. 19 (BBC) -- Two former Cambridge students are selling advertising space on their faces, at £1 per day, as a means of paying off university debts. After 10 days they have made £3,500. “It’s something a bit different at a time when students feel let down by the education system...” ... read more

Albanian Prime Minister in favour of private universities

TIRANA, Oct. 17 (Balkanweb) -- Prime minister, Sali Berisha, said today that privatisation of universities is fair but calls for less bureaucracy. “We are and will be open to private universities, but there should be more transparent, stringent criteria”. He is keen to grant more autonomy ... read more

500 Ukrainian students take to citywide initiative

KHARKIV, Oct. 15 (Unian) -- About 500 students from Kharkiv’s universities cleaned up the city. According to Director of municipal council Victor Kitanina, all students work in their free time or come after class ... read more

Students campaign for democracy - and offend Iran

OSLO, Oct. 18 (Norway International Network) -- An annual campaign by the Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International and Assistance Fund is facing criticism from the Iranian Embassy in Oslo.
The students campaign, which aims to boost awareness of students around the world who are subjected to imprisonment. and censorship, has produced a poster which depicts various dictators running from empowered students under the headline ‘They dispute, they debate, they dissent: Beware they are educated!’
Mohammad Javad Hosseini, spokesperson for the Iranian Embassy stated “unfortunately, the poster contains a picture of our great late leader Imam Khomeini, next to dictators like Hitler. You have offended the feelings of a great nation” ... read more

No frills university college offers half price degrees

LONDON, Oct. 17 (Guardian) -- A “no-frills” university college offering teaching seven days a week and degrees for around half the price of traditional universities will start recruiting students next week. Coventry University College will focus on professional courses including accounting, law and marketing, at max. £4,800 ... read more

Foreign students struggle with German bureaucracy

BERLIN, Oct. 17 (Deutsche Welle) -- Half of the foreign students in Germany fail to complete their studies and more and more graduates are leaving the country. Experts are calling for change to the education system and visa regulations ... read more

Drastic cuts to funding for further education may result in dismissal of 2,000 polytechnic teachers

HELSINKI, Oct. 17 (Helsingin Sanomat) -- The Ministry of Education's list of cuts in first-year places sent to Finland’s universities of applied sciences this month may result in the dismissal of more than 2,000 tutors and lecturers. This is the estimate by the rectors of the institutions in question ... read more

$1 billion given to universities to reduce economic divide

ITALY, Oct. 16 (New York Times) -- The Italian government has announced a plan to invest $1 billion to the universities in the South of the country, in order to reduce the economic differences between the northern and southern regions. Funding will be allocated to Calabria, Sicily and ... read more

More international doctoral students choose Germany

GERMANY, Oct. 15 (Deutsche Welle) -- An increasing number of students from across the world are choosing to study in graduate schools in Germany compared to top US institutions. In 2010 nearly 4,000 foreign students graduated from doctoral programs in Germany - this number was double the statistic from ten years ago ... read more

European students up by 25% in a decade

EUROPE, Oct. 17 (Financial Times) -- A quarter more students than ten years ago are being educated in higher education institutions according to a report published by Universities UK. The sudies also showed the number of post-graduate students increased by 75% ... read more

Economics: the futile predictions of a pointless ‘science’

LONDON, Oct. 12 (Mail online) -- The idea that economics is a science that might deliver the answers to perplexed policy makers was one of the great illusions of the 20th Century. Economics as a ‘discipline’ is a fraudulent prospectus torn to shreds by the current financial crisis ... read more

I need a contract with Minsk

WARSAW, Oct. 12 (Nasz Dziennik) -- Despite the complexities of the political situation in Minsk, they managed to recruit ethnic Poles in Belarus to study in Poland. Experts on the east indicate that it is not known whether this manoeuvre is successful ... read more

Event: Liberal student movement in Europe

DÜSSELDORF, Oct. 11 (EF-Magazin) -- Students for freedom? Sounds like an oxymoron, in view of the hordes of regular protesting students who turn to the streets to protest against tuition fees, or unpaid internships ... read more

Czech Republic launches €200 million life sciences centre

BRNO, Oct. 5 (CORDIS) -– A new EU-funded institute of biosciences and technical research in the Czech Republic has now opened its doors. The Central European Institute of Technology has received €209 million ... read more

Murky dealings in Balkan academia

BELGRADE, Oct. 7 (Blog News) -- Corruption remains a major problem in Balkan universities. Examples include students paying for a place at university, professors giving better grades to students who buy books from them, and students having to pay for lab equipment ... read more

French university to improve branding

PARIS, Oct, 9. (Starnews.com) -- French universities are under pressure to improve their branding and pull themselves out of the doldrums of global league tables. They are following in the footsteps of their counterparts in the United States and selling merchandise featuring college logos and colours ... read more

Legend Zidane goes back to school

FRANCE, Oct. 10 (Mail Online) -- The two-year university diploma at the Centre of Law and Sports Finances at Limoges in central France will hopefully equip the former world player of the year with the skills to eventually lead his nation at a World Cup ... read more

Will Norway’s universal no fee policy be sustained?

