The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 10 January 2013.
University graduates fared better during recession, US study says
According to a new study published by US-based research group Pew, those with higher levels of education fared significantly better during the economic recession. The study found that those with a university degree were better protected against salary cuts and job losses, BBC News reports. Research manager Diana Elliott says the findings illustrate that tertiary education is “incredibly important” in terms of employment and income prospects.
Oxford students protest over Julian Assange invitation
Students at the UK’s Oxford University are planning demonstrations in protest at news that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been invited to give a talk at the Oxford Union debating society, The Guardian reports. Assange has been asked to speak via a video link from the Ecuadorian Embassy, where he has been living under diplomatic asylum since last June. Some students have voiced objections due to the fact that Assange is still wanted for questioning in Sweden over rape allegations.
Turkish universities’ corruption cases published by hacker group
Hacker group RedHack has published information about ongoing corruption cases involving Turkish universities, which it obtained by breaking into the electronic storage system of the country’s Higher Education Board. Among the details posted on Twitter by RedHack are allegations that banks had bribed university rectors to use them, and claims of large public losses being covered up by universities, Today’s Zaman reports.
Australian universities say copyright law reform needed
A number of Australian universities have called for changes to copyright laws, to allow the country to become more internationally competitive in the field of online education, The Conversation reports. In a submission to the Australian Law Reform Commission, the Universities Australia group argues that institutions are currently too restricted when it comes to the type of material they can use in massive open online courses (MOOCs).
Concerns over introduction of fees for non-EU students in Finland
After a majority of Finnish parliament members voted in favor of introducing tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students, the European Students Union (ESU) has expressed concern that this will mean fewer international students choose the country. Currently university education is free for all, regardless of nationality. But Finland is considering following the examples of Denmark and Sweden, which have both recently started charging students from outside the EU/EEA, reports New Europe.