Students at one university in the north west of England are being invited to share photographs of their study abroad and gap year experiences in a new competition.Launched this week, the LUMS International Office is running the photo contest for those who have spent time studying abroad while at Lancaster University.
For the chance to win a £50 Trespass voucher, entrants are required to submit their favourite photograph, complete with a brief caption to explain their study abroad experience.While some young people choose to study abroad on their gap year overseas, many spend their time gaining work experience or volunteering in deprived communities.Earlier this month, Alice Pulford told the Daily Mail how her gap year voluntary work, teaching in Africa, had inspired her devotion to providing a brighter future for young girls less fortunate than herself.Since her first trip several years ago, Ms Pulford has arranged voluntary teaching placements in Malawi and helped build an orphanage in Tilinanu.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
SGA research study abroad
SGA is researching a proposal that would allow students to study abroad in countries under the U.S. Students may be one step closer to swimming in the Dead Sea for course creditState Department’s Travel Warning List.The list includes nations such as Israel, Kenya, Mexico and Haiti.Basically what this is trying to do is look at policies other universities have with study abroad, said Jonathan Arogeti, who is leading the research.Arogeti said some of the nations on the list are large and the conflict keeping students away is limited to a small area.Students who study abroad in these nations cannot use University funds such as the Foundation Fellows Scholarship or Bernard Ramsey Scholarship.These students must also fill out large amounts of paper work to receive credit if they study in countries on the list.The subcommittee’s members will research the University’s listed peer and aspirational partners schools to which the University is or aspires to become similar.
These schools include the University of Virginia, Cornell University and the University of California, Berkeley.Dr. Adams has made a commitment to international education. He’s greatly expanded it,Arogeti said. We’re just trying to expand it further.The Academic Affairs committee also discussed a proposal to change the policy of requiring students suspended because of code of conduct violations to withdraw from classes and receive a WF.The new proposal gives instructors discretion when a students is suspended for violating the code of conduct not academic honesty. It gives discretion to give a WF or WP. And right now we have four WPs and the University suggests taking five classes, so even if you use all four you still fail one class,” said SGA Senator Wells Ellenberg,
He said about 20 to 30 students each semester are suspended from the University.The question is ‘Doesn’t that irreparably harm a student’s academic career and shouldn’t we separate conduct violation from violations of an academic nature?Ellenberg said.There is a petition subcommittee to which students may appeal, but Ellenberg said the results vary and he would like a policy that is more defined.
These schools include the University of Virginia, Cornell University and the University of California, Berkeley.Dr. Adams has made a commitment to international education. He’s greatly expanded it,Arogeti said. We’re just trying to expand it further.The Academic Affairs committee also discussed a proposal to change the policy of requiring students suspended because of code of conduct violations to withdraw from classes and receive a WF.The new proposal gives instructors discretion when a students is suspended for violating the code of conduct not academic honesty. It gives discretion to give a WF or WP. And right now we have four WPs and the University suggests taking five classes, so even if you use all four you still fail one class,” said SGA Senator Wells Ellenberg,
He said about 20 to 30 students each semester are suspended from the University.The question is ‘Doesn’t that irreparably harm a student’s academic career and shouldn’t we separate conduct violation from violations of an academic nature?Ellenberg said.There is a petition subcommittee to which students may appeal, but Ellenberg said the results vary and he would like a policy that is more defined.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Students were encouraged to explore and consider study options at the Education Abroad Fair
More than 20 brightly-colored booths on the first floor and ground level of the Compton Union Building allowed students to explore their options for exploring the world at Monday's Education Abroad Fair.The fair featured information about exchange, faculty-led, internship and study abroad programs. Representatives from various departments and organizations handed out pamphlets and answered questions.Jane Dickson attended the fair as a representative of the study abroad program interstudy. She said the most common questions and concerns she hears from students involve finances and curriculum, especially whether or not financial aid will apply to the program or how the classes fit into their major or minor requirements.
There are basically no limits to the curriculum students can take,she said.Interstudy sends students to South Africa, Botswana, Britain and Ireland. Dickson said interstudy is popular at WSU.There are numerous other programs that offer a variety of options for countries and curriculum, said Jaclyn Auvil, a peer adviser with the Education Abroad Office.I hope that people realize it's really attainable no matter what your major or what your financial situations is, and it's a really awesome opportunity everyone should at least look into,she said.Look into all your options. There's a bunch of different types of study abroad, and you can definitely make it work.Auvil spent last semester in Barcelona, Spain. She said she chose to study abroad so she could work on her Spanish language skills and experience school somewhere outside of the United States. It just opens your eyes to the world, and you get to know another culture and compare it to your home, she said.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Mathematics,Master of Landscape and Sociology.
WSU assistant professor Michael Hubert represented the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures at the fair. He said he encourages students to go abroad for an extra-cultural experience, especially if they are trying to learn another language.He said learning a new language in a country with native speakers is the best way to learn,100 times better than in an American classroom.From the point of view of the acquisition of another language, if you go to a country where they speak that other language, you're going to learn,he said.Dickson said one of the most important things students gain from studying abroad is a new sense of their own abilities and confidence. Any students at WSU interested in studying abroad should attend a Cougs Abroad advising session. The Education Abroad Office staff is knowledgeable and helpful, she said.There's a remarkable amount you learn about yourself, she said.I think learn as much about themselves as about their host country.I think the more involved a student is, the more people they meet and the more valuable the opportunity is.
There are basically no limits to the curriculum students can take,she said.Interstudy sends students to South Africa, Botswana, Britain and Ireland. Dickson said interstudy is popular at WSU.There are numerous other programs that offer a variety of options for countries and curriculum, said Jaclyn Auvil, a peer adviser with the Education Abroad Office.I hope that people realize it's really attainable no matter what your major or what your financial situations is, and it's a really awesome opportunity everyone should at least look into,she said.Look into all your options. There's a bunch of different types of study abroad, and you can definitely make it work.Auvil spent last semester in Barcelona, Spain. She said she chose to study abroad so she could work on her Spanish language skills and experience school somewhere outside of the United States. It just opens your eyes to the world, and you get to know another culture and compare it to your home, she said.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Mathematics,Master of Landscape and Sociology.
WSU assistant professor Michael Hubert represented the Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures at the fair. He said he encourages students to go abroad for an extra-cultural experience, especially if they are trying to learn another language.He said learning a new language in a country with native speakers is the best way to learn,100 times better than in an American classroom.From the point of view of the acquisition of another language, if you go to a country where they speak that other language, you're going to learn,he said.Dickson said one of the most important things students gain from studying abroad is a new sense of their own abilities and confidence. Any students at WSU interested in studying abroad should attend a Cougs Abroad advising session. The Education Abroad Office staff is knowledgeable and helpful, she said.There's a remarkable amount you learn about yourself, she said.I think learn as much about themselves as about their host country.I think the more involved a student is, the more people they meet and the more valuable the opportunity is.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Informational meeting about study abroad program
Informational meetings for studying abroad are available for locations around the world this week.Information regarding costs, planned excursions and duration dates will be included in the meetings.An informational meeting for teaching and learning science in the Bahamas will be available today. The program focuses on working at a school in the Bahamas with students in a multicultural setting. The program also includes exploring the ecosystem of marine environments.
Also available today is an informational meeting for students interested in teaching in Toronto. The program contains information on applying teaching skills in workshops, guided tours different course and classrooms with students of a diverse cultural background from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.The Toronto informational meeting is also available on Jan. 25.On Jan. 25, there is an informational meeting featuring different opportunities for studying abroad in different locations in Germany.An informational meeting about a summer study abroad program in Barbados from June 12 - June 26 is on Jan. 26. Elective and senior seminar credit may be earned.
Also available today is an informational meeting for students interested in teaching in Toronto. The program contains information on applying teaching skills in workshops, guided tours different course and classrooms with students of a diverse cultural background from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.The Toronto informational meeting is also available on Jan. 25.On Jan. 25, there is an informational meeting featuring different opportunities for studying abroad in different locations in Germany.An informational meeting about a summer study abroad program in Barbados from June 12 - June 26 is on Jan. 26. Elective and senior seminar credit may be earned.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Value of Study Abroad
Deep in the throes of self-doubt, fear, panic and paranoia lay the treasures of self discovery one hopes for in a study abroad experience.Looking back at the positives that came out of the negatives of my time in Costa Rica, I realize it was the stupid mistakes and silly decisions I made that led to the strongest learning experiences.Whether it was picking up a pirate taxi late at night, or befriending a person a little too sketchy for my own good, many of the moments of poor judgement led to strong development.
This is why I want to make sure I am not there for my foreign roommate. I have to make sure I do not assist him too much and do not allow him to get lost like I once was.The adversity gave me the growth I was looking for.When Sijun askes me a question about how to get around campus I answer back...but I might take a little longer than normal. Let the struggle set in.
Remembering my time abroad, I recall times where my family seemed to be going out of their way to not help me, to give me the room to flail around in international confusion.All my fellow study abroad buddies went through this. I want to make sure Sijun does as well.
This is why I want to make sure I am not there for my foreign roommate. I have to make sure I do not assist him too much and do not allow him to get lost like I once was.The adversity gave me the growth I was looking for.When Sijun askes me a question about how to get around campus I answer back...but I might take a little longer than normal. Let the struggle set in.
Remembering my time abroad, I recall times where my family seemed to be going out of their way to not help me, to give me the room to flail around in international confusion.All my fellow study abroad buddies went through this. I want to make sure Sijun does as well.
Friday, January 21, 2011
UI offers study abroad program
Instead of staring at a PowerPoint presentation, Introduction to International Relations students could soon be gazing onto the beaches of Normandy.University of Iowa students will no longer have to wade through all their general-education requirements in classrooms overlooking the Pentacrest. Instead, they’ll have the opportunity to take in London, Paris,Germany or Florence.The UI’s new Iowa International Summer Institute, which will allow students to earn general education credit while studying abroad, is set to be launched this summer.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Engineering,Economics and Management and Industrial Engineering.
Study Abroad officials generated the idea around two years ago with the intention to encourage more students to consider studying abroad and to do so earlier in their college careers, said Janis Perkins, the director of Study Abroad.During the 2008-09 school year, fewer than 1 percent of the 884 UI undergraduates who studied abroad were first-year students. More than 50 percent were seniors, according to the study abroad website.UI professors will teach the institute’s courses in English, a point Perkins said she hoped would be attractive to students who otherwise would not have considered such a program.It’s not a question of needing to adapt to a different style of education or teaching, she said.It really is as if you’re taking the course on campus.
While the institute will offer courses that are taught in Iowa City, each of the five courses is adapted to incorporate elements of the surrounding city.A good study-abroad course takes advantage of the place in which the course is offered, said Liz Wildenburg de Hernandez, a Study Abroad adviser.It changes the content of the course to reflect where you are.Kelly Kadera, an associate professor of political science, will teach the Introduction to International Relations at the institute’s site in Paris. While the class is taught at the UI, Kadera’s course, which fulfills the social-science requirement,will include visits to French art and military museums, as well as a weekend excursion to the beaches of Normandy.