Universities should be more friendly to foreigners

TALINN, Oct. 10 (ERR) -- Estonian educational institutions lack a common understanding for the importance of internationalized higher education and the government must place clearer milestones for the development of universities ... read more

Police bust network of illegal workers posing as students

NICOSIA, Oct. 11 (Cyprus Mail) -- According to police, 21 Sri-Lankan nationals were stopped at Larnaca airport after a flight from Amman while trying to enter Cyprus with forged student visas and school certificates ... read more

Cash and staff shortages threaten Swiss research

BERN, Oct. 12 (Swiss info) -- Education, research and innovation are Switzerland’s “most important resources” but they need a cash injection, personnel influx and more coordination, the Swiss Science and Technology Council said ... read more

Mergers between Spanish universities?

MADRID, Oct. 11 (El País) -- An international expert group has recommended the merging of Spanish universities in its report on the University Strategy 2015. A plan shall be put into action by the Government to modernize Spanish universities ... read more

Italian Students protest education cuts

ROME, Oct. 7 (UPI) –- Tens of thousands of student across Italy protested Friday against youth unemployment and government cutbacks in funding for education. ANSA reported protests in 90 cities including Rome, Milan, Genoa and Palermo ... read more

Handbook on Globalization and Higher Education

(ESNA) -- In the context of the knowledge economy, higher education has taken centre stage. Global cooperation and competition are the main players in globalization.
This handbook explores worldwide similarities and differences of national higher education systems. It is a comprehensive reference tool for researchers, academics and students ... read more

September 2011, Edward Elgar Publishing
Editors: Roger King, Simon Marginson, Rajani Naidoo

Ketchup ban in French universities

FRANCE, Oct. 7 (Neon Tommy) -- France is doing everything in its power to eliminate elements of American culture from its society. Ketchup is to be banned in French schools and universities in an effort to protect French gourmet cuisine and promote healthy eating in schools ... read more

Lack of funding for European doctoral students

EUROPE, Oct. 7 (RSC) -- A new survey shows many European doctoral students struggle to find appropriate funding for their research. According to the survey, only 75 percent of European doctoral students obtain funding for their studies ... read more

Debate on Austrian university mergers

VIENNA, Oct. 2 (Die Presse) -- Voices of Austrian higher education institutions calling to merge are growing louder. University Minister Töchterle introduced disussion on university fusion in an effort to decrease competition and increase efficiency ... read more

Universities in Scotland to charge other Britons

EDINBURGH, Oct. 3 (New York Times) -- When Britain decided last December to impose a steep increase in university tuition, Scotland, proud and independent as usual, flatly rejected the idea. Instead, it held firm to its long tradition of virtually free university education ... read more

Attractive lack of tuition fees

ERFURT, Oct. 4 (Kyffhäuser Nachrichten) -- 40 percent of the first-year students who start this academic year at a university of Thuringia, a south-eastern region of Germany, come from Western Germany. Their share has risen sharply (by 31 percent) compared to last year. According to Education Minister Christoph Matschie ... read more

Billion euro boost for southern universities

ITALY, Oct. 6 (University World News) -- The Italian government is to pump more than €1 billion (US$1.3 billion) into universities in the south of the country as part of a regeneration plan for the region. The decision was announced last week by Raffaele Fitto, minister for regional relationships and territorial cohesion, and Mariastella Gelmini, the education minister ... read more

Sarkozy to introduce French ‘Ivy League’

FRANCE, Oct. 6 (THE) -- In what will be the biggest change to France’s higher education system in almost 40 years the Initiative d’Excellence  proposes to create between five and seven ‘world class’ universities. The €7.7 billion scheme backed by President Sarkozy will start to gain momentum in the next few months with initial funds of €10 million to be given to selected universities ... read more

Knowledge Economy: Best School Building

WORLDWIDE, Oct. 4 (BBC) -- With education becoming increasingly competitive, the buildings in which learning occurs are also becoming more architecturally defining. Here the BBC looks at the best pictures of aesthetically pleasing buildings of education throughout the world ... read more

Fatal Shortcomings in Unversity Politics

AUSTRIA, Oct. 4 (Standard) -- As European higher education develops, politicians have less input and little interest, argues Georg Vobruba, Professor of Sociology at the University of Leipzig. He suggests that Universities are now becoming more responsible for themselves and ... read more

Closer ties between UK and Russia

A Plan for Growth in the Knowledge Economy

Hidden fees to be introduced in Hungarian Universities

HUNGARY, Sept. 22 (The All Hungary Media Group) -- Hungarian students’ association HÖOK is criticising the government’s revised higher education draft bill, which includes the introiduction of “hidden tuition charges”. The HÖOK is planning on organising a protest against the new draft bill ... read more

140 Omani students head for German University

MUSCAT, Oct. 2 (Times of Oman) -- 140 Omani students have received scholarships to study at a German university. The scholars will join 69 other scholarships holders who already study in Germany. The scheme hopes to improve bilateral relations and ... read more

