One more EducationUSA Centre in Hyderabad in 2021
Telengana Today | Nov 17, 2020
EducationUSA is now a global network of advising canters in 170 countries supported by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. According to an official communiqué, the US Department of State, which currently offers advising services to prospective students through seven EducationUSA Advising Centers throughout India – in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmadabad, and Mumbai – will be opening a second EducationUSA Centre in Hyderabad early next year. The new centre will be hosted by the Y-Axis Foundation, it said.
Source: https://telanganatoday.com/one-more-educationusa-centre-in-hyderabad-in-2021
Duke University's Boulding on the State of Higher Education
Bloomberg | Nov 17, 2020
William Boulding, Dean of The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, joins Bloomberg Businessweek hosts Carol Massar and Kailey Leinz to discuss the state of higher education and rising business school applications amid a struggling economy.
Universities may face sanctions if they fail most disadvantaged
The Guardian | Nov 17, 2020
Universities and colleges providing substandard courses or paying lip service to helping disadvantaged students progress would be more likely to face sanctions under proposals outlined by a government watchdog. The plans by the Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education in England, are designed to raise the bar of standards and ensure more students – particularly those from groups underrepresented in higher education – get to the end of courses and find better-paid work.
‘Getting to the Bottom of It’: Exploring higher education under Biden’s administration
The GW Hatchet | Nov 16, 2020
On this week’s episode of “Getting to the Bottom of It,” podcast host Alec Rich speaks with Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, President of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and Peter Lake, the Charles A. Dana Chair and Director of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy at Stetson University about what changes to higher education may be made under President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.
Applications Are Decreasing
Inside Higher Ed | Nov 16, 2020
The Common Application received 8 percent fewer applications through Nov. 2 compared to last year, and 60 percent of its 921 members were reporting application declines. The Common App started primarily as a tool for liberal arts colleges, but it has expanded significantly to public higher education and larger institutions.
Source: https://www.insidehighered.com/admissions/article/2020/11/16/college-applications-are-decreasing
Will edtech empower or erase the need for higher education?
Tech Crunch | Nov 16, 2020
The coronavirus has erased a large chunk of college’s value proposition: the on-campus experience. Campuses are closed, sports have been paused and, understandably, students don’t want to pay the same tuition for a fraction of the services. As a result, enrollment is down across the country and university business models are under unrelenting pressure. The entire athletics program at East Carolina University has been furloughed with pay cuts. As universities struggle, edtech is being positioned as a solution for their largest problem: remote teaching. However, while some startups are helping universities offer virtual programming overnight, professors on the ground are warning their institutions to think long-term about what kind of technologies are net positive to adopt.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/16/will-edtech-empower-or-erase-the-need-for-higher-education/
Nearly 2 Lakh Indian Students Chose US for Higher Studies in 2019-20 Academic Years: Report
NDTV | Nov 16, 2020
Nearly two lakh Indian students chose the United States as their destination to pursue higher education in the 2019-20 academic years, according to the Open Doors Report released by the US Embassy on Monday. Indian students comprised nearly 20 per cent of the over one million students from around the world, and the US has seen a steady increase in the number of undergraduate students from India, the report stated. To assist Indian students, the US Department of State offers advising services to prospective students through seven Education USA advising canters throughout India - in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmadabad and Mumbai.
Odisha: 15 teacher training colleges to come under higher education department
The Times of India | Nov 16, 2020
The Odisha state government has decided to bring 15 teacher education institutes (training colleges) in the state offering B.Ed and M.E courses under higher education department. These institutions, which are now working under school and mass education department, will start functioning under the higher education department from next year. Government will bring out a formal notification of transfer of the training colleges from the administrative control of school and mass education department to the administrative control of the higher education department with effect from June 1, the beginning of the academic session.
To combat racial inequality, university classrooms must be more inclusive
Times Higher Education | Nov 9, 2020
When teachers ignore offensive language, we are complicit in making the classroom unsafe, say Mariangela Palladino and Shalini Sharma
The post-election mood is as divided on US campuses as it is beyond them
Times Higher Education | Nov 9, 2020
The popular conception that US academics are uniformly liberal fails to take into account universities’ subject breadth, says John R. Thelin
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/post-election-mood-divided-uscampuses-it-beyondthem
Admissions for vacant UG seats reopened till November 13
Hindustan Times | Nov 8, 2020
The state higher education department has once again opened the centralized admission portal for fresh registrations in undergraduate courses, to fill up vacant seats across colleges. In a directive shared with principals of government colleges and universities on Saturday, the department of higher education said that the centralized admission portal for new registrations and editing of forms will stay open till November 13.
Higher education dept continues consultation on reopening of institutions
Times of India | Nov 8, 2020
After the school and mass education department of Odisha ordered the closure of all schools in the state till December 31, the higher education department has started consultations with stakeholders on whether it should reopen colleges and universities or not. The unlock guidelines of the state government had allowed higher educational institutions to reopen for research scholars (PhD) and postgraduate (PG) students of science and technology who need laboratory access.
Higher educational institutions in the state have been closed since March 16. Although the institutions have been teaching theory online, practical classes have taken a back seat because of the closure of campuses.
UGC issued detailed guidelines for reopening of higher education institutions: Education Minister
The Economic Times | Nov 7, 2020
Opening of schools has been left to states to assess situation keeping safety in mind, said Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on November 7. “As it is known, it has been left to states to assess situation and take a decision on (opening of) schools, keeping in mind both safety of education of students. UGC (University Grants Commission) has issued detailed guidelines yesterday for higher education,” said Minister Nishank.
Customs Act violation: Kerala Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel summoned
New Indian Express | Nov 7, 2020
The Customs has summoned Kerala Higher Education Minister KT Jaleel to appear before it as part of its investigation into the alleged violation in accepting consignments of Holy Quran imported by UAE consulate officials in Thiruvananthapuram for personal use through diplomatic channel. He was also questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in accepting consignments of Holy Quran brought from UAE through diplomatic channels.
Biden's Victory Could Be Transformative
Inside Higher Ed | Nov 7, 2020
Biden’s victory is also significant in its symbolism for higher education. Kamala Harris will be the nation’s first African American and Asian American vice president and, as a Howard University alumna, the first graduate of a historically Black university in the White House. Biden has promised to significantly increase spending on research, a proposal that has been hailed by the president of the American Association of Universities. The nation's scientists who marched to protest a president's skepticism about science, over climate change and now the pandemic, will have a president who believes in research, as Biden has said many times that he will listen to scientists. Remaining to be seen is how aggressive a Biden Education Department will be.
Source: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/11/07/what-biden-presidency-could-bring-higher-education
Higher education needs a long-term plan for innovation
BusinessLine on Campus | Nov 6, 2020
Covid-19 has shown us that education and learning can happen in an online format. Reputed institutions like Harvard and UPenn are offering their master’s programmes online and have redesigned and expanded their course offerings and fee models to suit virtual formats of engagement. Finest professors and experts are now more available to a larger audience online than they were earlier in the physical world. As physical mobility drops and institutions struggle to get international students, they are willing to extend their resources and expertise online. Our institutions in India should use this opportunity to up their game and course offerings and become viable alternatives to internationally bound students. This can also become a time to collaborate with international faculty and institutions to offer courses in India and lay a great foundation for future engagements once the Covid-19 pandemic subsides.
Pandemic erodes quality of higher education
The Pioneer | Nov 5, 2020
Every year, there are nearly 37.4 million enrolments in higher educational institutions in the country. This reflects the student density in India and also the expanding horizons of the education sector, which has been growing at a rapid pace every year. However, the sudden “Covid shock” created a tremendous negative impact. As a result of the outbreak and the danger it posed to human lives, universities and colleges had to be shut down and their syllabus curtailed. That was until the sector decided to initiate a revolution instead. Making a conscious choice to grow even in the time of crisis, it reinvented its approach and pedagogy and decided to digitise several fundamental processes, which were core to its functioning. The education process reforms seen in India and globally, too, in the COVID-19 era are a perfect example of how necessity is indeed the mother of invention. However, getting back to “normal” is a long way off and in the current scenario; higher education institutions in India are facing two major challenges.
Source: https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/columnists/pandemic-erodes-quality-of-higher-education.html
Higher education institutes waiting for West Bengal govt nod to begin on-campus classes
Edex Live | Nov 4, 2020
The government on Monday said in a notification that educational institutes will continue to remain closed till November 30 with all campus activities suspended. Several higher education institutes in West Bengal on Tuesday said they are ready to resume physical classes in colleges and universities from December 1 for which they are awaiting a government order and COVID-19 safety guidelines to be provided by the higher education department.
Call to help universities redevelop ‘dilapidated’ high streets
Times Higher Education | Nov 2, 2020
UPP Foundation calls for universities to take greater role in rejuvenating ‘left behind’ regions in England, as pandemic job losses loom in these areas.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/call-help-universities-redevelop-dilapidated-high-streets
Universities reshape curricula to teach the pandemic
Times Higher Education | Nov 2, 2020
Scholars in the US and Canada reveal how they are changing things up in order to teach the topic of Covid-19 as it is happening
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/universities-reshape-curricula-teach-pandemic
UNSW Engineering ranked first in Australia in Times Higher Education subject rankings
India Education Diary | Nov 2, 2020
UNSW Sydney has claimed Australia’s top spot for both engineering and technology, and for computer science, in the Times Higher Education (THE) World Rankings by Subject. UNSW moved up 11 places for engineering and technologies, entering the top 50 for the first time at 48th.The rankings, which are usually released in stages, were released en masse this year, spotlighting the universities leading the world in different subject areas. Rankings are based on 13 performance indicators across teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.
US election result must not obscure need for higher education reform
Times Higher Education | Nov 2, 2020
The removal of Donald Trump from the White House could lead to major reform in college education, but many other issues require urgent action, argue Sandro Galea and Nason Maani.
Higher education is key to building back better post-COVID
University World News| Oct 31, 2020
New global commitments by governments and the international community to protect education spending and transform education to drive the post-COVID recovery and sustainable development are welcome. Engaging with and supporting the global higher education sector will be essential to their success. On 20-22 October UNESCO demonstrated their global leadership in education by convening an extraordinary session of the Global Education Meeting in light of the impact of the “unprecedented social, human and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2020103009344768
Appointments: higher education restructuring regime (HERR) advisory board
Gov.uk | Oct 30, 2020
The Secretary of State for Education has appointed Sir Simon Burns as the HERR chair.
HERR board members appointed to provide educational expertise are:
- Richard Atkins, currently Further Education Commissioner for England and member of the Council at the University of Exeter
- John Cunningham, former finance director in a range of HE providers HERR board members appointed to provide accountancy expertise are:
- Amanda Blackhall O’Sullivan, partner at Ernst & Young
- Colin Haig, president of R3, a restructuring and insolvency trade body
Jamia Hamdard stands out in Time Higher Education Global Rankings 2021
India Today | Oct 30, 2020
Jamia Hamdard has been ranked at 401-500 brackets in 2021 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in the subject of Life Sciences, acquiring the third position in India; and at 501600 in the subject of Clinical and Health getting placed among top 5 in India. The Times Higher Education’s (THE) Annual World Subject Rankings cover 11 subject areas, giving an overview of the best places in the world to study in a particular discipline. A record of 1512 institutions was ranked in the 2021 Subject Rankings across the 11 subject areas, with 522 newly ranked institutions this year.
NEP 2020: Increasing GER in higher education, how to make vision a reality
Hindustan Times | Oct 29, 2020
Set on the pillars of “Access, Quality, Equity, Affordability, and Accountability”, the new National Education Policy (NEP 2020) promises to address the current challenges such as poor literacy level, high dropouts and a lack of multidisciplinary approach. But, it does not clearly define the milestones or propose financial commitments to execute the plan.
While it is lauded as a highly aspirational policy that envisages reorienting Indian education system to meet the 21st Century needs, it will need a strong implementation plan and thorough consideration of existing issues and inequalities that the pandemic has aggravated. One of the key targets of NEP 2020 is to raise Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) to 50% by 2035.
Currently, even with higher educational institutions constantly striving to develop, the number of students enrolling in universities is 37.4 million with a GER of 26.3.
Orissa HC notice prompts higher education department to pay lecturer’s salary dues
The Times of India | Oct 29, 2020
A notice issued to two senior officers of the higher education department by the Orissa high court, which asked them to appear before it in person in a contempt of court petition seems to have jolted the department into action. The contempt plea is related to non-compliance with a high court order issued on July 6, 2018, directing full salary payment to Basanta Kumar Sahoo, who has been a lecturer of physics at Rajsunakhala College, an aided educational institution in Nayagarh district, since 1984. He is set to retire in February next year.
Uttar Pradesh launches Higher Education Digital Library that students can access for free
Edex Live| Oct 29, 2020
Uttar Pradesh authorities have launched a Higher Education Digital library that will enable students to access the best content free of cost. Students enrolled in higher education institutions in any part of the state or the country will have access to audio and video lectures and best study material prepared by experts for free, just at a click of a mouse. The digital library will offer students a rich collection as around 1,700 teachers from 23 state universities have already uploaded over 35,000 e-content materials on 134 subjects.
UK universities plan for globally-leading higher education beyond Covid-19, focus on Indian students
The Statesman | Oct 26, 2020
The Universities representative body described a major competitive advantage for the country to help grow education exports and attract, nurture and retain global talent if it embraces policies which ensure it is attractive to international talent, including from India.
Critical race theory is a methodology, not an ideology
Times Higher Education | Oct 26, 2020
UK minister Kemi Badenoch’s disavowal of the theory plays into a misleading right-wing narrative, says Hannah Robbins
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/critical-race-theory-methodology-not-ideology
REF review ‘will focus on diverse outputs and research culture’
Times Higher Education | Oct 26, 2020
Minister’s attack on academic publication culture suggests a move towards more holistic and team-based assessments of excellence, say experts.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ref-review-will-focus-diverse-outputs-and-research-culture
For the first time, closing the Gap has a higher education target – here’s how to achieve it
The Conversation | Oct 26, 2020
The new National Agreement on Closing the Gap has a higher education target for the first time. To reach the higher education target, universities and vocational education providers must overcome the educational and social barriers Indigenous students face. Higher education providers can also have an impact on all the agreement’s target areas as well as the reform agenda set out in the agreement.
Higher Ed and Cloud-Based Collaboration Tools during Covid-19
Forbes | Oct 25, 2020
If today’s new abnormal in higher education was a county fair, surely cloud-based collaboration tools would win 2020’s blue ribbon. While learning management systems and video management software stretched to meet needs, comprehensive cloud solutions like Microsoft Teams exceeded expectations across many campuses. Cloud-based collaboration tools simply make life - and work - easier. The less maintenance required by IT teams, the better. The fewer systems to learn, the better. And we can all now confirm that, when it comes to business continuity, keeping our people as the priority is significantly more fulfilling than managing baseline technology.
Top Hat Chooses Vonage to Power Video Capabilities for its Widely Adopted New Higher Education Teaching Platform
MARTECHSERIES| Oct 25, 2020
Vonage, a global leader in cloud communications helping businesses accelerate their digital transformation, has been chosen by industry-leading education technology provider Top Hat, to embed programmable video capabilities into its active learning platform for higher education. With the Vonage Video API, Top Hat enables educators to keep students engaged with real-time video lecture streaming and access to recordings of class meetings, facilitating improved connections and learning experiences inside and outside the virtual classroom.
COVID-19 has exacerbated inequality in higher education
University World News | Oct 24, 2020
According to recent United Nations reports, COVID-19 has caused an education crisis, in particular to students and teachers. There is a fear that the pandemic will acutely affect the progress achieved in recent decades worldwide. The two main aspects affected include teaching-learning and education financing. The biggest concern of academics and policy-makers involves loss of learning. Estimates about global learning loss are hard to make, given the different levels of preparation and resilience achieved in different countries and regions.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20201023103200335
Block-Education Sets Out On the Path of Introducing Blockchain in Curriculums of Higher Education
GLOBE NEWSWIRE | Oct 23, 2020
Education about blockchain technology is necessary to create the professionals of tomorrow, and being a leader in the industry Block-Education is now taking some crucial steps in that direction. The French blockchain education company has now decided to join hands with various business schools and universities for developing blockchain education programs and courses that can help professionals understand the potential of this revolutionary technology. As more colleges and universities join hands with them, Blockchain-aware professionals trained through their programs will be available soon in the French industry.
Higher education in Bihar: Young voters, but under most heads, a poor report card
The Indian Express | Oct 23, 2020
For a state that has had a predominantly young electorate for at least the last two election cycles, and where jobs have emerged as one of the major poll issues, higher education in Bihar remains neglected. According to the latest edition of the All India Higher Education Survey (AISHE), released in 2019, Bihar’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) stands at 13.6%, the lowest in the country. For every hundred youngsters in the age group of 18 to 23 years, only 13 are pursuing higher education in Bihar, as per the survey. This is much lower than the national average of 26.3%.
Meet the IIT alumni who are enabling underprivileged students to pursue higher education
Social Stories| Oct 22, 2020
In 2010, – Akshay Saxena, Krishna Ramkumar, Vaibhav Devanathan, Rohit Singh, Aishwarya Ramakrishnan, and Rahul Srinivasan – got together to improve this situation. They set up Avanti Fellows, a non-governmental organization, to provide access to quality tertiary education to meritorious students from low-income backgrounds.
Source: https://yourstory.com/socialstory/2020/10/iit-alumni-students-higher-education-india-exams
Self-financed colleges in Haryana suffer as Department of Higher Education yet to refund admission fee
The Tribune | Oct 21, 2020
Self-financed degree colleges across the state are facing the heat as the Department of Higher Education (DHE) has not refunded the money to them even several days after the deposition of fees by the students figuring in the first and second merit list for the admissions to first year of undergraduate courses. The colleges are finding it difficult to pay salaries to their staff and bear other expenses. Due to ongoing Covid pandemic, students are bound to make online payments to the DHE account.
Participation of girls in higher education increasing, says PM
Mint | Oct 20, 2020
Talking about the new IIMs and IITs that have come up in the recent years, PM Narendra Modi said, in last five-six years, efforts in the higher education sector is not limited to opening new institutions. “At every level of education, gross enrolment ratio of girls is higher than boys across the country," PM Modi said while addressing the centenary convocation ceremony of Mysore University.
Distance Education: Kerala government allows state universities to apply for UGC approval
The New Indian Express | Oct 15, 2020
The state government is learnt to have informally permitted universities to apply for approval of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) courses from the UGC this year. This, after the High Court stayed a clause in the Open University Ordinance, that had prohibited state universities from offering such courses. The new development comes as a relief to nearly 1.5 lakh students who are set to obtain admission to courses in distance education mode as well as enroll for private registration in state universities this year.
Thomas Frank: we must challenge ‘the worship of educational attainment’
Times Higher Education | Oct 15, 2020
The American political commentator offers John Morgan his trenchant views on Ivy League solidarity, why the left misunderstands populism and the ‘smugness’ of the ‘well-graduated’.
Schools reopen from today: What states have decided
Mint | Oct 15, 2020
The Centre has approved phase-wise reopening of schools, final decision will be taken by state governments. Schools outside containment zones will reopen with strict Covid-19 norms in place from today. Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had released detailed guidelines for reopening schools and colleges in the country in a graded manner, starting from October 15. starting from 15 October. The states have the authority to decide whether they want to resume schools or not. Many states, including Delhi, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, have decided not to reopen schools.
Ministers plan pre-Christmas Covid lockdown for English universities
The Guardian | Oct 14, 2020
Ministers want to place universities in England into lockdown for two weeks before Christmas, with students told to remain on campus and all teaching carried out online. Under the government’s plan, which is in its early stages, universities would go into lockdown from 8 December until 22 December, when all students would be allowed to return to their home towns.The move is designed to deliver on Boris Johnson’s pledge to “get students home safely for Christmas” but prevent the spread of the virus by limiting mixing between the student body and wider community in the weeks before more than a million students travel home.
Coursera Couple Returns to Higher Ed with $14.5M to Recreate In-Person Learning, Online
Ed Surge| Oct 14, 2020
Coursera co-founder Daphne Koller, and her husband Avida are no longer with Coursera, which is now valued at $2.5 billion. But through their new startup, Engageli, they want to replicate the social feeling of being in a classroom, layered with live data about student engagement, on a browser-based tool that they hope to sell to colleges and universities. That vision has investors feeling stoked. BRM, Emerge Education and individuals Alex Balkanski (a general partner at Benchmark Capital), Lip-Bu Tan (CEO of Cadence Design Systems) and Rob Cohen (former president of 2U) are among the contributors to a $14.5 million seed round for Engageli. Engageli’s approach to making online college classes more engaging may sound similar to other efforts. Congregate, built by a Harvard student, is also trying to recreate the group-study feeling through virtual tables and classrooms. The Minerva Project, which developed its own online “active learning” platform, Forum, to facilitate courses for its students spread across the world, has been selling it to others. More than 20 institutions have signed up, according to Minerva CEO Ben Nelson.
Vietnam continues its miracle through higher education
Modern Diplomacy | Oct 13, 2020
Vietnam’s declaration to open up, in mid-June 2020 was hailed around the world as a model in the fight against the Covid 19 pandemic. As universities re-opened, students could now return to the traditional face-to-face classroom learning with professors and friends since all were weary from boring e-learning and the draconian pandemic control measures imposed by the government. By renouncing the Soviet-style model, mobilizing private funding resources, allowing the use of foreign languages as means of instruction, and fostering research and scientific publication, Vietnamese universities have been emerging on the most prestigious global rankings.
Source: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2020/10/13/vietnam-continues-its-miracle-through-higher-education/
Haryana Higher Education Council mulls adopting 'flexi exam' for PG courses
Business Standard | Oct 13, 2020
The Haryana State Higher Education Council on Tuesday discussed with six state-aided universities a concept of 'flexi examination' or 'examinations on demand' to bring about reforms in the education sector. Universities may adopt this system for postgraduate courses.
The six universities that were part of the consultations are Chaudhary Bansi Lal University, Bhiwani, Chaudhary Ranbir Singh University, Jind, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Dr B R Ambedkar National Law University, Sonipat, Sri Vishwakarma Kaushal University, Palwal, and J D C Bose University of Science and Technology, Faridabad.
Why inter-nationalization of higher education can be a game changer for India
Observer Research Foundation |Oct 13, 2020
Internationalization of higher education as part of key second generation reform is a long overdue since the country went for the path breaking economic liberalization in the 1990s. One of the key reasons for this is education bureaucracy’s prolonged stranglehold over higher education system preventing innovation and expansion of the sector. Having enabling legislation on regulation and governance is the easy part. It has to be seen how the government of the day transforms a deeply entrenched education bureaucracy and a broken ecosystem that deters innovation and out-of-box thinking.
Universities’ digital transformation will be focus of next THE forum
Times Higher Education | Oct 13, 2020
As the academic year begins with the majority of teaching and learning taking place online, more than 2,000 higher education professionals from around the world will virtually gather on 21 October at this critical point of transformation for tertiary education at the virtual Times Higher Education Digital Transformation Forum, hosted in partnership with Kazan Federal University.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/universities-digital-transformation-will-be-focus-next-forum
Indian Higher Education On Par With Global Standards: Education Minister Pokhriyal
Outlook | Oct 11, 2020
Addressing a webinar organized by IIT-Kharagpur on Saturday evening, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said that the country has a robust education system, equipped with high quality research facilities. He also claimed that National Education Policy 2020 has helped universities throughout the country to compete with international universities.
Praising the National Education Policy (NEP), Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal has said that Indian students no longer need to shell out huge sums of money on foreign education or enroll in foreign universities as the new NEP is in line with global standards.
Covid-19 pandemic and the economics of higher education
The Daily Star | Oct 09, 2020
Money can't buy knowledge, but the knowledge industry of the modern world, centered in our universities, runs on money. Universities worldwide are money-strapped now. The pandemic has done them in. We used to believe that economics leans more toward ethics than money, so the connection between education and money is marginal.
China’s higher education renaissance
Observer Research Foundation | Oct 08, 2020
Higher education is one such area where China is emerging as a leader in its own right. Between 2016 and 2018 China published more than 900,000 research papers. This figure puts it at the very top of Natural Science Publications, surpassing the United States that in comparison managed to produce around 600,000 papers during the same time period.
China spends more than $650 billion a year on education and this investment has started to manifest in substantial increase of quality in education around the country. The rise can also be gauged by assessing the World University Rankings. Where in 2010 there were just two Chinese universities ranked in the top 100, today, there are 12 Chinese universities recognized in the top 100, with Tsinghua University ranking as high as 15th on the list. According to the Times Higher Education rankings of 2020, seven of the top 10 universities in emerging economies are also Chinese.
Source: https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/chinas-higher-education-renaissance-74728/
HVAC Strategies for Higher Education During the Pandemic
Facilities Net| Oct 08, 2020
In preparation for reopening higher education facilities, much of the scrutiny in preventing the spread of the coronavirus has fallen on housekeeping and sanitation. Increasingly, however, maintenance and engineering managers are going beyond the human interaction aspect of transmitting COVID-19. As instructors and students return to the campus, they are looking more closely at components of HVAC systems that directly and indirectly affect their health and safety.
Malaysia’s U-turn on reopening campuses leaves students in lurch
Times Higher Education| Oct 08, 2020
Malaysia’s about-face on Covid measures left university students in the lurch as institutions were given one day’s notice to shift courses and registration online. Many classes were already being conducted virtually, but that was not the case for course registration, which is required of both new and continuing students. The Ministry of Higher Education’s announcement on the day that campuses were supposed to reopen fully caught universities off guard and sparked public anger. Many families had paid for flights, purchased bus tickets and even booked hotel rooms for students to travel across the vast country for the start of courses.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/malaysias-u-turn-reopening-campuses-leaves-students-lurch
Success at Scale: Strategies to Improve Outcomes for Underserved Students
Inside Higher Ed | Oct 08, 2020
Special report from Inside Higher Ed explores the major reforms galvanizing two-year colleges and the four-year institutions that partner with them. The City University of New York’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP), guided pathways, transfer solutions and finally a deep dive into California State University’s effort to more than double its four-year graduation rate are the cornerstones of this special report.
Postsecondary Paradox
Inside Higher Ed | Oct 08, 2020
Adult learners’ confidence in higher education’s promise has eroded over time and collapsed with the pandemic, but data show the formula to rebuild it is not complicated. It starts with including their voices in how we define the value of postsecondary education. When programs demonstrate a clear path to learners’ career goals and are responsive to the real and perceived barriers that prevent learners from pursuing them, education programs deliver rational, practical and achievable purpose. And learners can more clearly understand what they’ve gained from that journey -- and value it.
Advanced Higher Education Institutes Are Using Multiple Technological Pedagogy Tools To Ensure A Seamless Online Education
BW Education| Oct 08, 2020
Forward-looking higher education institutions preparing themselves to handle future challenges and have been able to better handle this paradigm shift and have coped with the shift with almost no disruption to students’ education. Online education can provide a similar learning experience as traditional methods, but it requires the integration of multiple technological tools. Many advanced institutes are managing the switch to online mode admirably not due to compulsions of the pandemic but because they have been implementing advanced systems for their students much before the scare of coronavirus hit us.
Fee negotiation, online classes: COVID-19 lesson for Karnataka higher education institutes
The New Indian Express| Oct 07, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed institutes of higher education between a rock and a hard place. They are trying to negotiate with parents on fees, while at the same time taking care of the expenditure to accommodate online education. Also, professional colleges are anticipating a severe shortage of students this year, as non-Karnataka students are likely to refrain from taking up courses in the state, which is a hub of medical and engineering colleges.
Who Knew That The Netherlands Is Such A Higher Education Powerhouse?
Forbes | Oct 07, 2020
For the last 10 years, the World University Rankings published by Times Higher Education have provided an annual measure of the research impact, learning environment and institutional reputation of the leading universities around the world. The first ranking published in September 2010 was dominated by schools from the US and the UK, claiming not only the first 10 places in the international league table with Harvard, Cal Tech and MIT heading the results, but also including 72 US universities and 29 UK universities in the top 200. Only 3 schools from mainland China made the top 100.
But as governments around the world look to showcase the international standing of their higher education institutions, one country “Netherland” has quietly maintained its’ position as an HE powerhouse, with 11 universities in the top 200 in both the 2010 and the 2020 THE World University Rankings.
Goa launches e-learning platform for higher education
The Times of India| Oct 06, 2020
Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday launched the online channel ‘Dishtavo’, on which over 20,000 recorded lectures for students of higher education in the state will be available. Sawant said this makes Goa the first state in India to create such infrastructure for higher education. However, on October 4 that a Goa University study has found that 74% of its masters students experience poor internet speeds, and found this an impediment in accessing online teaching content.
Higher education minister's clarification on universities Act amendment
Times of India| Sep 28, 2020
Odisha Higher education minister Arun Kumar Sahoo on Sunday spoke on amendment of the Odisha Universities Act, 1989. He clarified that the amended Act will not curtail the autonomy of the universities. He also discussed on different points of amendment in a webinar. The minister said upper age limit of the vice-chancellors has been increased from 65 years to 67 years. Tenure of the VCs has been hiked from three years to four years. "It will help VCs in bringing long term change in universities," he added. He said chancellor has the right to choose VC for a university. "The chancellor does not need recommendation of the state government. Out of three names, he/she will choose a name for VC post. That's why we can say that the state government does not play any role in selecting VCs," he added.
DAVV, colleges in dispute over preparation of lectures
The Free Press Journal | Sep 28, 2020
Department of Higher Education (DHE) had recently announced that classes of existing students of higher education institutes are going to commence online. It stated that the lectures would be relayed from Akashwani from October 1 for one month.
DHE had distributed work of preparation of lectures on different institutions.
DAVV was entrusted the responsibility of preparation of lectures of MA and MCom courses.
Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/davv-colleges-in-dispute-over-preparation-of-lectures
The show must go online: performing arts react to COVID
Times Higher Education | Sep 28, 2020
Pandemic forces institutions to respond to practical challenges but also to produce work that addresses crisis and helps forge new forms of art.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/show-must-go-online-performing-arts-react-covid
New academic session in colleges, varsities in Bengal to start in December
The Times of India| Sep 28, 2020
A meeting between Vice- Chancellors of state universities and West Bengal Higher Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Sunday resolved to start the new academic session of both undergraduate and post graduate levels in colleges and universities from December 1.
Education Minister Partha Chatterjee told a press meet on Sunday evening that in view of festivals like Lakshmi puja, Kali puja/Diwali, Chhat puja, Jagaddhatri puja lined up in the entire month of November, the meeting decided to start both UG and postgraduate academic sessions for 2020-2021 in colleges and universities respectively from December 1.
Higher education should harness the senses of togetherness and urgency
Times Higher Education | Sep 28, 2020
The pandemic’s demolition of barriers and bureaucracy clears the way for a better higher education sector, says Pat Tissington
Higher education facilities for tribal students demanded
The Hindu | Sep 27, 2020
A group of tribal organisations under the aegis of the Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha (AGMS) is gearing up to launch a series of agitations raising a slew of demands, including facilities for higher education for all eligible tribal students.
Himachal directorate of higher education to hold Class 9-12 second term exams in December
Hindustan Times | Sep 27, 2020
Second term examinations for Classes 9 to 12 will be held in all Himachal government schools in December. Higher education director Amarjeet Kumar Sharma has directed all district officials to start preparation for conducting these examinations. The first term examinations for the said Classes had been held online between September 7 to 17. The results were declared on September 30.
The Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission has asked all colleges and universities to ensure students who are unable to attend online classes receive notes. Private colleges have also been asked to extend the date of admission and not to charge late fees.
Regulating the Regulators: The National Education Policy on higher education
DNA India | Sep 26, 2020
It is immensely important to understand Higher Education Institutions in a country not only serve as gates to fruitful employment and immaculate innovation, they are also supposed to be epicentres of public policy and informed dissent.
The famed National Education Policy 2020 based primarily and mostly on the recommendations of the Kasturirangan Committee does paint a dreamy painting but a lot more colour is needed on the same canvas.
Wake Up Higher Education. The Degree Is On The Decline.
Forbes | Sep 25, 2020
This enrollment decline has taken place against the backdrop of well-intentioned and well-funded college attainment campaigns across many states and from many high-profile supporting organizations. Despite the big push to get more Americans into and completing college, the numbers have gone in the opposite direction. And they won’t improve any time soon. The latest data reported by Strada Education Network last week was an eye-opening reminder that declines will continue. The percentage of aspiring adult learners who believe education will be worth the cost dropped from 77% to 59% since 2019; those believing education will help them get a good job dropped from 89% to 64%.
Gurugram: Higher education dept to initiate academic guidance visits in colleges
Hindustan Times| Sep 23, 2020
The state higher education department has proposed that colleges may allow students to visit their premises in a staggered manner to seek guidance from teachers.
In a communication sent to the principals of all colleges on Tuesday, the department shared a tentative protocol with colleges for conducting these sessions and sought feedback on it by Friday.
According to the tentative protocol, students from different courses have been allotted different days of the week for the guidance sessions. Students will be permitted to visit their college twice a week for duration of three hours in a particular day, says the tentative schedule shared by the department.
Northam proposes to restructure higher education debt, saving schools $300 million
The News & Advance | Sep 23, 2020
Gov. Ralph Northam is throwing a lifeline to Virginia's public colleges and universities, which would save $300 million over the next two years through the proposed restructuring of their debt for capital projects as they struggle with the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Northam unveiled the plan at George Mason University on Tuesday afternoon. The Fairfax-based institution would save $58.3 million under the governor's proposal, primarily through deferred payments on state-backed debt, as well as bonds issued through the Virginia College Building Authority that are backed by revenues from university fees.
Return of overseas students to Australia ‘manageable’
Times Higher Education | September 23, 2020
NSW minister predicts early resumption of student flows, as states and territories develop plans for flights and quarantine.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/return-overseas-students-australia-manageable
What Higher Ed Could Learn From the Military?
Inside Higher Ed | Sep 23, 2020
Bruce H. Lindsey, recently deputy commander of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and Judith Wilde, a professor and former chief operating officer, provide three key tips for strategic crisis planning. Indeed, if higher education leaders are reacting to day-to-day conditions independent of a strategic plan, then their future, and the future of their institutions, will be poor. However, if they are executing their strategic plan despite COVID-19, then their future after COVID-19 will be brighter.
Pandemic creates new barriers for students on pathway to higher education
The Denver Channel | Sep 22, 2020
The pathway to higher education has never been without barriers. But trying to break through them during a pandemic can crack an already fragile foundation. Studying was made more difficult by the lack of access to a laptop and the internet during her final year of high school. While the schools gave students hotspots, they said they often didn't work.
Department of Higher Education Clarifies Stance on 100% Staff Attendance
Mumbai Live | Sep 22, 2020
The Department of Higher and Technical Education has issued a clarification on the government resolution (GR) that was issued by the state three days ago making 100% attendance mandatory for teaching and non-teaching staff at college “To complete the challenging task, 100% attendance of teaching and non-teaching staff is required henceforth,” the state’s government resolution said.
Webinar on Regulatory Reforms in Higher Education under Shikshak Parv initiative
India Education Diary | Sep 22, 2020
The Ministry of Education is celebrating “Shikshak Parv” during 08 to 25 September, 2020 by conducting various National Webinars on the newly announced National Education Policy 2020. As part of this initiative, a National Webinar on ‘Regulatory Reforms in Higher Education’ was organized on 21st September, 2020 wherein Prof. R.P. Tiwari, Member UGC & Vice-Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, Prof. K.K. Aggarwal, Chairperson, National Board of Accreditation, Prof. Nitin R. Karmalkar, Vice-Chancellor, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Prof. V.K. Jain, Vice-Chancellor, Tezpur University were invited as Speakers and Dr. (Mrs.) Pankaj Mittal, Secretary General, Association of Indian Universities was invited as Speaker and Moderator in the Webinar.
Opportunities for Post-pandemic Higher Education: Are we ready?
Times Now News | Sep 22, 2020
IIT Roorkee Professor explores the online semesters being conducted by IITs, the opportunities presented by COVID19, and what we need to do to make the most of them.
- To revamp the supply options of higher education degrees and diplomas by using both online and classroom instructions.
- Focusing more on the way of education in which a professional is better equipped in their own field to fight against future pandemics.
- Catering options like fully online, fully campus, or hybrid that can be more benefit in long term & provide social outcome.
The pay-as-you-go route to higher education
Daily Journal | Sep 22, 2020
In these difficult times, when there are so many people vying for jobs, taking on that kind of unsecured debt could sink your finances while you wait, particularly if you were to go through a season of unemployment.
Decolonising higher education
Free Malaysia Today News | Sep 19, 2020
Academic freedom is really a myth; it does not actually exist. No academic attached to a higher education institution anywhere in the world is truly free if that university participates religiously in the ranking exercise. It is chained to the capitalist yoke of exploitation and profit mongering, which influences our scholarly output. The false consciousness of universal benchmarking is a form of colonial conditioning.
We are all tied to an oppressive system of control, premised on the colonial notion of semi-free labour. The system has monetised knowledge and trapped educators in a profit-maximising web, where returns benefit only a few. This new form of colonisation is subtly abusive. This is clear in the process of research grant applications.
While we hope that external evaluation will improve the quality of our higher education institutes and graduates, we are oblivious to the fact that we are being exploited and manipulated. We should stop being duped into thinking that a higher global ranking automatically translates to better quality graduates. Our universities should start serious reform by acknowledging how distracted they have been by participating in the annual ranking exercises.
Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2020/09/19/decolonising-higher-education/
Equality measures in universities need independent oversight
Times Higher Education | Sept 19, 2020
The readers’ editors employed by some quality newspapers offer a model for how to protect and promote universities’ core values, argues Priya Rajasekar
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/equality-measures-universities-need-independent-oversight
Workforce preparation is only a by-product of higher education
Times Higher Education | Sep 19, 2020
To deflect political attacks, universities should emphasise the transformative effects of engaging with structured bodies of knowledge, says Paul Ashwin
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/workforce-preparation-only-product-higher-education
THE Impact Rankings 2021: new methodology announced
Times Higher Education | Sep 19, 2020
Research is not the only important value of universities. Many institutions across the world play a huge role in contributing to society through their teaching, their outreach, their stewardship and their own operations. But this work often gets overlooked. Times Higher Education has launched Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which measure universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The first two editions of the table feature several well-established research players, but they also include hundreds of less well-known institutions, many of which do not produce the volume of research to be eligible for our World University Rankings but are undertaking fantastic work in other areas.