Kadera said the trip will bring to life concepts covered in her class, illustrating, in particular, the loss of American lives in World War II. This, along with other activiin France, will make her course more meaningful, she said.Seeing the beaches of Normandy is such a strong experience, whether you’re a freshman in college or 65 years old,Kadera added.The program fee of only $3,550 which includes tuition, lodging, activities, and weekend excursions may also serve as an attraction.Study Abroad officials said going abroad earlier in life is beneficial for college students.Study Abroad peer adviser Suzanne Wedeking, who spent her junior year in Morocco, said if she had studied abroad sooner, she might have participated in another program later in her college career.Your interests are probably going to widen, and you might be interested in a different program later on, she said.
Study Abroad officials generated the idea around two years ago with the intention to encourage more students to consider studying abroad and to do so earlier in their college careers, said Janis Perkins, the director of Study Abroad.During the 2008-09 school year, fewer than 1 percent of the 884 UI undergraduates who studied abroad were first-year students. More than 50 percent were seniors, according to the study abroad website.UI professors will teach the institute’s courses in English, a point Perkins said she hoped would be attractive to students who otherwise would not have considered such a program.It’s not a question of needing to adapt to a different style of education or teaching, she said.It really is as if you’re taking the course on campus.
While the institute will offer courses that are taught in Iowa City, each of the five courses is adapted to incorporate elements of the surrounding city.A good study-abroad course takes advantage of the place in which the course is offered, said Liz Wildenburg de Hernandez, a Study Abroad adviser.It changes the content of the course to reflect where you are.Kelly Kadera, an associate professor of political science, will teach the Introduction to International Relations at the institute’s site in Paris. While the class is taught at the UI, Kadera’s course, which fulfills the social-science requirement,will include visits to French art and military museums, as well as a weekend excursion to the beaches of Normandy.
Kadera said the trip will bring to life concepts covered in her class, illustrating, in particular, the loss of American lives in World War II. This, along with other activiin France, will make her course more meaningful, she said.Seeing the beaches of Normandy is such a strong experience, whether you’re a freshman in college or 65 years old,Kadera added.The program fee of only $3,550 which includes tuition, lodging, activities, and weekend excursions may also serve as an attraction.Study Abroad officials said going abroad earlier in life is beneficial for college students.Study Abroad peer adviser Suzanne Wedeking, who spent her junior year in Morocco, said if she had studied abroad sooner, she might have participated in another program later in her college career.Your interests are probably going to widen, and you might be interested in a different program later on, she said.
The study abroad program offers three different types of programs
There are opportunities here at Marshall that will enhance your college experience dramatically. The study abroad program offers three different types of programs including being an exchange student, interning, or doing a semester or a summer abroad. These programs offer the experience of learning and living in cultures that one can read about in history books.Lance West Jr., freshman international business major from Huntington, said,I would without a doubt take advantage of an opportunity to study abroad! There are so many outstanding benefits to studying in another country when asked if he would go abroad if the opportunity presented itself.
Experiencing other countries' history and present day culture is only a few steps away.It makes students much more appealing to employers said Clark Egnor, international programs representative, n asked why it is a good idea for students to study abroad. Egnor also went on to explain that many students go through personal growth, expand their horizons and have a life changing experience.If experiencing another country's rich culture is something of interest, start planning now to go abroad next spring.It is important to get across that students need to start planning in the first year of study at Marshall,said Egnor.Egnor explained that, although it is not mandatory in the first year of study, it is easier because students can take general education classes abroad. The office of international affairs recommends a full year of planning before going abroad. It ensures that all the steps have been taken and you are completely prepared.
Once you have decided where you want to go, you might apply to the school.To go abroad in fall or spring the application is the same as if a student was just going to school in fall or spring, said Sarah Musgrave, financial aid counselor.After the application process is complete you must choose what classes you would like to enroll in. This is one of the tricky parts, because you want to make sure that the classes you choose to take will count towards your degree. You must apply for the credit to be approved by Marshall. The study abroad advisor, regular advisor, the dean and the registrar must approve of the credit(s) prior to departure. Once it is approved you're halfway home when it comes to your credit. The other precaution you need to take is to have the credits sent over from where you studied to Marshall after the course are completed.After credit is dealt with, you must figure out how this trip will be paid for. This part is where most students struggle. "When I think of study abroad programs, I think that it will be overly expensive,said West. The financial aid office helps students with this dilemma. Musgrave is in charge of helping students figure out how they will finance their trips. Musgrave said that getting loans to go abroad is the same as getting loans for attending classes in the US. Students must still go through FAFSA. She said that summer is a little trickier, considering a student can only get a certain amount of money per year, if they use they're money in the fall and spring they are not eligible in the summer.
It is a case-by-case basis,Musgrave said. So to figure out financing for your trip abroad, contacting Musgrave in the financial aid office for financing.When it comes to studying abroad, many students don't know where to start and have misconceptions about the process.I also feel like it's difficult to find a lot of information regarding various study abroad programs,West said.For students who feel the same way, resources and people willing to help you get all the information you need are in the office of international affairs. They are always willing to help and make your study abroad program special and right for each individual.
Experiencing other countries' history and present day culture is only a few steps away.It makes students much more appealing to employers said Clark Egnor, international programs representative, n asked why it is a good idea for students to study abroad. Egnor also went on to explain that many students go through personal growth, expand their horizons and have a life changing experience.If experiencing another country's rich culture is something of interest, start planning now to go abroad next spring.It is important to get across that students need to start planning in the first year of study at Marshall,said Egnor.Egnor explained that, although it is not mandatory in the first year of study, it is easier because students can take general education classes abroad. The office of international affairs recommends a full year of planning before going abroad. It ensures that all the steps have been taken and you are completely prepared.
Once you have decided where you want to go, you might apply to the school.To go abroad in fall or spring the application is the same as if a student was just going to school in fall or spring, said Sarah Musgrave, financial aid counselor.After the application process is complete you must choose what classes you would like to enroll in. This is one of the tricky parts, because you want to make sure that the classes you choose to take will count towards your degree. You must apply for the credit to be approved by Marshall. The study abroad advisor, regular advisor, the dean and the registrar must approve of the credit(s) prior to departure. Once it is approved you're halfway home when it comes to your credit. The other precaution you need to take is to have the credits sent over from where you studied to Marshall after the course are completed.After credit is dealt with, you must figure out how this trip will be paid for. This part is where most students struggle. "When I think of study abroad programs, I think that it will be overly expensive,said West. The financial aid office helps students with this dilemma. Musgrave is in charge of helping students figure out how they will finance their trips. Musgrave said that getting loans to go abroad is the same as getting loans for attending classes in the US. Students must still go through FAFSA. She said that summer is a little trickier, considering a student can only get a certain amount of money per year, if they use they're money in the fall and spring they are not eligible in the summer.
It is a case-by-case basis,Musgrave said. So to figure out financing for your trip abroad, contacting Musgrave in the financial aid office for financing.When it comes to studying abroad, many students don't know where to start and have misconceptions about the process.I also feel like it's difficult to find a lot of information regarding various study abroad programs,West said.For students who feel the same way, resources and people willing to help you get all the information you need are in the office of international affairs. They are always willing to help and make your study abroad program special and right for each individual.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Seniors and alumni are invited to study abroad Guatemala for Spanish this summer
For some, summer vacation is time for sleeping in and hanging by the pool, but for any current seniors and alumni it means an opportunity to travel beyond our boarders and to the Central American country of Guatemala.Spanish teacher, Mrs. Ashley Wager, and Science teacher, Mrs. Jessica Rowe, and currently only five other students are traveling to stay with a host family in Guatemala.Opportunity to study abroad.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Engineering,Master of Science and Economics and Management.
We are staying with a home-stay program that allows us to stay with a family,said Mrs. Wager. The family doesn’t speak any English for the most part.The trip will last for two weeks, from July 10-23, 2011. One week will be filled with studying the Spanish language, and the other will be traveling.Students will take classes each day for four hours,said Mrs. Wager.It will be a one-on-one class and the student will control what they learn while they are there.The second week of the trip will be filled with tours to places such as Quirigua and Rio Dulce, zip lining, visit Mayan ruins, etc.The trip costs $1,250, and any current senior or alumni interested in attending this trip should talk with Mrs. Wager or Mrs. Rowe.
We are staying with a home-stay program that allows us to stay with a family,said Mrs. Wager. The family doesn’t speak any English for the most part.The trip will last for two weeks, from July 10-23, 2011. One week will be filled with studying the Spanish language, and the other will be traveling.Students will take classes each day for four hours,said Mrs. Wager.It will be a one-on-one class and the student will control what they learn while they are there.The second week of the trip will be filled with tours to places such as Quirigua and Rio Dulce, zip lining, visit Mayan ruins, etc.The trip costs $1,250, and any current senior or alumni interested in attending this trip should talk with Mrs. Wager or Mrs. Rowe.
Monday, January 17, 2011
The graduate's guide to scholarships abroad
ONCE AGAIN, DISTANT shores are luring Irish graduates. The push factors are wearily obvious: lack of employment opportunities at home and the increased competition for dwindling postgraduate scholarship funds. The pull factors, however, are perhaps even stronger: opportunities to explore another country, meet international researchers, secure a prestigious scholarship award, and gain experience and employment opportunities abroad.Graduates considering a move will be faced with a rather surprising problem: finding the right scholarship, fellowship, or internship among the thousands on offer.
There’s an almost limitless range, covering every possible subject area, including science, humanities, law, art, drama, sport, and medicine plus students can tackle them in English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Austria,New Zealand, and Canada, or opt to learn a new language in far-flung destinations such as Argentina or Japan. Embassies and overseas third-level institutions, as well as various funding organisations, can provide further details.A comprehensive list of international scholarships can be found on the International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search.
ROTARY SCHOLARSHIPS
The Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarships provide funding for year-long scholarships abroad, covering a range of subjects. Irish scholars would be expected to serve as goodwill ambassadors to their host country and give presentations about Ireland to Rotary clubs and other groups. In 2009, the organisation distributed approximately $16.2 million to nearly 700 recipients.
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS
The most prestigious and well-known scholarship for postgraduate study in the United States, the 2012-2013 competition will open for Irish students in September 2011.Fulbright is open to scholars from all academic disciplines, who intend to enroll on a US Masters/PhD programme or conduct independent research as part of an Irish or European PhD programme. The award includes up to $25,000 plus insurance, a J-1 visa and the programme is for between six and 12 months of postgraduate study or research in the US. This year, 23 Fulbright scholarships were offered to Irish applicants. Fulbright also offers two awards for postgraduates, academics or professionals working through the Irish language in the US. For more information, see fulbright.ie
INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
The IIE, a private, non-profit organisation dedicated to the international exchange of people and ideas, runs 20 international scholarship programmes for Irish students. These include:Acumen Fund Fellows Programme: a one-year programme focused on the development of leadership and social enterprise. Participants will use their operational and financial skills to create solutions to global poverty.KAUST Fellowships: offered by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the fellowships are offered to science, engineering and technology students who wish to pursue graduate study at the Jeddah-based institution.Alcoa Foundation’s Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Programme: scholarships, grants, and fellowships offered across the world. The programme connects scholars with NGOs and the business community to develop practical solutions to environmental sustainability issues.The Russell Berrie Fellowship Programme: open to priests and laity carrying out research on inter-faith issues, leading to a license or doctoral degree with a concentration on Inter-religious Studies at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas. Deadline: March 18th, 2011The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre: offers a residency for scholars and creative artists to attend the centre at Lake Como, Italy, between February 1st and mid-August 2011. Application process opens in March. The programme offers a serene setting for artists, policymakers, scholars, and thinkers to meet, develop connections, and focus on their area of interest in a scenic and serene setting.
