EU education news

Eurogates is renewed!

2011-05-11T15:00:00.002+01:00

Eurogates launched the new website. Now you can search universities in Holland by field of study and city, where is situated the Dutch University. The study programme database is updated.

Study at University in the Netherlands is very relaxing

2011-04-14T15:48:00.003+01:00

Yearly a lot of the international students are coming to study in the Netherlands to follow education. The Netherlands has a rich history and a tolerant outlook. That's why foreign students are really welcome in Holland. 76,750 students from abroad entered at various universities at the Netherlands, according to NUFFIC. More information about study at Universities the Netherlands.

Study at Universities in Holland opens your world.

2010-09-05T23:59:00.004+01:00

Study at Universities in Holland opens your world. You can start study in Europe in September or in February. The Universities of Applied Sciences in Holland very often offer programmes started in February. Read more info: about starting of programmes in Holland.

British students come to study in Holland

2010-08-30T20:01:00.003+01:00

Universities in Holland attract British students. The University of Maastricht is actively recruiting British students for the coming academic year. Around 160,000 British students are expected to miss out on a university place in their own country.

Maastricht is taking an opportunity to raise the profile of its university programmes. Jeanine Gregersen of Maastricht University says the British students will get excellent education in Maastricht, not just in their own language, but also in an international environment. It's striking just how many of the students are British.

"The University of Maastricht is well-known for its international allure. We try to make the student groups as international as possible, and that means having British students too.

We are also active in countries outside Europe, in particular China, India and Turkey. If we look at the figures in the Dutch clearing system Studielink, we can see there are almost 17,000 international students.

But not all of them will turn up, because nowadays students are critical and apply to different universities. They make their choice at the very last minute."

More information about Study at Universities in The Netherlands

Universities in Holland: more than 1450 programmes in English

2010-08-27T03:45:00.002+01:00

Study in Holland is a special experience. After graduation of an University in Holland student can start its professional and an academic career in Europe.

At this moment 76,000 international students follow study in the Netherlands. That makes in the Netherlands really international study point. Here students from all over the world can learn to work together.

Universities in Holland offer Bachelor, Master and preparatory programmes in English.Read more about programmes of Universities in the Netherlands.

Grants for study in Holland : Libertas Support Fund

2010-08-16T16:03:00.002+01:00

The Libertas Support Fund scholarship programme established for foreign students who is not able to follow education in their home country because of the political situation. The Dutch government nominates countries whose nationals are eligible for a scholarship from the Fund. In the 2010-2011 academic year, the programme will be open to students from Belarus only. The Fund provides financial help to students who want to follow a bachelor’s or master’s programme at Universities in Holland. Study can include research and/or practical training. More information about Libertas Support Fund see on Eurogates.

Hotels in the Netherlands near Keukenhof

2010-05-26T16:47:00.004+01:00

Holland is the best place to be chosen for your holiday. The Netherlands is especially famous for its flowers, gardens and flower auctions. The toursits from all over the world are attracted to the world`s largest spring garden at Keukenhof for an unforgettable experience of colour and scent. Open daily for just 2months of the year from mid March to mid May, this former nineteenth century landscape park was acquired by the Royal Dutch Association of bulb Growers in 1949 and made into a spectacular bulb garden, covering an area of thirty-two hectares and situated between Haarlem and Leiden on the N208. Combine a visit to the Keukenhof and nearby bulbfields with a three course dinner and overnight stay in the characterful Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg hotel for just £99 per person which includes entry to the Keukenhof. Built in the style of the Dutch Renaissance, the 5 star hotel offers old-world accommodation with a welcoming ambience. The hotel is situated in Santport only 20 minutes from Schiphol Airport. More informations about Hotels in Holland

English prepartory courses in Holland

2010-03-10T12:22:00.001+01:00

In today’s business world it is not only important that you have the required experience and expertise but you need to speak English fluently in order to convey your thoughts clearly and effectively. This is also true when you are going to study abroad or pursue a professional degree. This is why it is important to enrol yourself with a business school that offers an English preparation programme. As a language, you just can’t do without English. It is the accepted business language in most parts of the world today. Further, most educational programmes in the Netherlands are conducted in English. Without attending a university preparation programme you may not be ready to start the course.

Belguim: how to find accommodation for students?

2009-09-26T14:25:00.012+01:00

Belguim: how to find accommodation for students?

23 September 2009 at 15:12

Student Katie Read found that her first big test came before she had even left the UK - finding an affordable roof over her head.

Unless you’re one of the lucky few who get their accommodation provided by their college or university, you may or may not have stumbled upon the following dilemma. “I am about to go abroad.

I do not know a soul and I haven’t a penny to my name. I heard a rumour that students do not sleep but I myself find lecture theatres too uncomfortable for a snooze. I must find somewhere to live, somewhere cheap, within crawling distance from a bar, close to university I suppose, and preferably not falling apart. I’m sorry, did you just ask me to organise this before I’ve even got there?”

A few research tips:

Belgium is not a big country, and its cities, even Brussels, are surprisingly small. Thus GoogleMaps may make the walk to university look like you might need well-fitted hiking boots and a stick, but in reality you’d be close enough to warrant attending all classes on a regular basis.
Be really careful about renting from abroad. Many of the websites listed in this article are well-established with hundreds of previous student tenants, but many of the private forum posts will need to be checked. If you agree to ten-month tenancy without seeing a property you have no choice but to accommodate the pre-established ant asylum in your living room.
Many universities suggest that you come to Belgium a week or so before term starts to find accommodation.

Accommodation in Holland

Read the whole article: Expatica.com

Conference on artificial intelligence

2009-09-26T14:25:00.011+01:00

Conference on artificial intelligence

13 September 2009 at 02:05

With the themes “People and Machines,” “Robots,” “Computers and Emotions” and “Games and Interactivity” all expected to be more deeply explored, experts at the University of Paderborn are gearing up for the KL2009 conference. The conference will run between Sept 15 and 18 and is being organized by the university’s Heinz Nixdorf Institute.

The annual KL conference, according to the university, is one of the most important international meetings on artificial intelligence and has met consecutively for 32 years. Just after the USA, Germany devotes the largest amount of scientists to the study of artificial intelligence, according to the university. Artificial intelligence isn’t just something that interests a small circle of scientists: it affects the lives of everyday people, too, and has wide social implications. The KL conference is open to the students, economic and science professionals, industry experts and anyone who just may be curious.

Study in Germany

Maths 'no better than in 1970s'

2009-09-26T14:25:00.009+01:00

Maths 'no better than in 1970s'

7 September 2009 at 01:09

Pupils are no better at maths now than they were 30 years ago - despite a rise in exam grades, a study suggests.

Researchers asked 3,000 11 to 14-year- olds in England to sit maths exams taken by pupils in 1976, and compared their scores with the earlier results. Analysis suggested there was little difference between the two generations.

But among pupils from the previous generation taking O-level maths, less than a quarter gained a C or above, compared to 55% in GCSEs last year.

'Teaching to the test'

Dr Jeremy Hodgen, of King's College, London, who led the research team, suggested the disparity between unchanged ability and the increase in grades was partly down to schools' obsession with Sats results and league table positions.

He said: "There's a great deal of teaching to the test, so that in trying to increase scores, schools develop an understandable focus on the test, so there's a narrowing of the curriculum".

BBC News

Germany’s most beautiful campuses

2009-09-26T14:25:00.007+01:00

Germany’s most beautiful campuses

4 September 2009 at 10:00

Last spring, the student Web portal UNICUM and the architectural website BauNetz teamed up to create a contest called “Germany’s most beautiful university campus.” This August, they announced a winner: the University of Passau.

Judges particularly liked the Bavarian school’s architecture, location and a student lawn named Innwiese. Clinching the second place slot in the contest was the University of Magdeburg-Stendal in Saxony-Anhalt. Third was the private Business and Information Technology School in North-Rhine Westphalia. Students, experts and website visitors judged 21 German universities. Categories in which universities could earn points included beauty and architecture, soundness of infrastructure and building furnishings.

Study in Germany

Ireland: Over 20% drop out of university science and technology courses

2009-09-26T14:25:00.005+01:00

Ireland: Over 20% drop out of university science and technology courses

2 September 2009 at 15:11

Huge numbers of university students in Ireland are dropping out of science and technology courses after their first year in college, according to new figures obtained by The Irish Times.

At Dublin City University, regarded as the State’s leading “hi-tech” university, 39 per cent of students who began a science and technology degree course failed to progress to second year in their chosen course.At UCD, the non-completion rate in science and technology courses was 26 per cent.

The drop-out rate from science/technology/engineering and maths courses was high across the seven universities in the State, averaging more than 20 per cent. Ahead of the Leaving Cert results on Wednesday, the high drop-out rates among first-year university students will raise fresh questions about the so called “dumbing down” of the exam.

While grades have improved dramatically in the past decade, Tom Boland, chief executive of the Higher Education Authority, recently voiced fears of declining standards, with what he called “spoon-fed” second-level students struggling to cope at third level.

Last night, Tony Donohoe, head of education and social policy for employers’ group Ibec, said these “extremely disappointing” new drop-out figures highlight “the worst effects of the points system.”

It was inevitable, he said, that the declining number of students taking science/technology courses – and their lower Central Applications Office (CAO) points – would “result in entry by some students who were ill-equipped to take these courses. These figures also raise serious concerns around the teaching of mathematics and science at second level.” CAO points for a huge range of science and technology degrees have fallen dramatically in the past decade, as colleges struggle to fill places in these courses.

Last year, students could gain entry to many science and technology courses with less than 300 points. This compares, for example, with the 470 points required for primary teacher training.

The Government has identified science and technology as a key building block for economic revival, investing heavily in research.

But in international assessments, Ireland ranks 14th and 16th respectively out of 30 OECD countries in terms of the science and mathematical literacy among 15-year-olds. In 2008, close to 5,000 students failed ordinary-level maths in the Leaving, making them ineligible for most third-level science courses.

Last night, DCU president Ferdinand von Prondzynski said the university has been working hard to improve retention, but he acknowledged that non-completion rates are still unacceptably high.

“DCU has recently been looking more generally at retention, and we have introduced a new framework of student support which should ensure further significant improvements. We accept, however, that every non-completion is a serious problem.”

UCD said its relatively high student numbers in the science and technology area should be taken into account when comparing non-completion rates across the sector.

Irish Times

Schotland: University bid in new funds plea

2009-09-26T14:25:00.003+01:00

Schotland: University bid in new funds plea

30 August 2009 at 00:20

The prospective university of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) in Scotland has said it cannot meet higher demand for student places because of a lack of funding.The institution was responding to the results of a youth migration survey.Almost half the respondents said opportunities to study further education and for training were poor.UHI, which has been working towards gaining full university status, said it could not satisfy demand on current levels of funding.

The survey was commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and investigated the reasons why young people chose to leave, move to, or stay in the region.Among its findings was that almost half the total sample said they felt access to education and training opportunities was poor.There was also a perception of a lack of well-paid jobs.

James Fraser, UHI principal designate, welcomed the research, but also expressed the institution's desire to meet the aspirations of young people.He said: "The stark reality is since our allocation of funded students was fixed in 2003-4, we have increased our student numbers by around 25% - without a proportionate increase in funding."This lack of additional funding for students means we are now in the position where we will have to severely limit further growth against an increasing demand."

Earlier this month, the first degrees and qualifications from UHI that no longer required validation by the Open University were awarded. UHI was given taught degree awarding powers last August.

Inverness economist Tony Mackay has criticised the time it was taking for the institution to secure full university status.

BBC News

Financial gap looms for young Swiss abroad

2009-09-26T14:25:00.001+01:00

Financial gap looms for young Swiss abroad

29 August 2009 at 09:00

Each year, around 600 young Swiss abroad return home to study, but they are finding it harder to get scholarships, especially if they live in the European Union.

The Association Promoting Education for Young Swiss Abroad says it is the cantons, who are responsible for grants, that are causing financial hardship by implementing new administrative and legal requirements.Scholarships are becoming harder to come by, according to the association, which advises students returning home to further their education. It says that the cantons are taking a tougher line on documents and certificates that are submitted with a grant request.

But it is also complaining that EU residents aren't getting a fair deal, a trend that has become noticeable since the implementation of a first series of bilateral accords between Switzerland and the Union in 2002.This means that Swiss cantons should grant scholarships to EU citizens who are resident in Switzerland, while the opposite is supposed to apply in the EU member states.

For example, a Swiss living in France can make a request to the French authorities, while a French person living in Switzerland can apply to their canton of residence.

SwissInfo

Fewer German students studying abroad

2009-08-28T21:14:00.007+01:00

Fewer German students studying abroad

26 August 2009 at 09:00

The number of German students participating in the Erasmus foreign exchange program has dropped over the last year. In the academic year 2007/2008, 23,553 students made use of the program that places them outside Germany’s borders to study for a semester — that’s 300 fewer students from the year before, according to numbers compiled by the European Commission.

Since the inception of the 22-year-old Erasmus program, the only other time there’s been a decrease in students studying abroad was in the academic year 1996/97. Meanwhile, 1.8 million students in total have successfully completed the Erasmus program. The most favoured places to study are Spain, followed by France, Germany and Great Britain. The EU Commission plans to send out an online questionnaire to find out what has recently deterred students from studying abroad.

Study in Germany

Scramble for university places

2009-08-28T21:14:00.005+01:00

Scramble for university places

22 August 2009 at 23:20

Teenagers who failed to get their first choices for university are rushing to find courses amid a squeeze on places.Some of the universities in Great Britain have already closed their "clearing" operations, whereby spare places are allocated, saying all courses are full.