What the Work From Home Revolution Means For Higher Education
Forbes | Sep 18, 2020
It's hard enough to convince colleges to get serious about incorporating digital skills into academic programs and curricula. New remote work soft skills like tele-empathy add a degree of difficulty to higher education’s employability challenge. In addition, remote work will make it more difficult for career launchers to find mentors and establish professional networks. As a result, students will need help building career-relevant relationships before they hit the workforce: not MBA-level networking, but faster and cheaper alumni networks like PeopleGrove.
Systemic racism in higher education
Science | Sep 18, 2020
The nexus of Black Lives Matter protests and a pandemic that disproportionately kills Black and Latinx people (1) highlights the need to end systemic racism, including in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), where diversity has not meaningfully changed for decades (2). If we decry structural racism but return to the behaviors and processes that led us to this moment, this inexcusable stagnation will continue. We urge the Academy to combat systemic racism in STEM and catalyze transformational change.
Making STEM equitable and inclusive requires actively combating racism and bias. All faculty, staff, and students should commit to learning about racism, engaging in courageous conversations with non-BIPOC colleagues, and calling out unfair practices to prevent the normalization of discriminatory behavior. Faculty should examine courses for ethnicity and gender performance disparities, ask whether departmental and lab demographics reflect society at large, and actively remedy any disparities.
Source: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/369/6510/1440.2
British government and universities pursue reckless return to higher education under pandemic conditions
World socialist web sites | Sep 18, 2020
World socialist web sites | Sep 18, 2020
More than one million students are returning to Higher Education (HE) campuses across the UK, including hundreds of thousands from abroad. This migration is occurring under conditions where the COVID-19 virus is resurgent, following the forced return to workplaces and schools under the government’s herd immunity policy.
The return to campus will accelerate the R (reproduction) value, which last week rose to between 1.0 and 1.2. In major cities and conurbations such as London, Greater Manchester and Liverpool, the R rate rose to between 1.1 and 1.3, higher than other UK regions. These last two urban areas alone are home to eight universities with a combined student population exceeding 120,000.
Source: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/09/18/unuk-s18.html
Patriotism and smart school main priorities for non-higher education 10-year plan
Macau Bisiness | Sep 18, 2020
Macau’s new strategy for non-higher education development until 2030 has as some of its main priorities to “cultivate patriotic sentiment” and develop the “smart school” principle, officials announced today (Friday).
Educational planning 2021-2030 “is based on four main directions: cultivating patriotic sentiment and international vision, developing students’ ‘soft power’, increasing the feeling of happiness and reinforcing creative education”, informed those responsible for the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) at a press conference.
The authorities announced that the “Medium and long-term planning of non-higher education (2021-2030)”, which began to be prepared in 2018, will be available for public consultation at the end of the year.
WSJ/THE US College Rankings 2021: Duke and Carnegie Mellon rise
Times Higher Education | Sep 18, 2020
Duke and Carnegie Mellon universities are the biggest risers at the top of a student-focused ranking of US universities and colleges.
The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings 2021 are led by Harvard University for the fifth year in a row. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University hold on to second and third place, respectively.
However, there are significant changes elsewhere in the top 20. Stanford University is now ranked fourth, up from joint seventh, replacing the University of Pennsylvania, which drops nine places to 13th.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/wsj-us-college-rankings-2021-duke-and-carnegie-mellon-rise
Digital Onboarding Comes To Higher Education
PYMNTS.COM | Sep 17, 2020
Universities are getting schooled in “pandenomics” — a portmanteau of “pandemic” and “economics” coined by PYMNTS to describe manifestations of COVID-era financial change in different verticals. Higher education is not immune from pandenomics, and is undergoing its own reset as institutions of higher learning synthesize new market conditions.
Observing that “onboarding does not stop after students have been accepted to their chosen universities,” there remains financial aid, housing, course selection and numerous other details to manage. “A number of these steps were traditionally done on campus or through paper documentation, such as disbursing refunds for housing costs or financial aid with physical checks,” the Tracker notes.
With campus visits all but nonexistent this year, remote onboarding for small colleges or university centers is the province of digital, and that process must be safeguarded.
Source: https://www.pymnts.com/innovation/2020/digital-onboarding-comes-to-higher-education/
West Bengal seeks UGC seal for October exam date
Times of India | Sep 11, 2020
The state higher education department has requested the University Grants Commission to extend the last date of conducting the final year/semester examinations in Bengal till October18. The government has cited the suggestion from the disaster management department, which has advised not to hold the exam till end of September given the current Covid pandemic. A VC said the education secretary had told university heads about a confirmation from the UGC to go ahead with the dates and a written response would be sent out soon.
California State University to keep teaching online into spring
Times Higher Education | Sep 11, 2020
The 23-campus California State University, the largest four-year college system in the US, has announced that it will stick with online instruction for most of its classes in the spring semester.
CSU’s chancellor, Timothy White, said that he was acting well ahead of the rest of US higher education because of the persistent health threat and the need to give CSU and its nearly 500,000 students sufficient time to prepare.
CSU is setting out its intentions as US higher education remains divided and conflicted about how to handle the current autumn semester while the nation leads the world in coronavirus cases and deaths.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/california-state-university-keep-teaching-online-spring
First generation learners need strong hand-holding
Times of India | Sep 11, 2020
Growing up in a slum in Harinagar near Ashram, Chandan Singh knew little about the United Kingdom and what it means to study there. As a student of a government school, all he knew was to perform well in the academics and not lose any mark in his favourite subject Mathematics. His passion for Math continues, even after he has flown to the UK on Chevening scholarship to study pure Mathematics (Algebraic topology) at Imperial College London. While his niche education gives him an option to explore the world and take up a high-paying, lucrative job, Chandan does not appear to be keen about it. "I want to use my knowledge, exposure and higher education to help the students who are in a similar situation as I once was," says Chandan.
Glaring digital divide in education in India: Covid-19 gives opportunity for digital inclusion
India Today | Sep 11, 2020
India has the world’s largest education system with over 250 million students enrolled in some 1.5 million schools and another 37.4 million students enrolled in approximately 50,000 Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).The Covid-19 lockdown in the country has suspended physical classes in all educational institutions. The suspension of physical classes moved teaching, learning and assessment of students to online mode.
This shift from a chalk-talk mode to online mode has bared a big digital divide in India’s education system at two levels:
a) Continuity of learning of students in urban versus those in rural areas
The survey highlights that only 15% of rural households have access to internet as against 42% of urban households.
b) Digital readiness of govt versus private educational institutions
On the other hand, the majority of government educational institutes are struggling to make this transition with the exception of some top institutes like IITs, NITs, IIMs and some of the central universities.
PM Modi to address conclave on 'School Education in 21st Century' today
MINT | Sep 11, 2020
The Ministry of Education is organising this two-day conclave on September 10 and 11 as a part of the 'Shiksha Parv'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the conclave on 'School Education in 21st Century' under the National Education Policy 2020 at 11 am on September 11, through video conferencing.
Shikshak Parv is being celebrated from September 8 to 25 to felicitate the teachers and to take New Education Policy 2020 forward. Various webinars, virtual conferences, and conclaves on various aspects of National Education Policy 2020 are being organised across the country.
Biden Beats Trump in Higher Ed Contributions
Inside Higher Ed | Sep 11, 2020
According to an Inside Higher Ed analysis of federal elections data, employees at colleges and universities have donated five times as much to Joe Biden as to Donald Trump.
According to federal elections records, those who listed their employer as a college or university have given Democratic candidate Joe Biden about $4.9 million in contributions, more than five times as much as the $890,000, including donations from for-profit college executives that they have given President Trump.
That those in higher education are overwhelmingly supporting Biden isn’t surprising, given that Trump’s views on climate change spurred a March for Science in 2017, his downplaying of the threat of coronavirus has angered many in the medical community and his brand of populism has been particular popular among those without a college education. Or, in the eyes of conservatives, the support for Biden reflects the dominance of liberal viewpoints on campus.
Caste, Income Slab, and Higher Education
Velivada | Sep 10, 2020
Amongst many issues which are still prevalent in contemporary India, there is one which always remains highly debated, that is, caste. The university (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University) was proposing to implement the criteria of the income slab provision instead of the earlier full fee waiver to the SC/ST/OBC/PwD from the current session of 2020-21.
This provision is problematic and exclusionary at different levels. The very assumption behind a dilution of provision for SC/ST/OBC students is that caste is not present and does not affect the lives of people, but it is the income division which prevails.
Source: https://velivada.com/2020/09/10/caste-income-slab-and-higher-education/
Rajasthan First State to Make Community Outreach Compulsory in Higher Education
News18 | Sep 10, 2020
The Ashok Gehlot government is in the process to introduce 'Aanandam' scheme to inspire college students to contribute towards society and earn academic credits in return. A first in the country, the state government's initiative has already received acceptance from most universities in the state. Inspired from the Gandhian approach towards wholesome development of citizens, 'Aanandam' would allow the students to decide the mode of service they wish to deliver, be it cleaning the campus or associating with some non-governmental organisation. Moreover, it would not add to the academic burden, any financial burden on the state exchequer, or involve any classroom lectures.
Angola signs MoU with Huawei to improve higher education
Xinhua| Sep 10, 2020
Angola on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Huawei to improve the teaching and learning process of the country's higher education sector.
Angola's Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Maria do Rosario Sambo, said the signing of the MoU with the leading Chinese telecommunications equipment manufacturer, represents a moment of great importance for the ministry she leads.The memorandum with Huawei mainly aims to enable the improvement of human and infrastructural capacity of the higher education subsystem, the minister said.
The MoU is focused on improving the teaching and learning process of teachers, and on empowering educational institutions to have training service in the information and communication technology sector, the minister said.
Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-09/10/c_139358700.html
Today’s Awkward Zoom Classes Could Bring a New Era of Higher Education
EDSurge | Sep 10, 2020
Most colleges and universities in the United States are conducting classes either partly or fully online. Many students have chosen to defer or to forego their education completely. Many colleges and universities will suffer extreme financial stress.
These seismic changes are both a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and a long-delayed response to demographic and economic shifts. But they are also–subtly, and critically–the result of technological change. Online learning is arguably now in the middle of its own evolution, morphing from the earliest MOOCs, which, like early movies, were essentially just filmed classes, into something very different. The awkwardness of last semester’s Zoom sessions is almost certainly just a way-station on this journey—a hasty adaptation to what will inevitably become a very different model for higher education.
Bennett University to hold 3 webinars on higher education
Times of India | Sep 8, 2020
A three-part webinar series on the National Education Policy will be held at Bennett University in Greater Noida from Tuesday. The webinar will discuss ways to improve the scope of higher education in the country. The topics that will be discussed at the three webinars are “Impact of New Education Policy, 2020”, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The next webinar is titled “National Education 2020 and its impact on HEI’s quality assurance system”, which will be held on September 12. The third part — “NEP 2020 with focus on Higher Education” — will be organized on September 14.
Centre to focus on increasing gross enrollment ratio, building higher education institutions in rural India: Prakash Javadekar
Times of India | Sep 8, 2020
MAHARASHTRA: Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said that the Centre has set a target of increasing the Gross Enrollment Ratio higher education from 26 per cent to 50 per cent under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and added that it will focus on opening more higher education institutions in the rural areas for the benefit of the girl child.
Govt issues SOPs for partial reopening of schools, higher educational institutions
Times of India | Sep 8, 2020
As part of the phase-wise unlocking of activities, the ministry of health on Tuesday issued the standard operating procedures for partial reopening of secondary and senior secondary schools from September 21. It also released the preventive measures to contain spread of Covid-19. The SOPs are based on the activities permitted by the MHA under 'Unlock 4'.
'The Pandemic Has Fast-forwarded Technological Advancements In Higher Education' Say B-school Academicians At Session Organised By GIM
BWEducation | Sep 8, 2020
Education as we know it, has witnessed a drastic change. The pandemic has accelerated the journey of including the use of technology in the education system and has fast-forwarded the progress in the education sector by five years in a very short span of a few months according to Ajit Parulekar, Director, GIM. Parulekar was in conversation with academicians on the theme ‘Ed-Tech Essentials for New Normal’, at a recently held webinar organised by the B-school.
The online discussion was an attempt to enable cross border academic deliberations with stakeholders on the adaptation of new technologies in higher education. Professor Pravat Surya Kar, Associate Professor at GIM moderated the session which also included Professor P. D. Jose, Chair, MOOCs Initiative & Strategy, IIM, Bangalore and Professor Sebastian Morris, Economics, Public Systems, IIM, Ahmedabad.
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Microsoft Egypt joined forces to empower fresh graduates with digital skills through “Bina’a Insaan” initiative
Microsoft News Center| Sep 8, 2020
The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Microsoft Egypt have joined forces to launch “Bina’a Insaan”. The initiative supported by Dr.Khaled Abdel Ghafar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, aims to empower the country’s fresh graduates with the most-in-demand digital skills required to boost their employability. The effort is part of Microsoft’s global skilling initiative that aims to upskill 25 million people worldwide with skills needed in a COVID-19 economy.
As part of this partnership, the Ministry and Microsoft will work together to equip more than 20,000 graduates in Egypt during the period of August 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, by enabling them to acquire the skills needed to land the top 10 in-demand jobs, as well as gain access to soft skills & employability skills courses through LinkedIn. The high in demand roles include Software Developer, Sales Representative, Project Manager, IT administrator, Customer Service Specialist, Digital Marketing Specialist, IT Support / Help Desk, Data Analyst, Financial Analyst and Graphic Designer.
NEP 2020: Gujarat government forms 13-member task force for higher education
Ahmadabad Mirror | Sep 8, 2020
Gujarat Government seems to have kick started plan to be first in India to implement New Education Policy 2020. Like primary and secondary education policy, Gujarat Government’s Higher and Technical Education department has formed a 13-member State level Task force to study and implement NEP2020. In fact, Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama also said that the department has called in committee meeting for higher education on September 9, and for primary and secondary education on September 14.
TNIE Impact: Meenakshi College of Nursing in Madurai to sponsor girl's higher education
The New Indian Express | Sep 8, 2020
After TNIE highlighted in an article on July 17, the plight of one S Abirami of Pudukottai district who had scored 366 out of 600 in the Class XII examinations, Meenakshi College of Nursing in Madurai has stepped in to fully sponsor her four-year BSc Nursing programme. She will be joining the college in a couple of days.
Universities Face Digital Accessibility Lawsuits as Pandemic Continues
Diverse | Sep 8, 2020
There’s been an uptick in lawsuits by students with disabilities against colleges and universities since the coronavirus pandemic shifted higher education online.
This July and August, digital accessibility suits increased 17 times compared to the first half of the year, according to AudioEye, a digital accessibility software company.
Online education, if designed incorrectly, can pose all kinds of educational hurdles to students with disabilities, who make up about a fifth of college students, according to a 2016 report from the National Center for Education Statistics.
With Higher Education’s Grand Reopening, Technology Should Take Center Stage
Forbes | Sep 8, 2020
Undoubtedly, this fall will mark a “brand-new start” in many ways for those in higher ed, and technology will take center stage. The pandemic makes every president’s decision feel more important than ever; with CIOs playing a critical role in ensuring schools can deliver on their promises, keep students safe and still deliver an education worthy of the institution’s name.
Much like the “four classes of first-year students” that will begin classes this fall, higher ed professionals are experiencing many firsts. These are situations that don’t have tried-and-tested best practices or go-to guides to call upon. Fortunately, those who work in higher ed are resilient, and technology leaders are innovative, and we’re well on our way to figuring out the best practices that will see us through the pandemic.
UAlbany business dean: The future of universities may rely on corporate collaboration
The Business Journal | Sep 8, 2020
One of the ways Nilanjan Sen says universities need to change: "I think universities as a whole might have to have much deeper engagement, particularly the professional schools, with the corporate sector on an ongoing basis."
Student, interrupted: How will Covid-19 transform higher education?
NewStatesman | Sep 7, 2020
The pandemic represents a challenge and an opportunity for UK universities to overhaul their offering to students. If there has ever been a moment for more versatile teaching practices to develop, it is now. Compassionate and informed approaches can cost little, especially compared with the high price universities would have to pay if they fail their students now. Grappling with the issue of where and how students learn during a pandemic could mean the difference between a precarious future and a great leap forward for the higher education sector and those it serves.
Devil in the Details
The Stateman | Sep 05, 2020
Lofty futuristic goals no doubt, with tectonic potential to transform India from an educationally laggard country into a self-reliant knowledge superpower only if sincere implementation can be ensured which would need enormous resources, and it is here that the NEP disappoints. The total combined public expenditure on education by the Centre and the states, currently at only about 4 per cent of GDP, falls way behind the target of 6 per cent envisaged in all previous Education Policies.
Source: https://www.thestatesman.com/opinion/devil-in-the-details-1502922056.html
Readout from the Vice President’s Briefing with Higher Education Leaders and State and Local Officials on Campus COVID-19 Considerations
Whitehouse.Gov | Sep 04, 2020
Vice President Mike Pence today led a discussion with college presidents, state and local leaders, the Secretary of Education, and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force to brief them on the principles contained in the recently released “Recommendations for College Students.” These principles are intended to keep schools open while mitigating community spread.
The Vice President highlighted a number of states and institutions that have taken innovative and collaborative approaches to return students to their campuses. For example: Colorado State University is using surveillance testing to monitor the potential spread of COVID-19 and the University of Notre Dame quickly and efficiently dealt with an outbreak on campus. The Vice President also emphasized the importance of keeping our schools open and students on or near campus, and praised the efforts of all essential workers who have made school reopening possible, including teachers.
Commissioner: Higher ed will drive Texas recovery
Odessa American | Sep 04, 2020
Higher education institutions will help drive Texas’ recovery from the economic downturn and the pandemic.
In July, Gov. Greg Abbott and the legislative leadership announced that they would allocate $175 million of the governor’s emergency education relief fund for higher education, Texas Commissioner of Higher Education Harrison Keller said in a phone interview.
The way the funds are structured, the state has to assign and commit the funds within a year of receiving them.
Education Loan for the teaching fraternity – Here is how to get it
Financial Express | Sep 04, 2020
The loan will be offered to those who plan to pursue their higher education, along with students who desire to take up teacher training courses and teachers who aspire to take up up-skilling courses. On the occasion of the Teachers’ Day, Avanse Financial Services has launched an education loan exclusively for children of the teaching fraternity. The loan will be offered to those who plan to pursue their higher education, along with students who desire to take up teacher training courses and teachers who aspire to take up up-skilling courses.
The company will support eligible education aspirants with an unsecured loan amount and a turnaround time of 72 hours of application. It will be available with a 0.5 per cent reduction on the existing interest rate and 50 bps discount on the processing fee. This offer is valid from 5th to 30th September 2020. Avanse is an education-focused non-banking financial company (NBFC).
Positive Marketing Messages from Higher Education Institutions Help Reassure Parents and Students During The Pandemic
Digital Media Solutions | Sep 04, 2020
During COVID-19, education marketing can be a challenge for colleges and universities that need to encourage enrollment in their programs without appearing insensitive. For higher education institutions that need to accurately relay shifting COVID-19 strategies, while still also reassuring parents and students that academics and student life are a priority, deploying positive, inclusive and informative enrollment marketing campaigns may be the best approach.
Higher education marketing campaigns during the pandemic should focus on:
- Answering questions parents and students may have about new processes and procedures due to the impact of COVID-19.
- The relative normalcy of academic and student life.
- School strengths, including what makes school culture and programs unique.
- Career applications and support.
- Positivity.
Source: https://insights.digitalmediasolutions.com/articles/edu-digital-marketing-campaigns-covid
Global Higher Education Services Industry
GlobeNewswire | Sep 04, 2020
The Higher Education Services market in the U.S. is estimated at US$860.2 Million in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$2.6 Billion by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 24.2% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 13.6% and 16.7% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 14.9% CAGR.We bring years of research experience to this 17th edition of our report. The 287-page report presents concise insights into how the pandemic has impacted production and the buy side for 2020 and 2021. A short-term phased recovery by key geography is also addressed.
Higher Education Looks Outside for Alternative Workspaces
Facilitiesnet | Sep 04 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is driving changes that are going beyond facilities. All types of institutional and commercial organizations are rethinking the definition of a workspace and deciding that a range of options exist outside a building’s walls. In the case of higher education, the answer sometimes literally lies outdoors.
A few universities are taking class meetings outside to safely keep students on campus, according to Scroll.
The institutions are not looking to merely hold classes outside on nice days, but to find solutions to support regular class meetings outside even in cooler weather.
Other universities are turning to the hospitality market for workspace options, according to Hospitalitynet. Universities are modifying hotels for student use.
NEP 2020 strikes Higher Education, Educational Institutions
The Siasat Daily| Sep 04, 2020
In the era of the Corona epidemic, the new education policy of the 21st century has been brought to the public with the disregard of the Parliament and the Constitution, which is being called a revolutionary step in the field of education.
The new education policy 2020 brought to the public by showing the dream of a healthy, powerful, superior, prosperous India is an attempt to centralize education in the name of changes made in the education sector, especially in the context of transferring higher education to the market. The changes suggested for higher education and educational institutions are based on actually withdrawing from the government’s responsibilities for education and using education as a commodity for profit.
Source: https://www.siasat.com/nep-2020-strikes-higher-education-educational-institutions-1965202/
Political Influence on Fall Plans
Inside Higher Ed | Sep 03, 2020
Colleges and universities looked at several factors when determining whether to reopen their campuses to students for the fall, including local COVID-19 case numbers, campuses' ability to physically distance students and what students said they wanted in surveys.
New analysis found that a college's reopening decision for the fall term is tied to the red or blue shade of its state, even if political pressure may not be direct.
The Trump administration has overtly pressured higher education, though. Lobbyists have been concerned that additional federal aid for colleges could be tied to reopening, and officials in the administration have pushed states to reopen campuses, even as cases climb.
How Skills Preparation May Be a Viable Path To Higher Education
BWEducation | Sep 03, 2020
Enhancing the skills can be done by attending workshops and seminars so that the students and teachers get exposed to the new ideas that are being envisaged for their better academic and research objectives.
It is not just about the educational institutions or their paradigm that need revision. Students who are pursuing higher education must realize that it is their responsibility to continue to look for opportunities to improve their college skills.
Likewise, employers need to think more freely before recruiting an employee because they don't find getting a higher degree as the only criterion for work performance and analytical skills.
Deconstructing Learning, Reconstructing Education
INSEAD Knowledge | Sep 03, 2020
No doubt, virtual classrooms have their drawbacks. For example, it’s much easier to read the room when teaching face-to-face: Are the students engaged, bored or confused?
There’s also the reality of “Zoom fatigue”. Professors’ energies may wane over the course of days and weeks of wrestling with the myriad challenges associated with teaching online. And students, too, have reported that online learning lacks the intimacy and interactivity of real-world classrooms. Pre-Covid research found that students learn less in online classes than they do in-person.
However, after a period of adjustment, teaching online may become second nature, and offerings may improve as a result. As professors acclimate to the bells and whistles associated with this technology, they’ll come to appreciate certain freedoms or additional technical capabilities that are lacking in conventional classroom settings.
Source: https://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/deconstructing-learning-reconstructing-education-15111
Madhya Pradesh: Grant admission even after September 30 deadline, says UGC to Higher education institutions
The Free Press Journal | Sep 02, 2020
In view of Covid-19 situation, University Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed higher education institutions (HEIs) to grant provisional admission to students even after the September 30 deadline. In a letter to universities and colleges, UGC secretary Rajnish Jain stated that UGC's Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the universities had allowed admissions to the UG and PG programmes for the session 2020-21 till August 31.
EducationDynamics Acquires QuinStreet's Higher Education Vertical
New York Citybizlist | Sep 02, 2020
EducationDynamics, a leader in higher education marketing and enrollment management services, announces the acquisition of the assets of QuinStreet's higher education vertical. EducationDynamics has acquired the assets of QuinStreet's higher education vertical, which includes its industry leading network of digital publishers, and its deep portfolio of higher education related URLs.
EducationDynamics' CEO, Bruce Douglas, notes that, "EducationDynamics' deep array of products and services, delivered through its best in class inquiry generation division and its outstanding agency of record marketing and enrollment management practice, has clearly established the company as a leader in the adult focused higher education industry.
Jamia Millia Islamia improves position in Times Higher Education World University Rankings-2021
India Today | Sep 02, 2020
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has improved from 19th to 12th rank in the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021 by maintaining its rank between 601-800 band. The varsity is among the few academic institutions from Indian which has not only maintained its position globally but has also improved its rank among Indian Institutions.
University of Oxford Is Number One in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 as Asia Enters Top 20 For The First Time and COVID-19 Threatens Perfect Storm for UK Higher Education
CISION News Wire | Sep 02, 2020
The UK's University of Oxford retains top spot for the 5th consecutive year. UK loses a top 10 place for the first time in a decade as Imperial College London slips to 11th.University of Cambridge fall to 6th, its lowest position since 2014. UK at risk as institutions outside of top 200 show signs of decline and THE survey of global university leaders suggests Covid-19 could significantly damage higher education sector.US dominates top 10, claiming a record 8 positions, but US institutions outside top 200 show signs of decline. Mainland China's Tsinghua University becomes the first ever Asian university to make the overall top 20 (joint 20th).
Maha Higher Education Min Meets Guv Koshyari Over Issue of Conducting Final Year Exams
Republicworld.com| Sep 02, 2020
With the Supreme Court upholding UGC guidelines to conduct final year exams amid COVID, Maharashtra's Minister of Higher Education Uday Samant called on Governor Bhakat Singh Koshyari on Wednesday to discuss the same. The Higher Education Minister was accompanied by Minister of State Prajakt Tanpure on his visit to the Raj Bhavan.
A total of 7,62,962 students are expected to appear for the final year exams across universities. The examinations, if held in the first week of October, are also likely to be of lesser marks.
China Tightens Rules on Naming Higher Education Institutions
Pandaily | Sep 01, 2020
According to the regulation, institutions in principle should not be titled with words such as “China,” “national,” “international” or other terms that represent China or the world. What’s more, words of regions such as “North China,” “East China,” “Northeast China” and “Southwest China”, are also not allowed in the naming.
In principle, institutions should not be named other than the city where the school is located; schools established by the provincial governments can be titled with the province’s name. The word count of titles should be no more than 12 words. And in principle, schools should not be named after an individual, except with the approval of the education administration department of the State Council, the name of donors who have made special contributions to the development of the school can be used in the title.
Source: https://pandaily.com/china-tightens-rules-on-naming-higher-education-institutions/
Higher education: Textbook prices daunting for students
The News Tribune| Sep 01, 2020
In order for students to get the most from their education, it is extremely important that they have access to free textbooks and other educational tools, such as access codes for homework, which often makes up a significant portion of our grades. Many college students are not able to afford pricey textbooks, especially under the circumstances our country is now facing.
Source: https://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article245396310.html
Why further and higher education aren’t a zero-sum-game
FEWEEK | Sep 01, 2020
What really matters for learners is high quality provision that creates a passport into quality employment. To truly level up the country, instead of arbitrary targets we need a joined-up system of higher and further education where every student has access to the courses that are right for them.
Source: https://feweek.co.uk/2020/09/01/why-further-and-higher-education-arent-a-zero-sum-game/
Enhanced distance learning for higher education
AV Magazine | Sep 01, 2020
IPTV-based teaching in today’s internet connected world is encouraging a growing number of established universities and colleges to offer online courses. It has also attracted a new generation of organisations with virtual training as their primary focus. With education becoming ever more competitive, the now is the time to plan for the future.
How to Save Higher Education
Washington Monthly| September/October 2020
There has never been a crisis in American higher education like the one we are facing today. While fall enrollment numbers are still in flux as colleges scramble to deal with an out-of-control pandemic, there is no question that all but the wealthiest institutions are facing deep financial pain and potential catastrophe. The need for college won’t go away, however, particularly with widespread unemployment. For-profit colleges backed by private equity will surge into the gap, using aggressive and deceptive marketing tactics to sign up naive students who will pay outsized tuition with no-questions-asked loans from the U.S. Department of Education. Much of that debt will never be repaid, ruining credit, wasting lives, and costing taxpayers billions. “Free college” is essentially a bailout for tax-cutting, government-hating right-wingers.
Source: https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/september-october-2020/how-to-save-higher-education/
New leadership team to drive future directions for tertiary ECEC education in Australia
The Sector| Aug 31, 2020
Federal Minister for Education Dan Tehan has announced the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer to Australia’s independent national quality assurance and regulatory agency for higher education, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
Is ‘studying abroad’ still worth it? Covid has exposed foreign higher education to be a diminished service at an unnaturally high cost
Times of India| Aug 31, 2020
There is good reason why Indian students and their parents hanker for a higher education ‘abroad’, especially in institutions carrying the Ivy League and Oxbridge goldmark. Places such as Stanford or Harvard in the US, and Trinity or Imperial College in Britain have, for decades if not centuries, provided not just the best that quality education can provide, but especially for many Anglophonic Indians, something that is deeply aspirational, providing a ‘golden ticket’ for social mobility that goes well beyond what one’s LinkedIn profile will contain.
Much of the high value is created not just by what goes on in the ‘tried and tested and branded’ academic exchanges in these Hogwarts, but also by the immersive experiences that comes with being there.
Faculty say higher education, research is ‘rife’ with discrimination
The GW Hatchet | Aug 31, 2020
Faculty interviewed say systemic racism in academia consists of discrimination at the undergraduate level all the way up to micro aggressions and bias in academic departments.
On the heels of nationwide protests against police brutality this summer, Joy Woods and Shardé Davis, both Black women in communications research, used #Blackintheivory in June to share their experiences of racism in higher education on Twitter. Since then, thousands of students and faculty members across universities like Yale began using the hashtag to share their stories of discrimination and bias in academia. Faculty said they have experienced discrimination through biases in research funding allocation, biases in universities’ hiring practices and unconscious bias.
Solano Life 2020: Solano College offers local higher education
Daily Republic| August 30, 2020
Solano Community College offers its students many paths to vocational careers and a solid stepping stone to higher college degrees, expanding this year to boast more than 14,000 students.
Along with its main campus on Suisun Valley Road in Fairfield, Solano College has satellite campuses in Vacaville, Vallejo and on Travis Air Force Base.
The college district offers opportunities for its students, such as giving them the ability to earn a certificate, a degree or transfer to a four-year institution. In addition to core academic classes, it offers programs in criminal justice, fire technology, nursing, emergency medical services, cosmetology and horticulture.
Solano College is still a work in progress thanks to the projects spawned by the passage in 2012 of Measure Q, a $348 million facilities bond.
Upgrad expects over 8-fold growth in revenue to Rs 10,000 cr by 2025
Outlook | Aug 30, 2020
Edutech firm Upgrad expects to grow its business by over eight-folds in the next five years to cross a revenue of Rs 10,000 crore on account of traction in online higher education by professionals in the country, a top official of the company said. The company expects to grow by 300 per cent in the current fiscal driven by demand created for online education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Upgrad co-founder and chairman Ronnie Screwvala told PTI. "Our target in our core business of LifeLongLearning with working professionals and degree programmes is to cross Rs 7,000 crore revenue in the financial year 2025.
Government sets a target of 50% Gross Enrollment Rate in higher education by 2035, says Union Minister of Education
Times of India| Aug 30, 2020
Union Minister of Education, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank interacted with renowned educationists at Shiksha Samwaad hosted by the Chandigarh Varsity. He was speaking during the National Discussion 'Shiksha Samwaad' on National Education Policy-2020. Renowned educationists, academicians, faculty and students from all over India participated during the Shiksha Samwaad which saw in-depth analysis on the topic 'Vision of making India a Global Knowledge Superpower'. While addressing through a virtual session, Pokhriyal said, "New Education policy aims at improving the Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) in Higher Education and Government of India has set a target of achieving 50% GER by 2035. To achieve this target, Government of India has decided to add 3.5 crore new seats in Higher Education Institutions of India by 2035."
Egypt- Higher Education Ministry announces grades required for elite faculties' admission
MENAFN | Aug 30, 2020
Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar has announced the minimum high school (Thanaweya Amma) grade requirements for admission to elite faculties at Egypt's public universities for 2020/21 academic year. Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Abdel Ghaffar said that the minimum grades stand at 98.5% for admission to faculties of medicine and dentistry, and 97.5% for faculties of physical therapy. For admission to the faculties of economics and political sciences; Al Alsun; and mass communication, students must attain a minimum grade of 96.1%, 95.5%, and 94.5%, respectively.
How good are the proposed higher education changes?
The Sunday Morning Herald | Aug 30, 2020
The Australian government released its main higher education reform package in June. It expects a strong post-pandemic economic recovery which will “depend on knowledge-intensive jobs held by Australians who are highly skilled, creative and flexible”. It wants the higher education sector to play a pivotal role in this recovery. Underlying the reform package is the belief that the structure of the Australian economy is transforming to the highly hyped Industry 4.0 which will require workers skilled in robotics, big data and artificial intelligence.
Lower exam criteria allow more in higher education
Ekathimerini.com| Aug 29, 2020
One in three candidates admitted to state universities this year had an entry exam grade below the entrance base, according to Friday’s announcement of exam results by the Education Ministry. This year’s low grades, as well as last year’s, have been attributed to legislative changes introduced in 2019 by Kostas Gavroglou, who was education minister under the previous SYRIZA government. These changes sought to make it easier for a growing number of students to enter university with lower criteria.
India's opportunity in higher education
Business Standards | Aug 28, 2020
The last four decades have seen rapid growth in our higher education system, raising the proportion of the relevant age group in higher education from 6 per cent to 26 per cent. In the mid 2000s, when growth peaked, India opened one engineering and management college each day. This growth has been highly skewed: In professional fields, in undergraduate education, and in the private sector.
The net effect of this skew is a massive quality problem. Consider enrolment in undergraduate engineering programmes, which have grown over 40 times in 40 years.
Quality a concern for distance learning under new edu policy
Times of India | Aug 28, 2020
The National Education Policy 2020 aims to ensure access, equity and quality education from pre-primary to tertiary level. With regard to higher education, there are nine visions to deliver quality higher education. The ninth vision focuses on "increased access, equity and inclusion through a range of measures, including greater opportunities for outstanding public education… online education and Open and Distance Learning (ODL)". Indicating that ODL, after some key changes, can play an important role in enhancement of the total Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education. Despite the plans to utilise the ODL system, NEP 2020 has not considered the recommendations of the previous policies regarding establishment of open universities, nor has it taken lessons to plug the holes in the system. The NEP 2020 plans to overhaul the ODL system. Some of the imperative schemes are ensuring quality open and distance learning programmes equivalent to on campus programmes, encouraging accredited such institutions to develop quality online courses and framing guidelines for regulations and accreditation, besides exploring vocational courses through ODL. Even though it deals with the expansion of ODL, it does not have specific schemes and plans for open universities. Though the previous policies recommend setting up open universities in all states, the present one does not propose any such plans to increase the strength of OUs. Instead it allows higher educational institutions without experience to conduct ODL and online programmes.
Research and higher education in the time of COVID-19
The Lancet | Aug 28, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has propelled the research and higher education sectors to the forefront of public attention. Laboratory capacity has been crucial for diagnostic testing; experts in infectious diseases, epidemiology, public health, mathematical modelling, and economics are central to national policy making and media coverage; clinical research has been vital to improving COVID-19 management; and our collective global future relies heavily on the development of an effective vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Meanwhile, the pandemic is undermining the ability of researchers to do their jobs and of universities to provide a high-quality and safe educational experience for students. As the northern hemisphere looks forward to the beginning of a new academic year, the troubling effects of the pandemic on research and higher education are coming into sharp focus. Immediate challenges such as campus safety, university admissions processes, and online learning arrangements are dominating the discussion.
Source: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)31818-3/fulltext
3.5 crore seats will be added in higher education institutions by 2035: Union minister
Hindustan Time | Aug 27, 2020
The Centre will be adding 3.5 crore new seats in the higher education institutions of India by the year 2035, said Union education minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
While addressing the participants through the virtual mode, Pokhriyal said, “NEP-2020 aims at improving the gross enrollment rate (GER) in higher education and Centre has set a target of achieving 50% GER by 2035. To accomplish this, 3.5 crore new seats will be added in the higher education institutions of India by 2035.”
“The new policy, which is based on five pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability, is aimed at sustainable development. NEP-2020 has not only been widely accepted and acclaimed in the nation, but has been appreciated by other countries as well. In fact, India has already received requests for the policy framework from three countries so that they can also draft a similar policy for implementation in their respective nations,” the minister added.
After K-12 segment, edtech market ready for 10X boom in higher education, lifelong learning in 5 years
Financial Express | August 27, 2020
The overall online higher education market will benefit from the new reforms set forth, including the increase in public spending (targeted at 6 per cent of the nation’s GDP) along with other accompanying macro-economic factors.
India’s booming edtech market, which saw multiple startups including Byju’s, Toppr, Unacademy and more raising funding amid the Covid pandemic, is staring at further boost on the back of growth in higher education and lifelong learning segments. The segment is referred to post K-12 market including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and working professionals opting for upskilling and/or reskilling courses. The total addressable markets for the two segments –higher education and lifelong learning – are expected to grow from $400 million and $100 million in FY20 to $3.6 billion and $1.2 billion respectively in FY25, according to data from RedSeer. The combined growth of the two segments is pegged at around 10X to approximately $5 billion. The market for higher education is also expected to see a 6 per cent CAGR in student enrolment from 40 million in FY20 to 53 million in FY25. The market for online lifelong learning also will expand further with “further push after Covid as the economic uncertainty further establishes the need for continuous learning,” the report noted. Apart from Covid, existing skills getting increasingly redundant, job creation lagging behind new additions to the workforce annually, and a mismatch between industry requirements versus education curriculum in colleges are the other reasons for growth.
