Despite the controversial status of recognition of their degrees in some countries, universities in the breakaway region of Northern Cyprus are intensifying recruitment of foreign students, targeting Asia and Africa as source markets.

The universities in the country also known as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are intensifying their campaigns for students promising internationally recognised degrees, low tuition and accommodation fees, as some of the reasons why learners from developing countries should pick it as a study destination.

One of the universities, Cyprus International University is promising a “peaceful environment” and a simple application visa process in promotional messages by its agents targeted at the two continents.

The university is also promising the possibility of scholarships to international students, noting that its degree programs are offered in English, priding itself of hosting no fewer than 20,000 international students.

In promotional materials shared by its agents, the university is also citing “progression agreements” with UK universities of Wolverhampton and Sunderland, as well as “dual degree” programs with the European University Business School, the University of Rome Tor Vergata and Paris School of Business, as more reasons why internationals should enrol.

“Tuition fee is around €2,900 per year for undergraduates. Accommodation can vary from €100 to €150 monthly and €1,200 annually. Food depends on the student but it’s around €80 a month and all universities are globally recognised,” Muhammad Faheem, one of the agents for the institutions told The PIE News.

On the other hand, the university charges around €900 for postgraduate programs and offers almost all major courses, said Faheem, who is based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

“All students need once they have met criteria for admission is to pay an initial deposit of around €950 to secure their place and get a Final Acceptance letter which is needed for traveling purposes,” he added.

Most nationalities do not need a visa to enter the territory (apart from those from Syria, Nigeria and Armenia), and can travel with the Final Acceptance letter from university, he explained, adding that interested students however needed to check the requirements with relevant authorities in their countries.

Despite the disputed status of the territory and its lack of international recognition by many countries, education seems to be a major attraction, and according to its foreign affairs ministry some 81,000 international students were studying in the region in 2015.

However, some source countries such as Nigeria have had problems with the country, with calls to boycott the destination over alleged mysterious killing of students from Africa’s most academically mobile country.

Authorities in Nigeria have warned of “unscrupulous” agents, and NGOs have also previously cautioned that Nigerian women are being lured to Northern Cyprus by human traffickers promising them university places and work opportunities.

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Logistical challenges could delay arrivals of Chinese students to Australia, a report from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia has said, as concerns about students returning continue.

The report noted positive developments that could signal a return of Chinese students studying in Australia. Those include a gradual thawing of relations between the Chinese government and Australia under the current Labor administration beginning late 2022, as well as the reopening of China’s economy after a change in Covid policy in December.

Additionally a change in honouring degrees earned online versus in person in late January 2023 is another potential driver for students to come and study in the country.

However, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia warned that ​​the outbreak of Covid in China and the reopening of borders has meant there are challenges in securing flights out of China.

“The chaotic reopening and virus outbreak could see some students unable to make it to Australia to commence the first semester,” the report said.

“However this could just see a larger return for the second semester and a further lift in numbers later this year. Delays in the processing of visas could also delay the return for the first semester. Other issues, particularly around the shortage of housing may also be a constraint.”

“We continue to work closely with relevant government departments to monitor the situation”

The report noted that New South Wales and Victoria receive a higher share of foreign students than the size of the economy and that rental vacancy rates are at very low levels in the major capital cities where foreign students historically have favoured.

“Between 2019 and 2022 the main shift in where students studied has been a slight fall in the share in Victoria,” the authors of the report said.

“While NSW and the ACT have picked up share, the return of foreign students could place further upward pressure on rents which are already rising. Working the other way it will add to the supply of labour. There has already been a fall in job ads in hospitality which foreign students have often favoured.”

Housing providers saw surges in demand from Chinese students following the reversal of online study recognition. While some 40,000 students are said to be holding Australian study visas in China, an increase in visa applications has not been apparent, according to the department for Home Affairs.

A report from S&P Global Ratings, an American credit rating agency, has also highlighted some of the challenges faced by Australian universities, which it said remain more exposed to the international student market than their Canadian and UK peers.

“China’s Covid-zero policy and prohibitively expensive flights have hindered the return of students from China, Australia’s most important source market,” the report from S&P Global Ratings said.

However, it added that recent moves by the federal government to expand post-study work rights and allocate more resources to processing a backlog of visas should help a rebound in 2023.

Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson told The PIE News that the decision by China to revert to their pre-Covid face-to-face learning policy will see students returning to Australia over the coming weeks and months.