More than 5,000 British students have found a place through clearing but another 142,000 are eligible for the places available.There is a shortage due to a surge in applications and a cap on places.University admissions service Ucas said hits to its website were 50% up on last year after A-level results came out.It was thought there were about 24,000 places available through clearing, so nearly a fifth of them have gone.

Students use clearing to apply for alternative courses or universities if they fail to get the grades they need to secure their first choices, if they have chosen not to take up an existing offer, or were not holding an offer.Ucas says since 0600 on Thursday, more than 970,570 students have logged onto its website to see if they have a university place confirmed or to find alternatives.Calls to its helpline were close to 15,000 by the end of the day.

BBC News

Many Swedish students failing maths: report

2009-08-28T21:14:00.003+01:00

Many Swedish students failing maths: report

22 August 2009 at 23:05

More than one in ten Swedish school pupils fall below minimum standards for entering high school, according to new statistics from the Swedish Board of Education.Mathematics has once again proved to be the major stumbling block, with In 8.5 percent of pupils unable able to achieve a passing grade in the subject, although a higher proportion of those that did pass achieved distinctions.

The new statistics show minor changes on the corresponding figures for 2008 with 88.8 percent of school pupils achieving the passing grades required for high school (gymnasium) entry in the core subjects of Maths, Swedish and English.

"The figure, over 11 percent, would appear high but has largely remained the same for the past decade," Helena Svensson at the board told The Local on Wednesday."Over the longer term there has been some decline. Before it was little under ten percent, now it is a little over."In English 7.1 percent of pupils did not make the grade while in Swedish the figure was 4.1 percent. In Swedish as a second language the figure was 27.5 percent.

The new report is based on preliminary statistics compiled from estimates produced by Statistics Sweden. Final grades will be published in November.The board writes that the national statistics hide significant variations between and among school and local municipalities.

"Schools and municipalities are supposed to ensure that pupils are given the support that they need. They get this support, but may be it is not always the right kind of support," Helena Svensson explained.

The Local

Parents 'place value on skills'

2009-08-28T21:14:00.001+01:00

Parents 'place value on skills'

19 August 2009 at 00:28

The majority of parents (90%) believe schools should teach vocational and practical courses, as well as academic subjects, a survey suggests. The poll of 3,000 parents also found over three quarters (78%) thought British schools did not equip young people adequately for the world of work. The survey, by Skillfast UK, found 83% of parents thought teachers should have more contact with the business world. Skillfast UK said vocational subjects should be more highly valued.

The organisation, which represents the fashion and textiles sector, is alarmed by proposals by the Conservative party that it would give schools more league table points for teaching "hard" academic subjects, such as maths and physics. It fears this will discourage schools from teaching vocational subjects, to the detriment of industry and young people.

Linda Florance, chief executive of Skillfast-UK, said: "Education should be challenging - but academic subjects are not the only valid challenge. "As our poll clearly shows, parents are in favour of schools teaching vocational subjects as a way of preparing young people for life after school, and we hear the same message from the business community. "As an economy, we need entrepreneurs and skilled practitioners, as well as academics. "Our education system should value both."

BBC News

School in Sweden offers reward for student recruits

2009-08-28T21:13:00.008+01:00

School in Sweden offers reward for student recruits

17 August 2009 at 21:00

The perilous financial position for many independent schools in Sweden (Jönköping) has led to one offering unusual incentives to persuade friends to sign up.

Friskolan Vettergymnasiet in Jönköping is offering pupils hard cash if they can encourage their friends to sign up at the high school, Radio Jönköping reports."Yes, we have offered them the possibility to receive some form of remuneration. But we don't think that it has any effect at all," the rector at the school, Rolf Palmgren said.Palmgren explained that he did not see any ethical dilemma in offering the financial reward.

"It is only a matter of a couple of hundred kronor," he told Radio Jönköping. Independent schools have previously been predominantly a feature of the major cities in Sweden.

But in recent years a wave of independently-run (but council-financed) schools have been established even in smaller cities. Around 20 percent of Jönköping municipality's high school pupils, and around 15 percent of primary and secondary school pupils, attended an independent school in 2008.

The Local

11th annual EU Studies Fair 2010 in February in Brussels

2009-08-28T21:13:00.007+01:00

11th annual EU Studies Fair 2010 in February in Brussels

17 August 2009 at 10:00

11th annual EU Studies Fair 2010 which will be held on 12th and 13th February at the Crowne Plaza Brussels City Centre hotel. The event will bring together prospective students, corporations and academic institutions concentrating on post-graduate programmes in EU Studies, International Relations, Business, Law and internship opportunities. In previous years more than 800 visitors came.

This year the Fair will be taken place on two days. On the first day there will be a tour for students of the EU institutions and two seminars. And the second day will be the traditional EU Studies Education Fair.

Go to www.eustudiesfair.com to see more details.

'Chocolate is good for your heart': study

2009-08-28T21:13:00.005+01:00

'Chocolate is good for your heart': study

15 August 2009 at 00:00

Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week cut their risk of dying from heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff, Swedish scientists have reported.

"If you are not overweight nor have diabetes I would not recommend against eating chocolate," said Imre Janszky, the physician who led the study at Karolinska Institute in Solna near Stockholm, to the TT news agency.

Smaller quantities grant lower levels of protection, but are still better than abstaining from the sugary treat, according to the study which is published in the September issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.The study followed 1,169 patients in Stockholm who had survived heart attacks and asked them questions about their lifestyles and food habits.

Earlier research in Sweden had established a strong link between cocoa-based confections and lowered blood pressure or improvement in blood flow.It had also shown that chocolate cuts the rate of heart-related mortality in healthy older men, as well as with post-menopausal women.

The study concludes that the lower the chocolate intake, the lower the protection against heart-related death, and it is the first to demonstrate the connection between chocolate and the health of heart attack patients.

The Local

Global youth pool climate ideas

2009-08-28T21:13:00.003+01:00

Global youth pool climate ideas

13 August 2009 at 01:37

Five hundred teenagers are meeting in Denmark for a competition to design new products to help tackle climate change.The winning ideas will be be passed on to the United Nations at a major summit in Copenhagen in December.

Set on the island of Als on the shores of the Baltic sea, it is difficult to imagine a better setting for what is being called the world's biggest ever teenage climate camp.The fields around the town are so green they are almost glowing, and the pale sandy beaches sparkle in the sunshine.

When people are not chugging through the calm, clear waters on sailing boats, they get around using one of the many bicycle lanes on offer. If you live in Sonderborg, getting stuck in traffic is not an option.

Buzzing around the university building which is hosting the Bright Green Youth Camp are teenagers from 41 different countries, united by the bright white T-shirts they have all been given, and a common passion to protect the environment.

The teenagers have been split into groups from a range of countries and tasked with the goal of devising a product or idea based around green energy. One team has come up with a solar-powered bicycle, another has invented street lights that only switch on when cars pass over speed bumps. A panel of judges including Danish businesses and environmental campaigners will select four winning ideas to be handed over to the United Nations.

BBC News

Brussels for beginners: a one-day event for international students

2009-08-28T21:13:00.001+01:00

Brussels for beginners: a one-day event for international students

12 August 2009 at 13:05

The purpose was to stimulate the integration of expatriates in the city of Brussels and to foster mutual communication between newcomers and inhabitants of Brussels.

The project also met the request of many foreign students to have a better understanding of the complexity of the city they are studying in. Thanks to the support of the King Baudouin Foundation and the National Lottery, a tailor-made programme was developed.

The Brexpat project introduced university, college and high school students to typical products, arts, monuments, politicians and inhabitants of Brussels. At the start of the Brexpat Day, students discovered many cultural treasures hidden in the old quarter of Brussels by means of a quest.

How about food? Did international students already taste some local specialties (besides fries and chocolate)? During a workshop at one of the HUB campuses, students assisted in preparing their own typical Belgian lunch.

Expatica.com

Europe's net refuseniks revealed

2009-08-10T18:21:00.001+01:00

Europe's net refuseniks revealed

7 August 2009 at 12:00

One third of Europeans have never used the net, according to an EU report.

The study, which examined the region's digital landscape over the last five years, also revealed that more than one in four Europeans had never used a PC. More than one in three of the digital refuseniks said they did not see the need for a connection while nearly one quarter said they could not afford it.

People above the age of 65 and the unemployed were the least active online, it said. However, the study also revealed that in 2008 56% of Europeans had become regular internet users, up one third since 2004.

BBC News

University to cut one in 11 staff

2009-08-10T18:20:00.013+01:00

University to cut one in 11 staff

5 August 2009 at 11:52

The University of Wolverhampton in England plans to cut 250 jobs - out of 2,700 - in an effort to tackle debts of £8m.England's higher education funding council has told it to repay £3.5m because, like some other institutions, it understated its drop-out rate. Wolverhampton aims to "reposition" itself to be more employer-focused.

The University and College Union (UCU) opposes the trawl for redundancies and is seeking a full breakdown of the university's income and expenditure.The funding council (Hefce) has conducted an audit of Wolverhampton, but says such matters are not usually made public. Negotiations with the university were continuing, a spokesman said.

BBC News

Great Britain: Bad teens 'not fault of parents'

2009-08-10T18:20:00.011+01:00

Great Britain: Bad teens 'not fault of parents'

2 August 2009 at 19:11

Bad behaviour among teenagers is not the fault of parenting getting worse, say researchers in the UK. A report from the Nuffield Foundation says today's parents are taking a more active role in their children's lives than parents two decades ago.

Parents are spending more time with their teenagers and are more likely to monitor their children's whereabouts than parents in the 1980s. There was "no evidence of a decline in parenting," said researchers. Problem behaviour among teenagers might be more likely to be caused by peer pressure or the influence of youth culture, suggested Frances Gardner, from Oxford University's Department of Social Policy and Social Work.

Professor Gardner, who carried out the research for the social policy charity, the Nuffield Foundation, found no evidence to support the idea that more parents were failing to control their children.

However researchers found young people were increasingly reliant on their parents, living with them for longer, which can make parenting more stressful.

BBC News

Sweden:Failing pupils to sit extra school year

2009-08-10T18:20:00.009+01:00

Sweden:Failing pupils to sit extra school year

31 July 2009 at 19:59

Pupils in Sweden sefailing to graduate from compulsory level education (grundskola) could be forced to sit an extra year, according to a new government proposal to extend the age of mandatory school attendance to 17-years-old.

Pupils already have the opportunity to attend school for an extra year to boost their grades but are currently freed from legal obligations to attend school after their sixteenth birthday."It is permissible to retake a school year, but as compulsory education ends at 16 it means that many drop out," education minister Jan Björklund told Dagens Nyheter.

Björklund explained that the the government proposal, which forms part of a new schools law to be presented on Monday, means that pupils will be offered tailored supervision during the additional school year. "Some need special resource teachers, some simply need more time," he said. Björklund reasons that the changes are needed to underline the obligations of the nine-year compulsory level education system to all pupils.

He wants to see the extra year introduced as soon as possible to ensure that pupils do not leave school lacking the basic qualifications for high school (gymnasium) courses.The extra year could be introduced as early as year three as the first indications of a pupil's progress emerge in conjunction with the first stage of national tests in Swedish and mathematics.

The Local

Gifted pupil scheme targets poor

2009-08-10T18:20:00.007+01:00

Gifted pupil scheme targets poor

29 July 2009 at 15:00

The gifted and talented scheme for high-ability pupils in the schools of England is to target funds on some bright teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds. Scholarships of £250 per year will be available to develop the skills of gifted pupils on free school meals.

The government is expecting about 2,000 pupils to benefit - increasing their chances of getting into university. Schools Minister Vernon Coaker said no child should be "held back by the luck of the draw in their circumstances".

The scheme is aimed at gifted but disadvantaged secondary school pupils aged between 14 and 19 - with the aim of helping to foster their interest in applying to university. A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families says the money could be used to pay for travel to university open days or books or extra lessons

BBC News

First university literacy program in Germany

2009-08-10T18:20:00.005+01:00

First university literacy program in Germany

27 July 2009 at 11:19

Starting this fall, Germany's first university program for literacy is scheduled to begin at the University of Education Weingarten. According to the Federal Association of Literacy, who helped develop the program, the master\'s program is designed as qualification for teaching in secondary schools, trade schools, and adult education programs.

The program is intended for people with a bachelor's degree in education, psychology, or sociology. In Germany there are around four million "functional illiterates" – people who don't have adequate reading skills.

Study in Germany

PhD Scholarships for post graduate education

2009-08-10T18:20:00.003+01:00

PhD Scholarships for post graduate education

23 July 2009 at 01:56

Faculty of Life Sciences is offering a number of PhD scholarships beginning in the period from 1 October 2009 to 1 December 2009. Applications will only be considered where the candidate can commence within this period. A minimum of 5 scholarships will be awarded to applicants holding a DVM degree.

The positions are available for a 3-year period for applicants holding a relevant master degree or for a 4-year period for applicants who are already enrolled or are accepted to be enrolled on one of the faculty's master programmes. Applicants for the 4-year period must have completed the first year of the study curriculum equivalent to 60 ECTS (and still remain app. one year of study before graduation).

Based in a country that has the world's most environmentally friendly agricultural production and located in Medicon Valley, among global pharmaceutical, biotech and food companies, the Faculty of Life Sciences at University of Copenhagen is situated in the heart of one of the world's strongest life science environments.

As a significant part of one of Europe's absolutely leading universities, we strive to give our students and researchers the best international career prospects in our seven main areas:

•   Food and health
•   Climate, energy and environment
•   Politics, economics and developing countries
•   Animals, ethics and welfare
•   Biotechnology
•   Forest, land and urban development
•   Plants and natural resources

PhD students will be enrolled within the Graduate School of Life Sciences. Furthermore, the PhD student can be affiliated to one of the 15 research schools within the Graduate School of Life Sciences.