BHU law dept bagged 19th spot in NIRF rankings. Now it says it has no data to back that
The Print | Tarun Krishna | Aug 27, 2020
The Banaras Hindu University’s Faculty of Law was ranked 19th in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for 2020, based on the data it provided to the National Board of Accreditation (NBA) earlier this year.
The university has, however, now told that it does not have any such data as it does not collect students’ data in the first place. According to the data BHU’s law faculty shared with the NBA, all 60 of its students in the five-year BA LLB programme graduated in the minimum stipulated time in the 2018-19 academic year. It had also claimed that 35 of them were placed at a median salary of Rs 8 lakh per annum. This data is in public domain and can be accessed on the Ministry of Education website.
3 Ways to Increase Tech Adoption in Higher Education
EDTech | Amelia Pang | Aug 27, 2020
According to a Twitter poll conducted in June, 34.3 percent of respondents saw technology adoption as their greatest remote learning challenge.
As another difficult academic year drives new online learning challenges that may require more technology to address, here are some tips on how to help members of your university embrace the tech they need for successful learning outcomes.
1. Show Why New Technology Will Benefit Everyone
2. Focus on Improving Digital Literacy
3. Make It Easy for Faculty and Staff to Transition to New Systems
Source: https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2020/08/3-ways-increase-tech-adoption-higher-education
Higher education dept to upload video lectures in Utkal University website for students
Times of India | August 26, 2020
The higher education department has asked Utkal University to upload recorded video lectures and other e-contents on the university website for students and teachers of different higher educational institutes of the state.
Under the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA 1.0) scheme, a virtual tutorial project was started at directorate of distance and continuing education (DDCE) of Utkal University in 2017. A studio had been created to prepare audio-video based syllabus and problem solving contents at +3 level in bilingual mode (Odia and English).
After the creation of video lectures, the government had planned to embed them in a Pen Drive or a Tablet PC and provide them to the students of underprivileged areas in Utkal University, Berhampur University, Sambalpur University, Fakir Mohan University and North Odisha University.
Why there is need for policy attention on disparities in education sector
DailyO | Rashmi Mishra | Aug 26, 2020
There has been an overwhelming growth of the higher education system in India. This has been possible with public and private initiatives along with good use of information technology. Higher education worldwide is dynamic and is influenced by not only the national policies but also global perspective.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been the accelerator for the growth of the present education system without which it would have been unimaginable to have such an unprecedented expansion. Technology has been the game-changer as regards the nature of various educational processes with the delivery of education not nearly restricted to brick and mortar institutions but moving on to brick and click campuses.
It may be emphasized that reforming higher education is what is needed. The joint Endeavour of the public and private higher education system with ICT tools can definitely work towards creating a large pool of educated citizenry to compete in the global knowledge economy.
Higher Education institutions leading the way with smart admission management in tier 2 and tier 3 cities during Covid-19
Hindustan Time | Aug 25, 2020
amidst this paramount effect of the coronavirus pandemic on Admissions, there were many Higher-ed Institutions from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, who were equipped with the infrastructure and solution to not just consider but actually enable a contactless, competitive, and successful transformation to pivot to the new world order in no time. Leading this change was NoPaperForms, the country’s largest Enrolment Automation Platform that was founded on the principle to transform admissions across the globe.
While the disruption might continue for long, it is quite likely that its impact on Institutions as these at Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities might be insignificant. Institutions have discovered ways they could foster cohesion and productivity amidst admission teams of all sorts and kind to scale their efforts like never before. It’s a story that is now common among many more such Institutions spearheading this challenge with a meaningful change.
Costly medical studies in govt colleges is leaving Punjab short of doctors
Business Standard | Aug 19, 2020
A part of the reason why India is short of doctors is that medical education is expensive and those who have the means to acquire it either prefer to work in private health facilities in the country or migrate overseas, said experts, citing how the increasing fees in government medical colleges in the country is keeping the poor but deserving students out while creating health-services inequality between urban and rural areas.
UGC committee to give recommendations on foreign university campuses in India
Business Lines | Aug 19, 2020
The University Grants Commission (UGC) panel for the ‘Stay in India, Study in India’ initiative constituted by the Ministry of Education has been asked to give recommendations on enabling regulatory provisions for opening of campuses of foreign universities in India and vice versa, on joint degree programmes, and providing proper research facilities, among other things. The move will be beneficial for those Indian students who would want to come back to the country due to the Covid-19 pandemic and complete their studies here.
Angolan private higher education institutions voice support for distance learning amid pandemic
Xinhuanet | Aug 19, 2020
Angolan private higher education institutions on Tuesday voiced support for distance learning as the novel coronavirus continues to spread.
Meanwhile, Zau regretted the dismissal of 14,000 employees in the education sector, noting that the difficulties of private higher education have been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to a suspension of thousands of contracts.
On the same occasion, President of the Association of Angolan Teachers Domingos Alvaro said that schools are unprepared to restart classes in Luanda, the capital and the epicenter of the national outbreak, especially at the primary level, due to a lack of bio-safety conditions at schools.
Source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-08/19/c_139302274.html
Operation Vishwaguru: How NEP 2020 aims to make India a ‘global study destination’
News Laundry | Aug 19, 2020
The new approach is to “end the fragmentation of higher education” by transforming higher education institutions, or HEIs, into large multidisciplinary universities, colleges, and HEI clusters or knowledge hubs, each of which will aim to have 3,000 or more students. There is also a plan to put in place a regulatory system to ensure only sound, multidisciplinary teacher education programmes are in place by 2030. The NEP talks about turning our institutions into world class universities that would attract a diverse bunch of students from all over the world and have amazing multi-talented teachers.
The NEP sets ambitious goals of increasing higher education enrolment, making universities multidisciplinary and research oriented. But these are all lofty ideas that would require able, open-minded administrators to execute.
Higher Education’s Very Bad Week: North Carolina And Michigan State Pivot, Notre Dame Pauses, And Protests Mount
Forbes | Michael T. Nietzel | Aug 19, 2020
The anticipation for how the fall semester would unfold for colleges attempting to offer in-person instruction and on-campus residence is quickly turning to dread as several major universities saw their plans upended by coronavirus outbreaks only days after students began returning to campus. As a result, these institutions are quickly reversing decisions to reopen for live classes and announcing a switch to remote instruction or at least a pause in their plans.
One of the highest profile pivots back to remote instruction was at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, which announced on Monday that it would not hold in-person classes this fall. That decision came abruptly after about 130 students tested positive for Covid-19 in the first week since classes began.
Drexel Pivots to Online, Pitt Extends Remote-Only
Inside Higher Ed | Aug 19, 2020
The University of Pittsburgh will extend its period of remote instruction until Sept. 14, Ann E. Cudd, the university's provost and senior vice chancellor, said in a written statement. Pitt began its fall term this week with remote classes and had planned to move to mostly in-person next week. But Cudd said the university made the adjustment today to "allow for completion of staged arrival and shelter-in-place procedures so that all students can start in-person classes at the same time."
Drexel University, located in Philadelphia, will remain closed to undergraduates with its courses remaining remote throughout the fall term.
Will You Get a Refund if Covid-19 Closes Your Campus?
NEWS 18 | Aug 19, 2020
The University of North Carolina Wilmington, as an exception, has a different cost structure for online classes, hybrid and in-person classes. Still, it announced that students won’t receive a tuition refund if in-person classes move online this fall. That leaves freshman Owen Palmer weighing the possibility that the education he is paying for may not be the one he gets.
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University gave refunds for on-campus housing and meal plans, says William Hudson Jr., the schools vice president for student affairs. If the campus has to shut down this fall, Hudson says the refund structure would probably be the same.
Other colleges also offered direct refunds for students. For example, Temple University automatically deposited partial refunds for room and board in student’s bank accounts. The University of North Carolina Wilmington gave prorated refunds for room and board.
UGC vs states — how the battle over final-year exams is playing out in Supreme Court
The Print | Apoorva Mandhani | Aug 19, 2020
As the world grapples with Covid-19, students in India are battling it out in the Supreme Court against the 6 July notification issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), mandating universities to conduct final-year exams by September end.
The notification has been challenged in the Supreme Court by a batch of petitions, including one by 31 student from universities across the country.
While students have opposed the move citing the health risk, a few state governments have also refused to conduct the exams due to the pandemic. However, UGC has remained adamant, asserting that its guidelines are mandatory in nature, and that degrees cannot be granted without conducting the exams.
As the Supreme Court reserved its verdict in the case Tuesday, here’s how the UGC is relying on the constitution to demand adherence to its notification, and how the state governments resisting the move.
Indian students struggle to access Covid-19 hardship funds in UK: Study
Outlook| Aditi Khanna | Aug 19, 2020
Several Indian students have been struggling to access COVID-19 hardship funds set up by universities to help out international students facing financial constraints amid job losses due to the coronavirus lockdown, a study into migrant students has found.
The Unis Resist Border Controls and Migrants’ Rights Network found a “woeful lack of support structures” in place within UK higher education for international students in the country on the Tier 4 visa, with many too afraid to seek out help when needed for fear that this may impact upon their immigration status.
COVID-19 Response Tool Kit for Indian Higher Education Institutions Released by O.P. Jindal Global University and The Association of Indian Universities
The Week | Aug 19, 2020
The International Institute of Higher Education Research & Capacity Building (IIHEd) of O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) in collaboration with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) released the “COVID-19 Response Tool Kit for Indian Higher Education Institutions: Institutional Resilience for Academic Planning & Continuity”. It has been developed to help build Institutional Resilience for Academic Planning and Continuity for Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEI) during COVID-19.
The publication was released by Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, Hon'ble Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), President of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development. The report was launched at the conclusion of the Annual National Conference of Vice-Chancellors on “Reimagining Indian Universities”, which was inaugurated by the Union Cabinet Minister for Education, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
Source: https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/business/2020/08/19/pwr8-o.p.-jindal-global-university.html
Manipur asks college teachers to seek approval before airing views on govt policies
Hindustan Times | Aug 13, 2020
The Manipur government has asked teachers of all state-run colleges and employees of the higher education department to take necessary approvals from competent authorities before expressing any opinion on government policies or programs in the media.
In a memorandum issued recently, Director of University and Higher Education K Diana Devi said non- compliance of the order might lead to disciplinary action.
“Some government college teachers have been writing or expressing their views on government policies and programs in the media which is likely to promote defiance of authority,” Devi said in the statement issued on August 10.
MET 2020: Manipal Academy of Higher Education releases scorecard for entrance test on results.manipal.edu
First Post | Aug 13, 2020
More than two lakh candidates appeared for the admission test that was conducted in remote proctored online mode between 1 and 12 August. The exams were not held at the centres due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scores were immediately released by the academy after the conclusion of the examination.
Harvard Hyderabad and Oxford Kolkata? The future of US higher education could be in India
Bloomberg | Aug 13, 2020
India could find itself in a situation much like that of the U.S. in 1900, when most American universities and scholars lagged behind those of Europe but were within decades of overtaking them. Competitive pressures would kick in, and the very top schools that initially were reluctant to enter India would find themselves drawn in.
Higher education marketing strategy during the pandemic
Smart Brief | Allen Adamson and Allen Shapard | Aug 13, 2020
As many colleges and universities struggle to open in the coming weeks, a key question will surely surface as to the actual value they are providing potential students. In most cases, the schools will be relying on virtual classes, although in some situations they are bringing some or all students back to the campus (primarily to watch classes online). This situation cannot proceed too long without tremendous upheaval in the traditional college model given the forces at work. To provide such an enhanced lecture will also require professors to think creatively how they can present their information in a new manner. In this age of digital transformation, it actually is important for any college or university to have faculty well versed in the basics of technology. This needs to be one of the core expectations of the job, given the changing needs and behaviors of the target audience.
Source: https://www.smartbrief.com/original/2020/08/higher-education-marketing-strategy-during-pandemic
The Future of U.S. Higher Education Could Be in India
Bloomberg | Aug 13, 2020
With much of U.S. higher education online only this semester, and its more long-term future deeply uncertain, now is a time to dream big. These assumptions are based on Indian governments recent to encourage the top 100 universities in the world to operate in India.
5 ways to make online education more relevant in higher education amid Covid-19 pandemic
India Today | Aug 12, 2020
He Covid-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented crisis to the education landscape of the world. Here are the steps that need to be taken to make online education more relevant in higher education amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Steps that need to be taken to make online education more relevant in Higher Education
- Unlike conventional classroom, online classroom requires teachers to adopt certain instructional strategies such as pre and post class activities using Learning Management System (LMS) to ensure active student engagement.
- For online classes, teachers are required to put in significant amount of effort in preparation of engaging presentations and in-class activities.
- Teachers in disciplines with skill-oriented courses face far more challenges in online teaching than their counterparts in other courses.
- Substantial investment will be required by HEIs for technology upgrade and online delivery platforms. There will be requirement of redesigning classrooms and lecture theatres to make them compatible with online delivery and to make these sessions interactive.
- Availability of uninterrupted internet to access online classes has been a challenge for most students.
COVID-19 made 3/4 Indian learners rethink career path: Study
Live Mint | Aug 12, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has made more than three out of four Indian learners to rethink their career path, according to a survey.
As per the findings of the survey conducted by learning company Pearson, 87% of Indian students think online learning would be a part of children's education experience moving forward.
"82% Indians say the pandemic already has permanently changed the way people work; 80% say new jobs and skill needs will arise as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and 77% say COVID-19 pandemic has made them rethink their career path," the survey said.
Five reasons why Chinese students may stop going to the United States for higher education
Scroll.in | Aug 12, 2020
If it costs far less to attend a Chinese institution and staying home reduces Covid-19 risks, there may be good reason for them not to study abroad.
Five reasons why Chinese students might start getting their college degrees in China instead of coming to the US in 2020 and beyond.
1. US visa restrictions: The Trump administration seems to be encouraging Chinese students to stay away.
2. Better quality back home: While the Trump administration is making it harder for Chinese students to get in, the Chinese higher education system has been growing for years.
3. More and stronger job prospects in China: An April 2020 study found that some Chinese employers clearly prefer to hire people with Chinese diplomas.
4. More affordable: Even if Chinese diplomas are not more desirable, they are far cheaper.
5. Less Covid-19 risk
Indian colleges see spurt in applications as Covid forces students to ditch foreign plans
The Print | Kritika Sharma | Aug 11, 2020
With Covid-19 forcing many students to either delay or cancel their plans to go abroad for higher education, Indian institutions are seeing a spurt in the number of applications.
From government institutions like Delhi University to their private counterparts, colleges and universities across India say they have witnessed a much higher number of applications this year than previous years.
Delhi University, which offers the largest number of seats in undergraduate courses among central universities, has seen its applications rise by 18 per cent this year. The application window for UG admissions is still open.
Chaos coast to coast as a school year like no other launches
Washington Post | Aug 10, 2020
Chicago Public Schools announced last week that it would begin the year online, after planning a hybrid system. Districts across the country have pushed back their opening dates. Last week, the first week of school in Georgia’s Cherokee County School District, administrators sent 14 letters to parents, each disclosing new coronavirus cases. That included 13 students, ¬ranging from first to 12th grades, and a few teachers. More than 300 students who had been in contact with them were directed to self-isolate for 14 days.
In Congress, talks over a pandemic relief package collapsed last week, leaving no clear path to providing schools with funding that lawmakers in both parties agree is urgently needed.
Telangana's ‘village learning circles’ are helping students amid the COVID-19 pandemic
The News Minute| Vara Lakshmi | Aug 09, 2020
In a way, the pandemic has exposed existing social inequalities in India and students from marginalised communities suffer more as accessing online education is a challenge.
This is when Village Learning Circles (VLCs) come into the picture. Students from across the districts in Telangana have started tutoring their peers each day. With enormous support from parents, they are able to transform their rooftops, verandahs, temples, schools, playgrounds, agricultural lands and other community spaces into classrooms, while ensuring that COVID-19 safety measures are met.
The idea is that every individual shall incorporate skills to educate each other in order to transmute society if they are provided with opportunities; even poverty is not a barrier.
COVID-19 Is Disrupting the Future of Higher Education
Fee Foundation for Economic Education | Ben Wilterdink | Aug 09, 2020
Despite these well-documented developments, the wage premium associated with obtaining a college degree remains high and millions of new students enroll each year. Furthermore, employers are increasingly requiring a college degree for positions that did not require one in the past (and likely do not require one now).
This phenomenon, known as degree inflation, severely and unnecessarily limits the potential for those without a college degree to access higher- or increasingly even middle-income career paths. Moreover, the practice is likely also disadvantageous for employers, who are both unnecessarily paying wage premiums for college educated workers, hiring workers who have disproportionally high turnover rates, and narrowing the field of potential employees. Relatively few employers have dropped these requirements, although there are some recent examples of top tier companies, such as Google and Apple, that have. Perhaps more will follow suit in the future, but for the most part, employers seem content to keep such requirements in place.
Source: https://fee.org/articles/covid-19-is-disrupting-the-future-of-higher-education/
No parties, no trips: Colleges set covid-19 rules for fall
Times of India | Aug 09, 2020
As they struggle to salvage some semblance of a campus experience this fall, US colleges are requiring promises from students to help contain the coronavirus - no keg parties, no long road trips and no outside guests on campus. Administrators warn that failure to wear masks, practice social distancing and avoid mass gatherings could bring serious consequences, including getting booted from school.
Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the student exchange programme of B-schools
India Today | Aug 09, 2020
The pandemic has certainly delivered a tough blow on the student exchange programmes, leaving the students in a state of confusion over their exchange grants. Against this backdrop, universities need to adopt a new approach to help students gain vital international perspective and experience. As a quick fix, a transnational collaboration between institutions through digitization can help overcome the challenges during the pandemic crisis. The objective of the International Student Exchange Programme is two-fold. First, it gives the students an insight into the foreign culture. Second, it provides exposure to an alternative and innovative way of learning. Thus, it plays a pivotal role in providing a life-changing experience to the students. Understanding the importance of a student exchange programme, it is necessary that universities adopt and encourage virtual cultural exchange programmes. This way, students from various international universities will be able to connect digitally at regular intervals to share their knowledge and learn from the experiences of others.
COVID-19 is widening inequality in higher education
Voxeu | Esteban Aucejo, Jacob French, Paola Ugalde Araya, Basit Zafar | Aug 09, 2020
The pandemic’s distributional effects are especially worrying given the large existing disparities in higher education. A study from 2011 found that much of the growth in educational attainment over the last half-century has been concentrated within the richest half of Americans, with children from households in the bottom income quartile only one fifth as likely to graduate from college as those from the top quartile (Duncan and Murnane, 2011). Preventing this achievement gap from widening during the pandemic should be a top priority in order to maintain higher education as a crucial engine of upward mobility in the US.
The students in a survey reported COVID-19 impacted their spring semester in a way that suggests their learning capacity was diminished by the pandemic. A decline in the educational value of college during the pandemic is in line with new evidence about K-12 students.
Source: https://voxeu.org/article/covid-19-widening-inequality-higher-education
KIIT Deemed to be University: From Excellence to Eminence
The Hindu | Aug 08, 2020
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar is among India's most sought-after universities, attracting students from all over India and more than 53 countries to pursue professional and technical education. It has built its reputation as the most student-friendly university, anchored on the principles of Compassion and Humanity. Founded in 1992-93 as a modest vocational training centre by eminent educationist and social activist Prof. Achyuta Samanta, it took shape as a centre of higher learning in 1997, which is considered as the base year. Since then KIIT has grown exponentially, setting a high benchmark in each area of education.
As the institution’s global ranking was one of the criteria for selection as an Institution of Eminence, KIIT’s impressive position in international university rankings like QS and Times Higher Education (THE) helped it achieve this historic milestone. KIIT is just 23 years old as an institution for professional education (started in 1997) and 16 years old as a University (declared in 2004). But, despite being a very young university, it has secured impressive positions in various benchmark global university rankings and ‘Institution of Eminence’ recognition.
Himachal Education Department receives overcharging complaint by private schools in Kullu
Tribune India | Aug 08, 2020
The Education Department is going to clamp down on private schools that charged fees more than that specified by the government in view of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Some schools were conducting online classes for students and they had requested the government to allow them to collect fees to meet their expenses and to pay salaries to teachers. The government had ordered that the schools can only collect tuition fees during the pandemic period.
He said clear directions had been issued to all private schools regarding the government orders. He said the schools were also restrained from increasing fees for 2020-21 and stick to the fee structure of 2019-20.
The Deputy Director said inquiry officers had been appointed to look into the complaints made by parents and the reports would be forwarded to Kullu DC and SDM.
NEP 2020: High on rhetoric
The Hindu | Frontline | T.K. Rajalakshmi | Aug 08, 2020
The Union Cabinet on July 29 approved National Education Policy 2020. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that it was a long-overdue and much-awaited reform in the education sector and would transform millions of lives. “The era of knowledge, where learning, research and knowledge are important, and the new policy would transform India into a new knowledge hub”.
Modi’s tweet said that the NEP was based on “pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability and accountability”. “May education brighten our nation and lead it to prosperity,” he added.
Source: https://frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/high-on-rhetoric/article32306660.ece
Phygital Learning
Business Today| Aug 08, 2020
The demand for online learning continues to surge as colleges in India ensure academic continuity for students though remote teaching. Three months down the line, institutions have, in some form, adapted to virtual learning despite being largely unprepared for an abrupt shift.
Now that the near-term response is implemented, universities in India, much like their global counterparts, will have to make enduring changes in the medium and long-term. The strategic nature of their response will determine how well they adapt to the rapidly-changing future of higher education.
Source: https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/special/phygital-learning/story/412035.html
Covid-19 could push some universities over the brink
The Economist | Aug 08, 2020
Due to be completed in 2022, Boston University’s $141m data-sciences centre will tower over the city like an uneven Jenga tower, providing 350,000 square feet of space. The University of Reading in Britain has nearly finished a £50m ($65m) life-sciences building, designed to make more space for subjects that are attracting lots of students. The University of New South Wales (unsw) in Australia has pumped more than A$500m ($360m) into new facilities, as part of a project intended to push it into the top 50 of global rankings
Source: https://www.economist.com/briefing/2020/08/08/covid-19-could-push-some-universities-over-the-brink
Covid-19: Andhra Pradesh gears up to open colleges from October 15
Live Mint | Aug 07, 2020
Andhra Pradesh is gearing up to reopen colleges from October 15. In a review meeting at his camp office, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has framed a set of guidelines and sought views from the officials of the higher education department.
Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions remained closed since March to contain the spread of COVID-19.
During the review meeting on Higher Education; the Chief Minister has directed the officials to focus on increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio to 90 per cent. The Chief Minister gave green signal for recruitment of Assistant Professors in Universities across the state.
“We will Ensure Access to Education Learning for 33 Crore Indian Students during the Covid 19 Pandemic”
The Week | Aug 07, 2020
Hon’ble Union Cabinet Minister for Education, Government of India, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ inaugurated JGU’s first ever Global Virtual ConferenceReimagining and Transforming the University: Confluence of Ideas during and beyond the COVID-19 Disruption.
Welcoming the participants to the virtual Conference on Higher Education, the Hon’ble Education Minister said “The world is facing the unprecedented disruption due to COVID-19, especially those who are in the field of education and learning. But we are committed to ensuring access to education to 33 crore Indian students during this challenging time. Through the one-nation, one-digital platform, we will guarantee that every student remains connected to learning, assuring connectivity and access to every scholar.”
The Minister observed that teachers and professors are indeed Corona Warriors and helped several young people remain committed to the vision of education, even during these difficult times. He complimented and appreciated the fact that Indian universities turned COVID-19 challenge into opportunities. Digital learning, online education and the development of several digital platforms, he observed, has enabled the higher education institutions to address this crisis. The Minister also added that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 will prove to be a landmark plan for the educational aspirations of Indian students to compete with the best in the world.
Source: https://www.theweek.in/wire-updates/business/2020/08/07/pwr4-o.p.-jindal-global-university.html
Parliament Panel on HRD to Discuss Impact of Covid-19 on Education System and Way Ahead
News 18 India | Aug 06, 2020
The Department Related Standing Committee for Human Resources Department will hold a meeting on August 10 in the Parliament under the chairmanship of Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Shahastrabuddhe to discuss the future of the education system during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Schools, colleges and university campuses have remained shutting since the imposition of complete Lockdown on March 24 and some form of lockdown is still in place in all the states.
The Committee has summoned secretary-level officers both from school and higher education department of the HRD Ministry, with representatives of UGC, AICTE and CBSE set to be present.
The Committee has sought the departments' plans in place for this year's academic year with nearly seven months done. It will seek the opinion of the departments for a long-term plan should the pandemic extend till December.
Advantages of Community Colleges during COVID-19
U.S. News | Ari Castonguay, Data Analyst | Aug 06, 2020
Community colleges are likely not the only higher education institutions with increased enrollment during economically uncertain time periods. However, there are characteristics of community colleges that make them uniquely suited for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
First, demand for higher education is heavily influenced by price. This is a good thing for relatively inexpensive community colleges.
Another particular advantage of community colleges is that many of them are designed for commuting students.
Some community colleges even have multiple campuses so students can choose the location that is closest to them. This is especially helpful for students who do not want to live in crowded college dormitories during a public health crisis.
Community colleges often have rolling admissions, and many of them have open admissions as well. Rolling admissions means the colleges evaluate applications as they come in, and there is usually no official deadline as to when prospective students need to apply.
Medical education during COVID-19 pandemic
The European Sting | Aug 06, 2020
The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), resulting from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has compromised medical education, in a way that faculty-student mentorship must manage multiple challenges to secure high-quality education. Even though medical schools have the authority of making decisions in the best interest for all students, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) suggested that medical students should not have direct contact with patients during the current pandemic .This decision was based on two factors. First, medical students are currently in training and at higher risk in the clinical workplace, due to lack experience in patient management and use of personal protective equipment. Second, most clinical educators are continuously assisting in the frontline efforts to meet community needs and are less available for teaching and supervision .Hence, the previous faculty-student mentorship gap has required adjustments of the entire medical curricula to virtual formats.
Source: https://europeansting.com/2020/08/06/medical-education-during-covid-19-pandemic/
Digital learning enabled higher education institutions to address Covid-19 crisis: Pokhriyal
The Hindu, Business Line | Aug 06, 2020
Digital learning, online education and the development of several digital platforms have enabled the higher education institutions to address the Covid-19 crisis, said Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank during a virtual conference.
The conference was hosted by O.P. Jindal Global University and International Institute for Higher Education Research and Capacity Building in partnership with six Global Education Networks including Association of Commonwealth Universities, Association of Indian Universities, Laspau (A Harvard University affiliated network), Qatar Foundation.
“Universities and higher education institutions have a unique role to play not only in terms of helping us overcome this crisis through the work of scientists and researchers around the world, but also to build the economy, polity and the society, while building resilience among the young people studying in our own institutions,” said C Raj Kumar, Founding Vice-Chancellor, OP Jindal Global University.
COVID-19 boosts digitization of higher education in Bangladesh
World Bank Blogs | Mokhlesur Rahman,Mustahsin-Ul-Aziz & Shazia Omar Ahmed | Aug 05, 2020
At the start of this year, most universities in Bangladesh lacked basic learning management systems and digital infrastructure. So, when institutions were required to close because of COVID-19, educators could no longer teach.
The country’s University Grants Commission (UGC) rose to the challenge and introduced policies requiring all universities to go digital, to make teaching and learning activities accessible online—including admissions.
A large part of it is due to the support and backing provided by the Bangladesh Research and Education Network (BdREN). One hundred forty-seven out of the 153 public and private universities in the country are receiving support from BdREN to teach online.
The Government of Bangladesh with support from the World Bank initiated the process of digitizing higher education of Bangladesh through the Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP) in 2009.
BdREN, an initiative of HEQEP, began laying the foundations of digital infrastructure for higher education institutions by establishing high bandwidth and secure network connectivity at institutions.
Haryana’s higher education department keeps college fees unchanged in view of Covid-19 pandemic
Hindustan Times | Sadia Akhtar | Aug 05, 2020
The state higher education department on Tuesday said that it would not implement any fee hike in government colleges for the upcoming 2020-21 academic session, keeping in mind the financial distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
SP Sukhija, joint director-2, department of higher education, said that the department had taken the decision of not increasing college fees this year keeping in mind the interests of the students. “We have been receiving many representations and requests from people expressing their inability to pay an increased fee since their source of income has dried up. Routinely, universities increase their fees by 10-15% every year. If we were to go by the usual precedent, fee this year would have shot up. We, however, took a compassionate view so that students don’t have to suffer and pay an increased fee,” said Sukhija.
‘Exhausted beyond measure’: what teachers are saying about COVID-19 and the disruption to education?
The Conversation | August 04, 2020
In response to the closures in April, with seven other researchers across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the US, A survey was designed that asked teachers 16 open-ended questions about how COVID-19 affected them and their students.
The survey opened on May 4, 2020 while most countries in the survey engaged in home-based learning. There have been 621 responses to date. Of these, 179 are from Australian teachers, with 65% having over 21 years teaching experience.
Survey gained rich responses about the sudden closure of schools, transition to online learning, and the difficulties of negotiating social-distancing and increased hygiene maintenance.
Overwhelmingly, teachers from early childhood to higher education experienced a significant increase in their workload. One teacher said the sudden change to online learning created “endless paperwork and programming issues” and “has been relentless”.
Another said
It’s definitely added significantly to my workload and taken the holiday time that would normally provide some respite, meaning I am closer to burnout than ever.
Learning from distance, a long way off from accessibility
The New Indian Express | Aug 04, 2020
The Secretary of Higher Education Department had recently told the vice-chancellors of State-run universities to start online classes for their students from August 3. Following the instructions, several colleges have indeed started online classes for their 2nd and 3rd year UG and 2nd year PG students. The order, however, caught many faculties off guard.
Speaking to TNIE, MKU Vice-Chancellor M Krishnan said, "Students needs to attend a total of 450 hours of classes for the upcoming November semester. As such, each subject faculty need to take nine hours of classes a week. The faculty can utilise three hours for quiz, group discussion among others, but the remaining hours must be utilised for taking classes. Each class should be recorded and sent via WhatsApp. Also, lessons would be uploaded on YouTube.
Oxford COVID-19 vaccine to start advanced trial in India soon. How it will work?
Live Mint | Aug 03, 2020
India's apex drug regulatory body has granted approval to Serum Institute of India (SII) to conduct phase II and III human trial for the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford. The permission was given on Sunday after an evaluation based on the recommendations of the Subject Expert Committee on COVID-19, a health ministry official told.
- Around 1,600 people will participate in the clinical human trial of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford
- All eyes are on Oxford's coronavirus vaccine as it has already shown promising results in the first phase of clinical human trial
Breaking views - Corona Capital: College mergers, UK property funds
REUTERS | Aug 03, 2020
The University of Arizona is buying Ashford University, an online college with 35,000 students. The Tucson-based state school said it will create a new non-profit organization called The University of Arizona Global Campus, which will take advantage of the buyer’s accreditation, faculty and programs. As the Covid-19 pandemic levels the college experience, university finances are coming under pressure. Many students are starting the school year fully online, and with that come demands for tuition refunds. Britain’s financial watchdog is using the Covid-19 crisis to clean up the country’s daft property funds. The Financial Conduct Authority on Monday said it’s considering requiring vehicles to stop allowing investors to withdraw funds on a daily basis, and instead demand three or six months’ notice. Given that the funds hold assets like offices or supermarkets, which take months to sell, it’s a sensible precaution.
NEP 2020 misses the fundamentals of human development: Congress
National Herald | Aug 03, 2020
Congress has lashed out at the BJP government over the The National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP 2020). According to Congress, the NEP which aimed to pave the way for transformational reforms in “school and higher education” is high on catchwords, gloss, appearance and verbosity yet lacks (i) a coherent implementational roadmap and strategy, (ii) clearly defined milestones and (iii) the critical finances necessary to execute this grand vision.
The timing of the NEP 2020 in the middle of the Corona Pandemic when all educational institutions are closed is, in and of itself, questionable. More so when almost the entire academia has complained of no consultation, no discussion and no deliberations, except with BJP-RSS affiliates. On a policy that impacts and affects our present and future generations, even Parliamentary oversight has been circumvented. Contrast this with the rigorous parliamentary and widespread consultation that preceded the Right to Education Act.
THE Live ANZ to focus on resilience in the coronavirus era
Times Higher Education | Aug 03, 2020
The consequences of rapidly diminishing resources as governments grapple with the economic impact of Covid-19 has been felt by the higher education sector on a global scale, but particularly acutely by Antipodean communities. Having already been dealt the blows of the devastating bushfires that ravaged considerable portions of Australian wildlife, the region’s economy and environment scarcely had any recovery time before lockdowns went into effect, staunching the typically healthy flow of international students. The virtual THE Live ANZ event on 5 August will examine how Australia and New Zealand can build resilience in their university models and retain their positions as home to some of the most sought-after institutions of tertiary education.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/live-anz-focus-resilience-coronavirus-era
‘Monopolized’, COVID-19, and Worrying Over a Concentrated Higher Ed
Inside Higher Ed | Joshua Kim | Aug 03, 2020
In Monopolized, David Dayen argues that capitalism in the second Gilded Age tends to create both extreme inequality and concentrated ownership. The loss of competitive markets is a function both of the winner-take-most nature of platform economics, and a retreat from governmental antitrust regulation and enforcement. The loss of competition means that consumers pay higher prices for lower-quality items. Concentrated ownership also results in lower employee wages and job security, as workers have fewer places to go to sell their labor. COVID-19 is likely to accelerate trends that will result in some substantial decline of small, private, non-wealthy, and tuition-dependent schools. The merging or closing of these schools will result in a disproportionate reduction in institutional experimentation, relative to their numbers.
Reading Monopolized is a reminder of the gift of institutional diversity we currently enjoy in higher education, and what can be lost if we fail to recognize the benefits that heterogeneity brings to our sector.
Online Anti-Oppressive Orientation during COVID-19
Diverse Education|Kimberly A. Truong and Kay Martinez | Aug 03, 2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down physical college campuses in the spring, many institutions are planning to continue their fall semester in an online setting. In May 2020, restructuring of a previously in-person program to an asynchronous and synchronous anti-oppressive orientation program entitled, Power, Privilege and Positionality (PPP) to address recent national uprisings at the intersection of COVID-19 was done. “We imagine many of the colleagues find themselves in a similar situation where they are planning a virtual orientation in which they want to address these topics.We would like to share advice about how and where to start in moving orientation to a hybrid form as well as how we incorporated racial justice issues in our content” author said.
3 Things Covid-19 Will End In Higher Ed
Forbes | Derek Newton | Aug 2, 2020
We will know in just a few weeks whether college enrollments for the fall tanked, whether schools will brave an in-person teaching model, a blend or go entirely online, whether schools can enforce social distance and mask regimens, and much more. Right now, everyone is speculating.
E-mail
Using e-mail as a primary communication tool is so 2010. It’s all text and push notifications now. And nothing made that more apparent than the rapid disbursement of students from campus in the spring. Colleges found out that the best way, the only way to keep their communities informed was through their apps.
Testing Centers
Due to Covid-19, colleges could not do anything in person. And many had their first large scale engagements with online testing. And, as that technology proves indispensable, putting students in another face-to-face environment to take a supervised test will seem both unnecessary and an unnecessary risk.
Full Tuition for Online Programs
The summary is that most students were unsatisfied with online education when they were forced into it this Spring. There were lawsuits. Nearly all (93%) said online tuition should cost less than in-person tuition. Some colleges have given in, lowering the tuition sticker price of online programs.
The Covid-19 Crisis Is A Boost To Educational Technology Companies
Forbes | Aug 02, 2020
Covid-19 has caused a significant disruption in the world of education, but it has been a boon to education technology (EduTech) companies. Even when a vaccine for Covid-19 is approved, online education is here to stay filling gaps that already existed in education curricula. Online education has been helping reach underserved populations students as well as students with special needs and disabilities. Additionally, many parents and educators are likely to use online education to be ready for the next public health or natural disaster.
Battling Covid the Institutional way
India Today | Jul 31, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown has disrupted our lives and severely affected the higher education system. Continuing with routine academic and research activities, while ensuring the educational fraternity remains safe and healthy, has been the biggest challenge. To ensure uninterrupted teaching and learning at home and to minimise academic losses, the UGC advised all the universities to shift to online mode of teaching and learning. There has been an institutional effort to combat Covid-19 through knowledge, technology and innovation. Institutions have tried to leverage the potential of technology, but there are challenges, and we are yet to fully integrate online teaching and learning in mainstream higher education. There are also limitations with regard to access for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, internet supply and technical knowhow of the instructional design, particularly in the rural/ tribal areas. We are fortunate that the present generation of learners are quick to adapt to technology once they have access to it. This is a manifestation of the story of India’s digital growth.
Update on CARES Act Emergency Financial Aid Grants to Higher Education Students
JDSUPRA| Jul 31, 2020
Various provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act permit higher education institutions to use certain funds allocated by the Department of Education to support students with expenses and financial needs related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This includes a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (“HEERF”) that provides more than $14 billion in emergency funding to higher education. Of those funds, more than $6 billion must go directly to students in the form of emergency financial aid grants for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/update-on-cares-act-emergency-financial-27846/
College Plans Interrupted: How Students Can Succeed Despite Covid-19
Forbes | Aviva Legatt | Jul 31, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted plans for college bound students and their families. Ms. Legatt advised students and families to assume that they’ll be living in a virtual schooling environment for the academic year and to respond accordingly. Here are some steps that students can take to assure their success.
- Advocate for Yourself In Matters of Tuition, Safety, and Non-Enrollment.
- See A Gap Year As An Upside.