For more information see iie.org
ERASMUS MUNDUS
This programme provides scholarship funding on programmes offered by a consortia of higher education institutes which operate in at least two European countries. The programme covers all subject areas. Current research opportunities include places on:EMARO, the European Master on Advanced Robotics: an integrated Masters course conducted by three Asian and three European institutions, including the Warsaw University of Technology, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, and the Faculty of Science and Technology in Keio University, Japan.Global Studies, A European Perspective: an interdisciplinary Masters offered by five European universities in collaboration with six non-European partners.GLITEMA (German Literature in the European Middle Ages): an integrated Masters course run by three European universities and supported by 12 global higher education partners.European doctorate in Law and Economics (EDLE): offered by the universities of Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bologna, with the collaboration of the Indira Ghandi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai, India. This course provides the chance to study law and economics at PhD level in at least three different countries.International Relativistic Astrophysics PhD: joint doctorate programme involving universities from Europe and Asia, including Stockholm, Berlin and Rome, as well as observatories in India, China, and Estonia.
GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Many countries reserve scholarship places for Irish postgraduate students. Application is conducted through the country’s Irish embassy. These include Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey. Details and application for Finland can be found at /studying, for France at the French Cultural Service, and for Italy at the Italian Cultural Institute. For all other countries, contact the relevant embassy in Ireland.
SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS
Many third-level institutions offer undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships to students with a proven track record in soccer, athletics, rugby, swimming or other sports. In return, the student is expected to represent their college in the chosen sport. The organisation pass4soccer offers a soccer scholarship consultancy service.
OTHER THIRD-LEVEL SCHOLARSHIPS
Third-level institutions worldwide offer scholarships and fellowships for international applicants. Students considering a Masters or Doctoral degree programme should begin by exploring which universities offer courses of interest. Log on to their website and see if they provide scholarships. Popular options for Irish postgraduates include the University of Wellington Victoria PhD Scholarships (New Zealand), the Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships (The Netherlands), and University of Edinburgh Scholarships (Scotland).
There’s an almost limitless range, covering every possible subject area, including science, humanities, law, art, drama, sport, and medicine plus students can tackle them in English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Austria,New Zealand, and Canada, or opt to learn a new language in far-flung destinations such as Argentina or Japan. Embassies and overseas third-level institutions, as well as various funding organisations, can provide further details.A comprehensive list of international scholarships can be found on the International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search.
ROTARY SCHOLARSHIPS
The Rotary Foundation’s Ambassadorial Scholarships provide funding for year-long scholarships abroad, covering a range of subjects. Irish scholars would be expected to serve as goodwill ambassadors to their host country and give presentations about Ireland to Rotary clubs and other groups. In 2009, the organisation distributed approximately $16.2 million to nearly 700 recipients.
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIPS
The most prestigious and well-known scholarship for postgraduate study in the United States, the 2012-2013 competition will open for Irish students in September 2011.Fulbright is open to scholars from all academic disciplines, who intend to enroll on a US Masters/PhD programme or conduct independent research as part of an Irish or European PhD programme. The award includes up to $25,000 plus insurance, a J-1 visa and the programme is for between six and 12 months of postgraduate study or research in the US. This year, 23 Fulbright scholarships were offered to Irish applicants. Fulbright also offers two awards for postgraduates, academics or professionals working through the Irish language in the US. For more information, see fulbright.ie
INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
The IIE, a private, non-profit organisation dedicated to the international exchange of people and ideas, runs 20 international scholarship programmes for Irish students. These include:Acumen Fund Fellows Programme: a one-year programme focused on the development of leadership and social enterprise. Participants will use their operational and financial skills to create solutions to global poverty.KAUST Fellowships: offered by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the fellowships are offered to science, engineering and technology students who wish to pursue graduate study at the Jeddah-based institution.Alcoa Foundation’s Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Programme: scholarships, grants, and fellowships offered across the world. The programme connects scholars with NGOs and the business community to develop practical solutions to environmental sustainability issues.The Russell Berrie Fellowship Programme: open to priests and laity carrying out research on inter-faith issues, leading to a license or doctoral degree with a concentration on Inter-religious Studies at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas. Deadline: March 18th, 2011The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Centre: offers a residency for scholars and creative artists to attend the centre at Lake Como, Italy, between February 1st and mid-August 2011. Application process opens in March. The programme offers a serene setting for artists, policymakers, scholars, and thinkers to meet, develop connections, and focus on their area of interest in a scenic and serene setting.
For more information see iie.org
ERASMUS MUNDUS
This programme provides scholarship funding on programmes offered by a consortia of higher education institutes which operate in at least two European countries. The programme covers all subject areas. Current research opportunities include places on:EMARO, the European Master on Advanced Robotics: an integrated Masters course conducted by three Asian and three European institutions, including the Warsaw University of Technology, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, and the Faculty of Science and Technology in Keio University, Japan.Global Studies, A European Perspective: an interdisciplinary Masters offered by five European universities in collaboration with six non-European partners.GLITEMA (German Literature in the European Middle Ages): an integrated Masters course run by three European universities and supported by 12 global higher education partners.European doctorate in Law and Economics (EDLE): offered by the universities of Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bologna, with the collaboration of the Indira Ghandi Institute of Development Research in Mumbai, India. This course provides the chance to study law and economics at PhD level in at least three different countries.International Relativistic Astrophysics PhD: joint doctorate programme involving universities from Europe and Asia, including Stockholm, Berlin and Rome, as well as observatories in India, China, and Estonia.
GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS
Many countries reserve scholarship places for Irish postgraduate students. Application is conducted through the country’s Irish embassy. These include Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey. Details and application for Finland can be found at /studying, for France at the French Cultural Service, and for Italy at the Italian Cultural Institute. For all other countries, contact the relevant embassy in Ireland.
SPORTS SCHOLARSHIPS
Many third-level institutions offer undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships to students with a proven track record in soccer, athletics, rugby, swimming or other sports. In return, the student is expected to represent their college in the chosen sport. The organisation pass4soccer offers a soccer scholarship consultancy service.
OTHER THIRD-LEVEL SCHOLARSHIPS
Third-level institutions worldwide offer scholarships and fellowships for international applicants. Students considering a Masters or Doctoral degree programme should begin by exploring which universities offer courses of interest. Log on to their website and see if they provide scholarships. Popular options for Irish postgraduates include the University of Wellington Victoria PhD Scholarships (New Zealand), the Utrecht University Excellence Scholarships (The Netherlands), and University of Edinburgh Scholarships (Scotland).
Study Abroad in Philadelphia
As the first American initiative in northern India to promote higher education in the United States, the City of Philadelphia will co-host with Drexel University an event, Study Abroad Philadelphia, in Chandigarh on January 20. The event is designed specifically for school officials, students and their parents.This was announced by Kanika Choudhary, a representative of Philadelphia. At the event, the participants will learn about the educational opportunities that Philadelphia offers on and off campus. Schools including St John’s, St 
Stephen’s, Yadvindra Public School, DPS and others from the region will participate.
Stating that there is a considerable presence of Indian community in the educational institutes in Pennsylvania, Choudhary said:We have special departments and courses in Sanskrit, Hindi, Gurmukhi, Indian classical music, dance, art, culture and Yoga. Students from Indian as well as other origins opt for these courses.
Stephen’s, Yadvindra Public School, DPS and others from the region will participate.Stating that there is a considerable presence of Indian community in the educational institutes in Pennsylvania, Choudhary said:We have special departments and courses in Sanskrit, Hindi, Gurmukhi, Indian classical music, dance, art, culture and Yoga. Students from Indian as well as other origins opt for these courses.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Need fatigued for superior medical education
Health education institutes should ensure that quality health education and practical training is imparted to 10,000 students who are enrolled at medical colleges and varsities every year in Pakistan to cope with growing challenges in the healthcare sector.This was stated by Prof. Syed Sibtul Hasnain, President Pakistan Medical and Dental Council while speaking at inaugural ceremony of two-day conference on Building Bridges for Medical Education Reforms, which started here Saturday.
The conference has been organised by the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), at its Ojha campus, Karachi and is being attended by over 60 principals and Deans from all over the country.The conference is aimed at bringing Principals and medical education faculty of all medical colleges of the country, of both public and private sectors on one platform, enabling them to share their work, policies and challenges and to benefit from the experiences of PMDC and HEC officials.PMDC President said it was the responsibility of the faculty and officials of statuary bodies to ensure the best possible teaching and training to the students to enable them to cope with the challenges in the healthcare sector in the country.
He said every year, over 10,000 students were enrolled at health educational institutions throughout Pakistan, who have to provide medical facilities to more than 200 million people in the country as well as study abroad.PMDC and managements of health educational institutes are all striving to improve curricula but we should also make collective efforts to improve undergraduate medical education that is why the theme of this conference is building brides for medical education reforms he added.There would be a panel discussion at the last session of the conference and its recommendations will be submitted to PDMC to help improving and upgrading the curricula of educational institutes offering health education, he said.The Vice-Chancellor of the DUHS, Prof. Masood Hameed Khan, sharing his views informed, said, Our vision is to foster a foundation of exemplary academic achievement and provide and environment that encourages active learning through state of art technology he added.He maintained that vision and mission of DUHS was focused on three domains that included academic excellence, human resource development, and community healthcare.
We have established several institutes that give technical and technological training and also those that are providing expensive healthcare services at minimal rates, he added.Prof. Salahuddin Afsar, Dean Faculty of Medicine of DUHS, in his welcome address said that medical education was undergoing rapid changes throughout the world and there was need to adopt a holistic approach towards it in the country too.He maintained that the envisaged that the conference will be focused on providing a platform for sharing the experiences of under-graduate medical curricular reforms.
Dr Syed Moyn Ali, Director Medical Education, Taif University; Prof. Rukhsana Zuberi, Professor of Family Medicine Associate Dean, Education Chair, Department of Educational Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aga Khan University; Prof. Rashid Ahmed, Chair of Curriculum Com-AKU; Prof. Kamran Hamed, Dean-Ziauddin University and Prof Tara Jaffery, Associate Professor of Medicine, Shifa International also spoke on the occasion.
The conference has been organised by the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), at its Ojha campus, Karachi and is being attended by over 60 principals and Deans from all over the country.The conference is aimed at bringing Principals and medical education faculty of all medical colleges of the country, of both public and private sectors on one platform, enabling them to share their work, policies and challenges and to benefit from the experiences of PMDC and HEC officials.PMDC President said it was the responsibility of the faculty and officials of statuary bodies to ensure the best possible teaching and training to the students to enable them to cope with the challenges in the healthcare sector in the country.