Qualification requirements
When assessing the applications, emphasis will be put on the candidates

•   Passed master programme in relation to the main subject area(s)
•   or (for applicants applying for a 4-year scholarship), the marks obtained during the first year of study on the master programme
•   Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD content as well as the likelihood to complete the PhD project requested by the applicant
•   Publications
•   Other professional activities
•   Relevant working experience

University of Copenhagen

Swine flu may keep some schools shut in September

2009-08-10T18:20:00.001+01:00

Swine flu may keep some schools shut in September

19 July 2009 at 01:54

Some schools in England could remain closed in September if the swine flu pandemic escalates over the summer, the government has admitted.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said that, while it was expected schools and nurseries would open as usual at the start of the academic year, it could not be "certain what the situation will be" in the autumn.

Decisions on closures would be taken shortly before the start of the autumn term, a message to schools across the country from the department said.The DCSF guidance, issued as many schools broke up for the summer today, said it was monitoring the spread of the H1N1 virus on a day-by-day basis. A message will be sent to schools in the last week of August telling them what to do at the start of term, it added.

The DCSF said: "As the summer term is drawing to an end, it is important to ensure that everyone will be in a position to know what will happen at the start of the autumn term."We expect that schools and early-years and childcare settings will reopen as usual but at this time we cannot be certain what the situation will be then; we will need to monitor developments over the summer, and take decisions based on the best advice available shortly before the start of term."

About 1,000 schools have already recorded cases of swine flu, although most have remained open, according to the DCSF.

Guardian

Austria: abolish school grades

2009-08-10T18:19:00.002+01:00

Austria: abolish school grades

17 July 2009 at 22:33

The educational spokeswoman of the Austrian Peoples Party, Bernadette Mennel, had a great idea how to get the full attention of the Austrian medias. She demands the abolishment of school grades in Austria.

Mennel thinks that it’s much better if teachers give out alternative assessments. Now she waits excited for the first results of a pilot experiment. Afterwards she wants to talk with school partners about further steps.

The educational spokeswoman of the Peoples Party thinks that the burden of slow learners in the current school system is unjustifiable high. The main question is if the school report is an unnecessary torture, was also written in an articel of a big Austrian news website today.

Comments in one of Austrias biggest internet forums were not so excited about the idea to abolish school grades and school reports. Some users even declared in their comments that Bernadette Mennel should join the Green party which such an idea.

Austria News

Exam changes 'make it harder to maintain standards'

2009-08-10T18:19:00.001+01:00

Exam changes 'make it harder to maintain standards'

15 July 2009 at 04:14

Continuing "rapid" changes to GCSEs and A-levels are making it harder to ensure standards are being maintained, the head of England's exams regulator said yesterday.

The introduction of modular qualifications "obscure" the demands put on students, Kathleen Tattersall, chair of Ofqual said. It comes just two months before secondary schools begin teaching modular GCSEs - which will allow pupils to re-take papers and improve their results.

In an interview with the Press Association, Ms Tattersall also warned that the public still have "unrealistic" expectations of England's exams system, and must realise there will always be human error. She said: "It's always very difficult monitoring standards over time.

"It is easy to say that standards over time must be maintained, of course they must. "I would say that what we are really talking about is having to ensure that the demands we make on students are as great as they ever were. The context in which those demands are made does change considerably.

"The organisation of exams, teacher assessment, whether it's a unitised examination, all obscure the issue of demands made on students."

The Independent

German supercomputers among ten fastest in the world

2009-07-13T22:00:00.009+01:00

German supercomputers among ten fastest in the world

13 July 2009 at 02:07

The two computers, which are both located at the Research Center Juelich, are the first models from Germany to simultaneously be in the top ten fastest supercomputers in the world. The first has been dubbed Europe's fastest computer. Its name is JUGENE and it was ranked third on the list of the Top 500 supercomputers, which was recently published at a supercomputer conference in Hamburg.

The other computer from Juelich – JUROPA/HPC-FF – was tenth on the list. According to the Research Center Juelich, that's the first time in the history of the world rankings that two computers from a single European institute have been in the top ten at the same time. Both computers were developed by experts at the Juelich Supercomputing Center with support from partner firms. The computer JUGENE can complete more than one quadrillion computations per second, which is around 50,000 times faster than a modern PC.

Study in Germany

Parents worry about summer costs

2009-07-13T22:00:00.007+01:00

Parents worry about summer costs

10 July 2009 at 03:25

Six in 10 parents are worried about the cost of keeping their children busy in the school holidays, the UK survey suggests. Pupils in Northern Ireland, Scotland and many private schools have already broken up for the summer. State schools in England and Wales will soon follow.

A survey for the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) found 31% of parents wished their children had a shorter summer holiday. At the same time 36% felt guilty about not spending time with their children.

The biggest worry among the 1,000 parents surveyed (55%) was that their children might spend too long playing computer games or watching television. A quarter were worried about their children not getting enough exercise.

For some families, there are more serious worries. The summer holidays are a time when children could be drawn into trouble. England's Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) helps fund schemes run through schools and helps schools extend the services they offer to the community. It says low cost holiday clubs and activities are available at schools in most areas.

Hilary Emery, of the TDA, said: "The majority of schools now provide children and families with access to a great choice of enjoyable and exciting activities outside term time. "We want to help and encourage children and young people to find out about these opportunities and take part. Schools and local authorities can advise parents about what is available."

BBC News

European universities awarded for excellence in supporting mobile students

2009-07-13T22:00:00.005+01:00

European universities awarded for excellence in supporting mobile students

26 June 2009 at 12:00

65 higher education institutions from 16 countries are today awarded with special European quality labels in recognition of their efforts to make it easier for students to study abroad. These labels are given to universities which have shown excellence in applying the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the Diploma Supplement (DS), two European instruments that make teaching and learning more transparent and facilitate the recognition of studies and qualifications.

The ECTS and DS Labels for 2009 will be handed out tonight by the European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture and Youth, Ján Figel', in the presence of Vice-Minister for European Affairs of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Jakub Dürr.

Explaining the significance of the labels Commissioner Figel' said: " Today's Label holders are outstanding examples of institutions that are serious about European academic mobility in a rapidly-changing higher education sector."

The European Commission intends to organise annual application rounds for the ECTS and DS labels in the coming years. Applications can only be submitted by higher education institutions that have been awarded a Standard or an Extended Erasmus University Charter.

Of the 63 ECTS applications, 23 higher education institutions will receive the ECTS label. Of the 161 DS applications, 52 higher education institutions will be a holder of a DS label. This means that all in all, about one third of both the ECTS and the DS label applications have been selected. Ten institutions will receive both labels.

The ECTS label

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) makes teaching and learning more transparent and facilitates the recognition of studies (formal, non-formal or informal). The system is used across Europe for credit transfer (student mobility) and credit accumulation (learning paths towards a degree).

Institutions which apply ECTS publish their course catalogues on the web, including detailed descriptions of study programmes, units of learning, university regulations and student services. Course descriptions contain learning outcomes (what students are expected to know, understand and be able to do) and workload (the time students typically need to achieve the learning outcomes), expressed in terms of credits. In most cases, student workload ranges from 1,500 to 1,800 hours for an academic year, and one credit corresponds to 25-30 hours of work.

Credit transfer and accumulation are helped by the use of the ECTS key documents (course catalogue, learning agreement and transcript of records) as well as the Diploma Supplement.

For now, the ECTS label only focuses on the correct use of ECTS for credit transfer, i.e. for mobile students.

Criteria for the ECTS label are, amongst others:

Is all relevant information for foreign students available in English (information package, course catalogue)?
Are the individual files of incoming and outgoing students complete?

The DS label

The Diploma Supplement (DS) is a document attached to a higher education diploma with the aim of improving international ‘transparency’ and of facilitating the academic and professional recognition of qualifications (diplomas, degrees, certificates etc.). It is designed to provide a description of the nature, level, context, content and status of the studies that were successfully completed by the individual named on the original qualification to which this supplement is appended. It should be free from any value-judgements, equivalence statements or suggestions about recognition. It is a flexible, non-prescriptive tool which is designed to save time, money and workload. It can be adapted to local needs.

The Diploma Supplement label is awarded to institutions which have shown that they provide the Diploma Supplements to students in a correct way. They have also given proof that:

The copies comply with the standard Diploma Supplement model
All students of the applicant institution receive a copy of the Diploma Supplement automatically and free of charge upon graduation.
The Diploma Supplement is issued in a widely spoken European language and, if so wished, in another language.

Europa

Netherlands third in Economist IT ranking

2009-07-13T22:00:00.003+01:00

Netherlands third in Economist IT ranking

21 June 2009 at 19:16

The Netherlands has gone up from seventh to third place in the latest E-readiness ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit and IBM.

E-Readiness is defined as the ability to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to develop the economy and bolster welfare.

News agency ANP reports that the Netherlands and Switzerland are in joint first place in terms of technological infrastructure and second in terms of the legal aspects of ICT usage.

Dutch News.nl

Study Medicine in Pecs University in Hungary

2009-07-13T22:00:00.001+01:00

Study Medicine in Pecs University in Hungary

15 June 2009 at 20:13

Since the establishment of Pécs University Medical School, many of its graduates have gained international recognition through the Medical School's co-operation with institutions all over the world. The international program at the university started as early as in 1984 with 36 students originating from a dozen of countries. The international student mix showed always a great diversity, although in recent years the Scandinavian and Israeli students formed a majority between the newcomers.

The program leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree, consist of six years: two years of general medical studies, three years of clinical studies and one year of a rotating internship.

The applicants to the program must pass an examination in Biology, Chemistry and English. The university practices a rolling admission policy. Entrance examinations are arranged at several locations in Europe, Israel, North America, Asia and Africa. For further details contact the representative of International Studies in your country.

Application fee: 200 USD

Tuition fee:
Medicine (Years I-VI) 12.600 USD
Dentistry (Years I-V) 12.600 USD
Dentistry students' additional material fee: 710 USD/Semester

Exam fee in Pécs: 250 USD
Registration fee: 200 USD

University and higher education in Barcelona

2009-06-16T22:40:00.004+01:00

University and higher education in Barcelona

12 June 2009 at 12:00

Although home to some of the oldest institutions in Europe, Spain’s universities are where the Franco legacy is said to have lingered longest. Complaints include a semi-official system of patronage between established and young academics, dismal pay for junior teachers and researchers, poor publication records and limited investment in scientific research.

This is a generalised, national picture, though, and there are individual centres of excellence.

In the most recent survey of the world’s top 200 universities, the single Spanish university on the list scraped in at 190.

Bad news for Spain, but good news for Catalonia, as this one high-flyer is its very own Universidad de Barcelona.

Expats deciding whether to study here or go home will have to take language into consideration, as most (though not all) courses in Barcelona’s universities are taught in Catalan.

Unlike US and British universities, students here tend to live with their parents, creating an atmosphere that some may find narrow and lacking the extra-curricular intensity of campuses in Anglo states.

Some institutions, such as Universidad Pompeu Fabra are considered too nationalistic and Catalo-centric for some tastes.

For admission to university (from either state or private schools), students must sit two sets of exams. Firstly, the Batxillerat and secondly, an exam set by the university itself, known as Selectivitat.

Admission of students whose educational qualifications were acquired outside Spain is notoriously bureaucratic.

To study a first or second degree here, high school diplomas and/or first degree certificates must be formally approved by the Delegación del Gobierno, which is located in Carrer Bergara 12 (93 520 96 03), near the Estació de França in El Born.

For helpful details (in English) on this process, phone the Barcelona Centre Universitari, the information service for the city’s universities, on 93 23 89 049.

EU nationals do not need a visa to be residents or study in Spain. Non-EU citizens will need to apply for a Visado de Estudios for a Spanish embassy or consulate in their home country.

Student Life

Barcelona’s student population is huge, with around 200,000 of the scruffy tikes spread across its several universities. The cultural, cosmopolitan and arty draw of the city attracts students from all over the world and for a variety of reasons.

Whether you’re on an Erasmus exchange, a TEFL programme, studying for a Masters or embarking on a full undergraduate course, there will be plenty of opportunity to get involved in this enriching city.

Students doing an undergraduate degree at larger universities can expect to be housed in halls of residence based on campus. The Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, for example, houses students in the University Village (Vila Universitària), which is designed to feel like a self-contained city with parks, leisure centres and so on. It is worth contacting your university’s accommodation office well before you arrive.

The universities also have an affiliation with Barcelona Housing Services, which specialises in accommodation for students. Options vary from shared flats and rented apartments, to university halls.

Your social life will, at first, be determined by where you live, who you meet and what societies you decide to join.

The Universidad de Barcelona, for example, has a good range. It has one of the largest sporting venues in the city and caters for those that want to join a sports team, drama club, music society or get involved in one-off events. Beyond campus life, a lively student social scene can be found in Gràcia. It is one of Barcelona’s hippest areas, with narrow streets, busy bars, bustling street cafes and lots of life.

Student digs

There are a few useful websites for students hoping to find a home. The CIAJ is an Ajuntament-run organisation that helps arrange student accommodation. The site www.bcn-housing-students.com is useful and www.brighter place.com is focussed on Erasmus exchange students.

Further education

The Barcelona Business School (www.bbs-edu.org, 93 452 22 30) offers corporate training and executive education to business people, in English.

For those with good Spanish, Barcelona´s ESADE business school offers open programmes for continuing career development (www.esade.edu, 93 280 40 08), as well as partnership programmes in which business people can customise their own course, either as individuals or through their companies.

Expatica

Students suffer in France's four-month strike

2009-06-16T22:40:00.003+01:00

Students suffer in France's four-month strike

10 June 2009 at 12:00

Roland Lloyd Parry finds that French Academics' and students' unions fear the egalitarian state university system will splinter into two.

