The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 11 April 2013.
US: Think tank urges government to consider benefits of retaining foreign students
A new report from a leading think tank calls on the US government to consider the potential economic benefits of making it easier for foreign students to stay and work after graduating, The Economic Times reports. One of the authors of the Immigration Facts on Foreign Students report says, “Expanding their access to US jobs could have particularly important impacts on the metropolitan areas where these students are most concentrated today." The research also highlights the importance of students from China and India, the largest two groups of international students in the US, particularly in STEM subjects.
New Zealand: National ranking names Victoria University top for research
The Performance Based Research Fund, administered by New Zealand’s Tertiary Education Commission, has named Victoria University as the country’s number one for research. The University of Auckland is second, and University of Otago third, University World News reports. The evaluation is published every six years, and is used as a guide when allocating government research funding. Victoria had been fourth last time round.
See where New Zealand’s universities rank in the QS World University Rankings >
Australia: Universities call for fewer government regulations
Universities in Australia are calling on the government to reduce the amount of regulations they have to comply with, highlighting the “enormous cost and administrative burden” involved in doing so. The Universities Australia group says the sector is among the world’s most regulated, estimating that some A$280 million (US$296m) is spent each year on meeting government requirements. Typically a university will employ between 15 and 20 staff dedicated to ensuring the institution complies with state and federal legislation, University World News reports.
UK: Universities receive record amount in donations
UK universities received a record UK£774 million (about US$1.2 billion) in philanthropic donations in 2011-12, an increase of 14% on the previous year, BBC News reports. However, this was by no means evenly spread; around half the amount was donated to Oxford and Cambridge, while another six universities received more than UK£20m. Overall, the average donation amount per university actually decreased – though total numbers of donors, both alumni and non-alumni, increased. The study, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research, also points out that UK universities are spending more on fundraising campaigns, and employing more staff in this area.
Canada: Shortage of engineering graduates
In an article in The Globe and Mail, British inventor James Dyson highlights the shortage of engineering graduates facing Canada. Citing a recent report from Engineers Canada, he points out that growth in sectors such as mining, transport and energy is not being matched either by immigrants or by Canadian graduates – with too few choosing to study engineering at university. At the same time, Dyson says Canada definitely has the potential to turn the situation around, with strong secondary-level ratings for maths and sciences and a number of Canadian universities among the world’s best for engineering.
Find the world's best universities for engineering with the QS Rankings by Subject >