He said every year, over 10,000 students were enrolled at health educational institutions throughout Pakistan, who have to provide medical facilities to more than 200 million people in the country as well as study abroad.PMDC and managements of health educational institutes are all striving to improve curricula but we should also make collective efforts to improve undergraduate medical education that is why the theme of this conference is building brides for medical education reforms he added.There would be a panel discussion at the last session of the conference and its recommendations will be submitted to PDMC to help improving and upgrading the curricula of educational institutes offering health education, he said.The Vice-Chancellor of the DUHS, Prof. Masood Hameed Khan, sharing his views informed, said, Our vision is to foster a foundation of exemplary academic achievement and provide and environment that encourages active learning through state of art technology he added.He maintained that vision and mission of DUHS was focused on three domains that included academic excellence, human resource development, and community healthcare.
We have established several institutes that give technical and technological training and also those that are providing expensive healthcare services at minimal rates, he added.Prof. Salahuddin Afsar, Dean Faculty of Medicine of DUHS, in his welcome address said that medical education was undergoing rapid changes throughout the world and there was need to adopt a holistic approach towards it in the country too.He maintained that the envisaged that the conference will be focused on providing a platform for sharing the experiences of under-graduate medical curricular reforms.
Dr Syed Moyn Ali, Director Medical Education, Taif University; Prof. Rukhsana Zuberi, Professor of Family Medicine Associate Dean, Education Chair, Department of Educational Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aga Khan University; Prof. Rashid Ahmed, Chair of Curriculum Com-AKU; Prof. Kamran Hamed, Dean-Ziauddin University and Prof Tara Jaffery, Associate Professor of Medicine, Shifa International also spoke on the occasion.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Study-abroad opportunities are opening up in less-developed countries, making it affordable for more college students
A semester abroad would be a great addition to your life experience and college resume. But can you afford it without tapping the Bank of Mom and Dad, which is issuing fewer loans these days?
Because of changing study-abroad trends, you may very well be able to. Just keep this in mind:
Italy and the U.K. are out. Peru and South Africa are in.U.S. students are changing their study-abroad preferences, forgoing Western Europe for Africa, Asia and Latin America. Funding and expenses are among the reasons, experts say. More less-developed countries are facilitating partnerships for U.S. student grants, and more students are taking advantage of them. Students are finding destinations such as Chile, China and Argentina less expensive than traditional study-abroad places such as the United Kingdom, Italy and France,Austria, sometimes even less expensive than studying at home.
That, among other things, is making study-abroad opportunities available to a wider range of students.U.S. students are traveling to more nontraditional destinations than ever before," Peggy Blumenthal, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Institute of International Education, said in an e-mail.In addition to the countries in Western Europe, which have been the leading host countries for American undergraduates, our students are exploring destinations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Also, the U.S. government, host countries and other stakeholders are working hard to make study-abroad opportunities accessible to the widest range of U.S. students, including those from minority backgrounds and underrepresented fields of study. We see these positive trends continuing into the future.The intensification of globalization has coincided with a steady increase in the number of U.S. students studying abroad. More than 260,000 U.S. students studied abroad in 2008-09, slightly fewer than the number who studied abroad the previous year but about four times the number who studied abroad in 1989-90, according to the Institute of International Education, which says it counts study abroad students as those who go abroad to study but receive credit from their U.S. institution.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Engineering,European Studies and informatics.
Seventy percent of study-abroad aid comes from programs sponsored by the students' home colleges, said the IIE. The remainder comes from government agencies, host countries, third-party donors and other colleges in consortiums with the students' colleges. New grants are available from host countries such as China and Germany, said the IIE's Blumenthal, while the U.S. departments of State and Education are helping to fund partnership grants with colleges in India, Indonesia and other countries.If you register directly through the host university, tuition can be less, too, especially if your home college is on the expensive side,she said.Baltimore's Goucher College, which the institute listed No. 1 in the U.S. among baccalaureate institutions for undergraduate study-abroad participation in 2008-09, requires studying abroad. Students get $1,200 vouchers from the college, then use aid to help pay for the rest. Students are making the most of their money.
Many are shying away from Western Europe because it's expensive to stay there,said Angela Shaeffer, Goucher's assistant director of the office of international studies.Instead of studying French in Paris, for example, they might study it in Cameroon.Tala Karadsheh, of Arlington, Va., said it cost her less to live in China for one semester in 2009 than it did at her home school, the College of William & Mary.I could eat (in China) for only $30 a month," she said. She said her Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship covered most of the cost of her plane tickets, tuition and room and board.Carl Herrin, a consultant based in Silver Spring, Md., who advises colleges about international study, said circumstances in addition to funding and finances have helped increase study-abroad growth in countries outside Western Europe. Cost and ease of travel have improved over the past 30 or so years. And, of course, political climates have changed dramatically.
The whole notion that places like Central Asia are now open for the truly adventurous wasn't even on the map when I was in college,said Herrin, who said he's in his 50s.We've upped the ante.it's much more the case that you're not looking for the absolutely best student at the best campus. It's now very democratized. There's this expectation that you can go to a second- or third-tier institution and that you, too, can study abroad.Used to be, it was mostly humanities students going to Europe,the IIE's Blumenthal said.Now it includes students in prelaw, premed, business and other majors. More are going to Asia, Africa and South America. They realize that 21st-century careers are global. They see it as a competitive advantage.Here are some important things to remember about studying abroad and about funding:
These are rigorous programs. It's not playtime,said Natalie Mello, director of global operations at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, Mass. Recent program topics for that school's students included earthquakes in Taiwan and solar energy in India.Generally, students may apply federal financial aid to studying abroad, college advisers say.Students must do their own legwork to secure financial aid, advisers say. Look to your extended family, church and local service clubs for loans or grants, said consultant Carl Herrin. "You can't have what you don't ask for,he said.Like Wayne Gretzky said, 'You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.Search your college's study-abroad and financial aid offices for grants and scholarships.Ask your faculty adviser, who may have connections overseas,said Peggy Blumenthal of the Institute of International Education.Application deadlines vary, so plan at least a year ahead. Read the fine print; some but not all grants and scholarships cover travel and living expenses.Write a good, solid application essay, which you can tweak and use for other apps too,said Tala Karadsheh, a former College of William & Mary student. Talk to people who have gone (overseas) already; they'll have good advice.
Because of changing study-abroad trends, you may very well be able to. Just keep this in mind:
Italy and the U.K. are out. Peru and South Africa are in.U.S. students are changing their study-abroad preferences, forgoing Western Europe for Africa, Asia and Latin America. Funding and expenses are among the reasons, experts say. More less-developed countries are facilitating partnerships for U.S. student grants, and more students are taking advantage of them. Students are finding destinations such as Chile, China and Argentina less expensive than traditional study-abroad places such as the United Kingdom, Italy and France,Austria, sometimes even less expensive than studying at home.
That, among other things, is making study-abroad opportunities available to a wider range of students.U.S. students are traveling to more nontraditional destinations than ever before," Peggy Blumenthal, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Institute of International Education, said in an e-mail.In addition to the countries in Western Europe, which have been the leading host countries for American undergraduates, our students are exploring destinations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Also, the U.S. government, host countries and other stakeholders are working hard to make study-abroad opportunities accessible to the widest range of U.S. students, including those from minority backgrounds and underrepresented fields of study. We see these positive trends continuing into the future.The intensification of globalization has coincided with a steady increase in the number of U.S. students studying abroad. More than 260,000 U.S. students studied abroad in 2008-09, slightly fewer than the number who studied abroad the previous year but about four times the number who studied abroad in 1989-90, according to the Institute of International Education, which says it counts study abroad students as those who go abroad to study but receive credit from their U.S. institution.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Engineering,European Studies and informatics.
Seventy percent of study-abroad aid comes from programs sponsored by the students' home colleges, said the IIE. The remainder comes from government agencies, host countries, third-party donors and other colleges in consortiums with the students' colleges. New grants are available from host countries such as China and Germany, said the IIE's Blumenthal, while the U.S. departments of State and Education are helping to fund partnership grants with colleges in India, Indonesia and other countries.If you register directly through the host university, tuition can be less, too, especially if your home college is on the expensive side,she said.Baltimore's Goucher College, which the institute listed No. 1 in the U.S. among baccalaureate institutions for undergraduate study-abroad participation in 2008-09, requires studying abroad. Students get $1,200 vouchers from the college, then use aid to help pay for the rest. Students are making the most of their money.
Many are shying away from Western Europe because it's expensive to stay there,said Angela Shaeffer, Goucher's assistant director of the office of international studies.Instead of studying French in Paris, for example, they might study it in Cameroon.Tala Karadsheh, of Arlington, Va., said it cost her less to live in China for one semester in 2009 than it did at her home school, the College of William & Mary.I could eat (in China) for only $30 a month," she said. She said her Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship covered most of the cost of her plane tickets, tuition and room and board.Carl Herrin, a consultant based in Silver Spring, Md., who advises colleges about international study, said circumstances in addition to funding and finances have helped increase study-abroad growth in countries outside Western Europe. Cost and ease of travel have improved over the past 30 or so years. And, of course, political climates have changed dramatically.
The whole notion that places like Central Asia are now open for the truly adventurous wasn't even on the map when I was in college,said Herrin, who said he's in his 50s.We've upped the ante.it's much more the case that you're not looking for the absolutely best student at the best campus. It's now very democratized. There's this expectation that you can go to a second- or third-tier institution and that you, too, can study abroad.Used to be, it was mostly humanities students going to Europe,the IIE's Blumenthal said.Now it includes students in prelaw, premed, business and other majors. More are going to Asia, Africa and South America. They realize that 21st-century careers are global. They see it as a competitive advantage.Here are some important things to remember about studying abroad and about funding:
These are rigorous programs. It's not playtime,said Natalie Mello, director of global operations at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute, in Worcester, Mass. Recent program topics for that school's students included earthquakes in Taiwan and solar energy in India.Generally, students may apply federal financial aid to studying abroad, college advisers say.Students must do their own legwork to secure financial aid, advisers say. Look to your extended family, church and local service clubs for loans or grants, said consultant Carl Herrin. "You can't have what you don't ask for,he said.Like Wayne Gretzky said, 'You miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.Search your college's study-abroad and financial aid offices for grants and scholarships.Ask your faculty adviser, who may have connections overseas,said Peggy Blumenthal of the Institute of International Education.Application deadlines vary, so plan at least a year ahead. Read the fine print; some but not all grants and scholarships cover travel and living expenses.Write a good, solid application essay, which you can tweak and use for other apps too,said Tala Karadsheh, a former College of William & Mary student. Talk to people who have gone (overseas) already; they'll have good advice.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
BU Cancels spring semester Study Abroad Program
Last week’s brazen kidnapping and murder of two Westerners in Niger’s relatively safe capital of Niamey has led University officials to cancel its spring semester study abroad program in that country.We are very sorry to take this action,Joseph Finkhouse, institutional relations director with BU’s International Programs, wrote in an emailed announcement.The program in Niger has always been one of the true stars of BU’s programs abroad. However, the safety and well-being of our students and staff must always be our primary concern.
On January 7, two French nationals were abducted at gunpoint from a crowded Niamey bar and restaurant popular with Westerners, including BU students. The kidnappers, described by the Associated Press as wearing turbans, dragged the men outside and fled toward the Mali border. Nigerien and French troops gave chase, but both victims were reportedly killed by their abductors. No one has claimed responsibility, but the group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has carried out similar acts in the past. Niger, the largest nation in West Africa, was a French colony until 1960 and French citizens have been targeted in the past.