Here's why students should study during coronavirus pandemic and work later in post-Covid-19 world
India Today | Jul 31, 2020
Even though forecasts are gloomy in the current times, India is expected to overcome Covid-19 impacts faster due to self-reliance and will likely emerge from this looming economic crisis in a much stronger position than before.
During this rebuilding phase of the economy, as organisations restructure themselves and align themselves to the new world order, there is expected to be a gap in job availability in the market. Even if one manages to find employment; the salary offered in these trying times may not be at par the expectations.
Unfortunate though it is, the current lull in the economy can prove to be a blessing in disguise as it provides the right time and right opportunity to pursue higher education and be ready to be placed just when the economy is looking up.
This would help such students to be ready to be a part of the new emerging growth. When the economy bounces back there will be an increased demand for highly skilled professionals and a simple bachelor's degree may prove to be insufficient to secure a well-paying job with potential for growth.
‘Shift to online mode of education must not be permanent’
The Tribune | Jul 31, 2020
JUST as the global education sector is witnessing a paradigm shift due to the Covid-19 pandemic, GNDU VC Prof Jaspal Singh Sandhu feels that it’s time that the institutes of higher education step up and play a proactive role in defining the future. Accepting that the Covid-19 pandemic has thrown several challenges in the face of global education system, Prof Sandhu stressed on devising concept of blended education, utilising digital resources to the maximum and ensuring that students are prepared to take up more engaging roles in combating health as well as academic tasks.
Coronavirus: Students should prepare for exams, says UGC in Supreme Court
One India| Alphonse Joseph | Jul 31, 2020
The UGC on Friday said that students appearing for final-year exams in colleges and higher education institutions, which have been pending since March because of the coronavirus lockdown, must not think the exams will be postponed again because of the Supreme Court hearing.
Covid-19 affects study abroad dreams of students, but there's no reason to panic: Here's why
India Today | Jul 31, 2020
In the new norm, we need to reimagine how to learn. Yes, of course going to school and learning the traditional way will still be prevalent, but recent avenues through technological innovation have opened up new ways of learning.
As we navigate the new education system, we must remain calm and positive about the future. Disturbances are, as of yet, a major concern only for students enrolling in 2020. Even then, most global universities are offering online classes for the security of their students, domestic and international.
Moreover, admissions can also be deferred to the next session in Spring or Fall of 2021. Students who worry that their college experience will be hampered need to reassess their priorities and understand the measures being taken for their safety.
Vaccine developments in India (Covaxin), USA (mRNA-1273), UK (AZD1222), and Russia, among others, are showing promising results in early trials. Therefore, this is a temporary hurdle as we are hopeful soon a vaccine or a medical breakthrough will be available for students to resume their education back on campus.
KCET 2020: 1.47 lakh students, including 60 Covid-19 positive write CET in Karnataka
Hindustan Times | Nandini | Jul 31, 2020
Out of the 1.94 lakh students who had enrolled for it, a total of 1.47 lakh appeared on the first day of the three-day test at 497 centres across the state, marking about 75 per cent attendance, Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan , who holds the higher education portfolio, told a press conference here.
He said 60 of the students, including 12 from the city, were infected by the coronavirus and special arrangements, including seperate seating had been made for them.
Taking a cue from the smooth conduct of the SSLC and the pre-university examinations by the Department of Public Instruction, the state government proceeded with holding the CET for admission to engineering, agriculture and pharma courses.
New Education Policy 2020 Highlights: School and higher education to see major changes
Hindustan Times | Nandini | Jul 30, 2020
New Education Policy was launched on Wednesday, July 29. Union cabinet approved the policy that aims to overhaul the country’s education system. Union Ministers for Information and Broadcasting (I&B)Prakash Javadekar and Human Resource Development (HRD) and Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, made the announcement on the NEP- 2020.
The NEP 2020 aims at making “India a global knowledge superpower”.The new academic session will begin in September-October – the delay is due to the unprecedented coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak – and the government aims to introduce the policy before the new session kicks in .
Highlights of NEP 2020
- School complexes to be used for adult education courses after school hours
- More focus on vocational studies in school- level
- NIOS to develop high quality modules for Indian Sign Language
- NCC wings in secondary and higher secondary schools under Ministry of Defence
- Free boarding facilities in JNV
- Dedicated unit for digital and online learning.
- National Scholarship portal for SC, ST, OBC, SEDGs students to be expanded
- Minimum qualification for teaching - 4 year integrated B.Ed degree
- HECI- Common regulatory body for entire higher education
Covid-19 and higher education: how universities in emerging economies are responding to the crisis
Oxford business group | 28 Jul 2020
Higher education institutions around the emerging world have adopted a range of different models in reaction to the pandemic. Some are working more closely with governmental bodies, while others are cultivating partnerships with the private sector; some are acting independently, while others are coordinating with other higher education institutions; and some are sharing their research and insights freely, while others are developing for-profit approaches in order to ensure the sustainability of initiatives.
1> Numerous universities in emerging markets have contributed to the fight against the pandemic by producing medical supplies, thereby helping to counteract shortfalls and reduce the dependence on imports.
2> One of the principal effects of the worldwide coronavirus lockdown has been the migration of business and social activities and public services online. In response, universities have been developing digital solutions to help citizens adapt to Covid-19 in day-to-day life.
3> Worldwide, lockdowns have led to the migration of teaching online. But this comes with its own set of challenges in emerging economies, foremost among them being limited internet access. In response to the same problem, in Bahrain the telcos Bahrain Telecommunications Company and Zain Bahrain enabled eligible customers to browse designated educational websites without being charged or using their data.
COVID-19 is Transforming How Companies Use Digital Technology
HUB | Patrick Ercolano | Jul 28, 2020
With Carey Professor Andrew Ching, Le Bon established the business school's Science of Digital Business Development Initiative, launched just months before the pandemic emerged. Le Bon says "Advancing the research, education, and practice of digital business development as organizations shift their strategic, marketing, and sales activities makes the Science of Digital Business Development Initiative even more critical for the future of sales, leadership, and work,".
From an organizational standpoint, working and leading from home requires the leverage of digital capabilities, thus raising significant new challenges such as redefining interpersonal engagement, communication, developing people, and sustaining and measuring individuals' and teams' productivity. Interestingly, from a go-to-market standpoint, similar challenges apply in terms of redefining interpersonal engagement, communication, developing relationships with clients, and sustaining and measuring value-creating growth for customers.
Source: https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/07/27/digital-technology-in-business-joel-le-bon/
Coronavirus: 'Teacher training application rise' during lockdown
BBC News | Jul 28, 2020
In recent years numbers training to become secondary school teachers in Wales have fallen, with some schools struggling to fill posts.
But figures from the higher education admissions service Ucas show numbers applying increased during the pandemic.
Jack Worth, of the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER,) said it was seen as a stable career by many.
The NFER report, which examined data prior to the effects of the lockdown, points to serious shortages of secondary school teachers in subjects including maths, foreign languages, and sciences.
COVID-19: Should students return to higher education?
Fenews.co.uk | Tale Heydarov | Jul 27, 2020
Though the world is progressively emerging from lockdown, we need to collectively ensure that not only are those vulnerable to the virus protected but that our students and their education aren’t prejudicially impacted.
COVID-19 undoubtedly poses a health risk to large numbers of people around the world, with the death rate climbing globally above 550,000. These numbers cannot be overstated. Though Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, Chairman of the Winton Centre for Risk at the University of Cambridge has said that children are at a higher risk of being struck by lightning than they are of dying from COVID-19. In the USA, those aged 0–17 years old account for 0.06% of deaths attributed to the virus, 0.02% of whom did not have any known pre-existing conditions. This is important to note given the apparent risk to children and adolescents is that much smaller compared with the general population.
In these extraordinary circumstances, attendance at educational institutions cannot be mandatory – especially in areas where there has been a resurgence of the virus. While the loss of education could be detrimental to attainment levels, physical health and wellbeing must be at the forefront of our decisions.
Source: https://www.fenews.co.uk/fevoices/51793-covid-19-should-students-return-to-higher-education
As higher education confronts COVID-19, edX provides unique success model
The Jerusalem Post | Hagay Hacohen | Jul 27, 2020
EdX in Israel is opening opportunities to continue education, which may prove to be a critical asset in the new coronavirus reality that has disrupted schools and colleges, and has left many unemployed. In Israel, universities and government officials clashed over end-year exams and, as the nation now faces a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s no telling if classroom studies will resume. What edX offers is to expand the classroom to include the world.
1.2 million Children pushed out of school at peak of COVID-19 measures
Devdiscourse | Jul 27, 2020
An additional 1.2 million children and young people were pushed out of school in Niger at the peak of the restrictive COVID-19 measures in the country, bringing the total number who were not receiving an education to 3.8 million.
Children in Niger run the highest risk in the world of not returning to school after COVID-19 lockdown measures are lifted, Save the Children concluded in its recent report Save Our Education.
Even before the outbreak, the country had the highest rate of children out of school and a sharp divide in school attendance according to affluence, gender and whether they live in rural or urban areas. At the start of 2020, 2.6 million children in Niger were already out of school.
How Important Is Technology For Education In India During The Pandemic?
Express Computer | Jul 27, 2020
Ed-Tech, which seemed a distant reality until a few years ago, has been sprung upon us due to this pandemic, and with over 37 million students in India’s higher education sector alone, it won’t be a stretch to say that it has come as a blessing. Technology has mitigated immensely the damage that could have been done to the sector and moreover to the students.
A tech-enabled education system will be a pandemic-proof solution that can also be something that can continue after the pandemic. It’ll only allow the schools and colleges to widen their outreach and reach thousands of students, by simply adapting to a digital curriculum. One might wonder how online and offline curriculums will ever be able to match each other, but that is where one should realize that they are not too different, to begin with! Similar to that of a physical classroom, a student follows a time-table for their virtual classrooms, teachers switch lessons, students get breaks, they take assessments designed for an online mode, and to top it all off, all this happens while being at the comfort of their rooms/homes.
An Expert Explains: How Covid has hit learning
The Indian Express | July 27, 2020
The Covid-19 crisis is unprecedented. Time will tell what the implications of prolonged school closure will be. However, once schools open, based on past trends, it will be critical to track school enrolment, daily attendance and basic learning. It is well known that basic learning levels of primary school children in India are worryingly low. Using a large-scale nationally representative sample of rural children, ASER 2018 shows that in Std V after more than four years of schooling, only half of all children can read a Std II level text fluently.
In education literature, “learning loss” usually refers to loss in children’s learning during the long summer vacations in western countries, especially in the US.
There is not much research on “learning loss” in India. One possible recent source of data is available from Uttar Pradesh. In the 2018-19 school year, the UP government in partnership with Pratham conducted a foundational learning improvement intervention called Graded Learning Programme (GLP). As part of this, children were assessed in January, in late April and then again in August 2019.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-covid-has-hit-learning-6524830/
Engineering: Collaboration is the future — Recalibrate study options
Financial Express |July 27, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic and the possibilities of such events repeating in the future is forcing every educational institution to imagine new possibilities in the design and delivery of education, says Shaheem Rahiman, the CEO of Bengaluru-based Atria University.
Founded in 2018 by the Atria Group, Rahiman says Atria University offers a new model of higher education that is matched in its innovative approach by the best institutions in the world. “As the first liberal sciences university in India, it offers the next generation of interdisciplinary specialisations in the domain of technology and business, like digital transformation, energy sciences, interactive technologies, mobility, and sustainable life sciences,” he says.
Some experts argue that there is a need to recalibrate curriculum and study options in a post-Covid-19 world. On this, Rahiman says that the post-Covid-19 world may not be ‘normal’ for too long. “Global leaders and experts have suggested that this pandemic is perhaps the first of many that may be expected in the future.
International students will pick Ireland for its superior pandemic management
The Times of India| Sheetal Banchariya | Jul 27, 2020
In an exclusive interview to Education Times, Ireland's Ambassador to India, Brendan Ward, says that the country could be viewed as an attractive destination, as compared to the traditional destinations like the US and UK, to pursue higher education due to its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ward says that the country has currently one of the lowest rates of coronavirus in Europe and the government's plan is to maintain that over the coming months.
"Though there is uncertainty because of Covid-19 and higher education institutions in Ireland have seen several deferral requests from students; more than in a normal year. But there is still a significant number of Indian students, particularly postgraduate students, who are eager to continue with their plans to pursue a masters in Ireland in the next academic year," adds Ward.
COVID-19 and educational scenario – III
Herald | Jul 27, 2020
All the managements may work in tandem with the government guidelines to work on priority basis/urgent basis/essential basis to prepare online content, subject-wise and keeping in mind various levels or stages of education, i.e., pre-primary, primary, secondary, higher secondary and higher education with the help of subject teachers/faculty members and computer teachers.
No doubt, the production may not be perfect or refined but it will help a long way keeping in mind that each institution knows the ground reality of its students and parents as the syllabi and the content of each subject will be the existing same content.
Special attention may be given to Mathematics, Science, Commerce, etc, while preparing online content as they are technical subjects which need interaction between the students and teacher.
Further, special consideration may be given to the students with special needs while preparing online content with the help of special and resource room teachers and computer teachers in order to prepare the special content customized to the needs of the said students in primary, high schools and higher secondary schools and special schools.
Source: https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Citizen-Herald/COVID19-and-educational-scenario-%E2%80%93-III/163464
Australian Government announces changes in visa, welcomes Indian students
India Education Diary | Jul 24, 2020
During the challenging period for higher education, the Australian government has announced five key changes to accommodate international students including Indian students:
1>The Government will recommence granting student visas in all locations lodged outside Australia. This means when borders re-open, students will already have visas and be able to make arrangements to travel.
2>International students will be able to lodge a further student visa application free of charge if they are unable to complete their studies within their original visa validity due to COVID-19.
3>Current student visa holders studying online outside Australia due to COVID-19 will be able to use that study to count towards the Australian study requirement for a post-study work visa.
4>Graduates who held a student visa will be eligible to apply for a post-study work visa outside Australia if they are unable to return due to COVID-19.
5>Additional time will be given for applicants to provide English language results where COVID-19 has disrupted access to these services.
Odisha Higher Education Minister requests HRD Minister to not make final UG, PG exams mandatory
Hindustan Times | Jul 24, 2020
Odisha Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo wrote a letter to Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Thursday requesting him to not make it mandatory to conduct final term examinations of undergraduate/postgraduate (UG/PG) in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sahoo in the letter wrote” The number of UG and PG final semester/year students in Odisha is about 2 lakh. Most of them belong to a low and middle-income group and do not have a desktop or laptop or a decent smartphone at home.”
Impact of COVID-19 on Overseas Education
Entrepreneur | Jul 23, 2020
This conundrum impacts international education as well. By its very nature, overseas education has until now required students to travel abroad to pursue a higher education degree overseas. On the business front, steady growth in international student numbers has paved the way for the global tertiary education market to emerge as a solid industry. According to a recent report, the international higher education market was valued at $65.4 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach (by pre-pandemic calculations) $117.95 billion by 2027.
In the immediate term, there is no doubt that thousands of prospective international students will do a U-turn on their former plans to apply abroad. This could be driven by shifts in international policy that place restrictions on foreign students or concerns about the contagiousness of COVID-19. But students who had been preparing to study abroad will revisit their plans.
However, this does not necessarily mean that they will give up studying in international institutions. Students who have aspired to get an overseas education for the experience of living and studying abroad will opt for courses that while being mainly online will include a small but compulsory offline component. And others will seek opportunities to pursue a college degree in international institutes that offer blended learning and also consider enrolling in international universities that set up branches closer to home.
Tamil Nadu promotes all college students, except final year students, without exams
Times of India | A Ragu Raman | Jul 23, 2020
The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday promoted college students, final year students to next academic year without conducting exams due to the Covid-19 Crisis. These students are exempted from writing the semester exams.They should be awarded marks followed by UGC and AICTE guidelines," chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said in a statement.
Except for students appearing for terminal exams, all students studying BA, BSc, MA, MSc, BE/B Tech/, ME/M Tech, MCA and diploma courses have been promoted to next academic year. The state government had formed an 11-member expert panel to finalise the modalities for conducting the semester exam.
Delhi High Court asks UGC to clarify mode of final-year exams
Hindustan Times | Richa Banka | Jul 22, 2020
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to clarify the mode of final year examinations to be conducted by various universities — multiple choice questions (MCQ), open choices, assignments or presentations.
Several students have challenged the Delhi University’s decision to conduct online open-book exams and the UGC’s decision asking varsities to conduct exams for final-year students throughout the country.
Justice Prathiba M Singh, while hearing a bunch of pleas by students, also asked the UGC to clarify on the differences about the mode of examination since the April guidelines by the higher education body mentioned other forms of assessment. However, the fresh guidelines issued by the UGC on July 6 mentioned only online, offline and blend of both.
Delayed online teaching in pandemic widens education gap
University World News | Mushfique Wadud | Jul 22, 2020
Academics say the pandemic could have a long-term impact on education as many universities could not start online classes before the first week of July because the country lacks good-quality internet access and infrastructure for online classes.
At least one academic semester was lost as the government and university administrations were late in taking the decision to shift to online academic activities. The challenges are that many public university teachers are not familiar with the idea of online classes, internet coverage is poor and mobile internet connection charges are high.
Students said they face serious problems accessing classes as they do not get uninterrupted internet connections at their homes. Some students do not have smartphones or other electronic devices to access online classes.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200722154017758
Education for the future
UN Environment | Jul 22, 2020
Every year the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development meets to advance the UN System’s agenda on sustainable development. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) led the discussion on urgent environmental issues through five side-events.
Ibrahim was one of three students participating in a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-led panel discussion on higher education’s support to regenerative pathways at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
His call to transform higher education to better equip students to tackle the environmental challenges was reiterated by other students on the panel and in the audience.
Source: https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/education-future
Future Tense: COVID-19 puts thousands of career paths in jeopardy
Money Control | M Saraswathy | Jul 21, 2020
As companies revoke job offers and overseas education plans get scuttled, thousands of students across the country are clueless as to what lies ahead of them. Here are seven students in whose lives the epidemic had proved to be a dampener.
Final-year college students are concerned as exams have been made mandatory by the University Grants Commission, irrespective of the rising number of COVID cases in the country.
COVID-19 has accelerated the digital transformation of higher education
World Economic Forum | Samuel Martin-Barbero | Jul 21, 2020
Very few people would have predicted that universities would face such a paradigm shift – with predominant virtual teaching and remote working bursting onto the scene – as a consequence to a global pandemic.
- Developing a virtual culture for universities will require both imaginative and creative implementation, as well as open leadership, and an innovative mentality.
- Learning technology should not be envisioned as a mere utility, but as an academic opportunity. Instructional design, multimedia production and data analytics are vital.
- Scholars from all disciplines will have to be motivated, guided and well-equipped, as their courses and programmes are reconfigured and adapted to a new and uncertain future.
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/covid-19-digital-transformation-higher-education/
Government to permit asymptomatic Covid-19 patients to write CET
Deccan Herald | Jul 21, 2020
In a first, the state government has decided to allow even Covid-19 infected asymptomatic candidates to appear for the Karnataka Common Entrance Test (K-CET) 2020. According to sources at KEA, the same was discussed during the high-level meeting on Monday that was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Higher Education Minister Dr. CN Ashwathnarayan.
Letter to BS: Online education can help maintain continuity in curriculum
Business Standard | Jul 21, 2020
Online classes are convenient, financially beneficial, bring education home, teach self-discipline and expose students to a global college. At the same time, they are more theoretical, create a sense of isolation, cast more responsibility on students and challenge their time-management skills, reduce interaction and feedback, make assessment difficult, and above all create myriad health issues like stressed vision and back pain. It also leads to information overload and less creativity. Let us remind ourselves that student suicides have gone up in India during the pandemic. As a stopgap arrangement, however, online education can help maintain continuity in curriculum.
HRD Minister to launch ‘Manodarpan’ initiative today to provide psychosocial support to students
Hindustan Times| Jul 21, 2020
Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal will on Tuesday launch ‘Manodarpan’, an initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, to provide psychosocial support to students for their mental health and well-being.
“The ‘Manodarpan’ initiative has been included in the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, as a part of strengthening human capital and increasing productivity and efficient reform and initiatives for the education sector,” the ministry stated.
Rationalisation, Bureaucratisation & Inequality in Higher Education amid the Pandemic
The New Leam | Amman Madan | Jul 21, 2020
Covid-19 has led to a disruption of the material conditions of our existence. The way we produce, distribute and exchange our necessities as well as our luxuries, has been disrupted. The challenges posed by two key sociological processes – (1) the rationalisation and bureaucratization of education and (2) social inequality and education’s ways of dealing with it.
Rationalisation of institutions is about creating processes and systems that meet a particular purpose. But most institutions of higher education in India are not clear about what their major purpose is. Students memorise textbooks and teachers give lectures without significantly reflecting on what they are doing and why. Key social goals do not form the trajectories of higher education, instead the latter respond largely to the opportunism of power. While there are notable exceptions, we have been characterised by the pursuit of symbols of excellence rather than the pursuit of processes that define and build excellence.
The strange demand to hold traditional examinations even during a pandemic can only be understood by referring to the characteristics of the bureaucracy. There is a schedule which has to be met and there are certain actions which must be taken. Not doing these leads to the crumbling of the bureaucracy’s authority. The problems we are seeing in a higher education which is encountering the material disruption created by the pandemic are the problems of a rationalised era, where that rationalisation only intermittently serves the goal of emancipation. Unfortunately higher education in India before the pandemic was oriented only at a few places towards freedom and empowerment.
Government colleges in Gurugram await clarity on admissions
Hindustan Times| Jul 21, 2020
While the city-based Gurugram University and some private universities have initiated their admission process last week, state government colleges said that they were still awaiting guidelines to be issued by the department of higher education and are receiving inquiries from anxious students who are slated to take admissions this year.
Government colleges in the district are yet to receive any guidelines on the admission process for undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses for the next academic session, although according to officials of the higher education department, the admission process, which has been delayed this year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, might start by the first week of August. Centralised admissions for colleges across the state are regulated by the department of higher education. There are seven government colleges in the district in addition to Gurugram University that offer both UG and PG courses
Hitting the mark: Class XII scores no longer a barrier to an IIT education
The Financial Express | Jul 21, 2020
The latest CBSE results show that this year nearly 38,686 students scored 95% and above, a 119% jump from last year, and over 1.5 lakh students scored 90% and above, an increase of 67%.
The HRD ministry has announced that Class XII scores will no longer be a barrier to engineering education at the IITs. While the JEE was always the primary basis of IIT admissions, a student still had to either score over 75% or secure a place among the top 20% performers under a senior-secondary board to be eligible for admission. However, with the new norm, those who got excluded because of the criterion now have a chance at an IIT degree.
Contribution of Parul University in fighting back Covid-19
The Times of India| Jul 21, 2020
Ensuring the continuation of the learning and teaching process has been one of the greatest challenges presented by COVID-19 which has affected a significant number of academic higher educational institutions. However, this Vadodara city-based University has managed to keep the wheels of education spinning by providing effective social, economic and digital systems to support the students, staff and the society throughout this pandemic period.
Parul University availed the services of the World Assessment Council’s globally renowned examination platform, to provide an efficient, effective and credible system of student evaluation and ensure the progression of the academics. Through this platform, the University conducted examinations for over 28 000 students simultaneously. This smart digital platform makes use of artificial intelligence to ensure that there is no malpractice through proctoring, live audio and video feeds, deviation detections, amongst other features creating the highest form of transparency through the entire examination process.
Landmark and Transformative Initiative in Indian Higher Education: JGU Announces 100 New Fellowships for the Master’s and Ph.D. Graduates of 2020
Outlook | The News Scroll | Jul 20, 2020
O.P. Jindal Global University has announced an unprecedented policy initiative for developing an academic career plan for 100 JGU graduates (Master’s and Ph.D.) of its 2020 batch to receive generous Fellowships from the University. The 100 Teaching & Research for Intellectual Pursuit (TRIP) Fellowships offers students with the opportunity to gain holistic academic experience in a two-year fellowship programme to develop their academic & research capabilities, intellectual competencies, teaching skills with a pedagogical understanding of the learning ecosystem. The TRIP Fellowships will financially support the 2020 graduates of JGU from the Master's and Ph.D. programmes to develop pathways to a career in academics that will also help overcome the uncertainties in the career trajectories of students caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Autonomy, Democracy and Introspection: The Concerns for Higher Education in India
The Wire | Maidul Islam| Jul 20, 2020
Government intervention in academic affairs in India’s higher education has become a common practice with regards to recruitment and policy decisions. It jeopardizes the making of a diverse team of academics in the everyday functioning of universities. Autonomy and democracy in Indian universities has been the casualty in the last few decades.
The tax payer’s money is used to run publicly funded universities and research institutes in India. Thus it is only fair to demand public scrutiny, accountability and transparency. However, campus violence in the last few decades in some reputed Indian universities has vitiated the academic environment of the higher education scene. Violence is an end to politics; getting rid of politics. Politics should be concerned about the idea of good for the many instead of the few.
Source: https://thewire.in/education/higher-education-india-concerns-autonomy-democracy
Chandigarh University offers relief to Indian students whose dream of studying in Canada got shattered due to COVID-19
Edex Live | Jul 20, 2020
With the current pandemic crisis alarmingly rising, it has become hard for the Indian students whose dream of studying abroad has been shattered or has been postponed as of now. Canada has always been the most preferred destination for higher education amongst the Indian students which can be evident from the fact that more than 1.40 lakh Indian students took admission to various Canadian Universities in 2019 registering an increase of 35 per cent over the previous year.
Keeping the current situation in mind, Chandigarh University has come to offer relief to the Indian students who wished to travel to Canada in 2020 for their higher education. Chandigarh University has joined hands with top-ranked Canadian Universities, Okanagan College and Vancouver Island University, British Columbia, Canada to offer International Articulation Programs in Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Computer Applications, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelors of Computer Sciences and Degree program in Hotel Management.
3 Principles for Reopening Schools Safely During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Center for American Progress | Scott Sargrad and Maura Calsyn | Jul 16, 2020
The Trump administration’s failure to respond to this crisis and its politicization of what should be a nonpartisan issue is a disservice to the many parents who are struggling to ensure that their children can learn and stay safe. Moreover, it is an abdication of the government’s responsibility to protect the health of the country’s students and educators.
Science, not politics, must drive decisions about how and when to reopen schools. This includes both the best science on controlling the spread of COVID-19 and keeping students, families, and school staff safe as well as the science of learning and development for children. Local reopening of schools should be guided by these three key principles.
1. Set an ultimate goal of returning safely to in-person instruction based on public health data
2. Make physical reopening decisions based on local health conditions and school-specific information
3. Develop a comprehensive plan for remote learning that includes plans for full-time remote learning and hybrid approaches
For college students, taking a gap year might be the best way to outwit coronavirus
Los Angeles Times | Stacey Leasca | Jul 16, 2020
As Ethan Knight, a gap-year alumnus and executive director of the Gap Year Assn., a Portland, Ore., nonprofit accreditation and standard-setting organization for gap-year programs, explains it, a gap year is a “semester or a year of experiential learning typically taken after high school and prior to college or post-secondary education in order to deepen one’s practical, professional and personal awareness.” According to Knight, a growing number of people are searching for “gap year” online as an alternative to going back to school right now.
COVID-19 Mental Health Challenges for College Students
Psychology Today | Jamie D. Aten Ph.D. | Jul 16, 2020
College students faced many challenges when COVID-19 forced most schools to shift online. Mental health issues have increased, giving even more reason for research and intervention. Yusen Zhai is a licensed professional counselor and the lead clinic supervisor at the Edwin L. Herr clinic, and he is a doctoral candidate in counselor education and supervision at the Pennsylvania State University. According to Yusen Zhai, College students are at increased risk of mental health problems during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. They face unique challenges as a result of the abrupt disruption of school. It is disheartening to see college students struggling amid the pandemic, and I am worried about them. Given the growing prevalence of mental health issues among college students before the COVID-19 outbreak, the pandemic has posed an extreme threat to collegiate mental health. Although many institutions of higher education have responded to the intensifying situation in a timely manner, it is still difficult to address the education and mental health needs of all students. Health disparities could also exacerbate collegiate mental health and public health outcomes.
As the Virus Deepens Financial Trouble, Colleges Turn to Layoffs
The New York Times | Jul 16, 2020
The University of Akron this week became one of the first schools in the country to make profound cuts in the number of full-time professors on its staff. Others might have to follow. The cuts underscore the growing financial crisis sweeping across higher education, which in recent years has struggled with shrinking state support and declining enrollment amid concerns about skyrocketing tuition and the burden of student debt. The coronavirus and signs of declining fall enrollment have only accelerated the financial trouble everywhere including at large state research universities and small liberal arts schools.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/us/coronavirus-college-faculty-layoffs.html
After Cruise Ships and Nursing Homes, Will Universities Be the Next COVID-19 Tinderboxes?
Times | Katie Mack and Gavin Yamey | Jul 16, 2020
Since the start of July there have been at least two outbreaks among student athletes, coaches, and staff—with 37 infected at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill and 22 at Boise State. Clusters of infection have been traced to college town bars popular with students
A common misconception is that young people with COVID-19 don’t die and therefore college re-openings pose little risk. Sadly, this isn’t the case. COVID-19 deaths in the young are rare, but they happen. Universities across the U.S. are mourning the loss of students in the lead-up to the school year, including Joshua Bush, a 30-year old nursing student at the University of South Carolina, Trevor Syphus Lee, a 27-year old senior at Utah Valley University, and Juan Garcia, a 21-year old Penn State undergraduate.
One might imagine that the rapid, uncontained spread of a serious and poorly understood disease which is already killing students would cause universities all across America to put their re-opening plans on hold.
The rush to re-open is driven by the very reasonable conviction that universities and colleges ought to provide their students face-to-face classroom teaching and a residential “campus experience.” There is more to college than the transmission of knowledge, and online learning has significant disadvantages. But during a pandemic, both classrooms and presumably campus residential settings present risks universities are not equipped to handle.
Safety measures proposed so far revolve around sanitation, masks, and physical distancing. These might be sufficient for a trip to the supermarket; for several reasons, they are likely to fail in the context of daily life at a university.
Source: https://time.com/5867395/will-universities-be-next-covid-19-tinderboxes/
Covid-19 leads to parallel modes of assessment in this university in Delhi
Hindustan Times | Kainat Sarfaraz | Jul 17, 2020
When the Delhi government on Saturday announced cancellation of exams for state universities, including Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), the order brought relief only to a section of students studying on the campus.
The reason: the university functioned as an institute under Delhi University till 2018.
This essentially means that exams were only cancelled for first-year students who were admitted to the state university after 2018. The rest — the second, third, and fourth year students — who were admitted under Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology (NSIT) will be evaluated on the basis of DU and University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
Officials confirmed that students admitted before and during 2018-19 academic session will be under Delhi University. The rest, who were admitted in 2019-20 academic session, will appear for their first-year assessments this year, are under the state’s higher education department.
Testing times: On university exams
The Hindu | Jul 17, 2020
The Centre’s insistence, based on new University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines, that final year examinations in all universities and institutions be held in spite of the risk posed by COVID-19 is a needless complication in the national pandemic response. To expect large numbers of students to take a pen-and-paper test, or an online examination, or a combination of the two, as suggested by the UGC, is counterproductive. There is growing concern worldwide that the coronavirus infection is not always mild among young people, and more importantly, youth with mild symptoms might pass it on to older family members who could become seriously ill. The point, therefore, is not that the Centre is legally empowered to order the conduct of examinations by September-end, because higher education is in the concurrent list, but the likely harm that might follow.
Covid-19 hotspot tag sullies Ahmedabad’s status as education hub
Ahmadabad Mirror | Niyati Rana | Jul 17, 2020
Institutes in city, which usually bustle with activity during admission-season, see a big drop in number of applications from students outside Ahmadabad and Gandhinagar; academics blame city’s failure in tackling corona cases, conversion of hostels to Covid-19 Care centres as reasons that are keeping students away.
The lost voice of the Indian university
The Hindu | Mahesh Gopalan | Jul 17, 2020
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Indian universities emerged as institutions where a privileged generation of colonial subjects trained to serve the colonial regime and further Western political ideals. Some graduates went on to serve the colonial state, while others contributed to the nationalist movement.
Reforming higher learning
In the 20th century, the growth of nationalism, liberal education and the process of de-colonialisation offered universities with an opportunity to revise the curriculum and to define new goals. Over the years, these institutions gradually discarded their elitist character and became more representative.
The institutional and academic autonomy offered to these institutions was central to their emerging as premier institutions of higher learning in India. Other universities in India also took the lead, revised curricula and set about the task of reforming the university as a space for healthy academic engagement.
A new intellectual regime
From 2005 onwards, these changes that infused a new vigour in institutional academia were undermined by government policy that displayed an eagerness to impose a new intellectual regime. The constitution of the National Knowledge Commission and a very strong emphasis on privatisation of education undermined the deliberative and independent character of these institutions of higher education.
From 2005 onwards, these changes that infused a new vigour in institutional academia were undermined by government policy that displayed an eagerness to impose a new intellectual regime. The constitution of the National Knowledge Commission and a very strong emphasis on privatisation of education undermined the deliberative and independent character of these institutions of higher education.
Bureaucratic centralisation
This trend intensified with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The manner in which the Central government and the University Grants Commission have imposed themselves on the daily functioning of all higher educational institutions (Central, State and private) represents a new government-oriented bureaucratic centralisation. Decisions about the conclusion of academic term, the modalities for evaluation and the conduct of the teaching-learning process have become exclusive government prerogatives overnight. The various academic bodies that had original jurisdiction over these matters and were being subjected to decisions by higher authorities in the last few years have, in the last few weeks, been made redundant.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-lost-voice-of-the-indian-university/article32105945.ece
UGC decision on final exams not binding on Maharashtra universities: Government
Hindustan Times | Jul 16, 2020
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday took a stand before the Bombay high court (HC), stating that the guidelines issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on July 6, instructing universities to hold final-semester examinations by September-end, were not binding on the state or universities in Maharashtra. Under section 12 of the UGC Act, 1956, the commission is bound to consult “universities or other bodies concerned” before taking any steps or decisions for promotion of university education and maintenance of standards of teaching, examination, and research in universities, said the affidavit filed by Dr Dhanaraj Mane, director of higher education, Maharashtra.
Admission to colleges for under-graduate courses via online mode this year: West Bengal education minister
Hindustan Times | Jul 16, 2020
West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Wednesday said students will take admission to colleges in the state for under-graduate courses through the online mode this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The detailed advisory about admission would be issued by the higher education department in early August. The minister, said students can get admission to their own institution from August 1 to 10 or apply to another school from August 11 to 31.
Students Want Campus but Will Leave If COVID-19 Surges
VoaNews | Laura Franklin & Ruby Rosenthal | Jul 16, 2020
Most college and university students are willing to sacrifice social aspects of the college experience because of the coronavirus, according to a new poll from Axios.
Nearly 80% of students said they won’t attend parties, while 71% said they wouldn’t attend sporting events.
And if a severe outbreak of COVID-19 broke out, 67% of students said they would leave campus, while 54% would voluntarily download an app to conduct contact tracing.
COVID-19, or coronavirus, is a viral pandemic that appeared in late 2019 in China and spread around the planet. Most recently, it has surged in the U.S.
Some universities that offer in-person classes for the fall semester are providing students with personal protection equipment and free testing, as well as mandatory screenings and safety training.
The Texas A&M University system, for example, plans to offer free testing for students, faculty and staff. The plan states that “approximately 15,000 test kits will be sent to system campuses each month.”
Op-ed: Can colleges chart better course before foundering?
Boston Business Journal | Bob Hildreth | Jul 15, 2020
Hundreds of private colleges entered the pandemic crisis in bad financial shape. The fact that they heavily discount their tuition to attract students goes unappreciated by a public that no longer understands what they are buying.
Much of higher education today resembles the failing cruise industry. Having built ever larger ships stuffed with costly amenities and endless supplies of delicious food for the hungry, they are still only able to tempt passengers to sign up for the full cruise if they heavily discount the fare.
Hundreds of private colleges now need much more than federally guaranteed loans to survive. Without a massive taxpayer-funded bailout many private colleges will simply disappear either from closure or merger. The fact that they have nowhere else to go for funding other than the government puts in sharp relief just how dependent they have become.
The federal government clearly has a responsibility to support higher education, but in this time of scarcity, triage is inescapable. Public schools dedicated to teaching all must be adequately supported and research institutions, private or public, must be saved. But it is not the responsibility of the taxpayers to protect a college’s brand. That is the responsibility of alumni.
In the near future there will be fewer private nonprofit colleges. In many cases they will be regional or so-called commuter schools. Students are already showing a desire to go to college closer to home. Millions more students have voted with their pocketbooks to attend cheaper online schools, which are leading even traditional non-profits to adopt online learning. Even before the pandemic, many Americans recognized that colleges have become so expensive they are just not worth it.
The IT Investments Securing the Future of Higher Education
EdTech | Jul 15, 2020
Higher education will never be the same again after COVID-19’s massive disruptions. From securing remote learning to modernizing infrastructure and implementing transformative technologies, IT leaders have been on the forefront of safeguarding and fulfilling the new normal.
But the path forward remains uncertain. Colleges and universities are struggling with budget shortfalls amid a shifting cybersecurity landscape. As a large number of faculty and students carry on with online learning — or at least blended learning — in the coming school year, new collaboration tools and cloud adoption are going to be key for the future of higher education.
Education stakeholders will need to use data-driven insights to create smarter and more sustainable education models. To help education leaders understand current investment priorities, CDW partnered with IDG to survey how higher education and K–12 leaders are handling spending in four key areas: security, workplace productivity, infrastructure modernization and transformative technologies for students.
The Keys to Cybersecurity: Cloud Security and Cost Reduction
Although cybersecurity has always been a never-ending concern for IT leaders, it’s more crucial than ever in today’s remote learning and working landscape. In March, the FBI issued a warning that teleconferencing solutions and online classrooms are particularly vulnerable to hijacking.
