GERMANY
The number of international
students in Germany continued
to rise in 2019, reaching
394,665 international students
overall, DAAD statistics showed. CHINA
Tsinghua University launched an international version
of its online learning platform XuetangX in April.
African international students and English teachers in
Guangzhou were barred from restaurants and bars or
were evicted from their homes, as they were blamed
for spreading the coronavirus. A British Council survey
of nearly 11,000 Chinese students considering higher
education in the UK revealed 39% were undecided
about cancelling their study plans.
VIETNAM
Families in Vietnam are falling victim
to unscrupulous education agents
charging for scholarships to US
institutions, sources in the country
revealed to The PIE News.
MALAYSIA
A Quality Assurance Agency for Higher
Education report praised UK transnational
education provision in the country as
being both relevant to the local market
and employment needs.
INDIA
Around 70% of prospective
students from India want to
continue with their applications
to study overseas, a survey by
edtech startup Yocket found.
Paragon Testing Enterprises
announced an expansion of
its English language testing
provisions in the country.
HUNGARY
The government
announced an estimated
€180 million in funding
to support up to 90,000
students to take part
in two-week language
courses. Plans were then
put on ice because of
Covid-19.
AZERBAIJAN
The deaths of three Sri Lankan nationals
in Azerbaijan – two of which were
international students – prompted the
Sri Lankan Ministry of Education to
look into shoring up regulations around
education agents and studying abroad.
AUSTRALIA
Many states implemented emergency relief funds for international
students soon after CISA urged welfare support packages as the
pandemic affected international students in the country. The South
Australian government committed AU$13.8 million to assist the
state’s international students facing hardship and a $20m ‘Jobs for
Canberrans’ plan in the Australian Capital Territory was welcomed
as a “lifeline” for struggling students. In Queensland, TAFE set up
food banks at its campuses in a bid to help struggling students.
StudyPerth established a Crisis Relief program.
NEW ZEALAND
Educational institutions braced
for the impact of a drop in
international student numbers,
with some suggesting that
between a quarter and one-third
will not turn up this year due to
the coronavirus pandemic.