The January 7 abduction was the first of its kind in Niamey. The capital has been seen as relatively safe compared to the rest of the country, which has witnessed similar crimes in the remote regions and has been the subject of U.S. State Department warnings. Since the restaurant kidnapping, the U.S. Embassy has imposed strict limits on its personnel in Niamey, including a nightly curfew and a ban on all travel outside of the capital. As of Tuesday, the warnings remained in place. University officials decided on Monday that the
heightened risk in Niamey was unacceptable. BU’s spring 2011 Niger program was scheduled to begin on January 20. The inaugural summer program has been scrapped too. It’s unclear when operations might resume, according to Finkhouse.
We’d have to have pretty hard assurance from the U.S. State Department that the overall situation had become stabilized over there,he says,but I don’t want to speculate about specific criteria; we just don’t know what that will be. We hope this is not a trend toward violence that’s going to continue, especially for the Nigerien people.BU’s Niger program has been in operation for some 20 years, offering undergraduates insight into the culture, people, and history of Niger. Finkhouse describes the program as heavily experiential, with students living communally and integrating into the local culture, studying the native languages, and apprenticing with local artisans. Along with courses and fieldwork, the program also offers study trips and cultural activities, which in the past have included visits to Peace Corps volunteers’ villages, an overnight stay in a game park, a day trip to a weekly livestock market, and an outing to see the last free-roaming herd of giraffes in West Africa.
The students who have done the program know a lot about that part of the world, want to be in that part of the world, Finkhouse says.They are students who have cohered best as an alumni group and look for ways, maybe through the Peace Corps or other programs, to get back there. They really develop a strong affinity for the place.One of those alums, Alveena Shah (CAS’11), spent the 2009 fall semester in the Niger program. She and her friends had frequented the restaurant where the abduction took place.The surge in violence is pretty unbelievable,Shah says.It’s unnerving to think that in the year since my group went Niamey could be the site of a double kidnapping and murder. The semester I went, I never felt unwelcome, or even unsafe really, anywhere in the country. A semester in Niamey is an amazing experience, but safety concerns take precedence. Still, it’s really unfortunate that the students who were going on this year’s spring trip won’t get to have that experience this semester.
Finkhouse says because of the late timing, it’s unlikely the 15 or so Niger-bound students will be able find another study abroad program for the spring semester. International Programs will work with the Registrar and Housing to resettle them on campus and enroll them in classes.It was a very difficult decision to make,he says.Our job is to make it easy for students to study abroad. We hate to take opportunities away from them. We’re really sad to have to do it. The timing is really horrible.Ana Maria Duque (CAS’12) says she transferred to BU last spring because of the CAS international relations department, the African Studies Program, and the chance to travel to Niger. In anticipation of the trip, she’d moved out of her dorm and shipped everything home, including her cold weather clothing.I have never been to Niger and being a week and a half away and receiving the news that it was canceled is truly devastating,Duque says. As of now, I’m not 100 percent on going back to Boston this semester. Some of the students have decided to go back and prepare to go abroad next year and not rush things through. Some of us are exploring other options with other organizations, but there are not high chances for spring ’11. Although this is really unexpected, upsetting, and sad for the majority of us, the people in Niger are what worries me the most.
On January 7, two French nationals were abducted at gunpoint from a crowded Niamey bar and restaurant popular with Westerners, including BU students. The kidnappers, described by the Associated Press as wearing turbans, dragged the men outside and fled toward the Mali border. Nigerien and French troops gave chase, but both victims were reportedly killed by their abductors. No one has claimed responsibility, but the group al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has carried out similar acts in the past. Niger, the largest nation in West Africa, was a French colony until 1960 and French citizens have been targeted in the past.
The January 7 abduction was the first of its kind in Niamey. The capital has been seen as relatively safe compared to the rest of the country, which has witnessed similar crimes in the remote regions and has been the subject of U.S. State Department warnings. Since the restaurant kidnapping, the U.S. Embassy has imposed strict limits on its personnel in Niamey, including a nightly curfew and a ban on all travel outside of the capital. As of Tuesday, the warnings remained in place. University officials decided on Monday that the
heightened risk in Niamey was unacceptable. BU’s spring 2011 Niger program was scheduled to begin on January 20. The inaugural summer program has been scrapped too. It’s unclear when operations might resume, according to Finkhouse.We’d have to have pretty hard assurance from the U.S. State Department that the overall situation had become stabilized over there,he says,but I don’t want to speculate about specific criteria; we just don’t know what that will be. We hope this is not a trend toward violence that’s going to continue, especially for the Nigerien people.BU’s Niger program has been in operation for some 20 years, offering undergraduates insight into the culture, people, and history of Niger. Finkhouse describes the program as heavily experiential, with students living communally and integrating into the local culture, studying the native languages, and apprenticing with local artisans. Along with courses and fieldwork, the program also offers study trips and cultural activities, which in the past have included visits to Peace Corps volunteers’ villages, an overnight stay in a game park, a day trip to a weekly livestock market, and an outing to see the last free-roaming herd of giraffes in West Africa.
The students who have done the program know a lot about that part of the world, want to be in that part of the world, Finkhouse says.They are students who have cohered best as an alumni group and look for ways, maybe through the Peace Corps or other programs, to get back there. They really develop a strong affinity for the place.One of those alums, Alveena Shah (CAS’11), spent the 2009 fall semester in the Niger program. She and her friends had frequented the restaurant where the abduction took place.The surge in violence is pretty unbelievable,Shah says.It’s unnerving to think that in the year since my group went Niamey could be the site of a double kidnapping and murder. The semester I went, I never felt unwelcome, or even unsafe really, anywhere in the country. A semester in Niamey is an amazing experience, but safety concerns take precedence. Still, it’s really unfortunate that the students who were going on this year’s spring trip won’t get to have that experience this semester.
Finkhouse says because of the late timing, it’s unlikely the 15 or so Niger-bound students will be able find another study abroad program for the spring semester. International Programs will work with the Registrar and Housing to resettle them on campus and enroll them in classes.It was a very difficult decision to make,he says.Our job is to make it easy for students to study abroad. We hate to take opportunities away from them. We’re really sad to have to do it. The timing is really horrible.Ana Maria Duque (CAS’12) says she transferred to BU last spring because of the CAS international relations department, the African Studies Program, and the chance to travel to Niger. In anticipation of the trip, she’d moved out of her dorm and shipped everything home, including her cold weather clothing.I have never been to Niger and being a week and a half away and receiving the news that it was canceled is truly devastating,Duque says. As of now, I’m not 100 percent on going back to Boston this semester. Some of the students have decided to go back and prepare to go abroad next year and not rush things through. Some of us are exploring other options with other organizations, but there are not high chances for spring ’11. Although this is really unexpected, upsetting, and sad for the majority of us, the people in Niger are what worries me the most.
More students are applying abroad as a back-up
Universities minister David Willetts admitted he wasn't surprised by official Ucas figures showing that thousands more students have applied to start university this autumn. Applications are up as students try to avoid the tuition fee rise that will see some courses cost £27,000 from 2012, and because thousands missed out on places last year. But the government might be more concerned about another growing trend in higher education: early signs indicate that thousands of sixth-formers are considering opting out of the UK system completely, and applying for what they see as a cheaper, better-funded degree from universities in the rest of Europe and the US.Take Tom King, 17, an A-level student at Stourport sixth-form centre in Worcester. Until this summer, he had planned to apply to study politics at UK universities including the London School of Economics, York and City University London. But as news of tuition fee increases and funding cuts was released, he broadened his horizons.I read about Dutch universities appealing to British students, King explains, and found that universities in Holland have fees of a third of those here.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Mechatronics and Social Sciences.
I am willing to pay to go to university, but the fact that tuition fees are much lower makes universities overseas very attractive. And I think the fact that the government is making cuts to universities next year will cause severe difficulties and probably leave some of our universities less well funded than those abroad.Now, as well as applying to UK universities, King is applying to read international relations at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He believes recruiters will be just as impressed by a Dutch qualification.I think employers will see the value of me having studied abroad and the different experiences and skills I would bring to a job,he says.I think that learning Dutch, as I would hope to do, would make me a desirable employee.
King is not alone. As students in the UK press the send button on their Ucas forms ahead of Saturday's deadline, many are remembering the 209,000 wannabe undergraduates who missed out entirely on a university place last year, and are applying to overseas institutions as a back-up. European and US universities report soaring levels of interest from British students. According to the Fulbright Commission, which helps to co-ordinate transatlantic study, more than 4,000 students and parents attended its US college information day in September 50% more than the same time last year. Traffic from the UK on the Fulbrightwebsite on how to apply to US campuses is 30% higher than it was last year.
It's tougher to obtain figures for study in European universities as applications tend to go in later. But individual institutions are reporting far more interest from the UK. At Maastricht University in Holland, for example, where fees are €1,672 a year (£1,500) for under-30s, admissions tutors report double the number of applications from UK students this year. Although applications for its earliest courses don't close until May, more than 100 British students have already applied for its English-language degrees in subjects including European law, IT, life sciences and econometrics. The umbrella body for Denmark's universities said it had also noted a slight increase in the number of degree students from the UK.
British students and parents are feeling the squeeze between rising tuition and budget cuts at UK universities, says Lauren Welch, of the Fulbright Commission.Students are going to study where they can get the most bang for their buck. More students are throwing their hats into the ring in other countries to increase their chances of having at least one offer come next summer.Polina Borisova, 18, who is in year 13 studying five A-levels at Presdales school, a comprehensive in Hertfordshire, is doing just that. She is applying to study physics at Yale, Harvard, Columbia and MIT in the US as well as UK universities because, she says, she is worried about the impact of cost-cutting on universities here.I always wanted to study physics, and last summer arranged work experience on a research project at the University of Hertfordshire, says Borisova.I knew the science budget was being cut by as much as £600m, and the professors and PhD students I worked with supported my plans to go to the US to study science. Science seems to be one of President Obama's top priorities a lot of research institutions are enjoying funding increases.
Borisova believes the cost difference may not be significant. "Whilst a US education is expensive, the UK is catching up, she says.There's no point in staying here, paying as much money as in the US, but getting poor facilities and fewer opportunities. The tuition fees rise in the UK removed any doubts I had about applying abroad. I'm asking for financial aid at all the US universities, and at, say, Harvard the financial aid I could expect to receive is about $40,000 (£25,500) a year. The fees are about $50,000 so I'd still end up having to pay $10,000 (£6,400), but I think that would work out cheaper than paying the new rates in the UK.The students all point out that the financial benefits may go beyond cheaper fees. When King visited Netherlands universities' open days, English students already studying there told him about state grants paid to students needing paid jobs for more than a certain number of hours per week.I may also qualify for very generous international student grants,he adds, including a monthly allowance of €1,000.
Many employers approve of students' flight overseas, says Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters.It takes plenty of self-confidence, determination and motivation to pursue your higher education overseas. I can't see it doing anything but good to career prospects.Applying to foreign universities usually means extra leg work, including multiple applications as well as Ucas for European institutions (although deadlines tend to be spread out later in the year). For US universities, applications are even more demanding, often requiring several essays as well as admissions exams generally taken in year 13. King says he felt the disadvantage is "not having the expert guidance on the application system the school is able to provide with Ucas.