PARIS - Shahinez Benabed turned up in February to finish a history degree at the renowned Sorbonne university on the Left Bank in Paris, but found the historic lecture halls shut by a teachers' strike.

Four months later, she has not had a single class during a damaging confrontation between teachers opposed to reforms and President Nicolas Sarkozy's right-wing government.

Studying on her own, Benabed waited for the lessons she felt would set her up for the final exams and, next term, a master's degree. Many of her fellow students, she says, simply dropped out.

"I'm afraid about the exams," said Benabed, 22. After missing half the year, she says, "it's going to be a kind of joke exam." But "if we didn't take it, employers would say your diploma isn't worth as much."

The closure dragged on for 15 weeks as teachers and some students angrily resisted a government attempt to shake up France's public university sector, which trails behind comparable countries in world academic rankings.

Sarkozy wants to boost the autonomy of university bosses and increase their ability to seek private funding, while changing teachers' training procedures. Ministers have accused strikers of harming students' futures.

Academics' and students' unions fear the egalitarian state university system will splinter into two or more tiers of quality and funding, and some teachers fear for their job security in a school "run like a business".

Morally, Benabed supports the strikers, who say they fear that non-academics will gain power over teachers and water down professional training. But as for the strike: "I'm not sure it's achieving much."

In a country with one of the lowest youth employment rates in the OECD grouping of industrialised economies, lessons at most universities are now gradually resuming after one of France's longest strikes.

Last week the Sorbonne ended its blockade, clearing the way for late exams in mid-June while a handful of universities in other cities are still holding out.

Blockages and demos often strike French schools and universities, several times forcing the government to back down. The current action, still unresolved, is less widespread and fierce but has lasted longer than most.

Mass protests against proposed job reforms in 2006 lasted three months. This year's closure of the Sorbonne has lasted longer than the action during the historic unrest of 1968, when it was shut from May to mid-June.

At the height of the movement in mid-March, 18 of the country's 83 universities were fully closed by the action, with 23 on partial strike.

Active support for the movement has since waned to a small minority, mainly in arts and humanities faculties. Teachers are widely reported to have carried out informal lessons outside the blockaded buildings.

With just six universities still on strike last week, France's right-wing government accused the blockaders of victimising students. "It's robbing them of their future," Sarkozy said.

Reformers say French universities, which have a generous admissions procedure, need a shake-up to curb the high drop-out rate. They want to give bosses the freedom to fire teachers and to control their own budgets.

Academics resent the prospect of being managed by non-academic university presidents.They accuse the government of wanting to run universities like a business, as Lurin put it, sipping coffee in a cafe full of students and their books."We were so scandalised by the changes," he said. "We thought we'd have an immediate response."

The decrees are due to come into force from September. Some teachers have warned their movement will continue.

Expatica

International Business and Politics Study in Denmark

2009-06-16T22:40:00.001+01:00

International Business and Politics Study in Denmark

8 June 2009 at 13:18

The programme is a study in the relationship between international business administration, governments and other organisations. The programme combines business administration with politics in an international and global perspective.

Name: International Business and Politics
Type: Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Master of Science (MSc)
Length: BSc: 3 years. MSc: 2 years
European transfer credits: BSc: 180 ECTS. MSc: 120 ECTS
Language: English

The International Business and Politics programme in one of the universities in Denmark deals with how the international political and economic environment affects a given business concern. The programme gives you an international approach to business administration, as you become familiar with the political implications a corporation must take into account.

In the course of the programme, there will be special focus on the following subject areas:
• Business administration, where you learn to analyse corporations' economic problems
• International political economics, which deals with the connection between economics and politics in international circumstances
• Research theories, methodology and analysis proficiency, where you learn about the theories and methods used within this field
Teaching varies between lectures and classroom instruction. In addition, there is often project work together with other students. Students are encouraged to participate in class discussions.

You also have the possibility to take single courses or subjects within the programme.
If you choose to complete the bachelor's degree programme, you will graduate with the academic title of Bachelor of Science (BSc). Graduation from the master's degree programme confers the title Master of Science (MSc).

Educational Institutions

You can study International Business at the Copenhagen Business School (Handelshøjskolen) in Copenhagen.

Entry Requirements

The general admission requirements for international students include one of the following international certificates: the Danish/French Baccalauréat (DFB), the European Baccalaureate (EB), the International Baccalaureate (IB), the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB) or another foreign qualifying examination certificate that can be equated with a Danish upper secondary school leaving certificate.
To be admitted to an MSc programme, you must have a bachelor degree in a relevant subject.
In addition, documentation may be required verifying your proficiency in English is at a specified level.
Contact the educational institution you wish to apply to for detailed information on entry requirements and required English proficiency levels.
To find out how you can get your foreign certificate assessed for recognition here in Denmark, see the CIRIUS website.

Admission

The application deadline is March 15 for a course start in September. Admission is handled through The Danish Coordinated Application System. You can apply via optagelse.dk.
The application deadline for MSc programmes varies according to the educational institution. Contact the individual institution for further information regarding its application deadline and forms. Apply directly at the university.
Exchange students should contact their home institution for information on application procedures and deadlines.

Tuition

There is a tuition fee for all full-time degree students, unless you are a student from a Nordic or EU country, or from Liechtenstein.
Contact the individual institution for more specific information.

Study in Denmark

Boston University in Brussels celebrating 35 years of excellence

2009-06-06T14:09:00.007+01:00

Boston University in Brussels celebrating 35 years of excellence

6 June 2009 at 12:00

Succeed as a leader—gain dynamic skills with a global perspective. Boston University in Brussels offers part-time, evening graduate degrees and certificates, and ongoing seminars on the latest business topics.

Today’s global-minded leader needs to have expertise in the latest principles of international relations, marketing, management, and leadership. And for more than thirty years, that is what Boston University in Brussels has provided—right in the heart of the EU.

In 1972, Boston University became the first major American university to offer graduate business management degrees in Europe. Since then, Boston University in Brussels has prepared students for the challenges of a multicultural marketplace, providing programs that build professionalism, confidence, and skills that can be applied directly to the workplace. For students who seek a world-class education that taps into the cultural sophistication of an international city, the interplay of global political perspectives, and the ideas of seasoned business leaders, the BU Brussels classroom is the place to be.

BU Brussels offers master’s degrees and graduate programs in international relations, business, and—coming in 2009—leadership. Determining their own pace of learning, students study full- or part-time on a convenient evening schedule, enabling them to sustain the momentum of their careers and balance life responsibilities with their advanced study. In fact, much of what BU Brussels students learn in the classroom can be applied to their careers immediately.

Each degree, certificate, or diploma program is taught in English by distinguished faculty, comprising an esteemed group of academic and real-world experts who collaborate with the faculty from graduate departments at Boston University's Metropolitan College in Boston. As part of an international learning community of expert teachers, savvy professionals, and fellow learners, students benefit from an extremely practical, American-style education in a city where world politics and business concerns converge. And upon graduation, they join the growing number of alumni from the Brussels campus—part of a respected global network of more than 250,000 Boston University alumni.

Learn more about upcoming events at BU Brussels, such as seminars, Open Door Days, and culture nights, or explore the following graduate programs:

Boston University is the fourth-largest private university in the United States, and one of the world’s premier research institutions. Accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the University is also a member of the American Council on Education, the Association of American Colleges, the Association of Urban Universities, the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States, the EDUCOM Interuniversity Communications Council, and the Institute of International Education. All degrees are awarded by Boston University and are highly recognized throughout the world.

Boston University in Brussels
Blvd. du Triomphe, 174, Triomflaan, B-1160 Brussels
bu.edu/brussels • +32 (0)2 640 74 74

Expatica

Brussels for beginners: a one-day event for international students

2009-06-06T14:09:00.005+01:00

Brussels for beginners: a one-day event for international students

6 June 2009 at 12:00

For the Brexpat project, English and Economics students of the Hogeschool-Universiteit Brussel (HUB) joined up with the British School of Brussels to uncover the mysteries of Belgium’s capital.

The purpose was to stimulate the integration of expatriates in the city of Brussels and to foster mutual communication between newcomers and inhabitants of Brussels. The project also met the request of many foreign students to have a better understanding of the complexity of the city they are studying in. Thanks to the support of the King Baudouin Foundation and the National Lottery, a tailor-made programme was developed.

In the afternoon, the participants were introduced to two specific arts that are practised all over Brussels: comic strip drawing and politics.

2009 being the comic strip year in Brussels, the Ninth Art could not be forgotten. Together with cartoonist rAccou, students experienced it is not that easy to draw Tintin or Smurfs. Still, when you’re motivated, you can achieve a lot with some plain rules.

The last stop was the Parliament of the Brussels Capital-Region: students met the vice-chairman and MP Jan Beghin. Many of the participants prepared questions with regard to specific issues they are confronted with in the city: the different transport systems, urban poverty, effects of the economic crisis.

Expatica

Studying in Europe: Holland is the right choice

2009-06-06T14:09:00.003+01:00

Studying in Europe: Holland is the right choice

4 June 2009 at 00:25

The defining moment in your education can be the opportunity to study abroad. Further, if you plan to study in Europe, then this could be an opportunity that can change your life.

You will acquire a global perspective, international attitudes and memories that will linger forever. When you study in Europe your resume becomes more impressive and in certain instances, your language proficiency gets honed in.

For an avid student looking for opportunities to study abroad Holland promises a lot. This location has several leading universities and the standard of education is very high. Let us consider some of ways in which you stand to gain when you study in Holland.

1. Ample options

When you study in Holland, you can choose from Research Universities or Universities of Applied Sciences. Several popular courses are offered such as Economics, Technology, Language and Culture, Health care etc.

2. Quality

Europe is definitely known for education. Did you know that 11 of the Dutch Universities find place among the top 200 in the world? Success in your chosen career is almost guaranteed when you study in Europe.

3. Teaching in English

Even if you are a foreign student you can still study in Holland as most of the learning programs are taught in English. Therefore, you need not learn Dutch language to pursue studies or live in Holland. English is a commonly spoken language in this location.

4. Competitive costs

Compared to other major learning centres around the globe, the cost of learning as well as living in Holland is quite moderate. This is why it is a wise decision to choose Europe as a destination to further your studies.

5. Multi cultural society

Since The Netherlands is a multicultural society, foreign students will be able to adapt themselves to the environs without difficulty. Students who study in Holland find it easy to mingle with the locales.

6. Language test preparation

TOEL iBT is now being accepted in The Netherlands Universities and hence students seeking admission will find it easier to prepare for the language test.

7. Employment

Most foreign students are permitted to stay on for one year after completing the chosen course of study, to find a job suitable for them. Once the job is found, work permits are generally available for a period of 5 years.

An international qualification with foreign work experience will add value to your resume. Therefore, choose to study in Europe as it will positively affect your future.

More foreigners earning PhDs in Sweden

2009-06-06T14:09:00.001+01:00

More foreigners earning PhDs in Sweden

2 June 2009 at 00:40

Foreign students make up one third of doctoral candidates studying at Swedish universities and more than half of them stay in Sweden upon completing their studies, new statistics show.

A new report from Sweden’s National Agency for Higher Education (Högskolverket) finds that efforts by Swedish universities to attract doctoral candidates from other countries are working.

In the last decade, the percentage of non-Swedish students enrolled in PhD programmes has more than doubled. In the report, the agency defines a foreign PhD student as one who moved to Sweden for the express purpose of pursuing doctoral studies, not students with foreign backgrounds who grew up in Sweden.

Students from Asia account for much of the growth, while the number of students from other countries of Europe has declined.

The agency attributes the influx of foreign students in part to the proliferation of international masters-level programmes, which often serve as a stepping stone for foreign students who later elect to stay in Sweden to pursue a doctoral degree.

Another reason for the steadily rising number of foreign PhD candidates is the difficulty many universities report having in recruiting Swedish students.

Of the foreign doctoral students who completed their degrees between 1997 and 2001, 44 percent were still in Sweden five years later. The highest percentage of students who stayed, 50 percent, come from the technical and social science fields.

“That half stay in Sweden and half return is a good balance. Those who stay become a resource for the Swedish labour market and those who go back to their home countries also become a resource because the Swedish business community gets a network and contacts around the world,” said University Chancellor Anders Flodström in a statement.

Foreign doctoral candidates are also more likely to complete their programmes faster than their Swedish counterparts.

According to the agency’s statistics, 55 percent of foreign students finish their PhD programmes within five years, while the corresponding figure for Swedish doctoral students is 34 percent.

Part of the reason that foreign students try to complete their studies in less time may be that many are on scholarships, freeing them from the need to serve as teaching assistants in order to make ends meet financially as many Swedish PhD students are required to do.

In addition, foreign students are less likely to have their studies interrupted by things like parental leave. They may arrive in Sweden having already completed a portion of their coursework in their home country.

The Local

UK academic staff getting older

2009-05-30T22:48:00.003+01:00

UK academic staff getting older

30 May 2009 at 01:29

One in five UK academics is now aged 55 or over and the average age of university staff is increasing, figures show.The average age of academic staff in 2007-08 was almost 48, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa).The proportion of younger academics is gradually falling, with 25.2% currently aged 35 or younger.Hesa studied the ages and working patterns of UK staff since 2004.

The proportion of academic staff working on part-time contracts is now just over one third - 33.4% - up from 31.8% in 2004-05.And there is a pronounced gender gap, as 42% of female academics work part time compared with 27% of men - a rise for both sexes.There are also many more academic staff overall - 174,945 in 166 universities across the UK, up from 160,655 in 2004-05.

Numbers of full and part-time staff have increased over the last four years.The figures also show that the increased numbers of academics are across all ages, from researchers to professors.