“It is good there’ll be a degree of flexibility for Chinese students who simply can’t return in time for the start of the semester.

“Universities have been prepared for the return of overseas students since our borders opened over 12 months ago and are in regular contact with overseas students to ensure they have the support they need.

“The government has also acknowledged the logistical issues China’s decision could bring, and we continue to work closely with relevant government departments to monitor the situation and facilitate the safe return of all students,” she added.

A spokesperson for the Australian department of Education told The PIE that the Australian government and Australia’s international education sector have welcomed China’s decision to end temporary recognition of qualifications obtained by online study.

“The number of direct flights has increased since China reopened its borders on 8 January”

“The department of Education is working across government, with states and territories, and with the international education sector to ensure the smooth transition of Chinese students back to Australia,” the spokesperson said.

“The number of direct flights from China to Australia has increased since China reopened its borders on 8 January 2023.”

Before the pandemic, international education contributed just over $40 billion to the Australian economy and supported 250,000 jobs.

China remains Australia’s leading market for international students, with 153,239 Chinese students studying at our universities in 2022 (down 11% on 2021) according to data from Australia’s Department of Education.

The country’s Department of Home Affairs has reported that it is processing student visas at an average time of 13 days.

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Toronto-based university Seneca has signed an agreement to establish two campuses in Cairo, providing degree courses in business, engineering, information technology as well as English language training.

Meanwhile, Camosun College in British Columbia has recently signed a pathway agreement with Miriam College in the Philippines.

The MoU between the Ontario institution and its Egyptian counterpart, Al-Ahly CIRA Company for Educational Services, has been recently endorsed in Cairo by Seneca president David Agnew and Karim Saada, chairman of the board of directors at Al-Ahly Capital Holding Company.

Al-Ahly is the part of the joint venture with private education player CIRA Education.

“We are delighted to be working with CIRA to offer more opportunities to Egyptian youth to further their education,” said Agnew.

“We will bring to Cairo our decades of experience in high-quality polytechnic education that builds great careers for our graduates.”

Saada added that the agreement will help to develop CIRA’s strategy that hopes to contribute to an educational system that “provides equal opportunities for every Egyptian student to obtain a distinguished educational experience”.

“CIRA Education is keen to improve the quality of education in Egypt”

“CIRA Education is keen to improve the quality of education in Egypt by supporting projects that aim to develop the educational system, especially with the need for the education sector to support the private sector to provide a high-quality education level for all segments of Egyptian society in various sectors with specialisations that support the labor market with its actual needs,” added Hassan El-Kalla, of CIRA Education.

Egyptian minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mohamed Ayman Ashour, who attended the signing ceremony, commended the agreement as another step on the path towards accomplishing the ambitious Egypt Vision 2030.

The partnership between Camosun and the Filipino institution in Quezon City will create a pathway for students in the South East Asia region to access Camosun and Miriam degrees in business administration and diplomas in early learning and care, health care assistant and mental health and addictions.

“We’re very excited to be bringing Camosun programs to the world, with Miriam College,” said Lane Trotter, president of Camosun College.

“The collaboration with Miriam College means students in the Philippines can start their Canadian educational study closer to home, and give Canadian and other students an exciting study option in the Philippines, while giving them the option to complete some of the studies overseas.”

The deal also includes a student exchange program for Camosun and Miriam students, as well as opportunities for faculty.

“Access to Camosun degree and diploma programs through Miriam College here in the Philippines will allow us to continue advancing knowledge at a time when the world is changing faster,” Ambassador Laura Quiambao-Del Rosario, president of Miriam College, added.

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Jan Tinetti has been appointed the new minister of education in New Zealand after the previous holder of the office became the country’s prime minister.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins announced the new cabinet in January, saying that, as a former school principal and education expert, Jan Tinetti is “uniquely placed to address the post-Covid challenges our education system has faced and get our kids back in the classroom and learning”.

Stakeholders have previously commented on Hipkins’s recognition of “the importance of international education” after he became PM in January.

Grant McPherson, chief executive of Education New Zealand, highlighted that minister Tinetti “knows education well”.

Working initially in primary teaching at schools in Invercargill and Greymouth before becoming a school principal, she has over 20 years experience and has led across four schools across Southland and Taurang, in addition to holding a first-class honours masters in education from the University of Canterbury.