As colleges across the country see a spike in phishing and ransomware attacks, higher education institutions are racing to secure the remote workforce. According to the CDW and IDG survey, 35 percent of education decision-makers say the most important technologies for risk mitigation are the ones that support cloud and remote learning security. Meanwhile, 37 percent say third-party security assessments also remain a top priority.
Source: https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2020/07/it-investments-securing-future-higher-education
This college president won’t open campus this fall, to avoid ‘inevitable spread’ of coronavirus
The Washington Post | Jul 15, 2020
The University of Southern California recently decided to keep the campus closed for most students after first inviting them all back. California State University, the largest four-year university system in the nation, is going remote, and now so is Scripps College, a private liberal-arts school in Claremont, Calif.
President Trump has been calling for all schools to open for all students, but Scripps College President Lara Tiedens says in this post that that won’t work for her school.
COVID-19: Goa govt starts online admissions in colleges
Career 360 | Jul 15, 2020
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Goa Government has started online admissions from Wednesday in all colleges affiliated to the state Directorate of Higher Education (DHE).
Under the centralised online process, students can apply for admission on DHE's portal for various degree courses and need not visit the colleges. In a circular issued on Tuesday, the Goa education department said all government and aided colleges in the state will have an online admission process from the academic year 2020-21.
"Online admissions in government and aided colleges under the administrative control of DHE Goa for courses such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Science (BSc) Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA), Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), law, music, home science, agriculture, Bachelor of Education (BEd) and others shall start from July 15, 2020," the circular said.
Source: https://news.careers360.com/covid-19-goa-govt-starts-online-admissions-in-colleges
Loss of international students could damage US economy, experts say
Newsradio 560KPQ | Jul 14, 2020
The world of higher education, already struggling to cope amid the COVID-19 pandemic, was rocked last week when the Trump administration issued a regulation that would prevent international students from entering the country in addition to compelling thousands already in the U.S. to leave if enrolled in schools that plan to teach exclusively online in the fall.
“These students and their families have invested so much hope and money — in some cases, their families’ life savings — to get an American education,” Kavita Daiya, an associate professor of English at George Washington University, told ABC News. “By being here, they bring so much talent and knowledge to our communities. To force them to leave is to betray the promise of opportunity and fairness that undergirds American higher education.”
It could also cost the U.S. tens of billions of dollars and thousands of jobs.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement decision threatens to severely disrupt life for the more than 1 million international students, about 5.5% of those enrolled in higher education. Some students, fearful of losing their visa status, may even risk their own health by transferring to a school that offers in-person instruction.
Source: https://www.kpq.com/loss-of-international-students-could-damage-us-economy-experts-say/
WB University Exams 2020: Governor to take up MHRD issue with the Centre
TimesNow News | Jul 14, 2020
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday said that the state government informed him why conducting the final semester examinations by September as recommended by the Centre is not possible in the prevailing COVID-19 situation, and he would take up the matter with the Union HRD minister.
The governor's statement came after state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and Higher Education Secretary Manish Jain called on him at the Raj Bhavan and held a meeting, in which they said that the state is not in favour of holding the exams by September in the present situation compromising the health of the students.
Objecting to the July 6 advisory of the Centre asking universities and other institutes to compulsorily conduct final year examinations by September-end, the state government two days ago sent a letter to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) to "re-examine the matter in the interest of physical and mental well-being of students".
Source: https://news.careers360.com/covid-19-goa-govt-starts-online-admissions-in-colleges
Andhra Pradesh postpones all Common Entrance Tests in view of Covid- 19 situation
Hindustan Times | Jul 13, 2020
The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday decided to put off all Common Entrance Tests (CET) for admission into various professional and higher education courses in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation, “After a review of the situation, Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy directed that the CETs be postponed and, accordingly, we have decided to hold them in the third week of September. Fresh dates for these entrance examinations will be announced later,” Education Minister A Suresh told reporters. He pointed out that similar entrance examinations at the national level too were deferred because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Refund students if online teaching has fallen short, say MPs
Times Higher Education | Chris Havergal | Jul 13, 2020
The UK government should provide clearer guidance about when university students are entitled to seek a refund or repeat part of their course in light of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and should consider providing additional funding to institutions to enable them to make such reimbursements, according to a committee of MPs.
The House of Commons Petition Committee says that a “significant number of students” had told it that “they are not receiving the standard of education that they had expected, feel they are entitled to, or which offers true value for money in light of the amount they are paying in tuition fees”, following the shift to online learning since March.
However, the MPs acknowledge that staff “have made tremendous efforts to continue to deliver university courses in uniquely challenging circumstances, and some students have continued to receive an excellent education”.
33% say online education useful, 26% want to be in classroom: Survey
Times of India | Jul 13, 2020
Re-starting the academic year in the state may not be very tough. A survey has shown that 91% of students have smartphones and about 6% have no device to log into a class. But interestingly, amid the much hullabaloo over exams, most students are not sure about where their degree will lead them and 82% felt they need to pick up a skill to up their employability quotient.
A survey of 38,101 (1% of candidate strength in the state) students in higher education - 19,495 female, 18,602 male and 4 transgender - was done at all university regions in the state. Conducted by two educationists appointed to draw the future road map for higher education in the state, IITB's B N Jagatap and education researcher Anand Mapuskar tried to assess 'Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Higher Education in Maharashtra: What is in the minds of students?'. The report has some grave findings with economic anxiety weighing heavy on students' minds. "82% anticipate difficulty in funding their education in academic year 2020-21. The difficulty is for 80% of females and 84% of males.
Covid-19: 6 states against conducting university exams, HRD says student evaluation crucial
Hindustan Times | Jul 13, 2020
With six states expressing reservations against conducting final year examinations in universities in view of the COVID-19 situation, the HRD Ministry has asserted that the guidelines issued by the UGC have to be followed mandatorily and academic evaluation of students is crucial to ensure credibility and career opportunities.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) in its revised guidelines directed the higher education institutions that final year examinations would be conducted in the month of September 2020, instead of July 2020, as per its guidelines announced in April.
Punjab, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Delhi have announced reservations against the plan citing the COVID-19 situation.
“The guidelines have not stated that the exams have to be conducted right away, the exams have to be concluded by September end. States can devise a calendar whenever it is feasible to conduct exams in this timeline. Also, the exams can be conducted either online, offline or in blended mode. Totally doing away with exams is not a feasible situation. The UGC guidelines are binding in nature,” a senior HRD Ministry official said.
Students struggle to fund education: Survey
Hindustan Times | Jul 13, 2020
A large number of students in colleges and universities are finding it difficult to fund their education owing to the lockdown imposed to curb the Covid-19 pandemic, found a survey conducted by a professor from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B).
Almost 82% of the 38,108 students surveyed said they were anticipating difficulty in funding their education while 27% respondents said their chances of continuing education in the academic year 2020-21 were either low or very low.
Of the respondents, 73% said they would have to support their families financially. “This is expressed by 75% of male students and 70% of female students. The urban-rural divide is evident in the responses,”. A higher number of students from rural areas expressed the need to help their family financially. For instance, 79% students from rural areas said they had to support their families as compared to 71% from metro cities.
After Harvard and MIT, Johns Hopkins sues Trump admin to block rule on foreign students
Hindustan Times | Jul 12, 2020
Johns Hopkins University has joined a growing list of prestigious higher education institutions in the US suing the Trump administration over its “cruel” decision not to allow foreign students to take online-only courses this fall semester.
On Monday, the Trump administration announced new rules for international students for the upcoming fall semester (September to December) that requires them to take an in-person class to remain in the country. Many American universities have scaled back or eliminated in-person classes due to the raging Covid-19 pandemic.
Johns Hopkins University (JHU) filed a lawsuit in federal court on Friday, pushing back against the Trump administration order that would abruptly rescind accommodations for online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic for the nearly 5,000 international students at the university and thousands more across the country.
Johns Hopkins said the policy change sending international students back to their home countries if they don’t enroll in in-person classes, “suddenly and unexpectedly” plunged Johns Hopkins, and virtually all of higher education in the United States, into chaos.
82% students in Maharashtra anticipate difficulty in funding their education in new academic year: Survey
The Indian Express | Abha Goradia | Jul 12, 2020
A recent survey on the impact of Covid-19 on higher education in Maharashtra has shown that 82 per cent students anticipate difficulty in funding their education in the new academic year 2020-21.
Conducted independently by IIT-Bombay faculty B N Jagtap and education researcher Anand Mapuskar, the survey has found 80 per cent female and 84 per cent male students have expressed difficulty in funding education.
The urban-rural divide is evident in the response to the survey, as 78 per cent students from metro cities, 80 per cent from district headquarters, 83 per cent at taluka headquarters and 88 per cent from rural areas said they anticipated these difficulties.
Throwing light on the economic distress due to Covid-19, the report has found that 27 per cent students fear that chances of continuing with their studies in the academic year 2020-21 are “low to very low”. This fear has been expressed by 29 per cent male and 25 per cent female students. The percentage is almost uniform over urban and rural settings.
HRD ministry to meet state education secretaries over final exams for degrees
Livemint | Prashant K. Nanda | Jul 12, 2020
The human resource development (HRD) ministry is to meet state education secretaries this week to ensure uniformity with regard to final assessment of students pursuing degrees.
The meeting follows the announcement of cancellation of final year exams at colleges and universities by some states (in the light of covid disruptions), which goes against University Grants Commission rules. UGC, the apex regulator of higher education has, in its turn, stated that it would not accept the unilateral decision of state governments to scrap exams against its directives.
- HRD ministry is seeking to ensure uniformity in the final assessment of students pursuing degrees
- Delhi and West Bengal have unilaterally announced cancellation of final examinations for students at universities in these states
Eight PG courses at four govt colleges in Chandigarh may be discontinued from next academic session
Hindustan Times | Jul 12, 2020
The recommendation was made by a committee of the UT higher education department earlier this year to rationalise staff and resources at government colleges in the city. The courses that may be discontinued are Punjabi MA-I, MA history and MA (IT) at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 42; MA sociology, public administration and MA-I fine arts at Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 11, and MA Hindi at Post Graduate Government College, Sector 11. At Regional Institute of English (RIE), Sector 32, the committee has suggested to take no new students in MA English for the next session. According to sources, the committee observed that for most of these courses, the enrolment is 40-50% against the sanctioned strength. The principals have been given a proforma and they need to give an undertaking that they will not demand more resources if they want to run these courses for the next academic session.
Covid-19: Prestigious universities moving online, but can digital learning compensate for campus experience?
Financial Express | Jul 12, 2020
With scholarships drying up, travel restricted and new visa rules, the pandemic has jeopardised the dreams of millions of students looking to study abroad. As a way to deal, many prestigious universities have moved their courses online, but can online classes compensate for the campus experience? Earlier this week, the US’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that international students studying in the country will either have to leave it or face deportation if their universities switch to online-only courses for upcoming academic sessions. The order said new visas won’t be issued to students enrolled at universities that have gone online completely. The move will severely impact thousands of Indian students in the US who would now have to come back home, while those who have already returned won’t be issued visas for going back. However, students who have a combination of in-person and online classes will be allowed to remain as well as re-enter the US. Soon after the directive, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology sued the Department of Homeland Security and the federal immigration agency protesting against the new guidelines.
Universities are Key to achieving sustainable development
University World News | Brendan O’Malley | Jul 11, 2020
Universities have demonstrated to the world during the COVID-19 crisis why their expertise matters and why international collaboration in higher education is needed to solve the world’s pressing challenges, say the leaders of a conglomeration of international university organisations representing more than 2,000 institutions worldwide.
So now is the time for the international community to recognise the fundamental importance of higher education to achieving all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), which aim to end poverty, protect the planet, foster gender equality, defend and promote cultures and cultural understanding, and ensure prosperity for all, they say, and for universities to dedicate themselves to helping the world achieve those goals.
This was the message delivered by the leaders of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and the International Association of Universities (IAU) to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2020, which met online this week (7-16 July) to focus on progress towards the UN-led 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200711094917938
Lessons of the COVID-19 crisis for business schools
University World News | Ulrich Hommel and Petra Riemer-Hommel | Jul 11, 2020
As the world is moving in measured steps out of COVID-19 lockdown, business schools should start focusing on the lessons that can be drawn from this pandemic of historical proportions.
It may be tempting to treat the affair as an outlier event that will not see a repetition in our lifetime, especially after a range of fixes will have been put in place to shield humankind from another outbreak.
But even if we were to follow this argumentative route, we cannot ignore the systemic vulnerabilities in the medical care sector that have been uncovered in the process and that will linger on for the time being. They are the direct consequence of the managerialist gospel preached by business leaders and their academic mentors.
Corporatisation has encroached many sectors previously withdrawn from the unbridled influence of the ‘market’, be it defence, transportation infrastructure, utilities, higher education, or, in our case, medical care.
Under the disguise of aligning incentives with purpose, neoliberal toolboxes are being deployed to implement arm’s length dealing whenever feasible, in order to chase efficiency gains, to foster accountability and transparency or to withdraw from risk-sharing commitments of non-transactional exchanges.
This has, however, also invited gaming of the system by profit takers and, as a result, has led to the societal mission of these areas dropping out of focus.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200707114212929
The Path Forward for Higher Education after COVID-19
In-depth News | Santo D. Banerjee | Jul 11, 2020
COVID-19 pandemic has forced more than 1.5 billion students in 165 countries out of school, enforcing the global academic community to explore new ways of teaching and learning, including distance and online education, according to UNESCO estimates.
This has proven challenging for both students and educators, who have to deal with the emotional, physical and economic difficulties posed by the illness while doing their part to help curb the spread of the virus, notes United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI).
UNAI is an initiative that aligns institutions of higher education with the United Nations in supporting and contributing to the realization of United Nations goals and mandates, including the promotion and protection of human rights, access to education, sustainability and conflict resolution.
In the COVID-19 and higher education series, United Nations Academic Impact talked to students, educators and researchers in different parts of the world to find out how the pandemic has affected them and how they are coping with the changes.
Transformation Of Higher Education; How COVID- 19 Is Changing The Face Of Education
BW Education | Dr Jagannath Patnaik | Jul 8, 2020
While each level of education faces its unique challenges in the pandemic situations, it is the higher education segment that may end up, by necessity, triggering a learning revolution and metamorphose into a completely new domain. Universities are distinctive in that their students are both old enough to handle the rigours of online work and technologically savvy enough to navigate new platforms. The real challenge lies for the institutions in which they have enrolled. Can traditional, campus-based universities adapt by choosing the right technologies and approaches for educating and engaging their students? The successes and failures that unfold should give us all a better grasp of what is possible. Right now, video-conferencing applications like Zoom, Google meet, Webex, Skype, Youtube Live, Facebook Live, Skype, Blackboard, Cisco Webex, Vimeo Livestream, are providing universities a lifeline. However, lecturers are still struggling to maintain the same depth of engagement with students they could have in a classroom setting. They need to find solutions to avoid a dip in the quality of education they are providing.
Will Covid-19 trigger a new model of higher education in Latin America?
Times Higher Education | Ellie Bothwell | Jul 7, 2020
“There is growing awareness worldwide that the model of higher education employed since the founding of the University of Bologna may have run its course. The pace of change has been slow everywhere; but with a few notable exceptions, Latin America has been particularly slow to join the global discussion of new strategies for active learning, hybrid learning, competency-based learning, peer instruction and more.”
These words from international higher education consultant Liz Reisberg were written in a Times Higher Education supplement in 2017, before the coronavirus ripped through the continent. But they are particularly relevant in today’s post-Covid-19 world, in which universities have been forced to adapt quickly to online education. And while the pandemic has hit universities and students across the globe, it has posed some unique challenges for higher education in the Latin American region.
“What you have in Latin America is so many levels of problems,” Reisberg says in the wake of the coronavirus’ deadly appearance in the region. “One is that there has been a disregard and undervaluing of online education.”
Coronavirus | Students in limbo as UGC yet to decide on final year exams
The Hindu |Priscilla Jebaraj | Jul 5, 2020
7 States announce cancellation; others waiting for orders.
Eleven days after the Centre asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) to review its guidelines on final year university examinations; there is still no clarity for many anxious students across the country.
At least seven States have cancelled their college and university examinations — Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal — without waiting for the UGC’s fresh guidelines. However, some private universities will continue to conduct online examinations in these States.
COVID-19: Why higher education in the US must embrace digital
We Forum |Daniel Rosensweig & Paul LeBlanc | Jul 6, 2020
- The pandemic is an opportunity to change higher-education delivery.
- Online learning is cheaper and more flexible than the traditional on-campus variety.
- Universities should embrace a new role as validators of education.
The ongoing global pandemic has changed much of our daily lives, and education is no exception. Almost overnight, students at all levels were forced to homeschool online with little time to prepare. This shift was scary and uncertain for academic institutions, teachers, professors, students, as well as parents now forced to abandon the schooling routine to which they had come accustomed.
Despite innovations in technology ... we have not yet seen the great shift to accessible, affordable, high-quality education. Perhaps now is that moment.
Partnerships across the learning ecosystem and a recognition that high-impact learning can take many forms in many settings – many digital – can help address the urgent problem of getting people back to work and ready for a workforce that is changing at a ferocious pace. Universities will increasingly find that their value-add is in recognizing and validating and lending credentials to learning, and less about the curation and delivery of content knowledge.
This crisis has highlighted something we have understood all along. We need to redefine how we think about education, allowing for greater access for and support of the student. This is a call to action to forever change the nature of higher education throughout the US.
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/covid19-higher-education-universities-digitalization/
How Can Technology Solve 7 Problems in Indian Higher Education in the post-COVID-19 Era?
India Education Diary | Jul 7, 2020
Indian higher education is poised for a radical change. This change is not coming from any calibrated policy, nor from any business lobby, or from any socio-educational movement. The techno-digital-world powered by forces like the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are challenging and disrupting the status quo, the age-old educational traditions, deeply held perceptions, inherent biases, and existing practices that have shaped the higher education of India since the colonial times. This is not only challenging teaching, learning, and research and related platforms but disrupting multiple processes involved from an end to end in the entire educational ecosystem.
QUALITY Challenges in Indian Higher Education
‘Q’ stands for Quality
‘U’ stands for Universality
‘A’ stands for Access
‘L’ stands for Localization
‘I’ stands for Integration
‘T’ stands for Transformation
‘Y’ stands for Youth for Social Change
Distance education, e-learning, and online education, not long ago, were treated as inferior in quality and inferior in status. IGNOU, the world’s leading distance educator was most often not considered equivalent to its sister central universities in India who provided face-to-face regular courses. But now it is poised for a paradigm shift. Considered so far as peripheral to learning and education, e-learning and online courses are now the buzz words. Digitization of higher education may not be the panacea to all pressing problems, but it will certainly pave the way for future changes and reforms. The digitization of higher education has the potential to make better, the best, the average, the better, and the below average, the good.
Will Covid-19 trigger a new model of higher education in Latin America?
Times Higher Education| Ellie Bothwell | Jul 7, 2020
The pandemic drove learning worldwide into the digital sphere, but Latin America’s universities have responded slowly. Ellie Bothwell asks if the crisis will prompt the region to overcome the barriers to progress.
“There is growing awareness worldwide that the model of higher education employed since the founding of the University of Bologna may have run its course. The pace of change has been slow everywhere; but with a few notable exceptions, Latin America has been particularly slow to join the global discussion of new strategies for active learning, hybrid learning, competency-based learning, peer instruction and more.”
But they are particularly relevant in today’s post-Covid-19 world, in which universities have been forced to adapt quickly to online education. And while the pandemic has hit universities and students across the globe, it has posed some unique challenges for higher education in the Latin American region.
“What you have in Latin America is so many levels of problems,” Reisberg says in the wake of the coronavirus’ deadly appearance in the region. “One is that there has been a disregard and undervaluing of online education.”
States that cancelled college exams ‘revisit’ move after UGC order, Maharashtra holds ground
The Print |Jul 8, 2020
Several states that had decided to cancel final-year college and university exams in light of the Covid-19 pandemic will revisit the order in consonance with a controversial directive issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) Monday.
The UGC Monday received clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs to mandatorily conduct final-year college and university exams, with officials of the university watchdog telling The Print that institutes could choose to hold the tests online if feasible.
Transformation of Higher Education; How COVID- 19 Is Changing the Face of Education?
BW Education | Dr Jagannath Patnaik | Jul 8, 2020
The pandemic has drained economies around the world and has struck our education system like a lightning bolt and shaken it to its core. Just as the First Industrial Revolution forged today’s system of education, we can expect a different educational model to emerge from COVID-19.
The pandemic has undoubtedly upended business for schools, colleges and universities. Campuses have moved to remote learning instantaneously and institutions are also grappling with grave financial challenges as the domestic and global economies may enter a major recession. The outbreak of this pandemic has demanded of institutions to foray into virtual learning mode; it has forced schools, colleges and universities to bring their courses online. This is just one breakthrough in a new educational paradigm. The impact has been dramatic and transformative as educators scramble to put in place workable short-term solutions for remote teaching and learning, particularly in emerging markets, where students and schools face additional challenges related to financing and available infrastructure.
While each level of education faces its unique challenges, it is the higher education segment that may end up, by necessity, triggering a learning revolution and metamorphose into a completely new domain. Universities are distinctive in that their students are both old enough to handle the rigours of online work and technologically savvy enough to navigate new platforms. The real challenge lies for the institutions in which they have enrolled. Can traditional, campus-based universities adapt by choosing the right technologies and approaches for educating and engaging their students? The successes and failures that unfold should give us all a better grasp of what is possible.
Will the coronavirus change higher education forever?
Aljazeera | Jul 8, 2020
As COVID-19 forces more schools to forgo traditional face-to-face learning, we look at how universities are adapting. Eduardo Padron knows a thing or two about running an institution of higher education.
For more than 20 years, he was the president of Miami Dade College, one of the biggest colleges in the United States, with more than 150,000 students.
In this conversation with Al Jazeera's Steve Clemons, Padron discusses his concerns about US higher education and the disruption caused by COVID-19.
With so many universities going online for the next academic year, will students remain engaged?
Will students and parents be willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to expensive universities for an online education?
Will students miss out on the "college experience", where they can mix with fellow students from different backgrounds and experiences?
And with the Trump administration's recently announced rules further diminishing the presence of international students, what will the future look like for them on US campuses?
Coronavirus Is Blowing up America’s Higher Education System
Vanity Fair| Ken Stern | Jul 8, 2020
OU’s frantic effort to train hundreds of teachers and transition thousands of students on the fly was seen at colleges and universities around the world. Steps that would typically have been implemented over the course of years were telescoped into weeks and sometimes even days. The City University of Hong Kong, for instance, moved all its coursework onto digital platforms in just eight days, according to Canvas. This relative success belies an underlying failure: for years, elite schools have advocated for the value of in-person teaching. When the pandemic hit, they were forced into crisis mode.
With the coronavirus upending the service model and the economics of universities across the country, it is not at all clear how flexible America’s higher education system will be in the face of high costs, institutional barriers to change, and a longstanding belief in the value of the way things are traditionally done. A professor at Columbia Business School once told me that “all businesses will be disrupted in the digital age,” but added with a self-satisfied smile, “except for us, of course.” The American affection for the residential model is understandable, but as Mitchell Stevens, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, told me, it also comes with an astronomical price tag: student costs significantly higher than those in other countries; oppressive student debt; and exclusion from top universities for a wide range of students who can’t afford to leave behind family commitments to spend years on campus.
Source: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/07/coronavirus-is-blowing-up-americas-higher-education-system
Virtual conference on 'Challenges of Higher Islamic Education after COVID-19'
Zawya | Jul 9, 2020
The World Muslim Communities Council, in partnership with the Association of Islamic Universities, and a number of universities, Islamic colleges, institutions, and educational quality agencies concerned with higher education will organise an international scientific virtual conference entitled "Challenges of Higher Islamic Education after Corona", on Saturday, 11th July 2020, via ZOOM app and Social Media.
The conference examines the challenges of the coronavirus crisis, which represented a new and unprecedented turning point in the history of educational institutions, as these institutions were forced to resort to distance education during the closure. This situation created a new reality that will lead the education personnel to reconsider the higher education system in terms of its philosophy, goals, systems, curricula, methods, activities.
Coronavirus: Universities offer students guaranteed places
BBC News NI Education Correspondent | Robbie Meredith | Jul 9, 2020
Queen's University of Belfast (QUB) has offered guaranteed places to about 2,500 Northern Irish students before they get their A-level results.
The university said the "unprecedented step" would "reduce anxiety and provide clarity for young people".
The places represent about 70% of QUB's 2020 intake of NI undergraduates.
Both Queen's and Ulster universities had previously said they could face multi-million-pound losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the move by Queen's, Ulster University said it would also immediately be moving to guarantee places to applicants where appropriate, "to ensure a consistent university admissions process for Northern Ireland, support the wellbeing of applicants and ensure they are fully informed".
"We will, of course, honour offers for students who do not secure an early guaranteed place but nonetheless subsequently gain grades that meet their offer," said an Ulster University spokesperson.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/im-dyslexic-and-academic-publishing-twice-hard
University exams by Sept-end impossible: Maharashtra minister to Centre
Hindustan Times | Nandini | Jul 10, 2020
Maharashtra minister Uday Samant on Thursday said he has informed the Centre that it would not be possible to conduct final-year exams at universities by September-end in view of the COVID-19 crisis in the state.
The minister of technical and higher education said he has written to the HRD ministry after it announced on Monday that final-year examinations in universities will have to be conducted by September-end.
If the University Grants Commission (UGC) insists on conducting the examinations, then it should also issue proper guidelines for the same, Samant said.
Maharashtra has so far recorded 2,23,724 cases of COVID-19, the highest in the country.
I’m dyslexic and academic publishing is twice as hard
Times Higher Education | Jul 4, 2020
Rejection is a word and an experience I’ve become well acquainted with since starting PhD. Around every corner is another rejection; it’s just a fact of academic life.
A career in academia means dedicating time to publishing your research in academic journals. And while we all want, and indeed need, to get our research out there, it’s not an easy process. Publishing process is complicated further by dyslexia, a learning difficulty that typically affects accurate and fluent word reading and spelling.
Everyone’s experience of dyslexia is unique, and much strength can come with it, but dyslexic students in higher education often experience problems with writing to a high academic standard and will develop compensatory strategies to do it.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/im-dyslexic-and-academic-publishing-twice-hard
Australia set to ease virus visa hardship for foreign students
Times Higher Education | John Ross | Jul 3, 2020
Australia appears set to address international students’ visa gripes just as a resurgence of coronavirus cases on both sides of the Tasman Sea threatens to neutralise Antipodean universities’ upper hand in the race to revive student flows. the Australian government may announce new visa arrangements next week, bringing rules for foreign students more in line with those in competitor countries.
The plans are expected to include fee waivers for students forced to extend their stay in Australia because of the pandemic, and to clarify whether online classes count towards the period of study required to qualify for post-course work rights.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/australia-set-ease-visa-hardship-foreign-students
Class work suspended in higher educational institutions till July 31
Greater Kashmir | Syed Rizwan Geelani | Jul 3, 2020
The Higher Education Department (HED) ordered suspension of classwork in all Higher Education Institutions till July 31.
The order in this regard has been issued by commissioner secretary HED, Talat Parvez Ruhella.
As per the order, the faculty members, teachers, researchers and non teaching staff will work from home and utilize the time for online education, academic and other activities as per the academic calendar.
The order has been issued in pursuance to guidelines on Unlock-2 notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India vide its notification issued on June 29 and in continuation to Government Order No: 234- JK (HE) of 2020 dated: 05-05-2020 and 254-JK (HE) of 2020 dated: 04-06-2020.
CSUB focuses initiatives on making higher education diverse, welcoming for all
Bakersfield.com | Jul 3, 2020
Cal State Bakersfield has made it a primary goal to show that higher education is diverse, accessible and welcoming to all students, especially students of color. Over the course of the last few years, a number of programs or initiatives at CSUB have taken charge of focusing on students of color, their academic success and future career goals. Following the death of George Floyd and conversations taking place nationwide and locally relating to social justice and equity, the university has placed more emphasis on making even more opportunities available to students. Some programs try to target students while they're in high school. CSUB's Department of Teacher Education has been partnering with the Kern High School District’s Project BEST, or Black Excellence in Scholarship and Teaching, to encourage young Black men to consider education as a career path.
Dan Tehan botches higher education funding reform
The Australian | Jul 3, 2020
The unintended consequences of the botched higher education reforms minister Dan Tehan spelt out at the National Press Club a few short weeks ago continue to reveal themselves. The idea seemed simple enough. As Tehan told the NPC: “What we’re trying to do is encourage and incentivise students to go in those areas where we know the skills will be”. Fair enough, he wants people, ideally, to study in areas where he believes the jobs of the future will be. Areas where Australia needs more educated professionals. And he wants to incentivize potential students to pick those subjects.
Ditch COVID-19 equaliser myth and Eurocentric curriculum
University World News | Nic Mitchell | Jul 3, 2020
The myth that COVID-19 will be “some great equaliser” should be debunked as its impact on education is likely to increase the gap between richer and poorer regions around the world, the British Council’s Going Global 2020 conference heard in its final session – which also focused on the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on the “Eurocentric curriculum”.
This year’s virtual conference was split into a series of webinars culminating in a look at ‘Global learning in a post-COVID world’ on 29 June in a session chaired by Maddalaine Ansell, director of education at the British Council.
While moving lessons online may appear to offer the “perk” of greater accessibility, that “only applied to the people who can get online and COVID-19 has highlighted the depth of the digital divide and how complex and multi-layered that is”.
It is not just the divide between those who do and do not have access to the internet, but those who are and are not “digitally literate”.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200703110244594
A Path to Lifelong Learning: Credentialing Every Semester Of Higher Education
Forbes | David Blake | Jul 3, 2020
David Blake is the Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Degreed and managing partner of The Future of Work Studios.
In the United States, only about 45% of college students graduate with a full degree in four years. That leaves 55% who intended to get a degree but, at the end of a typical college term, do not have one.
The number of people holding a partial degree that grants them little in the eyes of employers is overwhelming. What’s more, by and large, we aren’t effectively enabling learners in our organizations. Every day, the skills gap grows wider and deeper. How can we reverse this trend?
The good news: Within reach is the change I believe can accelerate us into a lifelong learning model. It starts by credentialing every semester of college.
The Demystification of Higher Education for Fall 2020 and Technology’s Supporting Role
Forbes | Paige Francis | Jul 2, 2020
While there may be more differences than similarities when comparing the first day of classes this fall over last, the education delivered will remain solid, future-focused and more dependent on technology than ever before.
As always, there is fear in the unknown. Traditional spaces, primarily for health considerations, promise slightly-to-significantly different experiences for the upcoming semester. Removing the mystery should soothe weary parent and student souls.
Much will remain the same. Students will be taught, they will discuss, they will self-reflect, they will experience and consider new ideas. One difference in learning involves location tolerance. At least 30% of universities are planning for an online or online-option experience. While for some students that might feel different, Covid-19 has proven the importance of survivability within a remote environment.
COVID-19 Roundup: Dartmouth's Deferral Flip-Flop; Spelman's Online Discount
Inside Higher Ed | Doug Lederman | Jul 2, 2020
Dartmouth College on Monday sent an email to its incoming freshmen saying that they have the choice of enrolling either in person or remotely for the fall -- but they would have to reapply for admission if they chose not to enroll this fall. Wednesday evening, after reporting by the student newspaper The Dartmouth and an inquiry from Inside Higher Ed, college officials sent a new email that reversed course. In the initial email Monday (below, at right) to members of the admitted Class of 2024, Lee Coffin, dean of admissions and financial aid, wrote, "If you do not wish to enroll in classes for the fall, winter and spring terms as required of all incoming first-year students during the 2020-21 academic year, we advise you to cancel your enrollment by July 10 and reapply for admission to next year's class."
Egypt's CIT, Higher Education Ministry to equip space information system centre
Mena FN | Jul 2, 2020
The Ministry of Communication and Information and Technology and the Egyptian Space Agency have signed a cooperation protocol to equip a computer centre and integrated information system for the Egyptian Space Agency.
The protocol, which will last over three years, will see the preparation of infrastructure and a data centre to connect the centre up with all buildings under the space agency. It will also provide computing equipment, software, information network and security devices, servers and storage units for the agency.
An agency online portal will also be made available and put into operation, to provide electronic services and external link lines to the agency. There will be cooperation agreements for training between the agency and institutions affiliated to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.
Fitch Affirms New York Higher Ed Finance Authority, NYHELPs Education Loan Rev Bonds, 2009 Series A
Fitch Ratings | Jul 2, 2020
Fitch Ratings has affirmed the ratings on the State of New York Higher Education Finance Authority (NYHEFA), New York Higher Education Loan Program Education Loan Revenue Bonds, 2009 series A (NYHELPs 2009-A) at 'AA+sf'/Outlook Stable. The affirmation is reflective of the build in credit enhancement (CE) and performance in line with expectations since the last review.
Egypt is developing 4 vaccines, 3 drugs against COVID-19: Higher Education Minister
Mena FN | Jul 2, 2020
Egypt's National Research Center (NRC) is in the pre-clinical development phase of four vaccines against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.
In a ministry statement on Thursday, Abdel Ghaffar said the four vaccines are among 132 the World Health Organization (WHO) reports are currently under development against the virus.
The minister indicated that the NRC's research team developing the vaccines have completed pre-clinical trials for a second type of vaccine, and are currently working to obtain approval for clinical trials.
He also said that the NRC has zoned in on three natural materials that significantly inhibit the virus' reproduction, and that it is currently preparing the clinical trials on potential drugs.
A Dozen-Plus Ways You Can Foster Educational Equity
Inside Higher Ed | Viji Sathy, Kelly A. Hogan And Calvin M. Sims | Jul 1, 2020
Recently on social media, we have seen a lot of people posting ways white and non-Black people of color can support the Black Lives Matter movement. Like many of you, we’ve taken these suggestions to heart and taken action in various ways.
We think analogous lists tailored to educators and administrators in higher education are warranted and needed. Since the U.S. professoriate is majority white, some faculty members may not recognize the power and privilege they hold to dismantle educational inequities.
Lessons from a Course on the Pandemic
Inside Higher Ed | Shampa Biswas | Jul 1, 2020
COVID-19 hit the U.S. higher education system like a tsunami, uprooting long-established rules, habits and taken-for-granted norms. Faculty members, administrators and students scrambled to swiftly readjust and find their bearings within a changed educational landscape.
We still remain very much in the middle of the storm, but the process of reckoning has already begun, as has speculation of what is to come in the future. It is possible that, similar to the aftermath of the 2008 economic downturn, the restructuring of institutions of higher education struggling with financial hardships within a depressed economy will lead to shifts in focus toward workforce development and skills education. I would, however, suggest that this moment, perhaps like no other, has revealed the value of a well-rounded liberal arts education. Let me illustrate using the example of a course that was collaboratively created at my institution during the tumultuous spring semester.
New Supplemental Guidance and Deadlines Issued for Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds Under the CARES Act
JD Supra | Jul 01, 2020
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has recently provided additional guidance and instructions in connection with the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. On June 16, 2020, ED released a supplemental FAQ document with respect to HEERF grants on its CARES Act website.
Source: https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/new-supplemental-guidance-and-deadlines-48136/
Why Scott Galloway Is Wrong About Higher Ed's Big Tech Future
Inside Higher Ed | Joshua Kim | Jul 1, 2020
Galloway’s say: Ultimately, universities are going to partner with companies to help them expand. I think that partnership will look something like MIT and Google partnering. Microsoft and Berkeley. Big-tech companies are about to enter education and health care in a big way, not because they want to but because they have to.
It is difficult to see how big tech companies will enter into strategic partnerships with public universities driven by missions of access and affordability. These schools have little funding to invest in partnerships, as trends in state-level disinvestment have driven a long-running set of financial challenges at these institutions. What exactly the business model is that would entice big tech to invest in or partner with the cash-strapped public institutions the majority of college students attend is a question that Galloway never addresses.
Three-year visas for PhD graduates in £300 million UK science plan
Times Higher Education | Jack Grove | Jul 1, 2020
Plans to invest £300 million in scientific infrastructure, extend post-study work visas for PhD graduates and establish an “Office for Talent” to attract top international researchers have been unveiled as part of a research “road map” designed to “cement the UK as a science superpower”.
Under wide-ranging plans announced by the business secretary, Alok Sharma, on 1 July, the government will also set up a new Innovation Expert Group to review how it supports research from the idea stage through to product development, and has pledged to make up “any funding shortfalls” if the UK fails to strike a deal with the European Union on participating in the Horizon Europe framework programme.
The unveiling of the Research and Development Roadmap comes a day after a major speech by Boris Johnson in which he expressed his ambition to turn the UK into a “science superpower” and to “end the chasm between invention and application that means a brilliant British discovery disappears to California and becomes a billion-dollar American company or a Chinese company”.
A Higher Education Department is Welcome. Its Business-Oriented Slant May Not Be
University Times | Emer Moreau | Jul 1, 2020
The formation of a new Cabinet, higher education in Ireland went from being a near-afterthought of most politicians to centre stage – almost overnight. The sector now has its own dedicated department – the Department of Higher and Further Education, Research Innovation and Science – headed by Simon Harris, the outgoing health minister and one of the most high-profile politicians in the country.
While the creation of this department has been broadly welcomed by the sector, the fact that it is headed by a Fine Gael minister who views third-level as a potential revenue stream could be a cause for students’ concern.
Simon Harris's focus on higher education as an economic driver betrays a lack of interest in the more fundamental aspects of university, writes Emer Moreau.
Harris was widely praised for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, it appears unlikely he will embrace vast state investment into an ailing higher-education sector and likely he will take a more business-oriented approach. This could spell bad news for students if he is given free reign.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development offering free job training online
Four State Home Page | Gretchen Bolander | Jul 1, 2020
MISSOURI — Workers who’ve lost their job through recent economic issues have a new training option to add to their job skills.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development is offering free job training online.
The program is called Coursera. It offers 3,800 classes designed to build knowledge and job skills, including areas like information technology.