BBC News

Study in Belgium: Grants and Student Life

2009-05-30T22:48:00.001+01:00

Study in Belgium: Grants and Student Life

28 May 2009 at 23:58

There is a number of grants that can be offered to the students that study in Belgium.

Grants

The Wallonia-Brussels Community grants
Grants can be awarded by the French Community of Belgium and by the universities of Brussels and Wallonia.
- The European Union grants
Grants are also awarded within the framework of European programmes :

The SOCRATES/ ERASMUS and LEONARDO programmes award financial support, as part of projects presented by the establishments, to encourage the mobility of students spending a study period or a traineeship in another country of the European Union.

The ERASMUS MUNDUS programme

These are integrated Masters courses of a very high level, proposed by at least three higher education establishments in three different European countries to students from third countries (countries outside the EU). The courses provide for a period of study in at least two of the three universities and lead to the awarding of a double, multiple or joint diploma.
Students from third countries who have obtained a first diploma delivered by a higher education establishment can benefit from a grant system.
- The Grants of the University Agency of Francophony
The University Agency of Francophony runs action programmes targeting students, teachers and researchers

Student life

Student living costs are dependent on a number of factors linked to the type of programme followed by students, type of accommodation chosen, way of life, etc. It may be considered that students will need a minimum of 800 euro per month, without however taking into account the various registration fees. Information may be obtained from the welfare services of the establishments or from establishment websites.

The majority of higher education establishments are located in urban centres that are easily accessible by public transport (train, tram, bus, underground). Students benefit from a whole range of infrastructures (shops, swimming pools, sports centres, cinemas, theatres) and from a variety of catering options. Students are able to participate in numerous extra-curricular activities (cultural and sporting activities, student parties, conferences, etc.) organised by the establishments or by student associations.

With respect to accommodation, some establishments offer students rooms at very reasonable prices. Students can also search for accommodation via estate agents or individuals. The minimum price for accommodation may be estimated at between 250 and 350 euros per month.

Study in Belgium

Graduates 'should try leaving UK'

2009-05-26T14:25:00.005+01:00

Graduates 'should try leaving UK'

26 May 2009 at 01:37

The government of the Unites Kingdom is urging graduates to consider a spell working abroad, whether in internships or volunteering, to avoid the worst of the recession. The advice is backed by the National Union of Students and is being handed out on leaflets at universities over the next couple of weeks. Recent figures suggest there will be a 5% drop in jobs for new graduates this summer, compared to last year.But Universities Minister David Lammy said internships can lead to a UK job.

Mr Lammy told the BBC: "If you get an internship, you are with a company acquiring skills that are attractive on a CV - and indeed, the company that you do it with might take you on."Then beyond that, it's right to say that we live in a global market place, opportunities abroad can add to your skills and sometimes your language skills."And volunteering is always something that's attractive to employers."

BBC News

Thinking about Master's degree? A Bachelor's may pay just as much

2009-05-26T14:25:00.003+01:00

Thinking about Master's degree? A Bachelor's may pay just as much

24 May 2009 at 17:36

A survey by the University of Applied Sciences Duesseldorf concludes that students with a master’s degree have no clear advantage over students with only a bachelor’s degree in the job market. Around 86 percent of the companies involved in the survey made no distinction between job applicants based on the type of degree they had attained.

Despite the extra two years necessary for a master’s in Germany, master’s graduates did not earn more than students with bachelor’s in 70 percent of the companies surveyed. A German bachelor’s degree usually takes three years to complete. According to a spokeswoman for the university, work experience is what really counts when it comes to getting a job after graduation.

Study in Germany

Bologna Process

2009-05-26T14:25:00.001+01:00

Bologna Process

22 May 2009 at 02:12

The aim of the Bologna Process is to achieve the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) by 2010. The EHEA is being developed through co-operation between ministries, higher education institutions, students and staff from 46 countries, with the participation of international organisations.

The Bologna Process encourages, among other things, European co-operation in quality assurance of higher education. Other important goals include:

easily comparable degrees;
introduction of the three cycle system (Bachelor’s degree / Master’s degree / Doctorate degree);
support for increased mobility of students and academic staff;
recognition of qualifications (e.g. the Diploma Supplement) and periods of study aided by a common European system of credits (e.g. ECTS, ECVET, NARIC);
promoting the European dimension in higher education.

The European Higher Education Area will provide Europe with a broad and advanced knowledge base. It is an important component of the Lisbon Agenda, enhancing Europe’s competitiveness, building the knowledge economy and ensuring greater sustainability and cohesion.

Study in Europe

Higher Education in Europe

2009-05-21T19:07:00.003+01:00

Higher Education in Europe

20 May 2009 at 02:24

Higher education in Europe plays an essential role in society, creating new knowledge, transferring it to students and fostering innovation. Institutions throughout Europe are working to modernise, both in terms of the courses they offer and the way they operate.

Europe has around 4,000 higher education institutions, with over 19 million students and 1.5 million staff. Some European universities are amongst the best in the world, but overall potential is not used to the full. Curricula are not always up-to-date, not enough young people go to university after finishing school and not enough adults have ever attended university.

European universities often lack the management tools and funding to match their ambitions.

Governments and higher education institutions are looking for ways to creating better conditions for universities.The European Commission has published a modernisation agenda for universities which was welcomed by the Member States and the main stakeholders in higher education.

The modernisation agenda for universities is part of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs. The main fields of reform are:

Curricular reform: The three cycle system (bachelor-master-doctorate), competence based learning, flexible learning paths, recognition, mobility.
Governance reform: University autonomy, strategic partnerships, including with enterprises, quality assurance.
Funding reform: Diversified sources of university income better linked to performance, promoting equity, access and efficiency, including the possible role of tuition fees, grants and loans.

Curricular reforms are also promoted through the Bologna Process, in which 46 countries in the wider Europe are working towards establishing the European Higher Education Area by 2010.

The European Commission is helping member states and neighbouring countries in their modernising efforts through policy initiatives, discussion papers and forums, as well as through EU programmes such as Erasmus, Tempus and Erasmus Mundus.

The European Commission helps EU member states and neighbouring countries in their modernising efforts through policy initiatives, discussion papers and events, as well as through EU programmes promoting mobility in education such as Erasmus, Tempus and Erasmus Mundus.

Education in Europe

Nuffic / Europe will intensify cooperation in education and training

2009-05-21T19:07:00.001+01:00

Nuffic / Europe will intensify cooperation in education and training

18 May 2009 at 12:00

The European Council has adopted a new strategic framework for cooperation between EU Member States to reform their education and training systems.

This is an important signal in the current economic crisis. Common challenges, such as skills deficits, ageing societies and tough global competition, need joint responses and countries learning from each other.

Common challenges

While the responsibility for education and training lies with national governments, some challenges are common to all EU countries. These include the need for a workforce that will have the right skills for tomorrow's jobs, and the threats of ageing societies and more intense global competition.

Some goals, like helping students and learners to move between countries, cannot be achieved by individual countries acting alone. Other goals will be easier to achieve if countries learn from each other and develop common tools, which can then be adapted to meet the specific needs of each country.

EU Member States and the European Commission will strengthen their cooperation in order to support future reforms.

Nuffic

Scholarships in Finland

2009-05-21T19:06:00.002+01:00

Scholarships in Finland

14 May 2009 at 12:10

Introduction

The Finnish government has come up with excellent scholarship plans that are aimed at pleasing all the foreign nationals every year. These wonderful grants will allow students from all over the world to carry out higher studies and researches in Finland. You will find that scholarships in Finland are mainly based upon mostly cultural agreements made between Finland and other developed as well as developing nations.

Eligibility Criteria to Avail Scholarships in Finland

To qualify for any Scholarship in Finland you must be a visiting student with a good academic record and who has participated in research projects or seminars related to your field of expertise. Finland gives higher priority to Doctoral programmes than other courses. The aspiring student must also belong to the group of nations with which Finland has an academic agreement. Your student life in will become definitely a lot easier if you qualify for such scholarships and educational grants in Finland.

Prominent Scholarship Foundations of Finland

You will come across several scholarships in Finland that are aimed at propagating Finland's academic arena. The scholarships in Finland are aimed at providing financial aids to foreign students who want to pursue doctorates and post-graduate degrees from Finland. As mentioned earlier Finland has made agreements with Ukraine, Switzerland, Turkey, Spain, Romania, India, Italy, Norway, Greece, Australia, Bulgaria, China, Egypt and some more so as to offer their citizens ideal scholarships in Finland. Some of the most popular financial assistance programmes that are available in Finland are mentioned below-

Finnish Goverment Scholarship Pool
International CIMO Fellowships for Young Researchers
Finnish Studies and Research/Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies and Research at Finnish University. Sitra Fellowships for Indian Students
Centre for International Mobility Scholarship
Finnish Studies and Research/Scholarships for Undergraduate
CIMO Fellowships
PhD Fellowship in Optical Physics / Engineering
Post Graduate Fellowship in Multitrophic Interactions in Space
PhD Studentship in Optoelectronics at the Department of Physics, the University of Kuopio.

Colleges and Universities Directory

The UK: Watchdog queries degree standards

2009-05-21T19:06:00.001+01:00

The UK: Watchdog queries degree standards

11 May 2009 at 03:01

The university watchdog is calling for improvements in the "robustness and consistency" of how degrees are awarded.The Quality Assurance Agency of the United Kingdom has been investigating reports questioning the reliability of degree standards.It calls for a review of the tests used to check the English language skills required by overseas students.

The Universities Secretary John Denham says there is no systemic problem with university academic standards.The QAA's report follows a series of concerns over academic standards, raised last summer.

The watchdog has found a number of areas of concern which it says will require further examination.It says that action is needed to improve how degrees are assessed and classified "within and between institutions" - and for explanations of the variations in assessment.

It also raises questions about the admittance and recruitment of overseas students - who have become an increasingly important factor in university finances.

BBC News

The government approved material for the reform of universities

2009-05-08T08:40:00.001+01:00

The government approved material for the reform of universities

7 May 2009 at 12:01

The Czech government approved material presented by the Minister of Education, Ondra Liska, concerning needed changes and future development in tertiary education in January. Such as White paper, which should be an outline of the needed reforms, did not get a very warm acceptance from the University staff.

The document is said to be not only one of the most diversified in Czech University education, but also its distinctive connection with the private sector, from which universities and colleges would have to seek a larger amount of their financial means in the future. Now the new way of financing university is among the most criticized passages of the White paper. According to critics, the currently presented solution is not concrete enough. The creators of the new concept argue that the document is not a binding manual, but above all a platform for further discussion about the future of colleges and universities in Czech Republic in the next ten to twenty years.

Besides financing university and the principles of tuition, grants and higher motivation for scholarships for students connected with it, the White paper mentions tertiary education also needs a bigger connection between study and practice, development research and development in Czech colleges and universities or to shift higher responsibility for internal decisions directly on the school.

The Ministry of Education is planning in the near future several conferences on the subject of inclusion of the White paper and expects that Representatives of universities and colleges will work together to clear up some of the controversial points which were pointed out by critics of the concept.

In spite of all reservation that were against the White paper from the education institutions, we will negotiate the first concrete proposed changes that the Ministry of Education is planning for the future. Until now all discussions held were only deliberation. The White Paper tertiary education presents a significant move to the future reform of Universities in Czech Republic.

Visit Czech Republic

Study in Denmark: Information for international students

2009-05-08T08:39:00.000+01:00

Study in Denmark: Information for international students

4 May 2009 at 02:46

Social life

An active social life is an essential part of student life and a great way to meet other students in Denmark. Major cities have a students house with cultural activities.

Introductory programmes for international students

As a service to international students, many Danish institutions have established a "buddy-programme" aimed at helping international students to get settled more easily. On arrival, a "buddy" (a current student) will help the students to get settled, meet other students and assist them with practical matters in their first weeks at the institution.

The welcome programmes and the courses in Danish language and culture provide international students with another opportunity to familiarise themselves with their host country and meet other international and Danish students.

Life at the halls of residence

The Danish halls of residence form another important element of the social life for both international and Danish students. In Denmark, halls of residence are not only for students in their first year. Students of different age groups live in the halls of residence - most of them between 19 and 30 years old. There is a vibrant social life at the halls of residence and they are a great place to meet new people and make new friends.

Living expenses

Average monthly living expenses are estimated to be between 650-800 Euro. This includes accommodation but excludes tuition fees.

Saving money

In Danish libraries you can borrow books, CDs, movies, etc. for free. Some places also offer a student discount. Students enrolled at a Danish higher education institution receive a student card. This entitles you to a discounted entry to many museums. Some museums also have free entry on Sundays. For more information see: www.visitdenmark.dk

Student jobs

Many Danish students have a part-time job while they are studying. Students from outside the EU/EEA can apply for a work permit as part of their residence permit, which entitles them to work for up to 15 hours a week during the semester, and full time during the summer holiday, i.e. June, July and August.

Denmark - an excellent starting point for European travelling

Denmark's central position in Europe makes the country a great starting point if you want to visit other parts of the continent. There are various way of doing this. Many young people opt for the Inter-rail - also known as Euro-rail, option. If you want to discover a specific region, there are other versions of Inter-rail, e.g. Nordic-rail for a period of for example two weeks to explore Scandinavia.

Getting around

The roads in Denmark are of good quality and relatively uncongested, which means that you can easily get to the countryside and enjoy the nature as well as the charming small villages.
The bicycle is a much-used means of transportation in Denmark and an excellent alternative to a car. It is very easy, cheap and practical to have a bike and your fellow Danish students will have one too.

Study in Denmark

Campuses – the Future of Czech Schools?

2009-05-03T20:45:00.011+01:00

Campuses – the Future of Czech Schools?