Both PM and education minister appointments are “good news for international education”, McPherson continued.

“We have both a prime minister with rich knowledge and appreciation for the many benefits that international education brings working alongside a minister of education who has significant education experience,” he said.

“Chinese students were already returning to study in New Zealand”

McPherson suggested that with the Zero-Covid policy change in China and the return to pre-pandemic settings for online qualification recognition has led to a flying start for New Zealand in 2023.

“Chinese students were already returning to study in New Zealand and these announcements will encourage this further,” he added.

ENZ has collaborated with Tourism New Zealand to drive awareness of New Zealand as a short-term study destination, and in 2022 the education brand was “back on the map in Colombia” with an important event in Bogota.

“I am also excited to see the relaunch of the New Zealand Schools Scholarships – our flagship initiative for Vietnam,” he continued.

However, not all stakeholders share the optimism. Macleans College principal, Steve Hargreaves, recently told RNZ that international student enrolments are unlikely to return to pre-Covid levels in his mind.

The fall from 400 international students pre-pandemic to 110 by the middle of 2022 has damaged the international culture of the school, as well as being a financial loss.

January also saw the iwi-led Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia recipients (Te Piriru Marae, Ngāti Maniapoto) travelling to Hokkaido for six weeks, forging connections with the indigenous Ainu people of Japan, ENZ highlighted.

Māori participation in the most recent round of applications rose to 22%, up from 5% from 2016 to 2019.

“After the challenges of the past couple of years, a flying start was exactly what we needed and I am very pleased that is what we have,” McPherson concluded.

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This week, the British Council Scotland and Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities awarded 13 international EARTH scholarships to early-career researchers.

These researchers, from 11 countries, were identified as having projects that addressed the climate emergency from a new angle.

The scholarships will result in placements in April at 15 universities across Scotland, offering opportunities to connect with PhD researchers, as well as industry and community partners.

“Through a vigorous, global selection process we’ve found an amazing cohort from across the world, all working on projects that are raising awareness and challenging perceptions about environmental issues and the interface between art and science,” Claire Squires, director of SGSAH, said.

The partnership also seeks to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration across environmental and sustainability themes while incorporating the arts and humanities, the partners noted.

“Our work through the Climate Connection has proven that building global links between higher education institutions and scholars can be a powerful way to identify new approaches to address the climate emergency,” said British Council Scotland country director, Lucy Young.

One EARTH scholarship recipient is Camellia Biswas, who is a doctoral researcher in Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indiana Institute of Technology.

“I’m really looking froward to coming to Scotland and building relationships”

“I’m really looking froward to coming to Scotland and building relationships with other PhD scholars across environmental arts and humanities,” she said. “The program will enrich my understanding of STEAM education in Scotland, and I hope to bring some of these learnings to apply in India.”

First-year doctoral researcher based in Switzerland Marianna Fernandes Cavadini will also be travelling to Scotland and enrolling at the Edinburgh Futures Institute.

Her project’s focus on the cultural and environmental implications of using digital technologies in mining sites will be addressed through the scholarship.

“Beyond contributing to my ongoing PhD work on the development of technologies in the mining industry, I am confident this scholarship will promote enriching dialogues and collaborations between me, my mentor and other Scotland-based scholars,” she said.

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ILSC Education Group has expanded its partnership with online provider TVO ILC to implement a unique dual-diploma program in cooperation with four high schools in Taiwan.

Building on a previous collaboration agreement, ILSC will once again team up with the designated distance learning partner of the Ontario Ministry of Education to provide synchronous face-to-face online English language classes.

ILSC teachers will help students prepare to achieve the Ontario High School Secondary Diploma.

“This unique hybrid program allows students to obtain the very best transformative experiences of high school curriculum from both Taiwan and Ontario, Canada,” said Christopher Mediratta, president and COO at ILSC Education Group.

The schools involved in the program are The Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, the Affiliated Senior High School of National Kaohsiung Normal University, the Kaohsiung Municipal Jhong Jheng Senior High School and the Ling Tung High School.

Moreover, students will acquire skills required to compete in a global marketplace such as critical thinking, and are also entitled to access TVO ILC’s award-winning high-school catalogue to get advice on their academic careers, the partners highlighted.

“We share a vision to inspire students from all walks of life to achieve their academic, career and life goals”

“Graduates will have enhanced credentials allowing them to compete in the global workplace and open many more college and university options in Taiwan, Canada, Australia and the United States, where ILSC has over 155 higher education partner institutions,” Mediratta explained.