Missouri residents must sign up by September 30th and complete the course by the end of the year.
Research covered in mainstream media ‘gets more citations’
Times Higher Education | Simon Baker | Jul 2, 2020
The increasingly frantic pace of modern research and the mountains of scholarly articles being published can make it increasingly difficult for scientists to keep abreast of what is cutting edge in their field.
And although increasingly sophisticated tools exist to help researchers keep on top of developments, is there a possibility that scholars may sometimes pick up on new insights primarily from mainstream news coverage and social media?
New research from academics in the US certainly leaves open this possibility after a study found evidence of a strong link between media coverage and citation impact.
The increasingly frantic pace of modern research and the mountains of scholarly articles being published can make it increasingly difficult for scientists to keep abreast of what is cutting edge in their field.
And although increasingly sophisticated tools exist to help researchers keep on top of developments, is there a possibility that scholars may sometimes pick up on new insights primarily from mainstream news coverage and social media?
New research from academics in the US certainly leaves open this possibility after a study found evidence of a strong link between media coverage and citation impact.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/research-covered-mainstream-media-gets-more-citations
Outstanding achievement towards reshaping future of higher education using advanced technology
Intelligent Cio | Rebecca Miles | Jul 1, 2020
Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has announced the successful and complete migration of its systems and applications from its on-premises data centres to the leading technology of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud. This development is in line with HBMSU’s pioneering efforts to establish a new educational culture by shifting away from the on-premises, traditional model of education in order to raise highly qualified and globally competitive future generations. The advanced Digital Transformation initiative has made HBMSU the first university in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to shift its on-premises legacy systems to a full cloud computing model on AWS. The achievement further highlights the success of the university’s efforts to develop its technological resources and smart infrastructure, which was lauded by the global technology cloud service provider AWS, as a leading model in the sector in the region.
The strategic collaboration with the AWS reflects HBMSU’s commitment to make a fundamental and positive change in the education system in order to provide the best education to innovators and creators of the future, in accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMSU, to enhance the readiness to build the future based on quality education. The announcement was made during a virtual media event held via the ZOOM platform, with the participation of high-profile dignitaries including H.E. Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai and Chairman of HBMSU’s Board of Governors; Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU; Paul Grist, Head of Education, International, AWS; Zubin Chagpar, Head of Middle East and Africa, AWS.
Higher education and universities
Tribune | Syed Akhtar Ali Shah | Jul 01, 2020
Universities are established as autonomous statutory bodies so that they can act independently, efficiently and effectively. However, transparency and accountability are also the essentials of good governance. The preamble of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa University Act 2012 postulates to reconstitute and reorganise universities and their governance and management by ensuring accountability, transparency and giving due representation to all stakeholders in decision making, to enhance the quality of higher education. The efficacy of a system depends on ruthless accountability, transparency, enforcement of law and policies. But, in the case of universities, the decisions of the syndicate, Senate and chancellor are being floated with impunity.
Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2252695/higher-education-and-universities
Latin America University Rankings 2020: Methodology
Times Higher Education | June 29, 2020
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are the only global performance tables that judge research-intensive universities across all their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The Latin America University Rankings uses the same 13 carefully calibrated performance indicators to provide the most comprehensive and balanced comparisons, trusted by students, academics, university leaders, industry and even governments – but the weightings are specially recalibrated to reflect the characteristics of emerging economy universities.
The performance indicators are grouped into five areas: Teaching (the learning environment); Research (volume, income and reputation); citations (research influence); International outlook (staff, students and research); and industry income (knowledge transfer).
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/latin-america-university-rankings-2020-methodology
Internet speeds hamper campuses in developing world during crisis
Times Higher Education | Matthew Reisz | Jun 29, 2020
Access to good internet connections is a challenge facing universities in the developing world during the Covid-19 crisis, a conference heard.
Sharon Memis, chief operating officer of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, presented initial findings from a survey about how Covid has impacted the ACU’s more than 500 member universities at an online conference organised by the University of London’s Institute of Commonwealth Studies. Two-thirds of member universities are based in lower- and middle-income countries, which together represent 1 million academic and management staff as well as 1 million students.
At the most basic level, said Ms Memis, 51 per cent of the universities that responded had “fully closed” and another 41 per cent had “partially closed”. Meanwhile, “60 per cent of respondents identified both internet speed and data costs as key problems”, while “lack of access and affordability of internet is obviously exacerbating existing inequalities” between, for example, “the wealthy urban young” and “disadvantaged rural populations”.
Why Africa should embrace private sector higher education
How We Made It in Africa | Hichem Omezzine | Jun 29, 2020
At a crossroads, the continent has an opportunity to boost education provision by embracing bold and ambitious private sector solutions.
Access to better education infrastructure equals stronger and sustained economic growth. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 is “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”. This is a hard reality in Africa: it has a massive shortfall of access at a time when its young population is soaring and the pace of change for the workplace is accelerating away. Bridging the gap and creating the best educational ecosystem is, therefore, critical. An entire continent’s prospects depend on it.
Source: https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/why-africa-should-embrace-private-sector-higher-education/67835/
COVID-19 and the 'new normal' in higher education
EASTMOJO | Amlan Jyoti Das | Jun 29, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has surely brought in a time of new normal and the field of education has seen and experienced a total turnover. From daily social contact classrooms to online classroom education tools, both the students and professors alike are turning towards new modes of knowledge dissemination.
One thing that this COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdown made painfully clear is that a vast majority of youths of Gen-Z prefer to get their basic education out of the Northeastern states. With over 30 private universities, 10 central universities excluding the state and deemed universities in Northeast India, students still opt for education out of their states.
Professor Sunandan Baruah, Dean Engineering and Technology, Assam down town University, indicated three obvious reasons for this brain drain. The first is a feeling of independence from the watchful eyes of the parents. The second reason, based on my observation, is the feeling that better job opportunities are in the offing if they study in institutions in metro cities like New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, etc, which of course does carry weight. The third reason, which should have been the only reason, is a student’s own choice of programme and universities. There is also the issue of visibility of colleges in the Northeast which results in the lack of employment and placement options. Moreover in a country like India, especially in Northeast India, not everyone has access to a smartphone and even if one does, the issues of connectivity remain the ever big hurdle.
Australia’s fee shake-up is overly complicated and inconsistent
Times Higher Education | Gavin Moodie | Jun 29, 2020
The Australian conservative government’s revised Job-ready Graduates: Higher Education Reform Package 2020, uploaded on 22 June, comprises proposals for substantial changes to the country’s higher education funding.
The plan has multiple layers and will affect several areas of funding: financing a substantial expansion of the number of students; aligning the financing of disciplines with their costs of education; redressing the major under-servicing of people in regional and remote areas; and further concentrating on serving the narrow economic interests of industry.
This makes the package complicated and, in some respects, internally inconsistent. The fragmented composition of Australia’s Upper House makes it likely that at least some parts of the package will be legislated, while the fate of the big financing proposals will be shaped by the political and policy debate now developing.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/australias-fee-shake-overly-complicated-and-inconsistent
Don’t casualise academics, says OECD
Times Higher Education | David Matthews | Jun 29, 2020
One of the world’s most influential policy think-tanks has warned universities against shifting academics on to short-term or zero-hour contracts, in a report that argues universities are all but out of money-saving options as they struggle to cope with pandemic-induced hits to private and public income.
In advice aimed at governments mulling how to fund higher education in the aftermath of the coronavirus crisis, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also cautioned that online teaching was just as expensive as in-person instruction.
Despite a trend towards the “casualisation” of the academic workforce, studies stretching back to 2004 suggest that temporarily employed lecturers lead to a drop in student retention, the report says.
Despite hopes in some quarters that the sudden shift online will allow mass-scale, cheap online teaching, the OECD cautions that “systematic evidence on the cost effects of digitalising course development, delivery, assessment and credentialing is limited – and, for many, disappointing.”
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/dont-casualise-academics-says-oecd
Outstanding leaders: reshaping the UAE higher education scene
Gulf News | Jun 28 2020
AUD’s transition to online courses in March was immediate and seamless and it clearly demonstrated our continuous commitment to teaching and learning. At AUD, the learning, and teaching never stops. Students did not lose any classroom time and the faculty never stopped delivery of a world-class education.
This is a testament to the high level of expertise of the AUD faculty. Ranked by QS World Rankings as the third-most diverse international faculty in the world, their global skill set enabled them to effortlessly adapt and adopt to the disruption of the pandemic and continue serving our students, achieving the highest standards of a university education.
AUD has always been taking innovative approaches to teaching and learning in or outside of classrooms, not just during the pandemic. Our faculty maintain up-to-date teaching techniques and incorporate technologies such as 3D printing and virtual reality into the classroom. We understand that learning and teaching are not limited to the physical classroom. Our newly established Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center is an example of AUD’s Smart Learning Model in support of our well-established traditional classroom teaching.
Higher education institutions should adopt new tools of teaching: Maharashtra Governor
Deccan Herald | Jun 28, 2020
On speaking at the inauguration of a webinar on ‘New Age Tools for Teaching Online’ organised by Academisthan, a platform for teaching faculty serving in Higher Education Institutions governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ;on Sunday said that higher education institutions should adopt new online tools of teaching and learning. Mentioning that even IIT Bombay has decided to conduct its classes online, he added that a holistic view should be to see if the new technology is foolproof, harmonious and practical.
Mentioning that students will not be happy if they are passed without writing examinations, the Governor expressed the view that new technology can be used for conducting exams. He said a thought can be given to provide computers to those not possessing one for writing examination.
New core subject groups will harm students’ higher education: Teachers
The Times of India | Sukshma Ramakrishnan & Sampath Kumar | June 28, 2020
The new subject groups for Class XI from the 2020-21 academic year, where students can opt for three core subjects for 500 marks instead of the present four for 600, will affect the prospects of students for higher education, say teachers. “Though the current CBSE board model follows 1 + 4 subject system as well with similar 500 marks, it has more flexibility. Unless there is an option to omit a language paper, the three core subject model’s ability to reduce stress on the students and provide a level-playing field will be only on paper. In reality, one needs to be cautious while choosing, otherwise it will limit the students’ choice of higher education courses substantially after Class XII,” said M C Abilash, secretary, Private Schools Correspondents’ Confederation. Teachers expressed fears that Class X students, especially if parents are not educated enough, may not be able to make well-informed decisions on choosing subjects. Though the new system still offers the choice of opting six subjects too, students may not prefer it as it would mean studying an extra subject compared to other groups.
DUTA Calls Delhi University's Decision to Postpone Exams For 10 Days 'Irresponsible'
NDTV Education | Jun 28, 2020
Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) called the University's decision to postpone July exams thoughtless and irresponsible and said that it has created more stress and anguish. DUTA has again called upon the University to cancel the Open Book Exams (OBE). It says that the OBE is 'highly discriminatory towards those who have not had equal access and is bound to put undue strain on students and households in these difficult times'. DUTA's letter says that 'the University has ignored all the concerns raised in representations sent by Deans, HoDs, teachers and students.'
Universities Should Not Conduct Exams amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Online Tests 'Discriminatory': Kapil Sibal
NDTV Education | Jun 28, 2020
Universities should not conduct examinations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and even holding online tests is not right as it is "discriminatory" towards poor students, former Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said on Sunday. The senior Congress leader also said that with almost half the 2020-21 academic years of schools over without proper classes due to the COVID-19 spread, board examinations for Class 10 should not be held next year as it would burden the students unnecessarily.
Experimentation in higher education must become the norm
University World News | Dara Melnyk and Daniel Kontowski | Jun 27, 2020
We have seen something similar before. In the 1960s and 1970s, the wave of experimental higher education institutions offered new models and practices, which mainstream higher education could not ignore. This is how problem- and project-based learning, student-centred education and individualization became the norm. Now, universities have come to the point when they cannot but innovate. To succeed without betraying their values, they need new solutions.
The central and established institutions might seem immobile and inert – a luxury, we assume, sponsored by vast reputational and financial resources. However, a careful historical analysis shows that the Cambridges and Lunds out there are anything but static. They have reinvented themselves many times over.
Central higher education institutions need transformation to stay in the game. The peripherals cannot enter the game without it. New ideas can shine brighter when they come from unexpected places.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200624152437652
5 Things That Covid-19 Will Make The New Normal In Higher Ed
Forbes | Derek Newton | Jun 26, 2020
Years from now we probably won’t appreciate the drastic and dramatic changes that our institutions of higher education have had to engineer over the past six months.
That is because many things will revert to business as it was. Students will return to campus as enrollments return to familiar patterns following demographics and economics.
Here are five things in higher education that will likely outlive the pandemic and become just part of the expected, unexceptional process and experience of higher education.
- Universal Online Backup Plan
- Remote Test Security and Live Proctoring
- The Distributed Campus and the Preeminence of the Mobile App
- Creative Enrollment and Recruitment Outreach
- Design and Architecture
Why Colleges Should Turn to Companies for Inspiration
Inside Higher Ed | Jun 25, 2020
The economic fallout of COVID-19 has now caused the largest unemployment crisis since the Great Depression. More than 44 million Americans have filed for unemployment since the beginning of March, and the country’s unemployment rate surpasses 13.3 percent. In response, higher education is being called to step up and respond to the unprecedented and urgent needs that extend well beyond making good on their promises and obligations to displaced students and faculty. They are being asked to help get Americans back to work. That challenge brings to the fore the already-fraught relationship between higher education and employers, which already harbored doubts about the ability of colleges to produce graduates with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing economy.
Source: https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/06/25/higher-education-has-much-learn-world-work-opinion
THE Leaders Survey: Will Covid-19 leaves universities in intensive care?
Times Higher Education | Paul Jump | Jun 25, 2020
There is no question that the Covid-19 pandemic presents university leaders around the world with a series of fiendishly difficult and dizzyingly high-stakes decisions.
Quite apart from the longer-term considerations, the sudden lockdowns enforced across the world by the pandemic have thrown up a host of issues requiring urgent resolution. Most salient among them is how to keep teaching when all your staff and students are confined to their homes.
Most respondents are content with the way they have handled the online switch. A full 85 per cent believe that their transition has been successful from a technical point of view. For instance, Sarah Springman, rector of ETH Zurich, reports a “stunning response from colleagues” to the need to teach more than 1,200 courses online during the summer semester. Only about 10 had to be cancelled “because the lecturers were external – and these were all small and optional courses”.
A number of respondents also stress that the ease with which in-person teaching can be transferred online varies considerably according to discipline. Social sciences, business and computer science are often cited as having found the transition easiest, while courses with practical elements and assessments are typically seen as having found it hardest, especially medicine and dentistry.
Covid-19: Exam cancellation for final yr students, deferment of academic session till Oct likely
LiveMint | Jun 25, 2020
Exams for final year students in universities and higher education institutions which were to be held in July are likely to be cancelled in view of the spike in COVID-19 cases, and the commencement of the new session is likely to be deferred to October, according to officials.
According to officials, a panel, set up by UGC and headed by Haryana University vice-chancellor R C Kuhad, has been asked to revisit the guidelines and come up with alternative options. The revised guidelines are expected to be announced by the higher education regulator within a week's time.
The ministry has made it clear that the foundation for revisited guidelines shall be the health and safety of students, teachers staff. The expert committee is of the view that the examinations due in July in most universities as per the revised academic calendar be cancelled and marks for final examination be awarded based on the past performance of each student.
The UGC had in April formed two committees to deliberate on issues arising due to the lockdown to avoid academic loss and take appropriate measures for the future of students.
One of the committees, led by Haryana University Vice-Chancellor R C Kuhad, was tasked with looking into ways of conducting exams in universities amid the lockdown and work on an alternate academic calendar.
The second committee, formed to suggest measures to improve online education, was led by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Vice-Chancellor Nageshwar Rao.
Based on the recommendations of the two panels, the HRD Ministry had on April 29 announced the guidelines recommending the exams for final semester students be conducted in July.
IIT Bombay First Major Institute to Scrap Face-To-Face Lectures This Year
NDTV| Swati Bhasin | Jun 25, 2020
Amid spike in coronavirus cases across the country, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has become the first major institute to scrap all face-to-face lectures for the rest of the year "so that there is no compromise on the safety and well-being of the students".
In a Facebook Post last night, IIT Bombay Director Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri said "For IIT Bombay, students are the first priority. We took the first step in India in concretely deciding how we must bring a closure to the current semester to help our students, A large section of our students come from economically less privileged families and would require a helping hand to equip them with the IT hardware (i.e. laptops and broadband connectivity ) to take these online classes, We have estimated that we need about Rs 5 crores to help those needy students. We look forward to your overwhelming support to help these bright young minds to continue their learning without any further hindrances or delays,"
THE Young University Rankings 2020: results announced
Times Higher Education | Ellie Bothwell | Jun 24, 2020
Asia is home to the world’s leading two young universities for the first time, according to Times Higher Education’s latest ranking.
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology tops the THE Young University Rankings for the third consecutive year, while Nanyang Technological University, Singapore ranks second, up from third last year.
Both universities have very similar profiles, excelling in the areas of international outlook and citation impact, but also achieving high scores for research environment and knowledge transfer.
the ranking includes more than 400 universities from 66 territories. The Young University Rankings are based on the same metrics as the THE World University Rankings. But the weightings are recalibrated to reflect young universities’ missions, with less emphasis on reputational surveys and more on factors such as research productivity, staff-student ratios, institutional income and doctoral education.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/young-university-rankings-2020-results-announced
COVID-19 Puts 2019 Higher Ed Challenges in Stark Relief
Campus Technology | Jun 24, 2020
Declining government funding has two root causes, according to the report: a decline in the "belief of higher ed as a 'public good'" and an "inability to quickly adapt." The first plays into a painful cycle. As government support drops, schools increase tuition, forcing people to reconsider the value of postsecondary education, generating less political support and so on. Countering that, members told the APLU, would require greater public advocacy on the contributions made by higher ed, creation of political action committees for more lobbying and continued attention on finding "alternative sources of funding." The second, slow adaptation, was questioned as an assumption. As the researchers pointed out, "COVID-19 has certainly forced almost all institutions to adapt extremely quickly, particularly in the area of moving to online education, perhaps suggesting the perceived inability to adapt is only partially true." Among the suggestions offered by respondents: to incentivize faculty "to engage with business/industry" and to encourage universities to "think big, think entrepreneurially [and] move nimbly."
Explained: How US pause on H1-B visas will hit Indian companies
Indian Express | Aashish Aryan | Jun 24, 2020
The US administration on Tuesday said it was extending the 60-day ban on immigration and non-immigrant worker visas till the end of 2020. Popular work visas including the much-coveted H-1B and H-2B, and certain categories of H-4, J, and L visas shall also remain suspended until December 31, the White House said in a press note.
US President Donald Trump said, was to protect domestic workers who had been impacted due to a contraction in the economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In order to fill a vacuum of highly-skilled low-cost employees in IT and other related domains, the US administration issues a certain number of visas each year which allows companies from outside the US to send employees to work on client sites. The technology boom coupled with the arrival of the internet and low-cost computers in developing nations such as India and China saw a large number of graduates willing to work at relatively low costs in the US, a win-win situation for both the employer and the employee. However, it has since often been criticised for sending low cost workers to the US at the expense of domestic workers.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/us-h1b-visa-suspension-india-it-companies-6471966/
Protecting UK universities from Covid-19
Times Higher Education | Jun 24, 2020
UK higher education has received clarity, of sorts, via the government’s sector support package. To support short-term cash flow, the Student Loan Company will bring forward £2.6 billion of tuition fee payments for the 2020-21 academic years. Student number controls have also been temporarily reinstated, specifically a cap on providers recruiting full-time domestic students of up to 5 per cent above their forecasts for the next academic year. Essentially, the domestic applicant pool needs to increase about 6.5 per cent to result in an even spread across all institutions.
There is continued debate regarding a September term commencement, with “digital September” now firmly on the cards for many. This is expected to increase the number of deferrals, affecting both domestic and international student numbers, although the student experience may have a greater impact. It will have a knock-on impact on accommodation, catering and research income next year, not just this summer. Furthermore, with universities’ digital provision becoming so important, there needs to be increased safeguarding for it. Having the right digital learning offering in place is one thing, but getting the message to students about how they will still receive a high-quality education and value for money is a separate and significant challenge.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/hub/hsbc/p/protecting-uk-universities-covid-19
Varsities yet to study impact of coronavirus on lives in rural areas
Times of India | Jun 24, 2020
Even as the UGC had directed the universities and colleges to facilitate studies on the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on rural lives and also the role played by the agrarian communities in its containment more than 10 days back, no institution in the state has so far come forward to take up this initiative. The institutions are supposed to submit their study report to the UGC latest by the end of the current month. In its directive issued on June 12, the UGC pointed out that the main objective of this study is to protect the village community from this pandemic. The vice-chancellors of universities and colleges were dusked to facilitate the study of five to six villages adjoining their institutions. The universities were asked to constitute a dedicated research team for carrying out the studies.
The Radical Adjustment of Higher Education
Forbes | Jun 23, 2020
Students, classrooms and instructors have persisted as key components of the U.S. higher education system since its first colleges opened in the 17th century. Despite major societal changes in the past four hundred years, the vast majority of postsecondary students began 2020 in traditional classrooms. Just three months later almost every institution of higher education (IHE) was forced to shift the delivery method of their instruction—some in less than a week—with varying degrees of success and failure.
Almost 25 million students had to pivot in that moment. Housing accommodations away from campus, with a decent broadband internet connection, became a necessity overnight.
The MAPS Dashboard examines the results of over 50 student surveys from across the nation. These data support the conclusion that students need more flexibility and support from their colleges and universities, especially students who are Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, students with disabilities, or students experiencing financial instability.
The drastic differences in how colleges and universities prioritize their student populations will shape who in our country ends up with the privileges associated with higher education.
What does the new post-study work visa mean for international students in the UK?
Times Higher Education | Vivienne Stern | Jun 22, 2020
International students who study at UK universities will be able to stay and work for two years after graduation, by applying for the newly announced Graduate Immigration Route.
The Graduate Immigration Route will be available to international students who have completed a degree at undergraduate level or above at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance and who have a valid Tier 4 visa at the time of application.
Successful applicants on this route will be able to stay and work, or look for work, in the UK at any skill level for a maximum period of two years. Beyond that, graduates who have found skilled jobs, and who qualify for skilled work visas, will be able to switch visas in order to continue their careers in the UK.
This new visa category, announced in September 2019, will be open to applicants from summer 2021, which means that anyone starting a degree this autumn, and who has a valid Tier 4 visa when the new category opens for applications, will be eligible to apply.
Reasserting universities’ value will be focus of Latin America summit
Times Higher Education | Jun 22, 2020
From years of austerity measures placed on higher education in Brazil to campus closures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, university leaders across Latin America have consistently fought to preserve the vitally important institutions of research and teaching for their faculty and students.
The online Times Higher Education Latin America Universities Summit 2020, which will focus on the theme “Universities for the public good: reasserting the value of higher education post-pandemic”, aims to demonstrate how fundamental these institutions are as promoters of social progress.
The summit for leaders from across the region will begin at 0800 CST (Mexico City) on 7 July and will feature a series of online panels and master classes highlighting the vital socio-economic contributions of universities in Latin America.
Academy commits to supporting gender equity in higher education during and after COVID 19
Australian Academy of Science | Jun 23, 2020
The Australian Academy of Science has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equity in STEM by signing the ‘Preserving gender equity as a higher education priority during and after COVID-19’ joint statement.
The statement was published recently by the Higher Education Senior Equity Practitioners Advisory Group on Gender and COVID-19.
The Academy joins a growing number of universities and other sector partners, including Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), in signing the statement.
The statement acknowledges the gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including increased caring responsibilities and family violence, and reductions in workforce participation. It declares sector commitment to immediate and ongoing gender equity actions.
Without concerted efforts to manage and mitigate the uneven impacts on women, progress towards achieving greater participation of women and girls in STEM as recommended in the Women in STEM Decadal Plan will be jeopardised.
Covid-19's impact on Spanish Roma
Euobserver | Jun 23, 2020
At the beginning of this crisis context, the Fundación Secretariado Gitano (FSG) decided to conduct a survey of 11,000 Spanish Roma by telephone who participate in FSG programmes with the aim of verifying how Covid-19 was affecting Roma families, identifying and trying to respond to the greatest needs they were facing.
The closure of primary and high schools led to the transformation of an education system based around digital resources, but a large number of Roma families do not possess the necessary equipment or skills to access and use these resources: only a third of minors have a computer and more than 40 percent of them do not have internet access or have it with limited data.
Although only 6.3 percent said they had suffered at least one incident of discrimination during this time, of being insulted or of being attacked because they are Roma, 37 percent believe that they are being stigmatised, which leads to a negative, unfair image of the Roma community in the context of the Covid-19 crisis.
The Spanish government has put in place some political and legislative measures to counter the negative impact of the crisis on most vulnerable people in Spain – recommendations on how to coordinate emergency aid and food delivery to the most deprived neighbourhoods and settlements.
However, some of these initiatives have not been implemented by regional and local administrations in a flexible, rapid way as an emergency situation requires, nor have they reached the most vulnerable groups, such as Roma.
OECD education head: pandemic disruption should mean lower fees
Times Higher Education | Jun 22, 2020
With the key selling point of university – meeting people and having a ‘great experience’ – now gone, Andreas Schleicher sees high fees as unjustified and calls for more government investment.
One of the world’s most influential voices on higher education policy has said tuition fees should be cut after coronavirus lockdowns removed the key reason students attend university – to meet top academics, to mingle with interesting fellow students and to have a “great experience”. In an interview with THE Europe reporter David Matthews, Andreas Schleicher, director for education and skills at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), said restrictions on physical contact threatened the entire rationale for university education, leaving institutions vulnerable to competition from IT firms that could offer better online learning. “From a student perspective, £9,000 is certainly not the value of an online course,” he said, referring to the annual cost paid by students at English universities. However, he added, it would be “reasonable for governments to increase their investment in higher education” given that the return for taxpayers remained “strong”.
Four-year degree courses better for higher education system: Kerala government panel
New Indian Express | Jun 22, 2020
According to the committee, the move will enable students to get admission for higher studies in foreign universities and also promote research at the undergraduate level.
An expert committee constituted by the state government has recommended the state higher education department to include four-year honours bachelor’s degree programmes in top-ranked colleges and to devise integrated courses. The recommendation is aimed at improving the quality of higher education in the state and providing better avenues for advanced studies.
According to the committee, the move will enable students to get admission for higher studies in foreign universities and also promote research at the undergraduate level. The honours programme will make a big change in the higher education system in the state, the committee noted.
Preparing for the Covid-19 Impact on Universities: Microgrids for Resilience, Cost Savings & Sustainability
Microgrid Knowledge | Jun 22, 2020
Bill Kipnis, of the Siemens Building Performance & Sustainability Division, explores how university microgrids can ramp up resilience, cost savings and sustainability — all crucially important in navigating the COVID-19 impact on these institutions.
According to him - In response to the pandemic, some colleges/universities will adapt new and longer schedules in order to de-clutter their buildings require some on-campus education to be online, and make other changes that potentially increase utility and maintenance costs. In turn, energy efficiency measures are at risk. Those campuses that have transitioned to a microgrid strategy, and gained greater independence from the utility, will use their systems to maintain their energy savings programs. For campuses that have adopted distributed energy (e.g., solar PV), the transition to a fully functional microgrid is relatively inexpensive.
Source: https://microgridknowledge.com/university-microgrids-covid-19/
COVID admissions in Higher Educational institutions
Digital Learning | Jun 21, 2020
The government of India announced lockdown across the country to curb the spread of Coronavirus. All the educational institutions were closed mid-March.
Even as the country battles the pandemic with a lockdown, educators have not forsaken their primary responsibility to the students which is a continuity in their education with the same exacting standards. Overnight, educators have had to change track and adopt steps to keep the ball rolling.
With the lockdown suspending classes, the annual academic calendar has been hit hard, especially as the March-April period signifies the crucial tail end of an academic session and this is also the time for roll outs for the new session.
Due to COVID, the mobility of students will be immensely affected. The admissions will get affected as the many exams are postponed or cancelled. This is also a very crucial time for the admission processes for the next academic session. Some institutes have made their admission process 100% online. To ensure the safety of prospective students, parents and their staff, these institutes have adopted a range of online virtual methodologies to facilitate the entire admission process.
Source: https://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2020/06/covid-admissions-in-higher-educational-institutions/
Placement can be huge challenge for Higher Institutions
Digital Learning | Jun 21, 2020
It is important to identify key challenges for students and teachers in the current scenario. Once identified, academic leadership and the government can address these through innovations in focus areas.
Some companies are rescinding job and internship offers after being negatively impacted by COVID-19. Junior students are finding it harder to find internships, especially foreign research opportunities, which play a key role in interdisciplinary research and exposure to global research facilities.
New project opportunities by universities and within government institutions should be floated and due recognition given. In the long run, leadership within universities and government institutions should push policies to motivate and support an entrepreneurial ecosystem within colleges by setting up more innovation and incubation centres, grants/ fellowships to pursue start-up ideas and flexible policies for deferred placement for start-up enthusiasts.
The private institutions are finding it difficult to provide placement assistants to students. Many firms have withdrawn or deferred their offers given to students. It’s been hard times for many institutions in this crisis.
In the case of technical courses as well as in commerce and management disciplines, students have to do internships with industry as part of course requirements. How would students be fruitfully able to undergo internship when academic institutions and industries are closed due to lockdown. Some industries may reopen in course of time, but would they be able to comply with internship requirements, concerned as they are with productivity and sales?
There have been no comparable breakthroughs from Indian universities, and to the extent that studies on India have been done, most have been carried out by scholars based in foreign universities rather than those working in Indian universities.
Having the right infrastructure in Higher Education matters
Digital learning | Jun 21, 2020
Infrastructure plays an important role in education sector. Classroom design, auditoriums, laboratories, campus area etc. are crucial elements of a learning environment.
Classroom and interior design of Higher Educational Institutions have a major impact on a student’s learning and thus the outcome. There is strong evidence that high-quality infrastructure facilitates better instruction, improves student outcomes, and reduces dropout rates, among other benefits.
With the COVID-19 taking a toll, institutions have started virtual classrooms, labs, high-speed internet provider as digital infrastructure is developed across the globe.
Poor building conditions especially in Higher Education Institutions such as dark classrooms with no proper ventilation, broken furniture, leaky washrooms, poorly maintained cafeterias and pantry areas, messed-up library arrangement creates a negative environment and this adversely affects student’s learning outcome.
Infrastructure should not just focus on facilities for students, but also for teachers.
Institutions must consider recreational centers such as space for indoor activities, studios for musical performances, gym, etc. as an integral part of education infrastructure rather as an add-on. Recreational centers with the right kind of furniture that helps create conducive atmosphere for students to spend time inside the campus for longer duration.
The playground is another vital component of education infrastructure. It contributes to the physical and mental wellness of a student and creates a positive atmosphere in the campus. Playgrounds must be multi-functional, flexible and safe. It must also be spacious enough to support various sports at the same time.
How Covid has impacted higher education sector
New Indian Express | Jun 21, 2020
Covid-19 pandemic-impacted higher education will be different mainly in the mode of teaching and evaluation. Nationally there was a call for a de facto switch to virtual teaching, learning and evaluation, pushing a huge number of teachers into an unfamiliar mode.
Hailed as a more effective, quick and less expensive mode, online teaching/learning is being given precedence over the campus mode as the new normal. It has been suggested that a single podcast at the national level hosting the entire course material for smart teaching can ensure quality.
It appears that the contingent situation will predictably divide higher education institutions into two types: a) covering humanities and social sciences taught informally through virtual mode, less expensive and meant for liberal arts and social sciences and (b) covering pure sciences professional disciplines excluding law.
The immediate post-pandemic change in campus-based education will be behavioural, distinct for physical distancing, masking and sanitising; bringing about rearrangements in classroom, library, laboratory, common rooms and just about everywhere.
Online teaching and evaluation, pushed as a new normal under the pretext of the pandemic crisis, upset objectives of access, equity and excellence in the higher education sector. About 30 per cent of students at home under lockdown are not able to access online lessons due to lack of internet connectivity. Further, a massive shift to online mode will be tantamount to making one-third of the teaching faculty redundant, a strategy likely to be adopted for public expenditure cut under the crony-capitalist setup.
Differences between online and classroom teaching are not merely confined to the medium and environment. There are differences in the art or science of teaching, designing learning outcomes, techniques of communication, ways of facilitating learning and methods of evaluation. It is important for teachers to be formally accustomed to the art, science and methods of ICT-based pedagogy to become effective in virtual teaching. As for the long-term impact, interdisciplinary academic programmes will rank the foremost. Disciplines will increasingly draw closer to one another in the wake of the emergence of more and more cross-disciplinary areas of knowledge. Blurring of disciplinary borders in higher education will demand cross-disciplinary literacy among teachers and adaptability among students.
How to secure recovery of international student mobility
University World News | Jun 20, 2020
Australian universities have been in dire straits due to the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exposed how dependent they are on international student fees. It has also exposed how fragile the current transactional higher education model is, in Australia and in other major destination countries like the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.
This model is the fruit of multiple factors: government policies promoting the commercialisation of higher education while reducing public funding for higher education, accelerated globalisation and multilateral relationships between nation states and the growing middle class and associated demand for overseas study in emerging economies, especially in Asia.
A number of factors are likely to facilitate the recovery of Australian international student mobility. At this stage, Australia is one of the countries to successfully limit the spread of COVID-19, which will likely lead to:
• Better international student health safety and well-being.
• Earlier international student travel than other major destination countries.
• Earlier and safer return to study and part-time or casual work.
• Stronger confidence in the return on investment of studying in Australia for parents and international students, compared to other key destinations.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200620071618800
Covid-19 impact: Maharashtra cancels final year university exams
Live Mint | Jun 20, 2020
Maharashtra government, late on Friday, has decided to cancel the final year and final semester examinations conducted under various universities in the state in the backdrop of rising cases of coronavirus despite the lockdown.
"However, those who want to take the exam should submit it in writing to the university and a decision in this regard will be taken on the basis of the influence of the covid-19 pandemic situation," said Uday Samant, Minister for Higher and Technical Education, while interacting with students through the Facebook page of the Directorate General of Information and Public Relations.
"Those who do not want to take the exam due to the cancellation of the exam will get the degree according to the appropriate formula" said Samant.
Covid-19 Impact on Higher Education
Digital Learning | Jun 20, 2020
There is no doubt that COVID-19 has caused a great deal of uncertainty in higher education. Students don’t know if campuses would open or if they would need to continue studying online. If online, then what would the experience be like? If they had to return to campus, then how would social distancing mar their experience? Would they be at risk of catching the virus? The list of questions and concerns goes on.
Speaking of online – SP Jain’s online learning system is not something ordinary. The delivery would be far superior than almost any online learning system offered by other universities. We call it Premium Learning Online or PLO. This has been designed by SP Jain to surpass face-to-face learning in very clever ways. To popularise this, the School offers several short courses. These are mostly 3-week course that leads to the development of in-demand skills, and are taught live by an expert says Mr Nitish Jain, President, S P Jain School of Global Management in a conversation with Elets News Network (ENN).
Source: https://digitallearning.eletsonline.com/2020/06/covid-19-impact-on-higher-education/
Students thrive in construction, despite COVID-19’s impact on schools
AJC | Arlinda Smith Broady | Jun 19, 2020
For recent high school and college graduates, these are some of the worse times to be entering the job market. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 3.2 million high school graduates in the country. The unemployment rate in Georgia is near 12%, a few points below the national average of 15%. Despite those grim figures, the construction industry is hungry for young talent.
A Coalition of Maryland HBCUs Keeps the Hope of a Legal Settlement Alive
Diverse education | B. Denise Hawkins | Jun 19, 2020
By the time Dr. Aminta H. Breaux was named president of Bowie State University in July 2017, a contentious, federal lawsuit to remedy longstanding racial disparities and funding inequities at four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Maryland was already in its 11th year.
The funds for the state’s HBCUs would have also ended the long-standing lawsuit in which U.S. District Judge Catherine Blake ruled that Maryland had maintained a dual and segregated education system and had underfunded HBCUs for decades.
“It’s no surprise that we are disappointed,” said Michael D. Jones, an attorney for The Coalition for Equity and Excellence in Maryland Higher Education. But he and others agree that the COVID-19 pandemic is no excuse for the legal setback.
With a settlement, each of the four HBCUs would receive a slice of the funding pie based on enrollment size. With nearly 5,500 undergraduates, Bowie State, Maryland’s oldest HBCU, could receive about $16.8 million.
On the campus known for its STEM programs, Breaux said that funding could help fuel new “workforce-related, academic programs and grow and enhance graduate programs.” One thing the lawsuit alleged was that state policies perpetuated segregated higher education by allowing predominantly White state colleges and universities to create new programs that duplicate those at historically Black institutions.
Which nations will weather the storm on international recruitment?
Times Higher Education | Jun 18, 2020
The coronavirus has sent shock waves through higher education, particularly when it comes to international student recruitment, an ever increasing source of income and academic talent for Western universities. THE’s team of reporters around the globe have taken an in-depth look at how five of the biggest recruiting nations have responded to the crisis with steps to remain attractive to international students. Visa rules have been relaxed in some countries, but poor overall responses to the pandemic – and even instances of racism against international students – may have far-reaching consequences for some countries.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/which-nations-will-weather-storm-international-recruitment
COVID-19 impact | Not just H-1B, US L-1 visa holders also in the line of fire
Money Control | Swathi Moorthy | Jun 17, 2020
L-1 is a non-immigrant visa for intra-company transfers for candidates who are already working for the company that intends to open or expand operations in the US. It could also be the US parent company that wants one of its employees working in its subsidiary to work in the US. These visas are reserved for experienced professionals such as managers and executives (L-1A) and those with specialized knowledge in the company’s processes (L-1B). Indian firms continue to be the largest beneficiaries of L-1 visa accounting for 23 percent of total visas issued. Followed by the UK. For instance, companies like TCS, Infosys and Tech Mahindra, are one of the largest users of this visa. According to immigration experts, unlike H-1B, the intra-company transfer visa does not have cap issues. H-1B visa cap is 85,000 in a financial year. This allows companies to file for L-1 for those employees who would be working at their US units. An immigration attorney pointed out that some companies used L-1 in place of H-1B given the complex and long-drawn process the latter involves. The rate of denials and request for evidence have increased under the Trump administration leading to L-1 visa rejections. According to a research report by the US-based immigration think tank CATO.org, between 2016 and 2019, rejection share of L-1 increased from 25 percent to 34 percent. Recent layoffs due to COVID-19 have only added to the troubles. Unlike H-1B visa holders; these employees cannot seek employment in another firm once laid off and have limited options but to return home, especially in the case of Indians. (Canadian and Mexican nationals can move to TN visa that allows them to work in the US).