But it's not just undergraduates considering study overseas. Cai Weaver, 24, is in his final year of a politics degree at Aberystwyth University.I was searching for master's courses in the UK, and was shocked by the prices,he says.For master's courses the only funding available is a career development loan of up to £10,000.Weaver's top-choice degree in the UK, diplomacy studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, charges fees of £12,810.Postgraduate education here seems to be for the privileged,he says.I don't see the point of applying to UK institutions when they are underfunded, and the fees are too high for the amount of contact time and the standards of education.Instead, Weaver is applying for master's courses at universities in Finland and Sweden.There are no tuition fees at all, which means I could use the CDL for money to live on,he says.The future for higher education in the UK is bleak. Most of my friends are in the same boat with their postgraduate education looking at foreign universities because they are cheaper and better funded.
I am willing to pay to go to university, but the fact that tuition fees are much lower makes universities overseas very attractive. And I think the fact that the government is making cuts to universities next year will cause severe difficulties and probably leave some of our universities less well funded than those abroad.Now, as well as applying to UK universities, King is applying to read international relations at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He believes recruiters will be just as impressed by a Dutch qualification.I think employers will see the value of me having studied abroad and the different experiences and skills I would bring to a job,he says.I think that learning Dutch, as I would hope to do, would make me a desirable employee.
King is not alone. As students in the UK press the send button on their Ucas forms ahead of Saturday's deadline, many are remembering the 209,000 wannabe undergraduates who missed out entirely on a university place last year, and are applying to overseas institutions as a back-up. European and US universities report soaring levels of interest from British students. According to the Fulbright Commission, which helps to co-ordinate transatlantic study, more than 4,000 students and parents attended its US college information day in September 50% more than the same time last year. Traffic from the UK on the Fulbrightwebsite on how to apply to US campuses is 30% higher than it was last year.
It's tougher to obtain figures for study in European universities as applications tend to go in later. But individual institutions are reporting far more interest from the UK. At Maastricht University in Holland, for example, where fees are €1,672 a year (£1,500) for under-30s, admissions tutors report double the number of applications from UK students this year. Although applications for its earliest courses don't close until May, more than 100 British students have already applied for its English-language degrees in subjects including European law, IT, life sciences and econometrics. The umbrella body for Denmark's universities said it had also noted a slight increase in the number of degree students from the UK.
British students and parents are feeling the squeeze between rising tuition and budget cuts at UK universities, says Lauren Welch, of the Fulbright Commission.Students are going to study where they can get the most bang for their buck. More students are throwing their hats into the ring in other countries to increase their chances of having at least one offer come next summer.Polina Borisova, 18, who is in year 13 studying five A-levels at Presdales school, a comprehensive in Hertfordshire, is doing just that. She is applying to study physics at Yale, Harvard, Columbia and MIT in the US as well as UK universities because, she says, she is worried about the impact of cost-cutting on universities here.I always wanted to study physics, and last summer arranged work experience on a research project at the University of Hertfordshire, says Borisova.I knew the science budget was being cut by as much as £600m, and the professors and PhD students I worked with supported my plans to go to the US to study science. Science seems to be one of President Obama's top priorities a lot of research institutions are enjoying funding increases.
Borisova believes the cost difference may not be significant. "Whilst a US education is expensive, the UK is catching up, she says.There's no point in staying here, paying as much money as in the US, but getting poor facilities and fewer opportunities. The tuition fees rise in the UK removed any doubts I had about applying abroad. I'm asking for financial aid at all the US universities, and at, say, Harvard the financial aid I could expect to receive is about $40,000 (£25,500) a year. The fees are about $50,000 so I'd still end up having to pay $10,000 (£6,400), but I think that would work out cheaper than paying the new rates in the UK.The students all point out that the financial benefits may go beyond cheaper fees. When King visited Netherlands universities' open days, English students already studying there told him about state grants paid to students needing paid jobs for more than a certain number of hours per week.I may also qualify for very generous international student grants,he adds, including a monthly allowance of €1,000.
Many employers approve of students' flight overseas, says Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters.It takes plenty of self-confidence, determination and motivation to pursue your higher education overseas. I can't see it doing anything but good to career prospects.Applying to foreign universities usually means extra leg work, including multiple applications as well as Ucas for European institutions (although deadlines tend to be spread out later in the year). For US universities, applications are even more demanding, often requiring several essays as well as admissions exams generally taken in year 13. King says he felt the disadvantage is "not having the expert guidance on the application system the school is able to provide with Ucas.
But it's not just undergraduates considering study overseas. Cai Weaver, 24, is in his final year of a politics degree at Aberystwyth University.I was searching for master's courses in the UK, and was shocked by the prices,he says.For master's courses the only funding available is a career development loan of up to £10,000.Weaver's top-choice degree in the UK, diplomacy studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, charges fees of £12,810.Postgraduate education here seems to be for the privileged,he says.I don't see the point of applying to UK institutions when they are underfunded, and the fees are too high for the amount of contact time and the standards of education.Instead, Weaver is applying for master's courses at universities in Finland and Sweden.There are no tuition fees at all, which means I could use the CDL for money to live on,he says.The future for higher education in the UK is bleak. Most of my friends are in the same boat with their postgraduate education looking at foreign universities because they are cheaper and better funded.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Study abroad in Japan
More students than ever are choosing universities in Japan for study abroad, and the number of Japanese students leaving the country to study has fallen markedly since a peak in 2004, according to two reports released at the end of December.The Japan Student Services Organization , an independent institution, reported that the number of foreign students studying in Japan reached record highs of 141,774 in 2010, up 6.8 percent from the previous year.
That report also showed that just over 11,000 of the international students were short term,meaning they were in Japan not necessarily to obtain a degree but rather to study at Japanese university, to experience a different culture, different course or to master the Japanese language.Meanwhile, data released by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology indicate that the number of Japanese students studying abroad has been declining since a peak of 82,945 in 2004. In the most recent figures, from 2008, the number of students was under 67,000, down 11 percent from the previous year.
Yukari Kato, executive vice president of Ryugaku Journal, which provides information about overseas study, told The Yomiuri Shimbun that many students were afraid of being left behind in Japan’s competitive job market.Ms. Kato said she also viewed the slowing bir
thrate and an introspective mind-set among students as possible contributing factors. According to a new study published in The Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Twitter can bolster student engagement and grade-point average.
The study followed 125 pre-health majors at a midsize public university. Those using Twitter, says Rey Junco of Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, the lead author, had an average G.P.A. half a point higher than their counterparts in a non-tweeting control group. They also more frequently participated in class, sought out professors and discussed course material outside of class.Twitter was used for discussions, questioning professors in and out of class, receiving feedback and reminders, and reviewing course concepts reduced to terse fundamentals, all via laptop or cellphone.
Students seemed to find the medium a less intimidating way to express themselves in large lecture halls.Twitter was a useful, low-stress way to ask questions,Mr. Junco said.As one student wrote on Twitter: One of my favorite parts of the day is when I’m sitting in Bio lecture and a tweet has been sent out through the class account and everybody looks at their phone.
That report also showed that just over 11,000 of the international students were short term,meaning they were in Japan not necessarily to obtain a degree but rather to study at Japanese university, to experience a different culture, different course or to master the Japanese language.Meanwhile, data released by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology indicate that the number of Japanese students studying abroad has been declining since a peak of 82,945 in 2004. In the most recent figures, from 2008, the number of students was under 67,000, down 11 percent from the previous year.
Yukari Kato, executive vice president of Ryugaku Journal, which provides information about overseas study, told The Yomiuri Shimbun that many students were afraid of being left behind in Japan’s competitive job market.Ms. Kato said she also viewed the slowing bir
thrate and an introspective mind-set among students as possible contributing factors. According to a new study published in The Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, Twitter can bolster student engagement and grade-point average.The study followed 125 pre-health majors at a midsize public university. Those using Twitter, says Rey Junco of Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, the lead author, had an average G.P.A. half a point higher than their counterparts in a non-tweeting control group. They also more frequently participated in class, sought out professors and discussed course material outside of class.Twitter was used for discussions, questioning professors in and out of class, receiving feedback and reminders, and reviewing course concepts reduced to terse fundamentals, all via laptop or cellphone.
Students seemed to find the medium a less intimidating way to express themselves in large lecture halls.Twitter was a useful, low-stress way to ask questions,Mr. Junco said.As one student wrote on Twitter: One of my favorite parts of the day is when I’m sitting in Bio lecture and a tweet has been sent out through the class account and everybody looks at their phone.
America ignores education funding
Over the long term, the only way we're going to raise wages, grow the economy and improve American competitiveness is by investing in our people especially their educations.Yet we're falling behind. In a recent survey of 34 advanced nations by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, our kids came in 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading. The average 15-year-old American student can't answer as many test questions correctly as the average 15-year-old student in Shanghai.
I'm not one of those who believe the only way to fix what's wrong with American education is to throw more money at it. We also need to do it much better. Teacher performance has to be squarely on the table. We should experiment with vouchers whose worth is inversely related to family income. Universities have to tame their budgets for student amenities that have nothing to do with education.But considering the increases in our population of young people and their educational needs, and the challenges posed by the new global economy, more resources are surely needed.
President Obama calls this a Sputnik moment, referring to the wake-up call to America by the Soviets' successful space launch in the 1950s. That resulted in the National Defense Education Act, which trained a whole generation of math and science teachers.Sadly, we're heading in the opposite direction. The tax bill signed by the president in the closing hours of the last Congress was a huge boon to the very wealthy. Yet by further widening the federal budget deficit, it invites even more federal budget cuts in public education. Pell Grants that allow young people from poor families to attend college are already squeezed.Less visible are cuts the states are already making in their school budgets. That's no surprise. Education is one of the biggest expenses in state budgets. But states can't run deficits, and tax revenues during the prolonged downturn haven't kept up. And Washington is in no mood to help.State cuts in public education have been under the national radar, but viewed as a whole they seriously threaten the nation's future.
Already, 33 states have sliced education budgets for next year, on top of cuts last year. For example, Arizona has eliminated preschool for 4,328 children, and cut funding for books, computers and other classroom supplies. California has reduced K-12 aid to local school districts by billions of dollars and is cutting a variety of programs, including adult literacy instruction and help for high-needs students.Colorado and Georgia have reduced public-school spending nearly 5 percent from 2010, Illinois and Massachusetts by 3 percent. Virginia's $700 million in cuts for the coming year includes eliminating funding for class-size reduction from kindergarten through third grade. Washington suspended a program to reduce class sizes.
Meanwhile, at least 43 states are cutting back on funding for public colleges and universities, and increasing tuitions and fees. This means many qualified young people won't be able to attend. For example, the University of California has increased tuition by 32 percent and reduced freshman enrollment by 2,300 students; the California State University system cut enrollment by 40,000 students.Arizona's board of regents has approved in-state undergraduate tuition increases of between 9 percent and 20 percent, as well as fee increases at the state's three public universities. Florida's public universities have raised tuition 32 percent. New York's state university system has increased resident undergraduate tuition by 14 percent. Texas has cut funding for higher education by 5 percent, or $73 million. Washington has reduced state funding for the University of Washington by 26 percent.