Finland needs more foreign students

FINLAND, Oct. 05 (Helsingin Sanomat) -- A low proportion of international students continue to study at Finland’s universities. International students in Finland amount to a mere four percent, whereas international students in England amount to 20 percent ... read more

Cambridge and Oxford savage higher education White Paper

LONDON, Sept. 30 (Times Higher Education) -- In its submission Cambridge’s council warns that ministers risk damaging the global reputation of Britain’s universities. It warns that higher education “should not be reduced to a utilitarian equation of cost and personal financial benefit” and also says it is “regrettable” that the government’s approach to reform “has been a cause of alienation rather than one of inclusion” ... read more

Danish Masters graduates overseas face study bill

COPENHAGEN, Oct. 2 (University World News) -- The Danish government intends to make masters students who go on to work overseas for more than five years, repay the cost of their degree. The proposal has led to protests from opponents who claim it is the first step towards introducing tuition fees ... read more

Portuguese rectors reject increase in tuition fees

LISBON, Oct. 3 (Público) -- Universities rectors of Coimbra and Porto reject tuition fee increases in order to compensate for budget cuts. Instead, they demand more autonomy and ask that governmental bureaucracy does not “complicate” academic life ... read more

Google to open Technology Centre in East London

LONDON, Sept. 28 (Guardian) -- Plans to create a Tech City in London’s East End are going ahead as Google opens up a multimillion-pound “Technology Community Centre”. The building will house various Internet companies, such as BT, Cisco, Facebook and Google. ... read more

Universities in Georgia closed: Students sent to the country

Report: Too few college students graduate

Students fly flag for Ireland at European science awards

DUBLIN, Sept. 28 (Irish Examiner) -- Alexander Amini, from Castleknock College in Dublin, was picked from 130 contestants from 37 countries as the EU Young Scientist of the Year.
But he isn’t the only student making waves on the international stage. A 22-year-old Cork Institute of Technology student was named Best European Mechanical Engineering Student 2011 at the awards in London ... read more

Access only with A Level

BERLIN, Sept. 29 (taz) -- Half a million young people – more than ever – want to enter higher education this autumn. German universities make it more difficult for them and put hurdles in their way. More and more students file a lawsuit against universities. And universities get ready for their legal defense ... read more

Book vouchers for students?

PARIS, Sept. 27 (Les Echos) -- The university book is in trouble: between 2006 and 2010, sales (online included) in France dropped by 15% from €104 to €88 million. This goes along with the increased usage of digital content, deemed as “fragmented and low educational value”. The Union of Editors (SNE) thinks that book vouchers for students ... read more

Spanish Innovation & Development budget trebled

MADRID, Sept. 22 (MICINN) -- The Spanish science and innovation minister, Cristina Garmendia, said that her ministry has triplicated the I+D budget for enterprises from €1.059 million in 2008 to €3.160 million in 2010 … read more

Sarkozy for “continuous university reforms”

PARIS, Sept. 26 (AFP) -- President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed himself in favour of “a university system that would reform itself continuously”.
Praising his reform of the universities, including the development of their autonomy, the head of state also assured that “the answer of France to the crisis” was “more reform and more resources for our universities and our research.” … read more

Competitive science and education in Armenia by 2020

YEREVAN, Sept. 26. (ARKA) -- The goal of the government of Armenia is to make the country, by the end of 2020, more competitive in the sphere of science and education meeting modern requirements, said prime minister Tigran Sargsyan.
“For the implementation of this goal we … read more

Budget deficit in Cyprus leads to meltdown of student grant

NICOSIA, Sept. 26 (ESU) –- Attempts from the Cypriote government to cut its budget deficit will lead to lower student grants. The European Students’ Union is deeply concerned about the government decision to cut the social transfers by 10% in order to save 200 million euro.
ESU strongly supports the protests on 27 Sept. from POFEN, representative body of Cypriot students, against this development ... read more

EU higher education reform plan aims at jobs, growth

BRUSSELS, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Tuesday launched a reform plan for higher education across the European Union (EU) in a bid to boost employment and growth amid the worsening debt crisis in the euro zone.
The plan gives top priority to ... read more

Edinburgh Students Protest Rest-of-UK Tuition Fees

EDINBURGH, Sept. 19 (The Nation) -- This weekend over 100 students took over Edinburgh University’s George Square Lecture Theatre in an act of protest against the institution’s announcement of a planned increase in tuition fees for students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The 36 hour sit-in marked the start of what students promised would be a period of country-wide demonstration against the rise in fees ... read more

Germany: Lies don’t travel far

BERLIN, Feb. 18 (esna) -- German defense minister Karl-Theodor von und zu Guttenberg has been caught copying large parts of his doctoral thesis. An examination of the thesis exposed dozens of quotations, starting in the introduction and over several pages long, which had not been labelled as coming from other authors. On Wikiblog a community of researchers have identified over 280 pages with allegedly plagiarised content ... read more in Bulletin n°88