The visa rejection would also impact IT firms in delivering projects on time as it would be challenging to find replacements for L-1 visa resources who are specialized in particular fields. This would, in due course, force companies to look at other operating models apart from the onsite-offshore mix. We are already seeing it happening. Most IT firms now have close to 60 percent of their workforce in the US as locals. In its FY20 annual report, TCS said with remote working becoming a norm it was looking at a lesser dependency on visa and travel as meetings go virtual.
Petoskey High School receives grants from the Michigan College Access Network
Petoskey News | June 17, 2020
The Public Schools of Petoskey was recently awarded a Reach Higher Systems Impact Grant for $20,000 and a COVID-19 Response Grant for $2,525 from the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN).
Petoskey school officials note their belief that all students deserve the opportunity to pursue postsecondary education. Postsecondary education includes trade school, apprenticeships, military, community college, college, university or any other type of credential beyond high school. The Public Schools of Petoskey encourages all students to pursue “another piece of paper” beyond high school.
Reach Higher System Impact Grants are awarded to high schools that are innovative, progressive, and reform-minded. Schools receiving these have demonstrated they have buy-in, engagement, and formal participation from the building principal and school counseling staff. High schools with a plan to implement a bold systems change initiative, developed using local quantitative and qualitative data, to improve metrics around college and career readiness are recognized with these grant awards.
University of Massachusetts scaling up online learning, partners with California’s Brandman University on adult education
Mass Live | Katie Lannan | Jun 17, 2020
The University of Massachusetts will partner with a California-based university system to scale up its online educational programs with the goal of serving more adult learners. The partnership between UMass Online and Brandman University is expected to be finalized later this year.
The move comes amid the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and UMass officials said millions of adults in Massachusetts and across the country will need “flexible, high-quality and affordable online education alternatives” as they seek to recover from economic dislocation.
The arrangement will strengthen UMass Online's technology platform and support services, according to the university. Kilburn said the partnership does not carry a cost for UMass or the state.
Gov. Wolf: Four Universities Receive Funding for COVID-19 Response Through Manufacturing Innovation Challenge
Governor Tom Wolf | Jun 17, 2020
Governor Tom Wolf today announced the seven project awardees of $174,603 in new funding through the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program COVID-19 Challenge to address the commonwealth’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are fortunate to have some of the brightest minds in our higher education system, and they rose to the challenge in supporting our commonwealth during this unprecedented time,” Gov. Wolf said. “My administration remains committed to identifying new resources that can support our state’s businesses and communities as we continue to navigate this pandemic and the recovery steps ahead.”
The Manufacturing PA Innovation Program COVID-19 Challenge awardees are:
Carnegie Mellon University
In partnership with the Allegheny Health Network, Carnegie Mellon University was awarded $24,986 for its project, Scalable Manufacturing of Nasopharyngeal Swabs to Address Pennsylvania’s Need for COVID-19 Testing.
In partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University was awarded $25,000 for its project, Accelerating the Availability of a COVID-19 Vaccine by Mass Spectrometry Characterization of Immunogens.
Lehigh University
In partnership with Solvay USA, Inc., Lehigh University received $25,000 for its project, A Novel Technology for Disrupting the Spread of Coronavirus.
The University of Pittsburgh
In partnership with Du-Co Ceramics Company, the University of Pittsburgh received $25,000 for its project, Rapid Manufacturing of Polymer-Derived Ceramic Films for Respirator.
In partnership with The ExOne Company, the University of Pittsburgh received $25,000 for its project, Reusable N95 Filters via Metal Binder-Jet 3D Printing.
Villanova University
In partnership with RTM Vital Signs, LLC, Villanova University received $24,802 for its project, COVID-19 Risk Monitoring by Wearable Sensor with Machine Learning Processing on Mobile Device.
Villanova University received $24,815 for its project, Design and Development of NovaVent, a low-cost rapidly manufacturable ventilator.
Washington State furloughs employees, cancels raises citing ‘severe’ revenue downturns
KING 5 | Jun 17, 2020
More than 40,000 state employees will be required to take furlough days starting no later than June 28. A raise for around 5,600 employees was also canceled. Citing a downturn in revenue, Gov. Jay Inslee announced Wednesday that most state employees will be furloughed and a 3% scheduled raise “for many of the state’s highest-paid general government employees” will be canceled. A general wage increase for most state employees approved by the state Legislature was scheduled to go into effect July 1. Under Inslee’s directive, the raises will be canceled “for agency directors, Exempt Management Service and Washington Management Service employees, and all other exempt employees who earn more than $53,000 annually,” according to a press release.
David Eccles School of Business “Navigating COVID-19” Webinars Inform Utah’s Coronavirus Crisis Policies and Business Outcomes
Newswise | Jun 17, 2020
A COVID-19 webinar series at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business has helped shape Utah's formal response to the coronavirus pandemic while counseling hundreds of businesses statewide – a practical and service-driven model for higher education efforts in the global crisis.
“Higher education’s ability to bring together experts and convey information in a practical, impactful manner is a strength we can bring to the pandemic recovery. It is our obligation as educational leaders to work for the betterment of society,” said Taylor Randall, dean of the David Eccles School of Business.
Garnering more than 18,000 views since its debut in April, the series counseled hundreds of businesses and nonprofits statewide with practical and service-driven guidance during this uncertain economic time. Through its 14 webinars, the series also fostered the creation of several COVID-19-related projects that will continue to support the health and economic recovery of Utah. The informative webinars are still free and accessible to all via the following link: Eccles.link/COVID
In addition to helping countless Utah businesses and nonprofits plan for the unknown, the series also helped create and shape several important statewide policy initiatives including:
- Utah Leads Together – the plans for health and economic recovery developed as part of Utah’s COVID-19 Economic Response Task Force.
- Utah HERO (Utah Health and Economic Recovery Outreach Project) – the project mapping the true spread of coronavirus infection in the state.
- Hope Corps – teams of college and university students in Utah developing innovative solutions to COVID-19 challenges.
The Utah Leads Together plans continue to support the vital functions of the state’s economic response to COVID-19 in areas such as:
- Defining Utah’s three economic phases of “urgent, stabilization, and recovery”
- Presenting color-coded health guidance levels (red, orange, yellow, and new green) to help Utah’s public and private decision-makers target reactivation of the Utah economy
- Presenting protective information for Utah’s high-risk population
- Sharing recommendations for assisting multi-cultural Utahns facing the challenges of the digital divide, food insecurity, English proficiency, and other challenges
- Planting seeds for economic renewal through guiding principles, a strategic approach, and fresh thinking on re-imagined economic incentives.
Howard president: anti-racism protests ‘give us a voice’
Times Higher Education | Ellie Bothwell | Jun 17, 2020
Leader of US’ most prominent historically black university says proper funding of such institutions will improve diversity in academia.
Wayne Frederick, president of Howard University, America’s most prestigious historically black university, published a letter to his staff and students citing “We were born for such a time as this. And I am convinced that institutions like Howard University are destined to continue to build, mould and train the leaders who will help bring needed change to the structures of our society.”
Howard University has faced particular financial challenges, not least because it also fully owns and runs Howard University Hospital, which provides critical care for low-income, predominantly African American residents.
But Dr Frederick said the institution’s finances have been improving over the past couple of years, while more recently Howard has “received our share of donations” directed at mitigating the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on black communities.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/howard-president-anti-racism-protests-give-us-voice
Bilaspur-based Dr. C.V. Raman University goes 100% digital for admission process for the 2020 session
India Education Diary | Jun 16, 2020
Dr. C.V. Raman University (CVRU), which is a part of the AISECT Group of Universities, has announced admissions open for the 2020 session. In view of the nationwide lockdown amid the coronavirus threat, the University has taken the admission process for the session 100% online. Students can now indulge in live chat sessions with counsellors through specialised counselling apps, access the virtual campus tour videos available on CVRU’s YouTube channel to get a glimpse of the lush green 60 acre campus, fill up the admission form and submit their fees online through enabled websites and portals. The University is also set to arrange career counseling sessions for prospective students along with online classes on personality development, soft skills and communication, entirely free of cost.
CVRU is credited to be the first private university in Chhattisgarh and it offers a range of Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses under 9 faculties that include Engineering, Education, Information Technology, Law, Commerce & Management, Journalism & Mass Communication, Pharmacy, Arts and Science.
Besides going 100% digital for the admission process, the University has initiated several schemes for the digitalization of the curriculum as well as the process of learning. CVRU features a campus radio station called Radio Raman 90.4 FM, which is the first community radio station set up by a university in India. The radio station broadcasts educational and entertainment based content with an aim to increase literacy of the people staying in tribal and backward areas around Kota regarding their legal, health and educational rights. Other key digital initiatives include conducting online live lectures through distance learning centres across India, offering e-learning online web/video courses in partnership with the National Programme on Technology and Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), online A-V classes in collaboration with Amrita University and IIT Mumbai and an extensive digital infrastructure with over 600 computers and 1500 online journals.
From dorm living to classes, here’s how college will be different this fall
CNBC | Michelle Fox | Jun 16 2020
Amid the uncertainty of what college will look like this fall, one thing is for sure — it won’t be the typical experience for students. Students who get back to campus are going to find themselves on very different campuses and in a very different environment than they expected,” said Debra Felix, a former director of admissions at New York’s Columbia University.
According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which is tracking about 960 colleges across the U.S., 65% of higher-education institutions are planning for in-person classes, 8% are planning for online and 11% are proposing a hybrid model. Additionally, 9% are considering a “range of scenarios” and 6% are waiting to decide.
The CDC also recommends modifying the classroom layouts, so big lecture halls packed with students will be gone. Instead, everyone inside a classroom will be seated 6 feet apart, and seats and rows in lecture halls may be taped off. colleges have been taking different approaches to address on-campus housing in the age of Covid-19, and many are still deciding what to do, said Von Stange, president of the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International. The changes may lead some students to opt for off-campus housing. Those units are set up differently, generally with three or four bedrooms with a kitchen and living area, as well as a bathroom.
Then there are budget cuts likely to come due to the financial blow colleges have taken during the pandemic.
Already hard hit before the crisis, they had to return room and board fees to students who were sent home in the spring. On top of that, enrollment will likely be down in the fall and there will be an increase in demand for financial aid.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/college-will-be-very-different-this-fall-and-for-years-to-come.html
Narasaraopeta Engineering College Leads the Way in Fully Digital Education amidst COVID-19 Pandemic
India Education Diary | Jun 16, 2020
Narasaraopeta Engineering College, Guntur has taken a centre stage in improving the education structure which has been hit by COVID-19 from the last couple of months. The college is conducting regular online sessions, E-learning workshops, and is providing students with subscriptions of online learning platforms like Coursera, Udemy, etc on subjects like Big Data, Machine learning, Artificial Intelligence, Industrial training, MATLAB, AutoCAD etc. The college marked a step ahead to search for innovative tech-based teaching platforms and tools. From using video conferencing software like Zoom and WebEx, shifting to learning management systems such as Instructure’s Canvas, Blackboard and Google Classroom. Further, to keep students serious about academics, NEC is conducting online exams using Software like Proctorio. As the future of education is “Going Digital”, NEC is transforming contemporary teaching methods with interactive digital environments for the students.
The college administration is making sure that no student is left out from this new way of teaching culture and following their academic circular strictly. The college is conducting “E-learning mockups” for students and teachers in association with a number of online platforms, mentors, and educational experts.
Aligarh Muslim University: Webinar held on impact of COVID 19 on job opportunities
India Education Diary | Jun 16, 2020
“We need to have professional skills apart from the intellect to market ourselves to the corporate world and undergraduate students need to take up degrees in subject areas which the market needs”, said Mr Surya Pratap Singh, an entrepreneur and corporate trainer, while speaking at the webinar organized by the Training and Placement Office (General) and Internal Quality Assurance Cell, Aligarh Muslim University.
He said that in order to avoid being in the lower work force, one should be open to learn new things and learning about the concepts of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and Digital Marketing can take the person higher up in the corporate hierarchy.
The webinar concluded with a talk on certificate programmes which could be acquired through various MOOC platforms along with a regular course.
GE Healthcare, University of Oxford, NCIMI, to Develop AI Algorithms to Help Predict COVID-19 Impact
Enterprise AI | Jun 16, 2020
GE Healthcare is working with the University of Oxford-led National Consortium of Intelligent Medical Imaging (NCIMI) in the UK to develop and test algorithms to aid in the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 pneumonia. The program will focus on developing, enhancing and testing potential algorithms to help diagnose COVID-19 pneumonia, predict which patients will develop severe respiratory distress - a key cause of mortality in patients who develop COVID-19 pneumonia - and which patients might develop longer term lung function problems, even when they recover from respiratory distress.
“It would be extremely valuable to predict at a relatively early stage in the disease which patients will do well, which are at risk of imminent deterioration and should be admitted to ICU as they will need more intensive support, and which are at higher risk of delayed deterioration and need to be actively monitored.” says Professor Fergus Gleeson, Consultant Radiologist, Professor of Radiology at the University of Oxford, and the 2020 president of the European Society of Thoracic Imaging. “These distinctions would allow hospital resources to be targeted to those that will need them whilst in hospital and following discharge.”
The development of robust algorithms and models requires large data sets comprising thousands of patients. The Oxford and NCIMI teams will have access to data from NCIMI NHS partner hospitals as well as working with the National COVID-19 Chest Imaging Database (NCCID) led by NHSX in England and the British Society of Thoracic Imaging. GE Healthcare is developing various imaging and vitals-sign algorithms for use in conducting research for better understanding of the COVID-19 disease progression. The team at Oxford will assess and test various approaches to determine if these can be used to help patients who have or have had COVID-19 pneumonia.
How IIT Guwahati is dealing with the Covid-19 crisis
India Today | Jun 16, 2020
As the world copes with the coronavirus pandemic, it has witnessed the biggest disruption in living history in the educational sector, especially in the overseas educational plans. In the face of this enormous challenge, IIT Guwahati has explored ways to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in response to the surge in demand for online learning platforms to avoid flattening the curve in education.
Maintaining a positive attitude during the pandemic, Prof. TG Sitharam, Director, IIT Guwahati, says, it “gives a unique prospect for India to become a vibrant higher education destination” and envisions a recovery plan to provide “an opportunity for indigenous invention in medical equipment, hygiene related products and boost the economic activities in the post-Covid-19 scenario.”
Prof. Sitharam feels that it is time to promote student and faculty mobility within premier education institutes.
IIT Guwahati has established a robust engagement with embassies of different countries, set up active collaborations with institutions in neighbouring countries, like Bhutan, and International Joint PhD Degree Programmes with Japan, Germany and Australia and is in the process of signing an agreement on International Cooperative Graduate Programme with the National Institute of Material Sciences, Japan.
The joint degree programmes envisage a stay in partner universities outside India to provide students an opportunity to gain global exposure and research experience in countries abroad while being registered in their parent institution, i.e. IIT Guwahati.
Social sector funding hit by economy woes
Times of India |Rupali Mukherjee | Jun 15, 2020
Call it the Covid-19 effect. Philanthropic or social sector funding has taken a huge blow with several non-profits even facing an existential crisis, with all funding activities currently revolving around fighting the Pandemic.
The sector stares at a huge fall, with CSR funding expected to drop by an estimated 30-60% over the next two years, as ultra-high-net-worth individuals and leading corporate set aside their spends for Covid-19 response. The drying up of funds for social sector funding, together with the downward pressure on corporate profitability over the years, is expected to significantly reduce CSR funding across sectors, experts say.
COVID-19 pandemic could decimate outdoor environmental, science education programs
Science Daily | University of California – Berkeley | Jun 15, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the survival of organizations nationwide that provide critical outdoor environmental and science education to K-12 students, with an alarming 63% of such groups uncertain about their ability to ever reopen their doors, according to a study released this week by the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
A survey of 1,000 outdoor education programs nationwide finds that nearly two-thirds are in danger of folding because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such programs connect youth with the world around them and teach about nature, with documented academic, health and social benefits. But most programs are conducted by residential outdoor science schools, nature centers, parks and zoos, not in traditional classrooms. The loss will be felt disproportionately by students of color and low-income students.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/06/200615140919.htm
Indore: DAVV to conduct study on Covid impact in neighbouring villages
Free Press Journal | Jun 15, 2020
The move comes following a letter by University Grants Commission (UGC) for the same.
The UGC said that there is a pressing need to sensitively analyse the impact of pandemic as well as the role played by communities in agrarian part of this country.
The higher education regulator stated that in order to effectively address this need, the vice chancellors of universities and principals of their affiliated colleges should facilitate the study of 5-6 villages adjoining their institution/adopted by them.
The focus of the study, the UGC said, should be to elaborate on level of awareness in villages regarding Covid-19, how did the village withstand various challenges posed by pandemic and the best strategies or measures adopted by the village to combat the challenges posed by deadly virus.
In addition, the UGC stated that the higher education institutions should also facilitate a parallel study on impact of 1918 Pandemic (H1N1 Virus) or Spanish Flu on India elaborating on how the country handled it, and what measures India took to boost the Indian economy after the pandemic.
DAVV media incharge Chandan Gupta stated that they would soon start study on the neighbouring villages and submit the report to UGC within the prescribed time limit.
Government should end ‘hostile bureaucracy’ facing overseas students
Sropshire Star | Jun 15, 2020
The Government should end the “hostile bureaucracy” facing overseas students and bring in a four-year post-study work visa to help universities overcome Covid-19 and Brexit, a former minister has said.
A predicted large drop in international students due to coronavirus will “expose real vulnerabilities” in university finances and it will compound problems already facing the sector, according to a report.
Jo Johnson, former universities minister, argues that British universities have long been “tied down by bureaucracy, obsessions with poorly-crafted immigration targets and pettifogging rules”.
In a report, published by King’s College London (KCL) and the Harvard Kennedy School, Mr Johnson makes a series of recommendations to the Government on how to reduce the impact on UK universities.
International students should be allowed to stay in the UK for double the length of time after graduating, from two to four years, to “send a clear signal that Global Britain is open to the world” – and the Government should launch a marketing drive to double student numbers from India by 2024, he says.
Jo Johnson calls for four-year post-study UK work visa
Times Higher Education | Jun 15, 2020
The UK should introduce a four-year post-study work visa and a target to double the number of Indian students, if it is to remain competitive in global international student recruitment after Covid-19 and Brexit, according to former universities minister Jo Johnson.
Former universities minister also recommends that UK prioritises recruitment from India to remain competitive after pandemic.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/jo-johnson-calls-four-year-post-study-uk-work-visa
What Does Virtual Learning Mean For The Future Of Higher Education?
Forbes | Robyn D. Shulman | Jun 14, 2020
As U.C. Riverside had already begun moving several courses online, the transition was somewhat underway before California, and national mandates in mid-March required all education to jump online and most communities to shelter in place.
Toothman sees the future of higher education and professional training believes education is forever changed—especially at the college level. He also states many schools are running a hybrid teaching model in the fall, and many universities are moving entirely online.
Toothman realized he had two choices to make when it comes to teaching today.
Here's what he stated:
1. To lead out in pioneering new and better formulas to entice students into a new frontier they could welcome;
2. Be left behind in a sector that is regarded inherently and forever a distant "second best" to the learning that takes place face-to-face.
Knowing it would be most difficult to replace the energy of the live interactions with instructors and other students, Toothman turned his attention to what an online platform could provide that other mediums can't. He realized the medium allows room for students to shape their own adventures in ways that a live and static lesson plan can't provide.
He has also made the intrepid choice to hold live Zoom sessions for for international students. He knows that most instructors will not do this, and it may not be a workable solution forever. Still, as the world adjusts, it is vital to ensure first and foremost that students are met with the most exceptional experience possible as they navigate the move to learning online.
COVID-19 impact | Prolonged ban of H-1B visa may change IT, tech ecosystem in US
Surface Magazine | Swathi Moorthy | Jun 14, 2020
A proclamation banning all non-immigrant visas including H-1B in the US is more than likely at the back of rising unemployment due to COVID-19. This is not a good news for Indian IT firms or the US tech industry. For a prolonged ban will impact the talent supply chain and could potentially change the way the entire industry works, even in the post COVID-19 world.
Though the companies have been stepping up their localisation efforts, sudden ban will impact their ability to deliver projects and close deals due to talent crunch. This will also affect the US firms that employ significant Indian tech workers. “The ripple effect is not on just the tech companies and consulting firms, it will actually impact federal to state governments to companies across the US that are relying on these H-1B workers to help engine their products,” said Sheela Murthy, founder, Murthy Law Firm. In terms of IT firms such as TCS, Infosys, Wipro and Cognizant continue to be top H-1B employers and any set back will impact them.
We need to reimagine higher education, not just repair it
University world news | Francisco Marmolejo | Jun 13, 2020
The COVID crisis is wreaking havoc with the student experience and higher education institutions around the world. Colleges and universities shifted to remote learning as they were forced to suddenly shut down. Now students and lecturers are anxiously waiting to find out if, when classes resume in September, they will be in person. At some United States colleges, students are staging tuition fee strikes in despair that their degree won’t be considered as valuable under the circumstances.
Crises can make innovations that seemed previously impossible suddenly inevitable. There will be years of ‘a reckoning’ that higher education institutions will go through. But the ‘new normal’ we must shape needs to begin with the recognition that putting classes on Zoom isn’t change. Higher education institutions need reimagining, not just repairing. Educators, policy-makers, employers and investors must urgently give thought to what a post-COVID world should look like and what role higher education institutions must play to make that world a reality.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200612100902318
COVID-19’s impact on the world’s largest youth population
University world news | Rajika Bhandari | Jun 13, 2020
Indian students have an almost 134-year documented history of obtaining a foreign degree from Western nations and they constitute one of the world’s largest groups of mobile post-secondary students, especially in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).
The estimates of the numbers of Indian students abroad vary significantly by source: while UNESCO tells us that there were 332,000 Indian students abroad in 2017, more recent data by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs puts the number at more than double that, at 753,000 in 2018.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused widespread speculation and anxiety within higher education sectors on whether Indian students will continue to seek an overseas education with the same enthusiasm as before.
Host universities in key destination countries have been supportive, communicating frequently with their future international students in India. However, more clarity is needed around each university’s ultimate decision on whether to offer on-campus or online instruction in the autumn.
One area in which students need more clarity is the proposed fee structure, and whether the cost of an online semester will be different from being on campus.
• Students need emotional support and guidance from their schools and counsellors during this time. For most Indian students, the pursuit of going abroad is a long journey that begins many years prior to embarking on the actual degree, reflecting years’ worth of aspirations, hard work and family savings. Given these investments, students are currently feeling disappointed and disillusioned, yet are seeking options that are a good fit for them.
Counsellors need to work with them to help explore other viable options. In encouraging words, one student said: “You will find another good option that is a good fit. You just have to really look.”
• The COVID-19 situation might prove to be favourable for Indian universities, particularly for those private institutions that are at the forefront of innovation and aspire to be world-class.
While such institutions were often considered a back-up for westward-bound Indians, students are now discovering that the institutions offer many of the same features that drew them to Western institutions in the first place: a stronger focus on the liberal arts; the ability to select both a major and minor; interdisciplinary academic programmes that allow greater flexibility; and increased opportunities for applied learning and internships.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=202006121449023
GIGXR Announces New Immersive Learning System for September 2020 with Remote and Socially Distanced Learning
Newsmaker | Jun 12, 2020
Los Angeles, CA – June 12, 2020 – GIGXR, Inc., a provider of extended reality (XR) learning systems for instructor-led teaching and training, announced today the availability of its GIG Immersive Learning System for September 2020. The cloud-based System was created to dramatically enhance learning outcomes while simplifying complex, real-life teaching and training scenarios in medical and nursing schools, higher education, healthcare and hospitals. The GIG Immersive Learning System is available for demos and pre-order starting today, and includes three core components:
- Remote and Socially Distanced Learning: Enables teaching and training with students in a distributed classroom through extended reality. Students can be co-located, remote or safely socially distanced, and participate in sessions anywhere using 3D mixed reality immersive devices and mobile phones, tablets or laptops for a 2.5D experience.
- Mixed Reality Applications: GIGXR’s flagship products HoloPatient and HoloHuman run on Microsoft’s HoloLens 2, placing the 3D digital world in a collaborative physical space for safe development of clinical skills and unprecedented exploration into human pathologies and anatomies.
- Immersive Learning Platform: Cloud-based infrastructure that supports GIGXR’s mixed reality applications and remote learning capabilities with additional features such as visual login, instructor content creation, holographic content management, session planning, roles and rights, license management, security, privacy, and long-term data management.
University students have high levels of food insecurity due to COVID-19 pandemic
News Medical Lifesciences | Jun 12, 2020
Four out of ten university students have reported they are worried that they will run out of food as they deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report.
A collaboration of universities in the UK and USA surveyed students on their levels of food insecurity during April, after universities in both nations ceased campus-based teaching.
The preliminary findings outlined in the report, Food Insecurity and Lived Experiences of Students, reveal students have high levels of food insecurity and low levels of mental wellbeing, alongside a high level of lost jobs and income since the outbreak of COVID-19.
Those students who lived either alone or with other students were much more likely to face food insecurity than students who either lived at home already or who returned to their family home when lockdown began.
The situation was more positive for 56% of those students who were able to return home and live with their parents, as their parents purchased food and there was shared responsibility for preparing meals.
Global Innovation Management Market Sees Growing Focus of Enterprises on the Development of New, Innovative, and Personalized Products
GlobeNewsWire| Jun 12, 2020
The global innovation management market size is forecast to grow from USD 918 million in 2020 to USD 1,663 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 12.6% during the forecast period. The major growth factors for the market include the increasing demand for crowdsourcing innovation across verticals and changing work culture in enterprises. However, the mindset of leaders towards traditional approaches may restrain the market growth.
By function, the innovation management market is subsegmented into product development and business processes. Among functions, the product development segment is expected to grow at a higher growth rate during the forecast period as enterprises are focused on customer-centric product development. Thus, product research and development platforms are very useful for the development of innovative products.
The innovation management market is segregated into various verticals, including aerospace and defense, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI), healthcare and pharmaceuticals, government, retail and eCommerce, IT and telecommunications, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and others (education, media and entertainment, legal, construction, agriculture, energy and utilities, and Non-Profit Organizations [NPO]). These verticals are expected to witness high adoption of innovation management solutions to achieve benefits, such as optimized storage information resources, lower risks, improved enterprise efficiency, and transparency in the innovation process of enterprises. Among these verticals, the healthcare and pharmaceuticals vertical is expected to grow at the highest growth rate. Healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations are focusing on changing their business plans for meeting the needs and expectations of patients and consumers worldwide.
The innovation management market by region covers North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America is expected to hold the largest market size of the innovation management market. The region has been adopting innovation management solutions. It has been extremely responsive toward adopting the latest technological advancements, such as integrating technologies with Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud, and mobile technologies with the use of traditional innovation management solutions. The major growth driver for this region is the presence of rigorous government standards and regulations framed for various industries.
Mounting Peril for Public Higher Education During the Coronavirus Pandemic
American Progress | Victoria Yuen | Jun 11, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has led to the most difficult semester in generations on college campuses across the United States. With that semester now wrapping up, public colleges and universities are facing costs that already dwarf the $7.6 billion in federal stimulus funds that are on their way to these institutions. Absent dramatic new action from Congress, many of the public colleges that support social mobility will confront an existential threat.
Public colleges across the country face the same dire financial picture. The majority of states cannot run budget deficits,which severely limits their ability to protect higher education from funding cuts as tax revenues fall off a cliff. That means that there is no entity besides the federal government that is in a position to ensure that everyone in the country can access the education that they need to thrive in the U.S. economy.
Delhi University to begin admission process from June 20
Digital Learning | Jun 11, 2020
According to media reports, Delhi University would begin the DU Admission 2020 process from June 20, 2020. The admission process has been delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak this year. Students can download the form at www.du.ac.in. The registration process would open on June 20 and would close on July 4, 2020, for all courses. The second window for registration would be opened by the varsity after the declaration of result by CBSE for the updation of marks.
Delhi University is expected to announce the cut-offs by end of July or early August, as per UGC Exam & Admission Guidelines. This year the varsity would not have trails for sports and Extra-Curricular activities (ECA) due to the pandemic. There will be no admission in ECA except for NCC and NSS and that too on the basis of the certificates as no trials will be conducted, the member said, adding this was decided keeping in mind the coronavirus situation.
Gov. Northam’s coronavirus briefing: no spike in COVID-19 cases, higher education guidelines, May revenue numbers
NBC29.com | Jun 11, 2020
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Governor Northam is holding a briefing on the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic in Virginia. On higher education, Northam says guidance for reopening is similar to those recently announced for K-12 schools.
Peter Blake, the director of state council of higher education, spoke about the challenges around racial inequities in Virginia’s colleges and universities, and that they will strive to improve. Blake says reopening guidance for higher education puts safety at the forefront. Blake said campuses will have to meet certain conditions related to public health, and each plan will be unique and can be updated. He says to expect a new normal in college life as colleges and universities adjust as a result of COVID-19. Additional info is expected to be released Friday.
Source: https://www.nbc29.com/2020/06/11/governor-northam-hold-coronavirus-briefing-pm-watch-live-here/
Are international students in the US facing OPT suspension?
Study International | Jun 12, 2020
International graduates in the US Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme may have to deal with OPT suspension soon. The OPT is a student visa extension which allows eligible international graduates to work in the US for up to 12 months after completing their studies. STEM majors get an additional 24 months.
This comes as the US government considers further immigration restrictions to manage the devastating impact of COVID-19.
First, the US government took the first step by suspending entry of immigrants deemed risky to the US. Then, it released an executive order directing agencies to “address this economic emergency by rescinding, modifying, waiving, or providing exemptions from regulations and other requirements that may inhibit economic recovery”.
In response, 21 Republican Members of Congress wrote to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf opposing the OPT suspension.
Source: https://www.studyinternational.com/News/opt-suspension-us-covid19/
Online classes to continue in post-covid Kerala: Higher Education Council
Mathrubhumi | Jun 12, 2020
The higher education sector in Kerala will face major changes in post-covid Kerala. The Higher Education Council has; declared that online class mode will continue simultaneously with classroom education.
A draft policy of higher education prepared by the council recommended forming training programmes to tackle challenges from online classes.
Though online classes will continue, use of online education materials will not be made mandatory. Webinars and teleconferencing which are used at present to confront the challenges will be continued. The report of the higher education council pointed out that graduation and post-graduation courses will turn online as it is less expensive and effective. More teachers will be made to adopt the online education system.
COVID-19 impact: Odisha government cancels all pending exams for UG, PG students
The Indian Express| Jun 12, 2020
The State Government on Thursday announced cancellation of all pending final semester and final year examinations of Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) courses for 2019-20 academic session.
A decision to this effect was taken by Higher Education department in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Guidelines to this effect will be issued soon, said Higher Education Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo.
Students not satisfied with the marks will be allowed to appear the exams in November and results will be published in December.
Students having more than two back papers, however, will have to appear a separate exam, schedule for which will be released by the universities and autonomous colleges after improvement of Covid situation.
Cambridge offers £1m in bursaries for adults worst hit by Covid-19
Times Higher Education | Anna McKie | Jun 11, 2020
The University of Cambridge has launched a £1 million bursary scheme for adults who have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus to continue their education. The bursary from the university’s Institute of Continuing Education will give 1,000 adults in the UK the chance to study for a range of part-time qualifications. The university said that more than 20 million people are eligible for the programme, as any of the 1.5 million people designated “most at risk of the virus” by the NHS can also apply for the bursary, as well as individuals aged 70 and over and all key workers. The institution will provide undergraduate teaching online during 2020-21 “to maintain accessibility for all during the coronavirus crisis”, the ICE said.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/News/cambridge-offers-ps1m-bursaries-adults-worst-hit-covid-19
Do university excellence initiatives work?
Times Higher Education | Jun 11, 2020
Nations are increasingly making conscious efforts to propel a subset of their universities into the global elite. But are such aspirations ever met? And, if they are, is that a blessing or a curse for those institutions denied entry to the club?
One of the other positive outcomes of excellence initiatives is that they have allowed a new generation of university leaders to emerge. ... It is indeed unlikely that the scientific production of beneficiary universities would increase significantly within the first few years of an excellence initiative.
There are also examples of developed higher education systems pursuing this approach, as they try to elevate the global status of their top institutions in a world where this can influence academic and student recruitment. Perhaps the most famous is Germany, whose Excellence Strategy is now entering its third iteration. France, too, has sought to amalgamate some of its top institutions into larger units known as ComUEs (communautés d’universités et établissements), in an attempt to boost their collective power and global prominence.
Arguably, excellence initiatives also exist unofficially in other systems whose funding schemes concentrate resources on institutions deemed the highest quality. A prominent example is the UK, whose £1.3 billion-a-year “quality-related” research block grants are distributed on the basis of the inevitably named research excellence framework (REF).
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/do-university-excellence-initiatives-work
THE financial crisis risks ‘lost generation of researchers’
Times Higher Education | Jun 11, 2020
THE financial crisis risks 'lost generation of researchers' Universities around the world face a “lost generation of researchers” unless careful thought is given now to supporting early career academics through the funding storm created by the Covid-19 pandemic, it has been warned.
It comes amid growing concerns among PhD students and postdoctoral scholars, who are already struggling to finish current projects during lockdowns, that future posts will dry up as universities struggle to balance their books.
Indications that early career researchers could be at the sharp end of any financial squeeze have included findings last month from a UK survey, which discovered that just one in ten postdocs whose contract ends this year had received extra funding.
Meanwhile, a report from the Australian Academy of Science, also in May, warned that “the highly casualised and fixed-term nature” of the research workforce meant job cuts could be “disproportionately felt by junior researchers including recent graduates”, as well as “early career and mid-career researchers, and women”.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/News/he-financial-crisis-risks-lost-generation-researchers
Millions in Emergency Education Relief Funds to help Virginia's schools
CBS 19 News| Jun 11, 2020
Governor Ralph Northam announced that Virginia schools will get $66.8 million through the federal Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund.
"This funding will help Virginia provide high-quality instruction and continue to delivery of services for K-12 and higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Northam. "We are prioritizing this federal assistance to help address learning gaps caused by school closures, expand and improve Internet connectivity, increase access to robust distance learning programs, and help students in need of additional financial assistance complete their postsecondary education and training."
According to a release, the GEER Fund was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery and Economic Security Act to give states the flexibility to determine how best to allocate emergency assistance to meet educational needs.
Of the funding, $43.3 million is going to support PreK-12 priorities, including short-term and long-term initiatives to expand high-speed Internet access to all communities and provide laptop computers and Mi-Fi devices to students who don't have home Internet access; expanding early childhood education and child care programs especially for children with academic and social-emotional needs; supporting the expansion of the Virtual Virginia online learning program to provide content for elementary and middle schools students as well as allowing teachers to use the platform to create, edit and share content and provide personalized virtual instruction for all students; expanding the Virtual Virginia Professional Learning Network to help educators and technology-support personnel have the capacity and skills to meet the demand for quality online learning; and cover unfunded costs for the continuation of school-based meals programs while schools remain closed, including hazard pay for school nutrition staff.
State Senate Education Committee discusses COVID-19 impact on higher education
CBS 21 News | Jun 10, 2020
HARRISBURG, Pa. — COVID-19 has made a serious impact on the lives of Pennsylvanians working and studying in higher education.This led the PA Senate Education Committee to hold a public hearing, Tuesday, to discuss just that.
"How do we get this balance on a limited amount of resources? So, if additional resources come in, where does it go," Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D - 19th District) asked. The state system is facing many challenges and is working on solutions.
"It entails a degree of structural change, but I don't actually see a way, given the financial issues the state is dealing with," Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, said. "I don't see a way to get out of the situation we're in."
Explained: Why jury is still out on holding final year college exams in Maharashtra
The Indian Express | Abha Goradia | Jun 10, 2020
Currently, the state law and judiciary department is exploring the possibility of cancelling all final-year exams across all streams. A final decision has still not been made. After Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, in a webcast on May 31, announced scrapping of all final-year exams, his announcement was met with several objections.
This is because different colleges are governed by different councils at the central level. Medical colleges are liable to instructions by Medical Council of India (MCI), pharmacy colleges by Pharmacy Council of India, architecture colleges by Council of Architecture, engineering colleges by All India Council of Technical Education and law colleges by Bar Council of India.
For students studying through distance learning mode, they will be provisionally passed for now, but will have to appear for exams once the universities begin
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/maharashtra-examinations-coronavirus-6450115/
This IIM-B incubated online mentoring startup doubled its enrolments after COVID-19
YourStory | Sohini Mitter | Jun 10, 2020
MyCaptain(Founder:- Mohammed Zeeshan, Sameer Ramesh, Fatema Hussain, Ruhan Naqash ) offers topic-based mentoring to high-school students, undergrads and working professionals.
Bengaluru-based MyCaptain has created more than 6,00,000 hours of learning content. The courses are spread across 30-day live online classes that can be availed on its app or website. The MyCaptain app has crossed 10,000 installs on Google Play Store, and is rated 4.7 out of 5.
The learning content covers a diversity of fields from graphic design, spoken poetry, photography, and stand-up comedy to app development, machine learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT), ethical hacking, entrepreneurship, and more.