Why have we allowed this to happen? Our young people - their capacities to think, understand, investigate and innovate are America's future. In the name of fiscal prudence we're endangering that future.Maybe the answer is that America's biggest corporations don't especially care. They're getting the talent they need all over the world. Many of them now have research and development operations in Europe and China, for example.America's wealthy and upper middle class families don't seem particularly worried, either. They have enough money to send their kids to good private schools, and to pay high tuitions at private universities.I'm not suggesting that the stealth attack on American education is intentional. It's happening because public budgets are tight. But when big corporations and the wealthy demand tax cuts, and don't particularly care about public education, the inevitable result is that most of America's kids are vulnerable.
I'm not one of those who believe the only way to fix what's wrong with American education is to throw more money at it. We also need to do it much better. Teacher performance has to be squarely on the table. We should experiment with vouchers whose worth is inversely related to family income. Universities have to tame their budgets for student amenities that have nothing to do with education.But considering the increases in our population of young people and their educational needs, and the challenges posed by the new global economy, more resources are surely needed.
President Obama calls this a Sputnik moment, referring to the wake-up call to America by the Soviets' successful space launch in the 1950s. That resulted in the National Defense Education Act, which trained a whole generation of math and science teachers.Sadly, we're heading in the opposite direction. The tax bill signed by the president in the closing hours of the last Congress was a huge boon to the very wealthy. Yet by further widening the federal budget deficit, it invites even more federal budget cuts in public education. Pell Grants that allow young people from poor families to attend college are already squeezed.Less visible are cuts the states are already making in their school budgets. That's no surprise. Education is one of the biggest expenses in state budgets. But states can't run deficits, and tax revenues during the prolonged downturn haven't kept up. And Washington is in no mood to help.State cuts in public education have been under the national radar, but viewed as a whole they seriously threaten the nation's future.
Already, 33 states have sliced education budgets for next year, on top of cuts last year. For example, Arizona has eliminated preschool for 4,328 children, and cut funding for books, computers and other classroom supplies. California has reduced K-12 aid to local school districts by billions of dollars and is cutting a variety of programs, including adult literacy instruction and help for high-needs students.Colorado and Georgia have reduced public-school spending nearly 5 percent from 2010, Illinois and Massachusetts by 3 percent. Virginia's $700 million in cuts for the coming year includes eliminating funding for class-size reduction from kindergarten through third grade. Washington suspended a program to reduce class sizes.
Meanwhile, at least 43 states are cutting back on funding for public colleges and universities, and increasing tuitions and fees. This means many qualified young people won't be able to attend. For example, the University of California has increased tuition by 32 percent and reduced freshman enrollment by 2,300 students; the California State University system cut enrollment by 40,000 students.Arizona's board of regents has approved in-state undergraduate tuition increases of between 9 percent and 20 percent, as well as fee increases at the state's three public universities. Florida's public universities have raised tuition 32 percent. New York's state university system has increased resident undergraduate tuition by 14 percent. Texas has cut funding for higher education by 5 percent, or $73 million. Washington has reduced state funding for the University of Washington by 26 percent.
Why have we allowed this to happen? Our young people - their capacities to think, understand, investigate and innovate are America's future. In the name of fiscal prudence we're endangering that future.Maybe the answer is that America's biggest corporations don't especially care. They're getting the talent they need all over the world. Many of them now have research and development operations in Europe and China, for example.America's wealthy and upper middle class families don't seem particularly worried, either. They have enough money to send their kids to good private schools, and to pay high tuitions at private universities.I'm not suggesting that the stealth attack on American education is intentional. It's happening because public budgets are tight. But when big corporations and the wealthy demand tax cuts, and don't particularly care about public education, the inevitable result is that most of America's kids are vulnerable.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Many opportunities Many await students at study abroad
Opportunities abound for students interested in spending a semester studying in other parts of the world as Mississippi State hosts its second annual Study Abroad Fair Jan. 26 in Colvard Student Union.From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the area adjacent to the Gaddis Hunt Commons, students will be able to meet with representatives of more than 20 programs about thousands of educational opportunities in approximately 60 countries around the world.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Engineering,Master of Architecture and Materials Science.
MSU Study Abroad coordinator Allison Noffsinger said spending a semester in a foreign country gives students a chance to broaden their horizons in unique and meaningful ways.Students who study abroad gain a new perspective on the world and develop skills that cannot be
acquired while at home in their comfort zone,Noffsinger said.Students learn more about themselves in this short time than in many years at home. While studying internationally and overseas, students find new strengths such as overcoming the challenges of living in a new culture and speaking a new language.She said more than 250 MSU students took advantage of this opportunity during the 2009-10 academic year.Students in all majors and class years are encouraged to participate.The program is part of MSU's Division of Academic Outreach and Continuing Education.
MSU Study Abroad coordinator Allison Noffsinger said spending a semester in a foreign country gives students a chance to broaden their horizons in unique and meaningful ways.Students who study abroad gain a new perspective on the world and develop skills that cannot be
acquired while at home in their comfort zone,Noffsinger said.Students learn more about themselves in this short time than in many years at home. While studying internationally and overseas, students find new strengths such as overcoming the challenges of living in a new culture and speaking a new language.She said more than 250 MSU students took advantage of this opportunity during the 2009-10 academic year.Students in all majors and class years are encouraged to participate.The program is part of MSU's Division of Academic Outreach and Continuing Education.
Friday, January 7, 2011
National Gilman Scholarships to Study Abroad
Two IUPUI students received awards this springto study overseas through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.Shelby Henry, an English Education major, received an award of $2,500 toward student teaching in Guangzhou, China; Zachary Ringler, an English major in the IU School of Liberal Arts, received a $5,000 award to study Japanese language and culture at Hakuoh University in Japan.
We are constantly looking for scholarship opportunities and are thrilled that two IUPUI students have received financial support from the federally funded Gilman Scholarship to study abroad, said Stephanie Leslie, director of the Office of Study Abroad at IUPUI.The students were selected from among 2,900 applications for spring 2011.The Gilman Scholarship Program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations.
We are constantly looking for scholarship opportunities and are thrilled that two IUPUI students have received financial support from the federally funded Gilman Scholarship to study abroad, said Stephanie Leslie, director of the Office of Study Abroad at IUPUI.The students were selected from among 2,900 applications for spring 2011.The Gilman Scholarship Program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries to promote friendly, sympathetic, and peaceful relations.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Japanese student association in U.S. to Japanese young people: Study abroad
Japanese students at top graduate schools in the United States have formed a foreign study support association for those looking to follow in their footsteps, and they have a message to Japanese young people Study abroad!Our ultimate goal is to energize Japan,says one member of the Beikoku daigakuin gakusei-kai(U.S. graduate school student association). The formation of the association was spurred by a rising sense of crisis over Japanese young people's perceived turn against studying abroad and increasingly inward-looking attitudes. It held information sessions at six universities in Japan at the end of 2010, and also provides individual consultations.
According to the U.S.-based Institute of International Education (IIE), just under 30,000 Japanese students attended U.S. post-secondary schools in 2008, or about 60 percent of the record number who did so in 1997.There are a lot of Americans studying Chinese. And even though the overall number of foreign students coming to the U.S. is rising, the number of Japanese among them is dropping," says 28-year-old Masahiro Ono, the PhD student with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who first hit on the idea of the student association. The sense of crisis we feel about the decline in the Japanese presence here isn't being felt at home,he continues. Ono's dream is to work for NASA, and he says that nothing could top MIT for the pursuit of that goal.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Master Course in Polymer Technology and Master in Photonics.
The student association got its start in July 2010, and has a science focus. Along with information sessions and a regular newsletter, the association plans to offer one-on-one e-mail consultations with its 200-odd members for people considering study overseas.On Dec. 20, more than 200 students attended an association information session at Waseda University in Tokyo, presided over by Ono and five other Japanese students at schools such as the University of California at Berkley and Stanford University. The six presenters expressed the thrill of studying alongside the world's best researchers and explained the scholarships available to those who keep their grades up, allaying worries about the expense of living and studying at a foreign graduate school.
What is stability? asked Marika Gunji, a 27-year-old PhD candidate in materials engineering at Stanford University and a Keio graduate.More than calling for stability in Japan, get out into the wider world,she told the attending students.After the presentation, the six association members were bombarded with an unbroken stream of questions. Twenty-one-year-old engineering student Keitaro Okada asked about how to study English, the required proficiency which was giving Okada second thoughts about trying to get into a foreign graduate school.But when I heard that one of the students ahead of me in my department was now studying hard at Stanford, I thought, 'Maybe I can do it, too,Okada said after the session.Student association executive and Tokyo Institute of Technology assistant professor Kei Sakamoto, who earned his PhD at the University of Colorado at Boulder, says,I hope to promote a situation where companies prefer to hire people with experience studying abroad.
According to the U.S.-based Institute of International Education (IIE), just under 30,000 Japanese students attended U.S. post-secondary schools in 2008, or about 60 percent of the record number who did so in 1997.There are a lot of Americans studying Chinese. And even though the overall number of foreign students coming to the U.S. is rising, the number of Japanese among them is dropping," says 28-year-old Masahiro Ono, the PhD student with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who first hit on the idea of the student association. The sense of crisis we feel about the decline in the Japanese presence here isn't being felt at home,he continues. Ono's dream is to work for NASA, and he says that nothing could top MIT for the pursuit of that goal.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Master Course in Polymer Technology and Master in Photonics.
The student association got its start in July 2010, and has a science focus. Along with information sessions and a regular newsletter, the association plans to offer one-on-one e-mail consultations with its 200-odd members for people considering study overseas.On Dec. 20, more than 200 students attended an association information session at Waseda University in Tokyo, presided over by Ono and five other Japanese students at schools such as the University of California at Berkley and Stanford University. The six presenters expressed the thrill of studying alongside the world's best researchers and explained the scholarships available to those who keep their grades up, allaying worries about the expense of living and studying at a foreign graduate school.
What is stability? asked Marika Gunji, a 27-year-old PhD candidate in materials engineering at Stanford University and a Keio graduate.More than calling for stability in Japan, get out into the wider world,she told the attending students.After the presentation, the six association members were bombarded with an unbroken stream of questions. Twenty-one-year-old engineering student Keitaro Okada asked about how to study English, the required proficiency which was giving Okada second thoughts about trying to get into a foreign graduate school.But when I heard that one of the students ahead of me in my department was now studying hard at Stanford, I thought, 'Maybe I can do it, too,Okada said after the session.Student association executive and Tokyo Institute of Technology assistant professor Kei Sakamoto, who earned his PhD at the University of Colorado at Boulder, says,I hope to promote a situation where companies prefer to hire people with experience studying abroad.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Enhancing study in the country
Soon students will be seen with E-Pads on the campus. Though the concept is a major hit abroad, it's yet to pick up in India. Enhance Pads or E-Pads are like tablet PCs that will be pre-loaded with semester plans, semester subject content, presentations, case studies, assessments and about 20,000 books, among others. Professors will also be able to broadcast assignments, classes and exercises through the E-Pads.Amplify Mindware Group of Institutions will provide these E-Pads to students in campuses across India and study abroad. Joy Basu, CEO of Amplify Mindware Group of Institutions, said: There are two motives behind introducing the E-Pads. Firstly, we want to bring education closer to students. Our students will have access to Internet and can google and keep themselves updated on networking sites. Secondly, we want to make education cheaper. The E-pad will be available for Rs 3,000 which is the minimum cost.