1 May 2009 at 12:01

A campuses as a place dedicated solely to the life of a university or a college. A self-contained community that includes the majority of infrastructure required for the proper functioning of a school. While campuses are important not only for research and simplified educational organization, they also provide better conditions for their students. While campuses are an essential part of every university abroad, they are quite rare in the Czech Republic.

The Jan Evangelista Purkyne University in Ústí nad Labem has begun developing new structures and renovating its existing facilities with the goal of providing a 90 000 m² campus for its students in the future. The precinct of the Masaryk University in Brno - Bohunice, to be completed in mid-2010, will house not only scientific centers and lecture halls, but also a sports field, cafes, restaurants and shops. Universities have recently been striving to include into their long-term plans the development of similar complexes that meet demanding functionality and facility criteria. While the schools mentioned above have already launched their campus projects, Prague has been only engaging in discussions about its future.

The issue of fragmentation in Czech universities is most noticeable in Prague’s Charles University. Buildings from different faculties are located all over the city and students often have to commute between lectures from one end of Prague to the other. However, developing a single, centralized university community is not on Charles University’s agenda. Instead, the school’s management has been thinking about creating a number of mini-campuses that would be comprised of several faculties. In the meantime, the Czech Technical University has begun construction on two facilities that will consolidate nine currently-scattered faculties. Prague’s University of Economics also took its first steps by constructing its Paradise Building (Rajská budova) in 2006.

Schools mostly take a positive approach when thinking about the future of their campuses, but the finance required for construction and the purchase of suitable equipment remain their main obstacles. Nevertheless, the development of campuses in Ústí nad Labem and Brno give both students and professors hope that other schools will follow their example. For the time being, these projects are just the “harbingers”.

Visit Czech Republic

Helsinki School of Economics

2009-05-03T20:45:00.009+01:00

Helsinki School of Economics

28 April 2009 at 12:14

Age: 97.

History: Established by the Finnish business community in 1904, the school gained university status in 1911. The MBA programme was launched in 1983 in response to the need for English language, Masters-level business education in Finland and the increasing internationalisation of the major Finnish companies.

Address: In the heart of Helsinki, five minutes' walk from its principal financial, commercial and entertainment districts.

Ambience: Relatively small class sizes mean there's a good deal of personal interaction with the faculty. Students live off-campus in student accommodation or in private flats. Finland is a progressive, technologically advanced country, and Helsinki has a reputation as a friendly, safe and cosmopolitan city.

Vital statistics: The oldest business school in the Nordic region, and the only one of Scandinavian origin that is accredited by the Association of MBAs. The full-time MBA can be completed in one year; part-time MBA in two years. Students don't have to choose a major, but concentrations are offered in international finance, information technology management, high-technology entrepreneurship and general management. All teaching is in English.

Added value: An international experience with a diverse student body and faculty members from all over the world. Courses are taught in intensive, flexible, two- to three-week modules by visiting professors from top business schools in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.

Easy to get into? You need at least a degree, two years' relevant work experience and a GMAT score over 500. Non-native English speakers need a TOEFL score over 250.

Glittering alumni: Mauro Montanaro, vice-president, sales and channel management, Nokia Multimedia Business Group, Asia Pacific; Dr Inkeri Hirvensalo, alternate executive director, Nordic Baltic Countries, World Bank Group; Leif Sjoblom, professor of accounting and control at IMD.

International connections: 90 per cent of the faculty come from abroad, as do 60 per cent of the full-time MBA students. Students may take part in an exchange programme and study in one of HSE's partner schools in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Gurus: Sherron Bienvenu, Emory University; Mark Mason, Columbia University and NYU; Dong-Sung Cho, Seoul National University.

Student profile: The average age on the full-time MBA is 33, with a male to female ratio of 7:3.

Cost: The full-time MBA €27,000 (£22,500) + VAT; executive MBA €32,300 (£26,916) +VAT.

Return on investment: More job opportunities, better salary. "New levels of personal achievement," says the school. And great contacts.

Who's the boss? The school's rector is Eero O. Kasanen, a professor of finance. Raija Kuokkanen is the director of the MBA programmes.

Prospectus: +358 50 583 9572; www.hse.fi/en; raija.kuokkanen@hseee.fi

The Independent

Weak universities 'should shut'

2009-05-03T20:45:00.007+01:00

Weak universities 'should shut'

26 April 2009 at 12:02

Struggling universities should be allowed to close or be taken over by the private sector, says a think tank.

Policy Exchange says that the government should accept the idea that universities could go out of business.

Universities receive £8bn in public money, but they face no threat of closure if they fail, says the report.

Anna Fazackerley, head of education at the think tank, says the culture of saving universities means they are "unable to learn lessons from failure".

The report, Sink or Swim? Facing up to failing universities, says that there has been a deeply-embedded assumption that universities will always be "shored up" regardless of their difficulties.

'No-fail culture'

"The idea of a university going to the wall is one that we have steadfastly ignored in Britain for many years," says the report.

It argues that with such substantial public investment in higher education, there needs to be more public accountability from universities.

The "no-fail culture" means that there is no real market in higher education, says the report.

"An environment in which all vice-chancellors and governors know that if they get into trouble they will be bailed out can only encourage bad practice," the report concludes.

And with the recession putting pressure on public and private funding, the think tank says that the prospect of a university having to close down is "a nettle that we must finally grasp".

It highlights the financial dependency on the higher fees paid by overseas students of many institutions and the serious risks that could follow if there were any decline in numbers.

It says there are universities in which income from overseas student fees now makes up the majority of student fee revenue.

There are examples when universities get into financial problems, says the report, such as London Metropolitan University having to pay back more than £50m in funding.

Self-regulating

But the report also recognises the difficulties in considering closure.

Apart from the threat to individual students and academic jobs, shutting a university would create political and economic difficulties.

Outside London, universities have become major employers in their local area, and any closure threat will be a major issue for the local economy, says the report.

The report also suggests that there are ambiguities in trying to balance the need to deliver value for money for taxpayers while protecting the self-regulating status of universities.

Paul Marshall, executive director of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities, says the role of the funding council as "market regulator" should not be "weakened or superseded".

"It should be the role of the funding councils and government to set the framework in which competition takes place, but, beyond this, autonomous higher education institutions must have the freedom to find their own positions, and indeed succeed or fail, within this market place."

BBC News

South American Business Forum 2009: 'New Paradigms, New Challenges'

2009-05-03T20:45:00.005+01:00

South American Business Forum 2009: 'New Paradigms, New Challenges'

23 April 2009 at 12:00

The South American Business Forum (SABF) is an event that takes place annually in Buenos Aires for 3 days in August. Each year the forum receives 100 outstanding university students from around the world, together with 40 leaders in business, political, academic and social areas.

Event details

When     07 Aug 2009 to 09 Aug 2009
Where     Buenos Aires, Argentina
Contact Email     students@sabf.org.ar
More information     www.sabf.org.ar

For whom?

    * Undergraduate university students, born on or after January 1st 1979.
    * Students who graduated in 2008 or 2009, born on or after January 1st 1979

Cost

All costs are covered, but transportation to and from Buenos Aires is not included.

Topic

The topic of the 2009 SABF, 'New Paradigms, New Challenges', pretends to question the functioning and viability of our current global system because of the several issues that have arisen on a social, environmental and economic level. How are these different tendencies altering the existing paradigms?

During the three-day conference, students will be able to interact with peers from around the world, as well as with prominent leaders of the academic, business and political spheres, debating about several current issues related to our region. It is, furthermore, a unique experience in which the cultural exchange that is generated adds to the personal and professional formation of the participants.

How to apply

To apply, students must go to: http://apply.sabf.org.ar. There they must fill in their personal information and load a text of their authorship about one of the three topics that emerge from the central theme:

    * 'Education and Collaboration: a New Approach to Development';
    * 'Environment and Sustainability: From Discussion to Action';
    * 'Opportunities in a Changing Economy'.

Deadline for application

The application period closes on May 10th. After that date, an independent jury will select the 100 best contributions to select the students that will be allowed to attend the event. For more information, please visit the website. You are also invited to start the discussion in our blog.

Nuffic

Study in Poland

2009-05-03T20:45:00.003+01:00

Study in Poland

18 April 2009 at 02:21

Why choose Poland?

Polish educational system provides high quality services. That is proven by the success of Polish proffesionals working all over the world, acclaimed as perfectly educated, creative and effective. Studies in Poland cost much less than in most European countries, and cost of living is much lower.

Do I have to speak Polish?

There are English courses available for international students, so you don't have to speak Polish. If you prefer to study in Polish you will have to graduate a Polish course before you start studying. The course costs 2000 euro, lasts a year, and takes place on a University of Lódz.

What are the tuition fees at Polish institutions?

The minimal tuition fee is 2000 euro a year. Although, universities may set higher amount for particular courses, so you should verify the cost of studying in a University of your choice.

What are the living expenses in Poland?

The living expenses in Poland are much lower than in most EU countries. The amount of 200-400 Euro should cover the monthly costs of accomodation, food and transport.

Is Poland safe?

Poland is a safe country. According to statistics, it's one of the safest within the EU. Nevertheless, precautious behaviour is neccesary, as anywhere in the world.

Am I allowed to work in Poland?

If you're a EU/EEA citizen you are allowed to work full time without any permission. If you're a citizen of Belarus, Russia or Ukraine you may work for 3 months in a period no longer than 6 months. All other nationals may work without a permission in July, August and September.

Is health insurance necessary?

Yes, you have to obtain a health insurance policy. If you're a EU/EEA citizen you have to get a European Health Insurance Card in your home country. If you're not a EU/EEA citizen you have to obtain an insurance policy in Polish National Health Fund. The cost estimates from 36 to 279 PLN, depending on a number of medial procedures included. Health insurance is neccesary to legalize your stay in Poland.

How will i find housing?

International Office of the University of your choice will help you to find a place in a student's dormitory. If no place is available, or if you prefer to live by yourself, you may find housing on private market. There are many possibilities, including renting a room, sharing an apartment or renting an own flat. Most Universities have their own accomodation databases, connecting students with homeowners free of charge. In real estate agencies it's neccesary to pay a fee (usually equivalent to a monthly rent).

Are any scholarships available?

Scholarships are available for students with proven Polish origin, and for students from Belarus who are subject to a political repression. It's neccesary to apply for a scholarship in a Polish consulate in your country of origin. The consulates provide all the neccesary information. Other scholarship offers may be available in certain Universities. You should check it out in a course search engine and in the International Students office of the University of your choice.

Study in Poland

England: Schools keep testing 14-year-olds

2009-05-03T20:45:00.001+01:00

England: Schools keep testing 14-year-olds

15 April 2009 at 05:39

Hundreds of thousands of 14-year-olds in England will still be tested next month even though the government no longer requires them to be. The Key Stage 3 national curriculum tests, or "Sats", were scrapped during last year's marking fiasco.

But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority still produces non-statutory English and maths tests - and most secondary schools have ordered them.

A total of 3,283 have tests compared with 4,186 last year, when they had to. Some 15,000 schools have also ordered optional tests for school Years 3, 4 and 5, 7 and 8.

The QCA is unable to say how many of the 3,283 schools that have ordered the Year 9 tests (for the 14-year-olds) are in the state sector: some independent schools also choose to do them even though they have never had to.

BBC News

Campuses – the Future of Czech Schools?

2009-05-03T20:43:00.011+01:00

Campuses – the Future of Czech Schools?

1 May 2009 at 12:01

Visit Czech Republic

Helsinki School of Economics

2009-05-03T20:43:00.009+01:00

Helsinki School of Economics

28 April 2009 at 12:14

The Independent

Weak universities 'should shut'

2009-05-03T20:43:00.007+01:00

Weak universities 'should shut'

26 April 2009 at 12:02

BBC News

South American Business Forum 2009: 'New Paradigms, New Challenges'

2009-05-03T20:43:00.005+01:00

South American Business Forum 2009: 'New Paradigms, New Challenges'

23 April 2009 at 12:00

Nuffic

Study in Poland

2009-05-03T20:43:00.003+01:00

Study in Poland

18 April 2009 at 02:21

Why choose Poland?

Do I have to speak Polish?

What are the tuition fees at Polish institutions?

The minimal tuition fee is 2000 euro a year. Although, universities may set higher amount for particular courses, so you should verify the cost of studying in a University of your choice.

What are the living expenses in Poland?

The living expenses in Poland are much lower than in most EU countries. The amount of 200-400 Euro should cover the monthly costs of accomodation, food and transport.

Is Poland safe?

Poland is a safe country. According to statistics, it's one of the safest within the EU. Nevertheless, precautious behaviour is neccesary, as anywhere in the world.

Am I allowed to work in Poland?

Is health insurance necessary?

How will i find housing?

Are any scholarships available?

Study in Poland

England: Schools keep testing 14-year-olds

2009-05-03T20:43:00.001+01:00

England: Schools keep testing 14-year-olds

15 April 2009 at 05:39

But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority still produces non-statutory English and maths tests - and most secondary schools have ordered them.

A total of 3,283 have tests compared with 4,186 last year, when they had to. Some 15,000 schools have also ordered optional tests for school Years 3, 4 and 5, 7 and 8.

BBC News

Study in Poland

2009-05-03T20:37:00.001+01:00

Study in Poland

18 April 2009 at 02:21

Why choose Poland?

Do I have to speak Polish?

What are the tuition fees at Polish institutions?

The minimal tuition fee is 2000 euro a year. Although, universities may set higher amount for particular courses, so you should verify the cost of studying in a University of your choice.

What are the living expenses in Poland?

The living expenses in Poland are much lower than in most EU countries. The amount of 200-400 Euro should cover the monthly costs of accomodation, food and transport.

Is Poland safe?