Students will also have on-campus support provided by High School Facilitators, who receive ongoing guidance from ILSC and its facilitator training partner, University of Toronto’s Institute for Studies in Education.

Program graduates will receive the OSSD as well as the ILSC Language School’s certificate of completion, attesting to their English level. Furthermore, they will be ready to embark on post-secondary studies in Taiwan, Canada, Australia and other English-speaking countries.

“TVO ILC is proud to partner with ILSC on this exciting opportunity to guide the way for international students considering a world-class Canadian education,” remarked Roger Ramlalsingh, general manager of TVO ILC Operations and Business Development.

“We share a vision to inspire students from all walks of life to achieve their academic, career and life goals. Offering innovative online courses, we enable students from around the world to earn their high school diploma and empower them to pursue their next step toward their dreams,” he added.

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A Historically Black College and University has been included in a list of institutions receiving prestigious internationalisation awards for the first time.

The Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award, one of two different awards commissioned by NAFSA and highlighting a specific internationalisation program, was awarded to Albany State University for its Curriculum Internationalisation Initiative.

Also honoured was Hispanic Serving Institution Arizona State University – designated a HSI by the department for education in 2022 – for its Afghan Women’s Education Project.

“Through faculty partnerships that bridge languages, cultures, and continents; a commitment to serving Afghan refugee students; and dedication to equity and affordability in study abroad participation, these awardees demonstrate how relevant international education is to a rapidly changing world,” said NAFSA interim executive director and CEO Daniel C. Stoll.

Also receiving the Spotlight Award was liberal arts institution Cedar Crest College, Pennsylvania, for its Carmen Twillie Ambar Sophomore Expedition.

Congrats #AlbanyState for receiving the 2023 NAFSA Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award, for its Curriculum Internationalization initiative. #ASUExcellence #GoRAMShttps://t.co/GiKJJoDx6i

— Albany State Academic Affairs (@ASUAcadAffairs) February 15, 2023

As well as the Spotlight Award, NAFSA honours a number of select colleges for their overall excellence in “integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses” with the Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalisation.

“These awardees demonstrate how relevant international education is to a rapidly changing world”

The recipients this year were the University of Kentucky, East Carolina University, Georgia State University and Northwestern University.

“As NAFSA marks its 75th anniversary, we salute this year’s recipients for their creative approaches to making a globally enriched education accessible to all students,” Stoll said.

East Carolina University posted about their win, calling the award “not just any other to add to the list”.

This isn’t just any other award to add to the list

Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/JBRhg5OqEY pic.twitter.com/2m2GT6I6yw

— ECU (@EastCarolina) February 15, 2023

The award is named after the late senator Paul Simon, who served as senator of Illinois from 1985 to 1997, and had long been an advocate for international education in the US, even calling for initiatives to help create scholarships for study abroad in later years.

As such, NAFSA coins the awards a celebration of “outstanding innovation and accomplishment in campus internationalisation”.

The criteria to receive one of the awards, NAFSA states, is a “conscious effort to integrate” international dimensions and intercultural aspects into the “ethos and outcomes of universities’ student education”.

“For more than 20 years, the Senator Paul Simon Award has recognised the true standard-bearers in campus internationalisation, and this year’s cohort is no exception,” Stoll added.

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International students can now benefit from a new internship and work experience program in Valencia, launched by London-based education provider Twin Group.

The program will see students placed for anywhere between four weeks to six months, carrying out work experience for one of a wide range of employers.

“We are so excited to build on our existing Erasmus+ and Turing placement offers by launching this new initiative in Valencia to improve the employability prospects of international students,” said Caroline Fox, CEO, Twin Group.

We are so excited to build on our existing Erasmus+ and Turing placement offer

“By doing this, Twin Group is becoming a global business working closely with European education partners and employers to expand the horizons of young people who are not deterred by borders when starting on a journey to a successful career,” said Fox.

Fox told The PIE that the growing importance of internships in Twin Group’s offering is in direct response to student and employer demand.

“A successful placement with an employer can be a game-changer in terms of enhancing a CV and landing a graduate role,” she said. “Many students secure jobs as a direct result of being on one of our internship programs.”

The initiative has already seen initial students from France and Italy gaining experience in digital marketing, teaching English as a foreign language, art galleries and business administration.

