The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 16 January 2013.
International students recruited as ‘Cool Japan’ ambassadors
The Japanese government is keen to recruit international students in the country as ambassadors for its ‘Cool Japan’ initiative, The Japan Times reports. The Cool Japan Strategy aims to promote Japanese culture – from fashion to anime – around the world. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has already recruited almost 140 foreign students to help promote CoFesta – a series of cultural events held throughout the year. In particular, students are being asked to help raise awareness of the events back in their home countries, through social media such as Twitter and Facebook.
UK universities allowed to recruit more students
As of the coming academic year, UK universities will be allowed to recruit unlimited numbers of students gaining the equivalent of an A and two Bs in their A-levels, reports The Telegraph. This extends last year’s announcement, which allowed unlimited recruiting of students with two As and a B. While restrictions remain for students with lower grades, the government says institutions will be able to over-recruit by up to 3% without incurring fines. These changes aim to prevent universities being “over-cautious” when offering places, to ensure that course positions are filled.
Large US colleges spend up to 12 times more on athletics than academics
According to a new study published by the American Institutes for Research, many of the US's large public universities now spend between six and 12 times more per student on sports-related costs than on academic services. The report looked at data from universities participating in the nation’s biggest sports conferences, and found the biggest spending gap in the Southeastern Conference (SEC), reports The Spokesman-Review. In 2010, SEC universities’ average sports spending amounted to almost US$164,000 per student, compared to just $13,390 per student for teaching and other academic support.
Fewer students from India and Pakistan choosing UK
The number of students from India and Pakistan choosing to study in the UK fell significantly for the first time last year, reports University World News. The number of students from India decreased by more than 23%, and from Pakistan by more than 13%, compared to 2010-11. However, numbers from China – the largest recruiting field for UK universities – continued to rise, by almost 17%. Overall, the total number of students coming from outside the EU increased by 2%.
Plans to reduce Ireland’s public colleges from 39 to 15
Under proposals made by Ireland’s Higher Education Authority (HEA), the number of publicly funded third-tier institutions in the country would be reduced from 39 to just 15, reports The Independent. The HEA plans would initially mean a series of mergers to bring the number to 24, ultimately reducing to just 15 institutions, organized in five regional clusters. Cost reduction is at the center of the plan, which would require universities and colleges to collaborate on academic planning to make course offerings more efficient.