Poland is a safe country. According to statistics, it's one of the safest within the EU. Nevertheless, precautious behaviour is neccesary, as anywhere in the world.

Am I allowed to work in Poland?

Is health insurance necessary?

How will i find housing?

Are any scholarships available?

Study in Poland

Как найти работу в Бельгии

2009-05-03T20:00:00.001+01:00

Брюссель, являясь председателем Европейского Союза и Европейского Парламента, притягивает огромное число эмигрантов. Хотя объявления о вакансиях в самом Парламенте Вы встретите не так часто. Вам придется изрядно потрудиться и сдать множество экзаменов для того, чтобы попасть в число его потенциальных работников. Эта процедура займет не меньше года, а получение работы она не гарантирует.

Знание языков

Если Вы хотите найти работу в Бельгии, Вам необходимо в совершенстве владеть французским или голландским, в зависимости от того, где Вы ищете работу. В Брюсселе необходимо знание обоих языков. Владение английским языком может являться при устройстве на работу как основным условием, так и дополнительным.

Где искать

Там, где стоит начать поиск работы зависит от языков, которыми Вы владеете. Если Вы знаете французский или голландский (или для Брюсселя – оба языка), тогда газеты Le Soir и Het Laatse Nieuws именно для Вас. Для англоговорящих подходит Expatica (jobs.expatica.com),еженедельные газеты, The European Voice и The Bulletin.

Разрешения на работу для не-Европейских специалистов

Тип B: Самый распространенный и выдается только на 1-го работодателя и действителен в течение 1 года.
Тип A: Действителен в течение неограниченного периода времени и для любого работодателя. Для того, чтобы подать документы на тип А необходимо легально проживать в Бельгии на протяжении 5 лет или Вы должны жить и работать в Бельгии не менее 4-х лет и иметь разрешение типа B.

Начало работы

После того, как Вы нашли работу, обычно наступает испытательный период. Он обычно длится 2 недели для работников физического труда и от 1 месяца до года – для работников умственного труда, в зависимости от уровня зарплаты. Рабочая неделя в среднем составляет 38 часов.

В Бельгии Вам нужно отработать 1 год до того момента, как Вам будет предоставлен оплачиваемый отпуск.

Более подробную информацию о вакансиях ищите на employment channel

За вакансиями в Бельгии обращайтесь в Expatica's jobs website

При перепечатке ссылка на Eurogates - обучение в Голландии обязательна.

Universities In Holland Catering To Students

2009-05-01T13:30:00.004+01:00

University is a place of higher study. It’s always been a dream of many students to expand their knowledge and to secure a high degree on the particular field of their preference and by taking admission in a good university they can do this. Holland ( or the Netherlands), which is situated at the west of Europe, is highly enriched in its physical beauty and provides awesome opportunities of studies at various levels.

There are many people who desire to study abroad but are usually confused which one to choose. If you too are among those then you can easily opt for Holland.

You will get many universities in Holland, which provide many different types of courses in enumerable fields. Study in Holland universities will be a unique experience to all the students in a better atmosphere.

If you are a school leaver and searching for a better option to enhance your study then you can positively go for the study in Netherlands. Universities in Holland provide favorable condition to both the student of the country and to those take admission in the universities for different courses. Universities in Netherlands offers you better option in the fields like business, film study, photography, music, technology, medical, engineering and subject oriented higher study like post graduation and even doctorate.

Study in Holland is a different experience as it not only helps the student to build an academic career but also allows the same to emphasize their skill in the non-academic criteria. You have the opportunity to learn many things beside your studies in the most flexible way at the same busy schedule.

There are many universities in Holland offered programmes in English language. If you are interested in it you can positively opt for any one of them according to your convenience. You will get the admission at the universities in Netherlands on the basis of your merits and also you may have to sit for an interview. Study in Holland is based on the semester.

For undergraduates the course is for three years and postgraduates will complete with in two years. Universities in Netherlands offers all the students a good library service. You can attain the library and gather more ideas for the better result. Campus of the universities in Holland is the main attraction of the students. It’s a compact place where at least good amount of students can accommodate. It’s a place where you are free to gossip, practice sports or compose music and even talk about politics.

If you are a school leaver, graduate, postgraduate student or you stay outside but have a plan to study at Holland then without being in confusion come for any of the universities in the Holland. There are many advantages that the universities in Netherlands provide to the students. There is no doubt that the study in Holland is going to be the best with many good faculties. This is true that each university will differ from one another at few levels but at the end all will shower the same facilities to its students.

universities in Holland offer affordable study programmes

2009-05-01T13:27:00.000+01:00

For those barely out of high school and dreaming to make it big in the recession scenario, a wise step is to consider higher education abroad. Well, here some might consider that studying abroad is something for only elite class, but thats absolutely an understatement. Today, loads of undergraduates queque up to cross the line and experience a whole new world of education. And foreign qualified students get much wider exposure and preference in the job market even back home.

However, since the expense is always a concern its wise to choose a country that not only offers career oriented study programme that are affordable.

Among the several countries that offers the best educational facilities in the country of Holland. In fact, universities in Holland the most affordable study programmes than any other country abroad along with wide array of quality study programmes.

In the past decade universities in Holland have implemented several changes in their study structure to include courses that are par with the present job requirement. For local students, the universtities in Holland offers a three tier higher education structure and for foreign students they provide International Education. Students enrolling in for the International Education can have access to all kinds of courses that are offered to the local undergrads. Whether you are planning to pursue courses to become scientists or scholars, or want a degree in business, you can have it all. The universities of Netherlands (Holland) have excellant and comprehensive profressional courses that are specially structured to suit the requirementrs of the present job market.

Most of graduate and post graduate professional study programmes offered by the unversities of Netherlands have found great acceptance all over the world, with students fairing well as professionals. For foreign students especially they have special professional education that are highly career oriented. If you are an under grad you can enrol into a Bachelor's degree majoring in any particular subject. Again, there are master degree courses for engeneering, agriculture and natural science as well. There are universtities of varied size and structure with a wide range of courses, thus you can check on the courses they are offering and enrol in the one that suits you. To make things more feasible, all the courses are taught in English due to wide appeal of comprehensibility and popularity of the language. Keeping in mind the requirements of the foreign students the courses are patterned in a particular manner. The professional courses are teamed with adequate practical classes.

Now, to enrol in any of the universities of Netherlands you must have an appropriate undergraduate and graduate degree. There are many universities awarding scholarships as well, thus you can give it a try.

For students studying under the scholarship plan, it tends to be more affordable in comparison to regular educatees. The universities in Holland mainatin a legal system of quality control. Thus, each study programme intents to offer a high quality standard.

To top it all is the undoudted exotic and serene natural setting that has drew several tourists across the world. For students thus, it surely the best surrounding for an educational environment. So, are you ready to hop into the next plane flying to Holland, better get your tickets ready!!

Denmark: Asian Studies in Copenhagen

2009-03-22T09:08:00.003+01:00

The programme combines Chinese or Japanese culture and language with international business administration. Through knowledge of Asian culture, language and economics, you will be able to work for and with companies in East Asia.

Length: BSc: 3 years, MSc: 2 years, Combined: 5 years

Language of Education: English

The Asian Studies Programme focuses on getting an understanding of East Asian culture and language, as well as economics. You will learn to analyse international economies with focus on East Asia, learn to use practical Japanese or Chinese, and get a fundamental understanding of the individual country's social conditions.
The programme is built up around five main areas:
• International Business Economics in which you research international and Asian economies
• Chinese/Japanese where you learn to read, write, speak and comprehend Chinese or Japanese • Comparative Social Analysis where you become familiar with the methods of comparative analysis, which is used when, for example, you compare two companies' strategies or communications
• Communications where you learn about corporate communications, both internal and external
• Interdisciplinary Research Methods where you learn about social research methods, including quantitative methods, for example a survey, and qualitative methods, such as an inquiry into corporate culture Teaching varies between lectures and project work together with other students in smaller groups. Students are encouraged to participate in class discussions.

Educational Institutions:You can study the Asian Studies Programme at the Copenhagen Business School - CBS (Handelshøjskolen) in Copenhagen.
Entry Requirements: The general admission requirements for international students include one of the following international certificates: the Danish/French Baccalauréat (DFB), the European Baccalaureate (EB), the International Baccalaureate (IB), the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB) or another foreign qualifying examination certificate that can be equated with a Danish upper secondary school leaving certificate.
In addition, documentation may be required verifying your proficiency in English is at a specified level.
To be admitted to an MSc programme, you must have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject.
Contact the educational institution you wish to apply to for detailed information on entry requirements and required English proficiency levels.

Admission: The application deadline is March 15 for a course start in September. Admission is handled through The Danish Coordinated Application System. You can apply via optagelse.dk.
The application deadline for MSc programmes varies according to the educational institution. Contact the individual institution for further information regarding its application deadline and forms. Apply directly at the University.
A few educational institutions in Denmark offer a course start in February, where applications are sent directly to the institution. Contact the educational institution for detailed information on application deadlines.

Tuition fee: There is a tuition fee for all full-time degree students, unless you are a student from a Nordic or EU country, or from Liechtenstein.Students within an exchange programme are not required to pay tuition.
Contact the individual institution for more specific information.

Semester Start: An academic year is made up of two semesters, which begin around September 1 and February 1.

For more information visit: Study in Denmark

Sweden: Scholarship for master students

2009-03-22T09:08:00.001+01:00

The new scholarship program is targeted to candidates from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. The aim of the program is to create more extensive joint collaboration between Sweden and the other member countries on education and research.

Important dates

The online application service for Swedish master programs opens on December 1 at http://www.studera.nu/English. The deadline for applications is January 15.
Application for SI scholarships can only be made after you have been accepted onto a Swedish master program and must be followed by a formal offer of acceptance from www.studera.nu. Further instructions concerning the application procedure and an online application form will be published on this website in April 2009.
The list of applicants who will receive a scholarship will be announced at the SI website, www.si.se, and at www.studyinsweden.se in the beginning of June.

Scholarship benefits and period

The scholarship is for SEK 8,000 per month and is only awarded for programs starting fall semester 2009. The scholarships are usually granted for one academic year, i.e. for two semesters at a time, but will be extended for programs longer than two semesters provided that study results are satisfactory.
How to apply
Application instructions for SI scholarships for the academic year 2009/2010 will be available at www.studyinsweden.se in April 2009.

Who is eligible?

The scholarships are intended for guest students belonging to the aforementioned target group for full time temporary studies in Sweden. There is no age limit for scholarship holders.
You are not eligible for this scholarship if any of the following is true:
• You have already lived in Sweden for two years or more when the scholarship period is due to begin.
• You have a Swedish permanent residence permit or a work permit.
• You have a previously been awarded a scholarship from the SI for studies at the master’s level or research at a Swedish university. However, students who have attended a Swedish Institute summer course in Swedish language or the Swedish Institute Summer University may apply.

Travel grants

Scholarship holders will receive travel support in connection with the scholarship. The travel grant is a lump sum.
Citizens from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine receive SEK 4,000.
Insurance
Scholarship holders are insured by the Swedish State Group Insurance against illness and accident during the scholarship period.
Scholarship limitations
The scholarship is designed to cover living costs for the scholarship holder. There are no grants for family members.
Scholarship holders following a two year master’s degree program are permitted to spend a maximum of one semester abroad while retaining the scholarship.
The granted scholarship period cannot be altered or extended.

Study in Sweden

Germany: New BMBF research grant

2009-03-22T09:07:00.002+01:00

Within the Federal Government's High-Tech Strategy, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research has announced a new research grant: the research bonus, available both for public research institutions of Germany and non-profit research institutions.

The new grant aims to mobilize additional potential for broad cooperation with industry, particularly with small and medium-sized enterprises. Projects in all areas of research and development are eligible, as long as a research and development contract with a volume of over €10,000 is awarded to a company with up to 1,000 employees.

Applications can be submitted until 30 September 2009.

Study in Germany

Study in English in Germany

2009-03-22T09:07:00.001+01:00

Almost all German universities also offer internationally oriented B.A. and M.A. degree courses for both German and foreign students. These courses are usually taught in English. You can enroll in these courses even if you don't speak any German You can always visit German language courses during your studies. Subjects range from "Advanced Functional Materials" at the University of Augsburg to "World Heritage Studies" at the Technical University in Cottbus.

Many of these modularised degree courses also have an international component to them. In 1 in 5 courses, spending time abroad is part of the course, and almost all degree courses are graded according to the internationally recognised credit point system. This means that all the new qualifications can be compared not only nationally, but also internationally - which means that changing to a university in another country will be easier and more attractive.

In addition, there will be a greater focus on the job market in the new B.A. and M.A. degree courses. Potential employers are actually actively involved in around two-thirds of the courses. Students can, of course, also get in touch with companies by doing work placements or when carrying out fieldwork.

Many universities also offer European degree courses. In such programmes the students spend at least two semesters at the respective partner university abroad. This means that it's possible to get a double qualification at the end.

Of course, foreign students can study in Germany for one or two semesters. There are some 19,000 exchange programmes between German universities and universities abroad. Cooperation agreements between these universities mean that the grades acquired while abroad are acknowledged by the home university. These exchanges are very popular with students, researchers and lecturers alike.

Study in Germany

Sweden: Scholarship for master students

2009-03-19T21:22:00.001+01:00

Important dates

Who is eligible?

Travel grants

Study in Sweden

Germany: New BMBF research grant

2009-03-17T21:51:00.001+01:00

Applications can be submitted until 30 September 2009.

Study in Germany

The UK: Teenager passes 23 A levels

2009-03-05T00:05:00.005+01:00

Student Ali Nawazish has passed 23 A levels in subjects including pure mathematics, travel and tourism, and sociology. He got 21 A grades and a B and a C. The Urdu, English and Punjabi speaking wise-kid from Pakistan is due to win another place - in the Guinness Book of Records. His Cambridge dream came true four months ago when he embarked on a computer science degree course at Trinity Hall.