“The employers in Valencia are especially welcoming and we are confident that the students will enjoy their stay equally during work hours and their leisure time,” Fox noted.

“We can expand the list of industry sectors where opportunities for students are available”

International students who participate can expect to be paired with a mentor to supervise the placement and Twin Group has a representative in the city to offer further support where needed.

“The other really positive development is the number of employers expressing an interest in participating in our program which means that we can expand the list of industry sectors where opportunities for students are available,” added Fox.

Twin Group is looking to add hospitality to the program offer as many hotels and restaurants in Valencia need staff to cope with the influx of tourists in the coming season, a spokesperson from company said.

The company plans to monitor the initiative with a view to explore the possibility of expanding its international work experience offering to its other centres in Lisbon, Seville, Bordeaux, Marseille, Malta and Thailand.

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The Australian government has backed measures to prevent foreign interference on university campuses, but stopped short of cracking down further on controversial Confucius Institutes. 

The Albanese government supported fully or in principle 21 of the 27 recommendations outlined in a parliamentary report completed in March 2022 into national security risks affecting higher education and research. 

The committee recommended that Chinese-funded Confucius Institute agreements with host institutions should include free speech clauses and give universities the final say in curriculum content and the appointment of staff. 

But the government left these decisions in the hands of universities and the University Foreign Interference Taskforce, a group made up of higher education and government agency representatives established in 2019. 

The 56 existing arrangements between Australian universities and Confucius Institutes are already shared publicly, as recommended by the committee, and the government said the foreign affairs minister may act where arrangements are inconsistent with Australian foreign policy. 

Confucius Institutes have faced increasing scrutiny in recent years as national security fears mount. Vicki Thomson, chief executive of The Group of Eight, said the organisation recognised there is “some international debate surrounding this issue, most notably in the UK and the US”.

“We will continue to liaise with our member universities and government on the implications of this recommendation,” she added. 

The government also supported the establishment of a working group to address on-campus intimidation and the reporting of students or staff to foreign embassies, following concerns that pro-democracy Chinese students on Australian campuses are being threatened by classmates.

It also backed calls for UFIT to consider introducing anonymous assignments, which could enable international students to criticise their own governments in academic work without fear of reprisal. 

The government said it will continue to provide information to universities about the threat of espionage and foreign interference and it will also continue to support the diversification of the international student population.  

“Australian universities and research institutions are attractive targets for foreign interference”

“Australian universities and research institutions are attractive targets for foreign interference given their important role in developing the technologies that underpin the future of Australia’s economy and defence and security capabilities,” said home affairs minister Clare O’Neil. 

“The Australian government works closely with higher education providers to strengthen resilience to foreign interference risks and protect students, staff and research from foreign actors and intelligence services.”

But Canberra refused to commit to publishing a report on incidents of harassment, intimidation and censorship linked to foreign interference activities on campuses, arguing it is difficult to establish the motivating factor behind these attacks. 

The responses revealed that UFIT has established a working group to identify critical technologies that “require heightened due diligence” when considering international PhD students and research partnerships. 

Australian academics have expressed concerns that delays granting visas to PhD students from certain countries, including Pakistan, Iran and China, are damaging the country’s reputation as a research base and will make future recruitment harder. 

Education minister Jason Clare acknowledged the work that the UFIT is already doing to protect institutions from foreign interference, including establishing risk management guidelines.

“UFIT brings leaders in the sector and government together to support and provide better protection for universities against foreign interference,” Clare said.

“This is vital work that ensures Australia remains a secure research and education partner and a safe and supportive environment for international students.”

Universities Australia welcomed the government’s response, describing UFIT’s work as “world-leading”. 

“It is vitally important that we strike the right balance between the openness that is fundamental to the kind of collaborative international research that gave us a fighting chance during the Covid-19 pandemic, and strong security safeguards,” said Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson. 

The Group of Eight said that the government’s responses would build on the “strong foundation” its universities have in place to protect national security. 

“As a founding and continuing member of UFIT, the Go8 recognises and backs the need to ensure that the world class research conducted by our members  is protected and supported so it can continue to protect and support Australia’s economy, communities and people,” Thomson said. 

It comes as the Canadian government this week announced a new policy that will impose controls on funding given to “sensitive” research if any of the researchers are connected to foreign states that pose a risk to Canada’s national security. 

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