Patrick Atack
The PIE News
United Kingdom
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Past articles by Patrick:
INTO survey offers insight into agent sentiment globally
With over 1,800 respondents, the largest ever response, it offers significant insight into agent sentiment globally, especially China which provided over 400 responses. > “The survey reminds us how closely student recruitment is linked to politics and diplomatic relations” Agents working with INTO indicated a more favourable view of the UK visa regulations, how welcoming the nation is, as… → Read More
US: Three Confucius Institutes close under federal financial pressure
The University of Oregon, San Francisco State University, and Western Kentucky University have joined at least 12 other US HEIs in closing the centres, which are run by the Chinese government and have come under intense scrutiny of late. > “We would have very much preferred to retain both programs” Although institutions applied to the Pentagon, the headquarters of the Department of Defense,… → Read More
BMI connect stakeholders at scholarship summit in London
The event was attended by at more than 200 representatives of global organisations and institutions, with at least 1,500 one-on-one meetings taking place over the two days. > “It’s just a fantastic way to connect, and find out what funding is available” At least 70 scholarship organisations, including governments from around the world and NGOs like COLFUTURO and the Organization of American… → Read More
FutureLearn takes £50m investment from SEEK Group
SEEK is floated on the Australian Stock Exchange, and already has online learning and life-long learning companies among its portfolio, including Online Education Services and SEEK Learning. > “The key players are seeking to establish dominance, so there is going to be a lot more activity” Although the firm is based in Australia, its businesses are spread across “Australia, New Zealand,… → Read More
Politicians of all stripes fear loss of EU students, post-Brexit
In a letter written to The Times former Universities minister (and brother to Brexiteer-in-chief Boris) Jo Johnson explained the “460,000 that come each year contribute the lion’s share of our £20 billion education exports and take friendships home that later become trade links, cultural bonds and diplomatic ties”. > “The UK’s post-study work offer is simply not competitive” He pointed to the… → Read More
US: SEVIS figures confirm international student drop
Students on F + M visas, for both academic and vocational studies, were down a combined 3% across the US. > “The canary in the coal mine stopped singing a few years back” The data, released in raw form and via an interactive map, shows that some states lost thousands of students – with California standing out, falling from 195,265 students in 2018 to 186,928 according to the March 2019 count.… → Read More
Japan missed English proficiency targets in the year before int'l events
Although proficiency levels did improve over 2018, they did not reach the levels hoped for. > “We want to raise the overall level by analysing common challenges” By the end of 2018, 42% of third-year junior high school students had reached Grade 3 of the Eiken test (equivalent to A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). This marked an improvement of just 2%. And 40% of… → Read More
ISC report notes increase in Chinese private schools
ISC, which focuses on providing objective intelligence for the global international school market, pointed out a large increase of international schools opening in the past five years – 228 new institutions bringing the total to 857. > “The market is still in its infancy but this growth is a very positive sign” Another 48 are set to open in the coming years, the report announced. The… → Read More
GSA & Harrison Street enter Spanish market with €750m venture
The partnership will involve the acquisition of more than 10,000 bed spaces in university cities across cities such as Barcelona and Madrid. > “We have rapidly created a strong first mover advantage in Spain” This investment, which will be focused on purpose-built student accommodation, is only the first step of the plan, according to a joint statement from the firms. “The agreement will… → Read More
Guard.me founders fund second international centre
The money will be used to open a new International Centre on the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, as well as to support scholarships, bursaries and exchanges for international students attached to the Canadian college. > “As a family, we are proud to support Niagara College’s international division” A total of $1,050,000 has been gifted by the family. In recognition of the sum the new building… → Read More
China "opening education to the outside world"
Central to the 34 points is the aim to “accelerate and expand the opening up of education”, the document explained. This includes education in China and the continued flow of outbound students. > “This is a nod to China’s effort to encourage more inbound study” While the document didn’t specifically create a policy for an increasing foreign student numbers at Chinese HEIs, the ‘Belt and Road’… → Read More
UK government details Erasmus+ guarantee Brexit process
Under the negotiated – but not ratified – deal, UK-EU programs would continue to be funded until the end of the 2020 cycle. However, the question of what may happen to students or programs post-2019, if the UK ‘crashes out’ of the bloc, remained largely unanswered until these details were published. It is now understood that UK institutions or Erasmus+ partners must apply to the Grants… → Read More
Inaugural IIE PEER Global Forum seeks collaboration
Organisers of the event, and of the IIE Platform for Education in Emergencies Response, stated the event was designed to “convene leaders in the field to exchange best practice and encourage collaboration”. > “I’d create a Rhodes Scholarship for refugees” Though the majority of attendees at the Global Forum were representatives of HEIs or NGOs, the star acts were the refugee speakers from… → Read More
Estonia boosted international students with networking events
The country, named “most digitally advanced society in the world” by one tech title, is syncing the work of the “Work in Estonia” and “Study in Estonia” consortia, via student networking receptions. Recent events specifically for Indian and Turkish students have attracted employers and soon-to-be graduates to the events, according to the Archimedes Foundation.. > “Estonia wants to be a magnet… → Read More
Saudi launch Mandarin teaching push with year-long training program
Speaking at a briefing in Riyadh, attended by the Chinese ambassador to the country among others, Al-Sheikh said the program was inspired by a wish to diversify languages taught in the education system, as well as an understanding of the growing global economic importance of China and therefore Chinese languages. > “I hope that the teaching of Chinese will not be limited to language” “When we… → Read More
Abducted Chinese student found safe in Canada
Lu Wanzhen, a 22-year-old student from China, was abducted by four men from an underground car park in Markham, a suburban city in the Greater Toronto area. > “The investigative efforts are far from over” But on Tuesday morning the Yorkville University student was found asking for help in a town more than 100 miles north of Toronto. “A man walked up to a residence on Doe Lake Road in the Town… → Read More
CEU Vienna campus confirmed for 2019 recruitment
In a statement, the CEU said the six-storey building in the centre of “Vienna’s multicultural 10th district” would open in autumn 2019. It will remain an interim location for CEU, but talks with the city of Vienna are reportedly continuing regarding a permanent location in the area. > “This move will give CEU a chance to grow, expand and prosper” Michael Ignatieff, president and rector of CEU… → Read More
Diversity Abroad reveals new 5-year plan t "revise and improve"
The new initiatives launched at the annual conference include an increased online offering to make students and staff aware of global opportunities, and “culturally relevant and identity-specific guidance” for students already abroad or preparing to go. > “Our vision has been improved to ensure continued effectiveness” The company will also produce an update to its Access, Inclusion,… → Read More
Sector reacts to UK international education growth strategy
Many industry stakeholders have shared opinions, ranging from positive reception of a long-awaited policy confirmation, to derision at what they saw as a weak offer. Some in the English language teaching camp were perhaps the least enthused. > “Home Office got behind this and simplified our massively complex visa rules, we could really start to motor” Part of the feeling the new strategy was… → Read More
International students in Spain in limbo with residency permit delays
International students from outside of the EU must apply for a permit to study in Spain, and with many thousands of students from around the world choosing the southern European nation as an education destination, the backlog could be significant. Delays are currently at six months – twice the three month wait time promised. > “I’m stuck in Spain until this gets resolved” A 2017 report by the… → Read More