Ali also achieved a top score in the U.S. admissions test and was accepted by most Ivy League institutions, including Harvard and Yale.The 18-year-old, who is now studying Computer Science at Cambridge University, said that he used to be a 'below average' student.

BBC News

Wales offers £ 25 k to attract PhDs

2009-03-05T00:05:00.003+01:00

The University of Wales is offering what it says is one of the world's highest paying PhD schemes to encourage fresh thinking in Welsh companies. Students on the Prince of Wales Innovation Scholarships programme will receive an annual stipend of £20,000 and a research grant of £5,000. All their tuition fees will also be paid. The aim is to recruit 100 of the world's best graduates.

Wales wants to enhance the ties between universities and the private sector. The Welsh scheme forms part of a Global Academy which is also backed by the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts and the Welsh Assembly government.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Wales, Prof Marc Clement, said the innovation scholarships had the capacity to help transform the Welsh economy. "This is about recruiting extraordinary people to make sure Wales is at the frontier of research and industrial excellence and we anticipate that we will have the best graduates globally competing to get on the scheme." He said it would address the shortfall in PhD research numbers in Welsh universities and colleges.

BBC News

EU seeks more English translators

2009-03-05T00:05:00.001+01:00

EU enlargement has increased the bloc's language challenges. The European Commission has launched a recruitment drive for native English speakers, predicting a serious shortage of interpreters. The demand for mother-tongue English translators is fuelled by the fact that it has replaced French as the "lingua franca" of the EU's civil service.

EU bodies risk losing about half of their English-language interpreters in the next 10 years, the commission says. It says English-speaking countries are not producing enough linguists. Many native-English linguists were recruited from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s after the UK and the Irish Republic joined the EU.

But the commission says that as they reach retirement age they are not being replaced at the same rate. The commission says it is looking to recruit about 300 English "native speaker conference interpreters" within the next 10 years.

It acknowledges that it faces competition from UN bodies for top linguists.

BBC News

The UK: Teenager passes 23 A levels

2009-03-03T15:35:00.004+01:00

BBC News

Wales offers ? 25 k to attract PhDs

2009-03-03T15:35:00.003+01:00

BBC News

EU seeks more English translators

2009-03-03T15:35:00.001+01:00

It acknowledges that it faces competition from UN bodies for top linguists.

BBC News

Study-in-europe.org – Information about studying in Europe

2009-02-22T14:35:00.001+01:00

The European Commission (EC) recently launched a new website to inform students from outside the European Union about studying in Europe.
With this new website, the EC hopes to increase the amount of students from outside Europe who choose a study program at a university in Europe.

The website is available in several languages, such as Arabic, Chinese and Russian and provides users with information about study programmes, costs, admissions, european scholarships and many other things.

The website’s adress is: http://www.study-in-europe.org

Study Choice

Germany: Regensburg new M.A in logistics

2009-02-22T14:34:00.000+01:00

From the summer term 2009 onwards, Regensburg University of Applied Sciences will be offering a new M.A. degree course in Logistics. The three-term study course offers an interdisciplinary research environment and awards the title of "Master of Engineering". It provides intensive training both in economics and technical logistics as well as in information technology and targets students holding a B.A. in economics or engineering. The deadline for applications is January 15th, 2009.

Study in Germany

Study-in-europe.org – Information about studying in Europe

2009-02-20T20:13:00.009+01:00

The website’s adress is: http://www.study-in-europe.org

Study Choice

Germany: Regensburg new M.A in logistics

2009-02-20T20:13:00.007+01:00

Study in Germany

The Italian Higher Education System

2009-02-20T20:13:00.005+01:00

Italy has played an important role in European higher education: it is one of the four countries that first engaged to create the so-called "European Area of Higher Education" (Sorbonne Declaration, May 1998), thus starting that type of higher education reform which, known as "Bologna Process" (Bologna Declaration, June 1999) is being implemented all over Europe.

Today Italy ranks among the 8 most industrialised countries in the world. Alongside some big companies, both state-owned and private, it has developed a sound network of small and medium-sized undertakings, promoted a few scientific parks, and is incentivating basic and applied research in a great variety of fields (biology, ICT, medicine, physics, etc.).
Italian higher education is structured in a binary system, consisting of two main articulations:

- the university sector
- the non-university sector.

At present, the university sector is made up of 89 university institutions which are classified in:
- 58 State universities
- 17 non-State universities (legally recognised by the State)
- 2 universities for foreigners
- 6 higher schools specialised in postgraduate university studies
- 6 telematic universities.

The non-university sector includes 4 education typologies with their institutions:
- higher schools of design: polytechnics for the arts, academies of fine arts, higher institutes for applied arts, music conservatories and recognised music institutes, higher institutes for musical and choreographic studies, national academies
- higher education in language mediation: higher schools for language mediators
- higher integrated education (FIS): programmes of higher technical ed ucation & training (IFTS)
- a few specific fields (e.g. archiving, diplomatics, restoration, military studies, etc.) which, along with their respective institutions, fall under the supervision of ministries other than that of Education.

Study in Italy

Germany: Living in the multicultural society

2009-02-20T20:13:00.003+01:00

German society is a society of immigrants. For economic, demographic and humanitarian reasons immigration has become an important issue for German society over the past 50 years: over 14 million people with a migration background are living in Germany today. They are immigrants themselves or second generation immigrants.

One out of five marriages is a binational one and one out of four children born in Germany has at least one foreign parent. Every third teenager in West Germany has a migration background, while in some areas this rises to almost 40%, tendency increasing. Immigration has substantially changed the ways our society works – ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity have become a living reality for a long time already.

Study in Germany

UK: 'Credit crunch' aid for graduates

2009-02-20T20:13:00.001+01:00

Graduates from a leading UK university are being offered £2,000 to stay on and do research rather than try to find their first job during the recession. Durham University said its 102 taught Masters scholarships would "give students a real chance to upskill". A recent survey suggested graduate recruiters were cutting targets, with a reduction of 47% in investment banking. It is likely to mean more intense competition among graduates this year for fewer available jobs.

More students could be applying for post-graduate courses as a result. The graduate job market had been buoyant in recent years, but the High Fliers Research survey of 100 graduate firms found targets had been cut by an average of 17% this year. But the situation is much more serious in the financial sector, it found.

BBC News

Germany: Development cooperation in higher education

2009-02-08T13:47:00.003+01:00

The German Academic Exchange Service together with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development has announced the competition "Excellence in Higher Education and Development Cooperation". Five universities are to receive a total of 25 million Euro in order to strengthen their research or teaching cooperations with developing countries. Forty-four universities have submitted project outlines, 13 have passed into the second round. The five winners will be announced in April.

Study in Germany

Gemany: LMU Munich on iTunes U

2009-02-08T13:47:00.001+01:00

As one of the first European universities, LMU Munich now has its own platform on iTunes U. LMU offers a broad spectrum of audio and video files with lectures, current research results and information about the university – all as free downloads. Along with RWTH Aachen, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg and Hasso Plattner Institute, LMU Munich is one of the first continental European universities to offer its educational podcasts globally. Apple launched iTunes U – the “U” standing for “university” – in May 2007 in cooperation with leading North American universities and colleges, and has now extended it into Europe.

Study in Germany

UK: University doubts over Diplomas A-levels.

2009-02-05T18:19:00.001+01:00

Diplomas are being proposed as an alternative to A-levels in the UK. Many teachers do not think the new school Diplomas are a suitable qualification for students going on to university, a survey suggests. Only 30% of secondary teachers thought Diplomas were useful for university. The Sutton Trust, which commissioned the survey, says a qualifications divide could open up between better and less well-off students.

The government says Diplomas have the backing of British universities, colleges and employers. The new qualifications have been proposed as an alternative to A-levels - but this survey suggests that they are still being perceived in schools as a route more likely to be taken by less academic pupils.It also raises concerns of a social divide between a growing range of qualifications. A large majority of teachers - 83% - thought Diplomas were suitable for children pursuing a vocational route. Only three in 10 teachers questioned said they thought the qualifications were suitable for independent schools.

By contrast, 74% thought they were suitable for schools in poorer areas. The Sutton Trust is concerned Diplomas could close opportunities for some less privileged pupils. It commissioned the survey of 1,300 teachers, including some primary teachers.

Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "Diplomas have the backing of universities, colleges and employers and have been designed with their input to ensure they are high quality, valued qualifications. "The vast majority of higher education providers have now said they accept the Advanced Diploma as a route onto their undergraduate courses."

BBC News

Scotland: Drop in school pupil exclusions

2009-02-05T18:18:00.000+01:00

In Scotland the majority of secondary school exclusions involve boys and are temporary.The number of exclusions from Scottish schools has dropped by 11% in the past year, according to official statistics.

Exclusions from special schools rose but Schools Minister Maureen Watt said the overall figures proved efforts to improve discipline were working. There had been more total exclusions in each of the past four years.

The main reasons cited by schools are persistent disobedience, verbal abuse against staff and behaviour deemed to be insolent or offensive. Boys continue to account for most exclusion cases, at about 80%, while the vast majority of instances - more than 99% - are temporary, with an average length of three days. For situations that cannot be resolved without exclusion, this remains a serious and last resort measure for headteachers to take

BBC.

Study Medicine in Hungary

2009-01-26T16:55:00.003+01:00

The General Medicine program is listed by the WHO and it is recognized without any licensing examinations in all European Union countries (- applies to the nationals of the member states.)

The program leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree, consist of six years: two years of general medical studies, three years of clinical studies and one year of a rotating internship. The international programs in Medicine started in 1983 in German and in 1984 in English. Each year approximately 120 international students are enrolled at the English program mostly from Israel, Norway, Cyprus, Iran and USA.

The Semmelweis University seeks motivated candidates for the program with a solid background in Biology and Chemistry. In addition to these subjects you have to pass an entrance exam in English as well. The application deadline is in April and the course starts in September. Enrtrance exams are arranged at several locations in Europe, Israel, North America, Asia and Africa.

Tuition Fee: 7.200 USD per semester.

Study in Hungary

France: What type of institution is right for you?

2009-01-26T16:55:00.001+01:00

The higher education in France is distinguished by the variety of its institutions, each with its own goals, structure, and admission requirements. To bring order to the variety, we'll separate the field into two broad types : universities and specialized schools.

Universities

The universities offer academic, technical, and professional degree programs in all disciplines, preparing students for careers in research and professional practice in every imaginable field. The universities offer dozens of different national diplomas. In the 2002–2003 academic year, French universities enrolled over 1.5 million students. International students made up about 10 percent of total enrollments, one of the highest percentages among OECD countries.France's universities are public institutions. Enrollment is open to any student holding a French baccalauréat or its foreign equivalent—that is, a degree that entitles its holder to begin university study in his or her home country.

Specialized schools

Some of France's specialized schools are public; others are private. Specialized schools are selective in their admissions and enroll far fewer students than the universities. They train students for careers in engineering, management, art, and architecture, to name just a few.Specialized schools prepare students for professional practice.France's famous grandes écoles fall into this category. They are unique institutions, prestigious and very selective. Many are devoted to training high-level managers and engineers. Their programs are so well attuned to the needs of industry that their graduates are in very high demand.

Study in France

UK an 'unequal place to grow up'

2009-01-24T13:14:00.001+01:00

The UK remains an unequal place to grow up, with success in life largely determined by parents' backgrounds and earnings, a report says. The Social Mobility Commission, set up by the Liberal Democrats, is urging the government to offer interest-free loans to struggling poorer families. Schools in deprived areas should also receive more money, it adds.

The government, due to publish a report on social mobility on Tuesday, said it was committed to equal opportunities. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has asked former health secretary Alan Milburn to chair a group looking into the issue.The Social Mobility Commission's report contains 27 main recommendations to end what is referred to as "a society of persistent inequality". Most concern a targeting of resources to deprived households and schools with the highest proportions of poorer pupils.

The report also suggests child tax credits should be available only to low-income families and that they should also have access to affordable credit such as interest-free loans. He said education in Great Britain had "not become the great leveller that many people believed it would be" and investment had "disproportionately benefited the middle classes". "There's been a much greater expansion in university education for children from comfortable backgrounds than from the most deprived backgrounds," he said. "We need to make sure that the most disadvantaged children get to the best schools and we need to look at over-riding local authority admission policies and school admission policies.

"If we did that more widely, we would fundamentally alter equality of opportunity for the disadvantaged."

BBC News

Why choose France for study?

2009-01-20T22:12:00.003+01:00

French higher education has a long tradition of openness and accessibility. No distinction is made between French and international students - under French law, the requirements for admission are the same, as are the degrees awarded. The country that coined the phrase human rights rejects all forms of discrimination. French higher education system, modern and dynamic, trains the leaders of a nation that plays a central role in the worlds of science, business, and culture. Today France is the world's fourth largest economy and second largest exporter of services.

The successes of France's scientists, engineers, and designers are known around the world through Airbus, the TGV (high-speed train), the Ariane rocket, the discovery of the human immune-deficiency virus, high fashion, luxury goods, fine food and wine, and much more. Whether your speciality is engineering, management, political science, the arts, or the humanities, you, too, can excel in France. At present, about 190,000 international students (10 percent of French postsecondary enrollments) have chosen France for all or part of their higher education. They enrich the French system with their culture, experience, energy, and accomplishments.

Reason #1—For the quality and accessibility of its university system
Reason #2—You'll benefit from the depth and breadth of French higher education

Reason #3—You'll enjoy the quality of France's cultural, economic, and social life
Reason #4—You'll study in the heart of Europe

Study in France