US reports of college cost confusion; CA offers reprieve to students victimized by fraud; and more in this week’s MSM Reporter

United States Ambassador to Jordan Henry Wooster and representatives from prominent US and Jordanian universities recently launched the “RAWABIT” Bi-national Higher Education Cooperation Network project. The US State Department and the Jordanian-American Commission for Educational Exchange are collaborating on a project that aims to promote collaboration and information-sharing between Jordanian and American educational institutions, vocational schools, and professional training academies. RAWABIT aims to enhance institutional capacity, promote university-industry partnerships, and bridge the education-to-employment gap, thereby enhancing economic outcomes for all Jordanians. 

Recent press reports have highlighted a concerning situation involving approximately 700 international students from India who face deportation from Canada after the federal government discovered the Letters of Admission that formed the basis of their entry into Canada were forged. To address this issue, a task group of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency teams has been formed to identify fraud victims. Furthermore, the government is carefully analyzing each case and wants to give impacted students the opportunity to demonstrate their lack of awareness of the fraudulent operation. Those who were unaware of their involvement will not be deported and may be granted Temporary Resident Permits to remain in Canada. 

As part of the government’s efforts to curb immigration, the United Kingdom Department of Education has stated that international students will no longer be allowed to bring family members with them beginning in 2024. This legislation, which went into effect approximately a month ago, makes an exception for students enrolling in research programs such as Ph.D.s or research-led master’s programs, who will still be able to bring their dependents. Notably, the number of Indian students getting UK student visas has surpassed that of Chinese students, with roughly 161,000 Indian students and 33,240 dependents expected to enter the UK in 2022. Experts and Indian students, on the other hand, have raised concern and anxiety about these additional criteria, particularly the impact on prospective Indian students seeking to study in the UK with their wives, children, or parents.

Despite widespread opposition from universities, Norway’s Labour Party-led government is pressing forward with plans to establish tuition payments for non-EU students. The move, which was approved by a majority vote in parliament, has been criticized, with the leader of Norway’s student association calling it a “betrayal.” This is the government’s second attempt to implement such levies, with a prior attempt in 2014 being dropped. While the implementation of tuition fees is expected to increase the number of study slots, the Ministry of Education forecasts a 70 percent drop in international student enrollment. The vote was held on June 9, following the suggestion of the education committee, with only two parties voting against it.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, international students have contributed significantly to the Australian economy and Australian universities have seen a remarkable increase in student numbers attracting an additional 42,830 students in April 2023. Raghwa Gopal, CEO of education management company M Square Media said, “The surge in student numbers we’re seeing is a strong indicator of the global trust in Australian universities. Despite the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, students worldwide are choosing Australia as their study destination, recognizing the quality and value of the education here.”

According to a federal investigation, 91 percent of American institutions do not tell prospective students the actual cost of attendance. As they prepare to take on enormous debt, millions of students are uninformed of the full financial load they will face due to a lack of transparency. The impending ruling by the United States Supreme Court over President Joe Biden’s scheme for forgiving student loan debt makes the problem much more urgent. Even experts had trouble estimating the cost of the more than 500 help options that the United States had considered. Office of Government Accountability Melissa Emrey-Arras underlines how crucial it is for families and children to be aware of the cost upfront.

Due to dishonest recruitment agents who provide false acceptance credentials and charge exorbitant costs, Canada’s growing population of overseas students faces difficulties. This problem exposes shortcomings in Canada’s handling of foreign students. In March, public Ontario institutions (apart from Seneca College) enacted norms of practice to safeguard overseas students. However, these requirements by themselves are insufficient in the absence of adequate accountability measures. The number of foreign students in Canada has tripled in the last ten years, and more than half of them choose to study in Ontario, mostly for post-secondary degrees.

With 42,830 more students enrolling in Australian higher education this April compared to last year, the country’s higher education industry is rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic. This data, which was made public by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, shows a trend in favor of pre-pandemic strength. Before the epidemic, the surge of foreign students sustained more than 250,000 jobs and added over $40.1 billion to the Australian economy. Universities Australia welcomes this expansion because they understand the significance that overseas students and their world-class educational options bring to the country.

Boston University is experiencing a 30 percent surge in applications and enrollment, leading to the borrowing of $224 million in the municipal bond market. The surge in applications is attributed to pent-up demand and the lack of a testing requirement. The university has become more selective in admissions, and international students make up 23 percent of the freshman class. The funds from the bond issuance will be used to refinance existing debt. Costs of tuition, room and board, and fees have increased to $63,798 for the 2023-24 academic year.

Indian students who were victims of an immigration scam and faced deportation from Canada have succeeded in their protest efforts. After staging sit-in protests and camping outside immigration authorities, the students have received a reprieve. Canada’s Immigration Minister Sean Fraser stated that students not involved in fraud would not face deportation. While their deportations have been postponed temporarily, the students remain determined to continue their fight until the deportations are permanently canceled.

Since 1971, Australia and India have had a successful educational collaboration. India is the second-largest source of foreign students in Australia with about 70,000 students. The diaspora in Australia with the quickest rate of growth is made up of Indian immigrants, who support education and research. The Indian diaspora is acknowledged by both Prime Ministers Modi and Albanese as a link between the two nations. Australia supports India’s National Education Policy 2020, which seeks to modernize and expand the country’s educational system. The transformative potential of education in fostering capability and fostering creativity is emphasized by the ministries of education of both nations.

The Control Yuan, Taiwan’s top government watchdog, has censured the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labor for their failure to protect international students from being trafficked into low-paying factory jobs by several Taiwanese universities. The labor exploitation scams came to light in 2022 when Ugandan students enrolled at Chung Chou University reported being sent to work in factories to repay their tuition debts. The Control Yuan found that the education ministry failed to unveil the criminal intentions behind the study programs, while the labor ministry neglected to address the issue. The National Immigration Agency was also censured for an official’s misuse of personal information of foreign students.

Shoreline Community College, located near Seattle, Washington, is a public community college with a diverse student population of around 10,000, including nearly 1,000 international students from over 65 countries. The college offers over 90 academic and professional and technical programs, allowing international students to complete the first two years of their undergraduate degree before transferring to a top university in the United States. 

Shoreline provides various English proficiency options and does not require international students to take the TOEFL exam. Situated in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, students can also enjoy the vibrant city of Seattle, which is home to renowned companies like Microsoft and Amazon. The college is recognized as one of the top community colleges in Washington state and has received accolades for its commitment to internationalization and student achievements.

The Optician Diploma program is registered with Accreditation Canada-Equal and provides students with the knowledge and abilities to practice within relevant legislation, build relationships with patients, understand optics, ocular anatomy, and pathology, provide patient-care and education, and integrate knowledge and skills to recommend and sell products. 

It is a four-term full-time program that must be completed within three years. Admission requirements include Grade 12 graduation, knowledge of English, Math 11, and a Criminal Record Check. Certain characteristics, such as the ability to listen and communicate well, are recommended. Class times may run between 8am and 1pm, or 1pm and 6pm.