The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 12 March 2013.
Japan: Universities plan to double international students
Japan’s national universities have set a target of doubling overseas students from 5% to 10% of all students by 2020. As part of globalization strategies, the Japan Association of National Universities has also announced a target of doubling the number of courses offered in English, to around 24,000. Junichi Hamada, president of the University of Tokyo, said clear targets were needed to allow universities to track their progress.
Germany: Growing concerns over plagiarism prevention
German universities are under pressure to show they are taking steps to prevent plagiarism, following a series of high-profile plagiarism cases involving politicians, The New York Times reports. Since 2011, when the country’s defense minister was forced to resign, dozens of similar cases have forced politicians to drop the ‘Dr’ title – and universities to step up anti-plagiarism systems. Deborah Weber-Wulff, a professor at the University for Applied Sciences in Berlin, says many are investing in more advanced anti-plagiarism software.
England: Student maintenance loans and grants to increase
Maintenance loans and grants for students in England are to increase by 1% in 2014-15, the BBC reports. This will bring the maximum grant amount to UK£3,387 (US$5,040) and the maximum loan to £7,751 ($11,532) for those living away from home in London, or £5,555 ($8,265) for those renting accommodation outside of London. These maintenance loans are in addition to tuition fee loans, which are available to cover the full cost of fees – up to £9,000 ($13,390) per year.
China: Overseas students younger and more diverse
Chinese students are travelling to study abroad at a younger age, and for a wider variety of courses and types of institution, China Daily reports. These are the trends shown by joint research from the Center for China and Globalization and Mycos, which also shows more Chinese students are studying abroad after gaining a diploma through self study. According to national statistics, the number of Chinese students abroad increased 17% between 2011 and 2012, to reach nearly 400,000.
US: Republicans say college funding should reflect employment rates
Several Republican state governors are calling for public funding for universities to be linked to information about their graduates’ success in finding employment, Bloomberg reports. North Carolina’s governor, Pat McCrory, said he believed the state should support universities based “not on butts in seats, but on how many of those butts can get jobs.” The governors of Florida and Wisconsin have similarly proposed tying some university funding to graduate employment rates.