The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 5 November 2012.
Dutch students hit hard by budget cuts
The Netherlands’ new coalition government has announced budget cuts likely to hit students hard,University World News reports. From 2014, undergraduate scholarships will be replaced with student loans, and as of 2015, students will no longer be able to use public transport free of charge. The country’s Higher Education Board predicts there will be 15,000 fewer students as a result of these cuts.
Japanese minister says quality of universities has fallen
Japan’s new education minister, Makiko Tanaka, has said the quality of university education in the country has fallen, reports The Japan Daily Press. Tanaka has recently rejected three applications to create new universities, commenting that the increase in the number of institutions – now 783 – has been accompanied by a fall in the standard of education offered.
Fresh focus on ‘international friendship clubs’ at Russian universities
‘International friendship clubs’, which date back to the Soviet era, are to be newly promoted at Russian universities, Russia Beyond the Headlines reports. These clubs aim to support intercultural exchange and combat racism, and are already popular at many Russian universities.
Foreign university recruiters may be shut out of China
Non-Chinese agencies providing services for prospective university students may be banned from operating in the country, Global Times reports. Draft regulations issued by the Ministry of Education would also mean tighter supervision of domestic agencies, with the aim of reducing the number of cases of students being cheated.
Minister says Indian graduates not ready for work
India’s minister for higher education, Shashi Tharoor, has said that Indian universities are failing to produce graduates to meet the needs of its companies, The Times of India reports. Discussing possible solutions, Tharoor suggested India should be more open to foreign universities which are keen to establish branch campuses in the country, and also mentioned a proposal to establish 50 new research centers.