The institute has set up a factory in China, which has made it possible to produce the E-Pads at low costs. The software in the E-Pads, My Open Campus, has been designed by experts from the institute.But this does not mean that students can browse unwanted sites.We have blocked many sites and students will not be able to access them when on campus. But once outside, we have no control on it,Basu said. He said the concept was being used in MIT, Boston, and the University of California. Next week about a lakh students will be given E-Pads.
The institute has also tied up with Dr Kiran Bedi's Navjyoti Foundation, which has ordered for almost 10,000 E-Pads.
The institute has set up a factory in China, which has made it possible to produce the E-Pads at low costs. The software in the E-Pads, My Open Campus, has been designed by experts from the institute.But this does not mean that students can browse unwanted sites.We have blocked many sites and students will not be able to access them when on campus. But once outside, we have no control on it,Basu said. He said the concept was being used in MIT, Boston, and the University of California. Next week about a lakh students will be given E-Pads.
The institute has also tied up with Dr Kiran Bedi's Navjyoti Foundation, which has ordered for almost 10,000 E-Pads.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The rush for study abroad
When the phrase ‘studying abroad' is mentioned in Nigeria, what readily comes to mind is an educational system that is superior to what can be obtained within the country better opportunities, better recognition and fufilling life for the lucky recipient.Nigeria's educational sector is currently fraught with underfunding, decadence, strikes, etc, resulting in overall fall in standards. Little wonder the prospect of studying in foreign countries in Europe, America, Asia or even neighbouring Ghana is so appealing to Nigerian students at all levels.
The appeal is so widespread that the business of helping Nigerians gain admission in foreign educational institutions is gaining more ground and has become one of the most lucrative businesses in recent years. Using catchy phrases and promises of a better education abroad, they lure their already willing customers into their net.In Nigeria, they operate in two major forms: as educational consultants or as A level/Sixth form colleges. The educational consultants mainly provide advice and support to people wishing to study abroad and help with their travel and visa applications. Some of them are affiliated to universities and colleges abroad and as such help students out with the specific requirements needed to study at these schools.
The A-level/Sixth form colleges, though expensive, are more credible and have recorded more success in placing Nigerians in universities in Europe. They provide one or two years A-level training based on the British curriculum, after which a successful candidate is granted direct admission into a United Kingdom (UK) university or the particular one to which the school is affiliated. Some also offer Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and other examinations for entrance into universities in the USA. The course is for students who have completed their O' levels with credits in the necessary subjects.
Allure of foreign schools
Michael Dosunmu, the country representative of the University of Hertfordshire in Nigeria has been in the business of helping Nigerians gain admission into universities in the UK for the past seven years. In partnership with the University of Hertfordshire, he recently set up Westerfield College to teach a one-year International Foundation course after which successful students would be admitted into the university.According to Mr Dosunmu, the students are exposed to the same kind of teaching methods their peers in the UK receive.Our curriculum is the same as what is developed in the UK, he said.We want to develop students that are comparable with their peers in the UK so that when they get there, there would be no disparity between themselves and their peers.
Fees only for the rich
The school fees for a year at this college is N990,000, one of the cheapest among some of the international foundation colleges surveyed in Lagos. Greensprings Schools offers Sixth Form courses at N775,000 per annum, Sunshine Academy, Ikeja, offers the same course at N1,200,000 per annum and Sinclair College, Ogudu, offers the International Foundation course at N1,350,000 per annum.Aaron Gbolahan, the proprietor of Sinclair College agrees that the cost of quality education is high and inaccessible to a larger percentage of Nigerians but blames it on the government.Quality education is expensive whether in Nigeria or abroad, he said.If you want the best of university education these days in Nigeria, you have to be thinking about private universities and they are also expensive. The major thing is that the government who is responsible for funding education is doing so inadequately and the little money that is allocated is shared between a few greedy people.
Model Tutorial College, Victoria Island offers an A'level course for admission into universities in the United Kingdom for N1,100,000.According to the Principal Tutor, Jason Mayo, the college is affiliated to some of the major universities in the UK, such as the University of Nottingham and York St. John University.Also Principal of Westmore College, Victoria Island, noted that the increasing number of students wanting to study abroad has created room for more dubious institutions that take advantage of the ignorance of Nigerians. His college, he says, offers A level courses and conducts SAT and TOEFL examinations for entrance into Universities in USA at a fee of between N800,000 to N1,000,000.While he admitted that Westmore College is not affiliated to any foreign university, he maintained that it is not difficult to gain admission into any of them if one meets the basic academic and financial requirements needed to study at any of these foreign institutions.
Avoiding being deceived
But apart from cost, another problem Nigerians are faced with is the legitimacy of these institutions that promise foreign education. Several questions have to be on the lips of anyone who walks in through their doors with the aim of studying abroad. Are they certified and licensed within the country to do what they are doing? Do they have proof of affiliation to the foreign universities they claim to be affiliated to available on request? Have they successfully placed Nigerians in foreign universities and can their contacts be made available?The hopes of many have been dashed and money lost in the pursuit of their educational dreams. Victor Odeyemi, a graduate of Business Administration at the University of Benin said he lost over N300,000 to people who portrayed themselves as educational consultants last year in his pursuit for a Masters Degree in the UK. His experience has led him to apply for admission and visa himself and he is already making considerable progress.
For Ben Umukuro, Managing Director of Live and Work in Canada (LWC), Lagos Island, it is better for accredited agencies to help in securing admission and work permit in foreign countries. According to him, the high percentage of Nigerians wanting to leave the country makes it necessary for the receiving countries to properly screen their immigrants, which is better achieved with the help of such agencies.The population of Nigerians wishing to live, study or work abroad is so high that it is better for accredited agencies to help people out because the entry requirements into such countries like Canada, UK, USA and even Japan or Singapore is getting stricter and stricter everyday, especially for Nigerians,Mr Umukoro said.
Why international education?
But it all comes down to its importance. Is an international education really that important that so many people scramble for it? Mr Dosunmu who has had a taste of both Nigerian and British education explained.You need to be a Nigerian citizen with pride and a world citizen in terms of the knowledge you can impact on the world. It increases your ability to succeed if you are able to get a higher education and get an international education,he said.
The appeal is so widespread that the business of helping Nigerians gain admission in foreign educational institutions is gaining more ground and has become one of the most lucrative businesses in recent years. Using catchy phrases and promises of a better education abroad, they lure their already willing customers into their net.In Nigeria, they operate in two major forms: as educational consultants or as A level/Sixth form colleges. The educational consultants mainly provide advice and support to people wishing to study abroad and help with their travel and visa applications. Some of them are affiliated to universities and colleges abroad and as such help students out with the specific requirements needed to study at these schools.
The A-level/Sixth form colleges, though expensive, are more credible and have recorded more success in placing Nigerians in universities in Europe. They provide one or two years A-level training based on the British curriculum, after which a successful candidate is granted direct admission into a United Kingdom (UK) university or the particular one to which the school is affiliated. Some also offer Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and other examinations for entrance into universities in the USA. The course is for students who have completed their O' levels with credits in the necessary subjects.
Allure of foreign schools
Michael Dosunmu, the country representative of the University of Hertfordshire in Nigeria has been in the business of helping Nigerians gain admission into universities in the UK for the past seven years. In partnership with the University of Hertfordshire, he recently set up Westerfield College to teach a one-year International Foundation course after which successful students would be admitted into the university.According to Mr Dosunmu, the students are exposed to the same kind of teaching methods their peers in the UK receive.Our curriculum is the same as what is developed in the UK, he said.We want to develop students that are comparable with their peers in the UK so that when they get there, there would be no disparity between themselves and their peers.
Fees only for the rich
The school fees for a year at this college is N990,000, one of the cheapest among some of the international foundation colleges surveyed in Lagos. Greensprings Schools offers Sixth Form courses at N775,000 per annum, Sunshine Academy, Ikeja, offers the same course at N1,200,000 per annum and Sinclair College, Ogudu, offers the International Foundation course at N1,350,000 per annum.Aaron Gbolahan, the proprietor of Sinclair College agrees that the cost of quality education is high and inaccessible to a larger percentage of Nigerians but blames it on the government.Quality education is expensive whether in Nigeria or abroad, he said.If you want the best of university education these days in Nigeria, you have to be thinking about private universities and they are also expensive. The major thing is that the government who is responsible for funding education is doing so inadequately and the little money that is allocated is shared between a few greedy people.
Model Tutorial College, Victoria Island offers an A'level course for admission into universities in the United Kingdom for N1,100,000.According to the Principal Tutor, Jason Mayo, the college is affiliated to some of the major universities in the UK, such as the University of Nottingham and York St. John University.Also Principal of Westmore College, Victoria Island, noted that the increasing number of students wanting to study abroad has created room for more dubious institutions that take advantage of the ignorance of Nigerians. His college, he says, offers A level courses and conducts SAT and TOEFL examinations for entrance into Universities in USA at a fee of between N800,000 to N1,000,000.While he admitted that Westmore College is not affiliated to any foreign university, he maintained that it is not difficult to gain admission into any of them if one meets the basic academic and financial requirements needed to study at any of these foreign institutions.
Avoiding being deceived
But apart from cost, another problem Nigerians are faced with is the legitimacy of these institutions that promise foreign education. Several questions have to be on the lips of anyone who walks in through their doors with the aim of studying abroad. Are they certified and licensed within the country to do what they are doing? Do they have proof of affiliation to the foreign universities they claim to be affiliated to available on request? Have they successfully placed Nigerians in foreign universities and can their contacts be made available?The hopes of many have been dashed and money lost in the pursuit of their educational dreams. Victor Odeyemi, a graduate of Business Administration at the University of Benin said he lost over N300,000 to people who portrayed themselves as educational consultants last year in his pursuit for a Masters Degree in the UK. His experience has led him to apply for admission and visa himself and he is already making considerable progress.
For Ben Umukuro, Managing Director of Live and Work in Canada (LWC), Lagos Island, it is better for accredited agencies to help in securing admission and work permit in foreign countries. According to him, the high percentage of Nigerians wanting to leave the country makes it necessary for the receiving countries to properly screen their immigrants, which is better achieved with the help of such agencies.The population of Nigerians wishing to live, study or work abroad is so high that it is better for accredited agencies to help people out because the entry requirements into such countries like Canada, UK, USA and even Japan or Singapore is getting stricter and stricter everyday, especially for Nigerians,Mr Umukoro said.
Why international education?
But it all comes down to its importance. Is an international education really that important that so many people scramble for it? Mr Dosunmu who has had a taste of both Nigerian and British education explained.You need to be a Nigerian citizen with pride and a world citizen in terms of the knowledge you can impact on the world. It increases your ability to succeed if you are able to get a higher education and get an international education,he said.
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