In four years, the startup has mentored over 100,000 students from metros to small towns. It has roped in nearly 200 mentors, including leaders from NASA, Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Apple, and other giant corporations. Mentors, known as ‘captains’, also include celebrities;published novelists, and entrepreneurs.
MyCaptain, which primarily focussed on the B2C segment until now, is bullish on the B2B segment. The founder reckons that the deals in the B2B space will close much faster in the aftermath of the pandemic, which has resulted in systemic changes in education across the globe.
Source: https://yourstory.com/2020/06/iim-b-incubated-online-mentoring-startup-enrollments-covid-19
QS World University Rankings: No Indian university in top 150
FreePress Journal | Jun 10, 2020
No Indian universities made to the top 100 universities in the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings released on Wednesday.
In India, The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay) is highest-ranked institute according to the rankings. Among top universities, IIT Bombay is ranked 172nd in the 2021 global ranking.
It is followed by IIT-Delhi(182), IISc-Bangalore (184), , IIT-Madras (281), IIT-Kharagpur (281), IIT-Kanpur (291).
QS World Rankings for Universities has ranked the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as world’s best university, MIT is followed followed by Stanford University and Harvard University.
The rankings are based on six indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty/student ratio, international faculty ratio and international student ratio.
Source: https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/qs-world-university-rankings-no-indian-university-in-top-150
COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Analysis- Higher Education Market 2020-2024 | Emergence of Transitional Education to Boost Growth | Technavio
BusinessWire |Jun 10, 2020
Technavio has been monitoring the higher education market and it is poised to grow by USD 37.82 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 12% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.
The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will decelerate during the forecast period. Adobe Inc., Apple Inc., Blackboard Inc., Dell Inc., D2L Corp., Discovery Inc., Ellucian Co. LP, Instructure Inc., Pearson plc, and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd are some of the major market participants. The emergence of transitional education will offer immense growth opportunities. To make the most of the opportunities, market vendors should focus more on the growth prospects in the fast-growing segments, while maintaining their positions in the slow-growing segments.
Galgotias University Reimaging Education amid COVID
NEWS 18 | Jun 10, 2020
One of Delhi NCR’s leading educators, with a 100% placement record over the last four years, Galgotias University, located in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh is turning this adversity into opportunity. Since day one of the lockdown, the university has ensured no stumbling block affects the learning curve.
Equipped with its e-learning tools Regular online classes, assessments, and seminars for its students have helped continue the learning process, using platforms such as Zoom, Moodle, Google Classrooms, Google Hangouts, Skype, Webex, and Virtual Labs. Students, across courses, are also attending e-sessions by industry experts—all from the comfort of their homes. Faculty members are available 24*7 through phone calls and WhatsApp guiding pupils at every step.
Embracing Technology and Learning A Noble Gesture to Contain The Pandemic To mitigate the after-effects and contain the spread of the pandemic, Galgotias has provided the Uttar Pradesh government with 2,200 beds for doctors. The university, which believes in giving back to society, has also helped create a quarantine centre in a short time. Over 6,000 meals are provided to the needy and 2,000 sanitizers have been arranged to ensure proper hygiene. Further, the university has announced Rs. 21 lakhs towards the Chief Minister’s Covid-19 relief fund.
Covid-19 impact: Here's how coronavirus is affecting the education sector
India Today | Jun 09, 2020
Extended school closures will not only weaken the fundamentals of students, but it will also lead to loss of human capital as well as economic opportunities in the long -run. According to the World Bank, its impact will be profound in countries where education is grappling with low learning outcomes and a high dropout rate. Several educational institutions had no choice but to embrace e-learning to sustain the momentum.
Over the past few years, e-learning has witnessed an uptick due to ubiquitous internet connectivity, the proliferation of smartphones and significant advances in technology.
PM e-VIDYA
Fortunately, the Indian government has taken cognizance of the untapped potential of e-learning. The one-nation-one platform facility through the PM e-VIDYA platform and a dedicated channel for students from Class 1 to Class 12 will liberalize distance and online learning regulatory framework.
Challenges:
Online education cannot replace the traditional classroom
New-age technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Virtual Reality among others can be instrumental in bridging the crucial gaps.
Coronavirus: Wider school reopening dropped and university dilemma
BBC NEWS | Jun 9, 2020
1. Wider school reopening plan dropped Plans to get all primary pupils in England back to school before the end of term have been dropped. Some years began returning last week, but head teachers and governors warned further expansion was unrealistic while social distancing measures limit classroom capacity. It's now going to be left up to individual schools to decide whether or not to increase numbers. 2. Lockdown meeting later Before Education Secretary Gavin Williamson delivers a statement to the House of Commons on that schools story, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a cabinet meeting later to discuss the next steps in easing England's restrictions. 3. University dilemma Students must decide by the middle of next week whether or not to accept university offers for the new academic year. It's an even bigger decision than usual given how different the experience is likely to be, with many lectures online and restrictions imposed on socialising. Those who put off university often hit the backpacking trail instead, but what is it like in towns normally full of young people now travel is off the cards? 4. May 'another tough month' for retail Total UK sales fell by 5.9% in May compared with the previous year, the British Retail Consortium says.
Michael Crow: crisis should herald cooperation and differentiation
Times Higher Education | Ellie Bothwell | Jun 10, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has caused widespread disruption to higher education across the globe. But for Michael Crow, regarded as one of the most reform-minded university presidents in the US, it is just one of many shocks that the sector must come to terms with.
“Covid is just a sign of global complexity, a sign of global interconnectedness,” said Professor Crow, president of Arizona State University, which will next month be hosting a virtual conference on online education with Times Higher Education as a partner. “It’s a shock, a negative shock, but there are also other shocks that will be both negative and positive [such as] technological advancement and automation replacing many jobs.
“Every lorry on every motorway in the entire UK is going to be driven by a robot at some point. What does that mean? That means that humans may be free, if educated and if empowered, to now do new things.” Arizona State University now operates in “three simultaneous modalities”: a blended learning approach called “full immersion on campus”; an asynchronous online approach called “digital immersion”, which generally caters for students who are in employment; and a third approach, which has been built since Covid-19, known as “full immersion synchronous”, in which students learn in real time but are not on campus. The institution has around 70,000 full immersion students, and a similar number enrolled in a digital immersion programme.
No rush to the lecture hall in virus-free NZ
Times Higher Education | John Ross | Jun 09, 2020
New Zealand universities will not fast-track normal campus activities despite the government’s declaration that Covid-19 is all but eliminated within the nation. NZ moved to national alert “level one” on 9 June, cancelling all containment measures apart from border controls. But the University of Auckland said the change would not alter its plan to remain in remote teaching mode until semester 2 in late July.
NZ’s success in containing the virus owes much to prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s “go hard, go early” strategy. Campuses were closed from 25 March under level 4 lockdown measures that also saw all gatherings cancelled, most businesses closed and people instructed to stay home except for local exercise or essential travel.
Executive director Chris Whelan said universities had no choice but to maintain full remote delivery while thousands of their students remained in China. “For as long as it takes to get international students safely back into NZ, we are going to have to keep on doing dual delivery,” he said.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/no-rush-lecture-hall-virus-free-nz
China warns students of ‘safety risks’ in Australia
Times Higher Education | John Ross | Jun 09, 2020
China has warned its citizens against studying in Australia, as relations between the two nations continue to deteriorate. The notice, posted on the ministry’s Chinese language website on 9 June, said major Australian universities were planning to recommence classes around July. “The Ministry of Education reminds the majority of students to do a risk assessment and choose carefully,” it said, adding that students were also endangered by the ongoing epidemic.
Neither warning will have any immediate effect, with borders closed during the pandemic. But universities are setting their hopes on a limited return of Chinese students to help alleviate coronavirus-induced revenue downturns that could exceed A$1 billion (£550 million) at some universities. Some of Australia’s biggest research-intensive institutions earn more than one-quarter of their income from Chinese students’ tuition fees. Around 68,000 of the 175,000 Chinese people enrolled to study in Australia were stranded overseas in late May, according to federal education department statistics. Australian media has interpreted the warnings as the latest display of Chinese displeasure over Australia’s call for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus. China has also imposed tariffs on Australian barley and suspended beef shipments from some of Australia’s largest meat producers.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/china-warns-students-safety-risks-australia
Murdoch accused of using crisis as ‘cover’ to cut research time
Times Higher Education | John Ross | Jun 09, 2020
An Australian university has been accused by a union of using the economic impact of the pandemic as “cover” to shift research-active staff into teaching-only roles. Australian university directs academics to spend up to 80 per cent of their time teaching, despite relatively healthy financial position.
Perth’s Murdoch University will require academics to spend almost all of their time teaching, in an intensification of a workload reallocation proposal announced last September. Staff complained that the benchmarks were so onerous that even star publishers risked losing research time. The dispute has emerged amid revelations that Murdoch has sufficient financial reserves to cover several years of coronavirus-related revenue shortfalls.
Some observers believe the economic crisis created by the pandemic will leave smaller Australian universities with little choice but to rationalise their research activities.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/murdoch-accused-using-crisis-cover-cut-research-time
LSE’s financial woes spotlight wider issues for sector
Times Higher Education | Jun 09, 2020
LSE's financial woes spotlight wider issues for sector. Experts have said the London School of Economics' status as the British university with the highest proportion of international students means it is facing an acute financial problem next year − but its case highlights wider issues within the UK sector.
The London School of Economics will take a massive hit from loss of international students, highlighting how reliant some institutions have become on their revenue
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/lses-financial-woes-spotlight-wider-issues-sector
Asia’s cautious restarts offer glimpse of post-Covid campus life
Times Higher Education| Joyce Lau | Jun 9, 2020
If the spread of Covid-19 continues to be contained, most universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Singapore expect to be open for at least some in-person teaching in the 2020-21 academic year.
Taiwan, meanwhile, has kept its universities open throughout most of the pandemic, with only a few weeks of disruption in February.
Huey-Jen Jenny Su, president of National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), said “ the institution had set up screening facilities and implemented student check-ups, distributed face masks and rolled out other social distancing measures. “It was a critical period for everyone to become literate” in disease control.
“Universities around the world are carefully assessing their options regarding the reopening of their campuses amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Professor Tan of NUS. “This is understandably a tough decision, as it impacts the health and safety of students, faculty members and staff – as well as their families and those in the surrounding communities. It is important that such decisions are made in consultation with public health experts, and with the precautionary measures and return-to-workplace policies of cities and countries.”
Higher Education Students Persist in the Wake of COVID-19 Ellucian Commits Initial $1 Million in Scholarship Funding Towards $10 Million Goal; Partners with Business Higher Education Forum
Businesswire | Jun 08, 2020
Ellucian, the leading provider of software and services built to power higher education, today announced the launch of a new philanthropic initiative, PATH (Progress, Accomplishment, Thriving, Hope). This global awareness campaign and scholarship fund was created to provide financial assistance to students experiencing economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring they are able to continue their education.
Ellucian and its executives have pledged an initial contribution of $1 million to the PATH scholarship fund. The company, in partnership with The Business-Higher Education Forum and its members, will build a coalition of supporters to contribute to the global fund, with a goal of reaching $10 million by Ellucian Live in April 2021.
Additional COVID-19 Resources from Ellucian
As institutions, educators, students, and staff face great change and disruption during the coronavirus outbreak, those who serve higher education are working together to help continue the delivery of vital services and ongoing education to students everywhere.
In support of our customers, partners, and the higher education community, Ellucian is continually updating available resources, including webinars, articles and community discussions on business continuity, the CARES Act, online learning, student well-being and more.
Tackling risk of growing inequality between universities
University World News | Giorgio Marinoni and Hans de Wit | Jun 08, 2020
In order to better understand the disruption caused by COVID-19 on higher education and to investigate the first measures undertaken by higher education institutions around the world to respond to the crisis, the International Association of Universities (IAU) launched the IAU Global Survey on the Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education around the World.
The survey investigated the impact of COVID-19 on all aspects of higher education, teaching and learning, research and community engagement.
The results were analysed both at the global level and at the regional level in four regions of the world (Africa, the Americas, Asia & Pacific, and Europe).
Considerable impact on higher education
Online teaching and virtual mobility
the shift from face-to-face to distance teaching did not come without challenges, the main ones reported by respondents being access to technical infrastructure, competences and pedagogies for distance learning and the requirements of specific fields of study.
the negative impact of COVID-19 goes beyond that, as a bit more than half of higher education institutions (52%) reported that scientific projects are at risk of not being completed and 21% of higher education institutions even reported that scientific research has completely stopped.
On the other hand, the impact on partnerships and community engagement has been a mixed one. Almost two-thirds (64%) of higher education institutions reported that COVID-19 affected their partnerships.
Risk of growing inequality
The data on partnerships and community engagements suggest the existence of two different groups of higher education institutions, with one group being in a weaker position than the other to react to the crisis and feeling its consequences more negatively.
This suggests that there is a severe risk of growing inequality among higher education institutions, as already underlined by other organisations, for instance, the World Bank.
The risk of growing inequality is emerging also from the results of the regional analysis, with higher education institutions in Africa reporting more difficulties and negative effects than higher education institutions in other regions.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=2020060815405140
What will higher education in Africa look like after COVID-19?
World Economic Forum | Sampson Kofi Adotey | Jun 08, 2020
- As of 8 June, Africa has recorded more than 88,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
- In response to the coronavirus outbreak, many African governments took the decision to close educational institutions to contain the disease.
- As a result, higher education institutions are having to rethink their approach, becoming more digitally led, and shifting to online platforms.
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the unpreparedness of many higher education institutions in Africa to migrate online. When the virus first hit the continent, many African governments were scrambling to figure out how best to handle the myriad of challenges it would pose on the socio-economic growth of their countries.
Nevertheless, recent developments indicate a recognition that education has experienced a significant shift. The leadership and managers of higher education institutions across Africa have become fully aware that empowering students to prepare for a future where pandemics such as COVID-19 and other disruptions might become a part of our daily lives also means embracing change in learning and teaching.
It is clear that technological innovations such as content management systems (CMS), learning management systems (LMS), and internet use has become a part of the DNA of higher education in Africa. These innovations, like COVID-19, have come to disrupt teaching and learning pedagogies.
Here are three ways in which higher education institutions are revitalizing education in Africa.
Blended and modular learning
Customized experience
High quality educators
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/higher-education-africa-covid19-coronavirus-digital-online/
For Indian universities, post-COVID-19 world offers level playing field in higher education; specialist courses, foreign collaborations can help attract students
With over 10.9 lakh Indians studying abroad in 2019, India is now the second largest source of international students in the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost all of these areas, putting pressure on universities’ ability to deliver these benefits in a ‘physically distant’ world. This may very well be a blessing in disguise. Universities presently operate using centuries-old pedagogic and business models and, consequently, are now out of touch with what international students want. In a post-coronavirus world, attracting international students will require universities to reconnect with their students and understand what they care about.
Wants of the Indian Students:
- International work experience, post-study work visa are key concerns
- Value for money
- University brand
What’s next for universities?
- Paradigm shift needed
- In order to be successful, education providers need to undergo a paradigm shift in approach – they need to move from having a transactional product-based approach favouring standardisation to a solutions-based approach — one that focuses on providing a learning experience which facilitates the unique outcomes that students desire. Universities would do well to consider launching programmes that can combine education from globally renowned universities, international work experience, and a hybrid of online and on-campus learning in flexible ways.
With over 10.9 lakh Indians studying abroad in 2019, India is now the second largest source of international students in the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost all of these areas, putting pressure on universities’ ability to deliver these benefits in a ‘physically distant’ world. This may very well be a blessing in disguise. Universities presently operate using centuries-old pedagogic and business models and, consequently, are now out of touch with what international students want. In a post-coronavirus world, attracting international students will require universities to reconnect with their students and understand what they care about.
Wants of the Indian Students:
- International work experience, post-study work visa are key concerns
- Value for money
- University brand
What’s next for universities?
- Paradigm shift needed
- In order to be successful, education providers need to undergo a paradigm shift in approach – they need to move from having a transactional product-based approach favouring standardisation to a solutions-based approach — one that focuses on providing a learning experience which facilitates the unique outcomes that students desire. Universities would do well to consider launching programmes that can combine education from globally renowned universities, international work experience, and a hybrid of online and on-campus learning in flexible ways.
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/higher-education-africa-covid19-coronavirus-digital-online/
Higher education in times of Corona – Are we prepared?
The Times of India | Jun 8, 2020
The Corona pandemic and ensuing social distancing norms pose enormous challenges to the technical education landscape. “Corona is here to stay” and “One has to live with Corona” are not mere prophetic statements but a stark reality. HEIs need to rethink, revisit and reinvent themselves so as to be well equipped to impart quality education to the future global citizens. It is high time the universities and institutions (including the huge cache of private ones) start planning and implementing standard operating procedures for the post-Corona times. Online learning/e-learning holds the key to provide much-needed momentum to the otherwise stagnant phase of teaching –‘Learning.’ Worth introspecting is whether these HEIs are well equipped to impart online teaching to existing and prospective students.
The transition to e-learning is inevitable; it’s prudent to actively lead the transition. Sharing assignments and notes on Whatsapp does not qualify as online/e-learning but mere dissemination of information. It is worth noting that the millennial student has access to huge quantum of information on the web. Therefore, information sharing by professors would be of not much use in shaping the destiny of a student.
HEIs need to take up the challenges and transform them into opportunities in the making. They need to innovate methods and lay thrust on developing systems whereby they prepare graduates who have the knowledge and not mere information, thereby making them creative, analytical and critical thinkers who have imbibed problem-solving attitude for a successful inning ahead. The transition from face to face to online methods is the new teaching-learning genre.
Online classrooms will expose inequalities, but this is an opportunity for change
Times Higher Education | Priya Rajasekar | Jun 8, 2020
The idea of the university classroom as a private setting sounds incredible and yet, strangely, systemic racism and inequalities mean that a student can – sometimes out of desire, sometimes not – remain hidden, passing through the higher education system virtually unnoticed. So while some students aim to attract attention with the confidence that often comes cloaked in privilege, others are forced into obscurity, polarising university experiences.
The relatively levelling ambience of the university classroom will be replaced by an environment that starkly reveals both inequality and diversity. Thanks to Zoom, Skype and Facebook, cameras around the globe will show off wealth and privilege in sharp contrast to carefully concealed secrets of impoverished homes and culturally far-removed living-room décor. Mums in purdahs or siblings with disabilities may show up on camera during lectures.
As universities grapple with questions on how to deliver classes online, and as massive open online courses flood cyberspace with ideas of powerful tech and colourful games that ease the pain of transition, it is easy to lose sight of the fears and anxieties of those with a marginal voice and presence. Will they be pushed further to the edge? On the brighter side, never has it been more possible to access diverse knowledge where distance takes on a wholly different meaning. An expert lecture from a scholar in Africa, for example, could be just as easy to organise as one from the city of London. Our world has been opened to new possibilities, like cross-country collaborative courses, creative projects and lecture designs, and cross-disciplinary learning for students. This may well be the best time to take up decolonisation in earnest and make the most of it to address some of the starkest inequalities of our education system in a meaningful and impactful way.
Universities face £460m loss from expected drop in East Asian students
Support The Guardian | Jun 8, 2020
UK universities have been told to expect a sharp fall in the number of new international students coming next year, including a loss of up to £460m in income from students from east Asia.
While the fall in student numbers appears smaller than some institutions are anticipating, one worrying sign from the survey is that nearly 40% of those coming from China – the UK’s biggest source of overseas students – have yet to decide. The British Council said its findings suggested the sector may take three or four years to recover from the shock of Covid-19. Some British universities are forecasting falls in international students of 50% compared with last year. “Universities are focusing their efforts on trying to get as many students through their doors in September, yet they are refusing to listen to students in the UK and abroad who say they are worried about what their education will look like and even if their chosen institution can ride out the crisis.”
Foreign education dreams in peril: weigh the options
Live Mint | Disha Sanghvi | Jun 07, 2020
For those with secured jobs and cash flows, the pandemic may not come in the way. But given the market volatility, parents who planned to send their children abroad in the next few years may see some erosion in the education corpus.
- Parents shouldn’t jeopardize their retirement to fund their child’s education abroad
- Move savings into a liquid fund at least a year before the child is set to go abroad and also keep a buffer of 10-15%
“It is important to look at all the financial goals in totality. Parents should consider their job security, number of years to retirement, goals relating to other children (if any), and provisioning for contingencies while making such decisions,"
Owing to the economic growth concerns due to covid-19, between 1 January 2020 and 31 May 2020, the Indian rupee depreciated by about 6% against the US dollar. Though most students may have planned their foreign education well in advance, a sudden depreciation of the rupee could impact the education fund. For students who plan to fund their education through a loan, higher rupee depreciation would translate into higher EMIs or longer repayment term.
How much you end up spending will also depend on the country you wish to study in. Some countries such as the UK too have witnessed a fall in the currency value.
Online Education to stay here forever: KSHEC
Times of India | B S Anilkumar | Jun 6, 2020
A draft policy document prepared by the Kerala State Higher Education Council reads, “Thoughts about post Covid-19 higher education policy tries to capture the scope and depth of technology-aided education, which the council predicts would drive higher education sector in multiple ways in the coming days. The only question that remains pertinent would be how adept the higher education sector is in reinventing itself in the new techno-economic culture that the post Covid world is most likely to embrace”.
“Pandemic lockdown has helped the world exhilarate the reforms, especially the mode of teaching and evaluation. It appears that the contingent situation will predictably divide the higher education institutions into two types. One type covering humanities and social sciences taught informally through virtual mode involving less expense and meant for the general public. The other type covering medicine, pharmacy, nursing, pure sciences, engineering and architecture taught formally through the campus mode involving more expense,” the draft documents predicted.
Australia: Higher Education – navigating market disruption
Mondaq | Henriette Rothschild and Suzanne Wauchope| Jun 6, 2020
The new normal: New opportunity or unprecedented economic fallout? For now, Australia is being regarded as a "COVID safe house" by our prospective international students, and a recent survey of nearly 6,900 international student applicants by IDP Connectii indicated that "students are not abandoning their dreams to study overseas", however the survey responses were also clear that "time is limited". While Australia is competitively placed to attract more students as the3rd most popular study destination after the US and UK, there are other considerations:
- Limited flexibility of financial and operational position
Most universities are weighed down by significant contractual obligations (research and leases) and need to traverse material stakeholder obligations and sensitivities. - Government support and restrictions
Federal and state government support has been modest, with no direct support for research, a high bar to reach JobKeeper and only recent indications of variable, state based international student supports.
Although the value of student experience is well understood and high priority, the current community and domestic travel restrictions are impacting existing student experience. - Economic conditions
Impact of COVID-19 on international students' countries of origin both socially and economically will vary significantly, making market predictions difficult and a net global contraction in the international student market
Are Universities well placed to survive and thrive?
While working to attract international students back to Australia, University leaders cannot fall into the trap of expecting a 'V' shaped recovery. Failing to recognise the seriousness of the current financial situation can place universities into long term financial hardship from which they may never fully recover - a legacy no University leader wants to leave in their wake.
Covid-19: A historic opportunity to redefine the Indian school system
Hindustan Times | Manish Sisodia | Jun 05, 2020
Mr. Manish Sisodia, Education Minister of Delhi, encouraged the reopening of the schools with the basic guidelines issued by Ministry Of Human Resource. And supports the idea devised by Mr. Arvind Kejriwal ,C M, Delhi, that “we need to learn to live with corona”. While the pandemic has created an unprecedented challenge for humanity, it also offers a unique opportunity to re-imagine our schools. In the new way of life post-corona, we need to think afresh about the role of our schools.
We can transform schools from being a mere implementers of directions from the directorate or district headquarters to having a central role in our society. The goal should be that our children “learn to learn”. The only thing for which a teacher be held accountable is to ensure that every child stays connected with the school and enjoys the new teaching-learning format.
He suggested that For secondary and senior secondary grades, National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to remove the stranglehold of syllabus and rote-learning oriented examinations from the academic life of a child. To begin with, NCERT should reduce the syllabus by at least 30% across all grades and subjects. Let there be more depth in learning and understanding rather than spreading the curriculum far and wide.
Guest View: Amazon as a model for higher ed
Register Guard | Kevin Frazier | Jun 5, 2020
As COVID-19 requires institutions to make big shifts and society to ask big questions, our answers should result in a higher education system that is lean, life-long and career-oriented. More specifically, our answers should look more to community colleges than traditional four-year universities for inspiration and look more like YouTube videos than classes in lecture halls.
A move to cheaper content will make higher education more accessible. According to some economists, higher education has lost its ability to signal high-quality job candidates to employers due to factors like grade inflation. As a result, instead of basing hiring decisions on what students have learned, employers look at the “prestige” associated with whatever school that student attended.
Financially, prestigious institutions are only open to students who have inherited tremendous privilege. Socially, the high, positive correlation between prestige and privilege has made it harder for talented students with less financial and social capital to stand out to employers.
Imagine if higher education courses were offered in an Amazon-esque format: students would only add courses to their “shopping cart” that aligned with their career goals, budgets and schedules. Think of the benefits that could be generated by a system that worked for younger students trying to earn credentials across a wide range of topics on a full-time basis and older students trying to update their skills or transition to a new industry.
Society in general, and students, in particular, should not continue to pay unnecessary costs for conventional higher education during unconventional times. Though the in-person experience fosters a sense of community that an Amazon-approach cannot recreate, we should celebrate this opportunity to update higher education to be accessible for Americans of all ages, incomes and aspirations.
Source: https://www.registerguard.com/opinion/20200605/guest-view-amazon-as-model-for-higher-ed
Torn safety nets: How COVID-19 has exposed huge inequalities in global education
WeForum | Nikita Sharma | Jun 5, 2020
In 2018, 258 million children of primary and secondary school age were out of school. Now, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, 1.2 billion children find themselves out of school, at least physically.
In both the developed and developing worlds, schools have been more than just places of learning; policy designs have moulded them into safety nets for children. However, the present pandemic has torn those structures apart and revealed gaping inequities.
Missed midday meals
Pressures of parenting
Risks of reopening
Short-term solutions
Continuing consequences
Source: https://www.registerguard.com/opinion/20200605/guest-view-amazon-as-model-for-higher-ed
Six types of modern student reflect how universities can build for the future
Times Higher Education | Mike Boxall | Jun 5, 2020
The coronavirus crisis has created an opportunity for institutions to tailor to the needs of different learners, writes Mike Boxall
the unprecedented disruption caused by Covid-19 and the economic downturn forecast in its wake have created both imperatives and opportunities for a back-to-basics reassessment of who higher education exists to serve, and what it should provide for them.
Such reassessment must recognise the enormous diversity of the people who need access to higher education and their very different reasons for investing their time and money in going to university.
There are (at least) six distinct categories of modern students:
- School-leavers transitioning to adult and working life
- Students who want to enter regulated professions
- Students with a passion for creative arts, music or drama
- Postgraduates developing specialised expertise
- Working professionals who are upskilling
- “Second chance” students who are reskilling
A number of universities have already worked hard to design programmes for different student needs, but a sector-wide effort is now required to meet this diversity of demands. Likewise, if the UK government is planning to restructure higher education after the coronavirus crisis, it should adopt a joined-up approach that embraces in-person, online and work-based pathways into both academic and vocational education.
By working together in a range of open collaborations, universities, the government and employers can be challenged to design and deliver new forms of higher education, built around the learning needs of everyone.
How can we save the Mooc?
The Times Higher Education | Gorgi Krlev | Jun 4, 2020
As most universities digitise all their teaching, they are finding it very difficult to deliver education online. Gorgi Krlev offers three challenges to conventional wisdom. Massive open online courses (Moocs) have become notorious for their failure rates. Of those who register, considerably more than 50 per cent do not access even half the available material and under 5 per cent actually complete a course. While some commentators suggest how learners can still extract value from a Mooc, others see this as a sign of their complete failure or have called for Spocs (small private online courses) instead.
Goal to achieve:
- Try to promote thinking instead of understanding.
- Promote striking insights even in the absence of fancy material.
- Promote learning instead of the reproduction of knowledge.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/how-can-we-save-mooc
8 Indian institutes in top 100, IITs on a 'decline': Times Higher Education Asia University Ranking
Indian Express | Jun 4, 2020
THE Asia University Ranking: With eight institutes in the top 100, India is the third most represented country in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Ranking which launched today. While the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore retains its top position in the country by attaining the 36th spot globally, eight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have also been featured in the top 100. This is India’s best performance since 2016, in terms of the number of institutes. Last time, India had eight institutes in the top 100 in 2016. However, the picture is different in terms of ‘quality’.
Even as more IITs have been featured in the ranking; THE claims that “overall picture for India’s IITs (is) one of general decline amid increased regional competition”. Apart from IIT-Kharagpur and IIT-Delhi which have improved their performance since 2019, and IIT-Ropar which has debuted in the ranking this year, the rest of the IITs have scored lower.
Pandemic ‘confirms face-to-face teaching is here to stay’
The Times Higher Education | John Ross | Jun 4, 2020
University chiefs laud success of rapid online pivot but say campus-based programmes will not disappear any time soon. The Covid-19 crisis may have accelerated universities’ adoption of online education, but it has also confirmed the durability of the bricks-and-mortar model, an Australian forum has heard. Indiana University president Michael McRobbie said the past few months had strengthened his scepticism about predictions that traditional education would be supplanted by purely online approaches. “One thing we have learned definitively is that students do not want to be locked in their parents’ basement for four years doing their degree online,” he told a webinar presented by the Australian National University (ANU).
“Sociologists will claim that 50 per cent of what a student learns, they learn from interaction with other students and aspects of their environment outside the classroom. There is a desperation for young students to get back to a college education.” Professor Kong said the experience had also highlighted the importance of “synchronous interaction” in online learning. “It’s entirely possible to put lots of material online [that] students can access in their own time, at their own pace. But really what the students are looking for, and what they really learn from, is that interaction with somebody else on the other side of the screen.”
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/pandemic-confirms-face-face-teaching-here-stay
Universities UK publishes principles for ‘emerging from lockdown’
Times Higher Education | Ellie Bothwell | Jun 3, 2020
Universities UK has confirmed that the sector is planning a blended learning approach for the coming academic year, but specifics will vary based on location, size and type of university.
The organisation published a set of principles ,outlining how universities should prepare for the next academic year, stating that institutions will provide “as much in-person learning, teaching, support services and extra-curricular activities as public health advice and government guidance will support”. This will include “new ways of providing practical sessions in socially distanced forms” and “innovative approaches to extra-curricular activities such as welcome week programmes”.
The principles also include making appropriate changes to university layout and infrastructure, as well as regularly reviewing and adapting hygiene and cleaning protocols in all university spaces in accordance with public health advice.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/universities-uk-publishes-principles-emerging-lockdown
Crisis ‘could unify and strengthen’ Asia’s universities
Times Higher Education | Joyce Lau | Jun 3, 2020
Pandemic-driven shifts could ‘accelerate’ rise of continent’s universities, leaders tell THE event. Speakers at the Virtual THE Live Asia 2020 event urged institutions to adopt a more human-centred approach, whether in helping disadvantaged students bridge the digital divide or in lending support to humanities fields that help communities make sense of a highly disruptive time.
Subra Suresh, president of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU), said more Asian students were staying closer to home, as the region’s universities have improved in international rankings and as political issues such as Brexit or “geopolitical changes in the United States” act as a deterrent. “Covid will accelerate that trend,” he said, adding that “scientific gravitas is also shifting”.
Elichi Saitoh, president of Fujita Health University in Japan, said great strides had been made in digitising medical education with technology, including virtual reality.
Fanny Cheung, pro vice-chancellor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said her institution had brought together STEM and non-STEM professors for Covid-19 research.
The communications field, for example, was important for helping the public separate “facts from myths” about the disease. Psychologists and sociologists could study the mental health repercussions of the epidemic, as well as why different communities reacted with different public health behaviours, Professor Cheung said.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/crisis-could-unify-and-strengthen-asias-universities
Graduating from emergency remote teaching to online higher education in India
Observer Research Foundation | Leena Chandran Wadia | India Matters | Jun 3, 2020
Even if a single student is left behind, the move to online teaching will remain unfair. In the longer term, the Central and state governments must commit to providing broadband access and suitable devices to all educational institutions.
The higher education sector in India has been slow to adopt online education and has therefore been relatively unprepared to cope with the sudden need for online teaching. Online education is still perceived by many faculty members and students as being inferior to face-to-face education. It is indeed unlikely to replace campus-based education among those who have a choice between them.
In the longer term, the Central and state governments must commit to providing broadband access and suitable devices to all educational institutions.
Students oppose handouts only for top foreign students
University World News | Suvendrini Kakuchi | Jun 2, 2020
Students and academics are calling for immediate reforms to a Japanese government relief plan for university students affected by the COVID-19 downturn because it discriminates against international students.
But less than one-third of foreign students would be eligible. Explaining the decision to restrict the numbers, the education ministry said: “With many foreign students eventually returning to their home countries, we have set a condition to limit the handout to promising talent most likely to contribute to Japan in the future.”
Foreign students are required to have high average grades – specifically a grade point of 2.30 or higher in the past academic year – and monthly attendance of more than 80% to be eligible for payouts. These conditions do not apply to Japanese students claiming assistance.
“The conditions aim at differentiating between students, with a preference for Japanese students. This concept illustrates that Japanese students take priority in education policy and also in universities that follow government guidelines,” she said.
Details of English student number controls unveiled
The Times Higher Education | Anna McKie | Jun 2, 2020
UK government’s plans to cap the number of places for students from England next year in a bid to stabilise admissions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Westminster government will impose student number controls to prevent universities “taking a recruitment approach which would go against the interests of students and the sector as a whole”. English providers will have the number of students capped at their forecast growth plus 5 per cent, while universities in the devolved nations will not be able to increase their intake of English students by more than 6.5 per cent.
If an institution over-recruits the government said it will reduce the maximum it can charge in tuition fees to “redress the balance”. If a university in a devolved nation over-recruits English students, the government will reduce the amount the institution is allowed to charge English students for tuition fees. The government said the introduction of the cap will ensure “a fair, structured distribution of students across providers”, stabilizing the admissions system and helping safeguard the financial stability of providers.
Source: https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/details-english-student-number-controls-unveiled
50% drop in foreign student enrolment by 2021 predicted
University World News | Geoff Maslen | Jun 1, 2020
The coronavirus crisis and the resulting government clampdown on foreigners entering Australia have cut earning capacity and created a revenue crisis for universities that has already left the top eight institutions dangerously exposed and is set to deepen, a new report has found. It predicts a drop of up to 50% in international student enrolment by mid-2021.
Dr Bob Birrell and Dr Katharine Betts, respectively president and vice president of the Australian Population Research Institute, say the crisis will deepen because normally about half of the foreign students taking up higher education student visas do so in the second half of the calendar year, but it is likely few will do so this year and that the numbers are also likely to drop in the first half of 2021, with the result that the number of overseas students enrolled in higher education could fall by up to 50%.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200601150411139
Coronavirus impact | IITs to grade students based on past results, hold viva on video calls
Money Control | Jun 1, 2020
The premier higher educational institutes are working on models that would facilitate early graduation for students by offering take-home examinations. They are also planning to grade students on the basis of past performances and have already introduced viva exams via video-conferencing.
IIT Kharagpur has planned to replace the end semester exam with other evaluation systems such as past performance, marks secured in mid-semester exams, assignments, and viva-voce. IIT Kanpur, on the other hand, has decided not to detain any student in view of the COVID-19 crisis. A special grading system has been adopted by the institute, whereby students will be awarded A, B, C and S grades. The process will reportedly be over by June 30.
IIT Kanpur students pursuing masters will be allowed to submit their projects, in case they could not complete their research work for the thesis due to the nationwide lockdown. Meanwhile, IIT Delhi students have been given the option to fast-track the graduation process and get their degrees by June or stick to the regular graduation process and wait for their degrees till the end of July or longer.
IIT Ropar ranks 47th in Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2020
Times Higher Education | Jun 3, 2020
IIT Ropar made a debut this year in Times Higher Education (THE) ASIA University Rankings 2020, being ranked 47th and entering the top 50 list for the first time. In spite of being a young Institution, IIT Ropar has punched well above its weight from the more popular predecessors.
This year, in February the Institute has also made a reputable debut in THE Emerging Economies University Rankings 2020, being ranked 63rd sharing the rank with IIT Madras and entering the top 100 list for the first time.
The institute Director revealed that a number of nationally relevant research projects, including in sectors of defense, Water and Environment, energy; healthcare, infrastructure, etc are going on in the campus. There are a large number of projects undertaken by IIT Ropar which contribute to the national development goals and priorities.
Written tests moved to large-scale sport, music venues
University World News | Michael Gardner | Jun 3, 2020
Around 13,500 students are doing their written tests this month in large-scale event venues used for major sports and live music events in Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). State government regulations accommodate the measure to cope with the coronavirus crisis and the need for social distancing.
From 26 June, for six consecutive days, students will be writing tests. Several of them will be held each day, and during the breaks in between, staff teams will be disinfecting all tables, chairs, access lanes and sanitary installations.
A general ruling issued via NRW’s ministry of labour, health and social affairs provides for the legal framework of these temporary arrangements, and the state government has drawn up a “hygiene concept for teaching and practical activities as well as exams at universities in NRW” that prescribes minimum distances to be observed between participants in written tests.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200603082428829
More Australian universities flag salary freezes, redundancies
TIMES HIGHER EDUCATION | John Ross | Jun 3, 2020
The University of Tasmania (UTas) will ask its staff to forgo this year’s 2 per cent pay rise in a bid to save an estimated 50 jobs, as more Australian institutions adapt their spending to depleted post-pandemic budgets.
Vice-chancellor Rufus Black vowed to seek voluntary redundancies before forced separations and to give internal applicants preference for jobs.
Chief executive Catriona Jackson said the losses could jeopardise up to A$3.5 billion of annual university research. “If universities are unable to continue funding this activity, Australia’s ability to innovate its way out of the Covid-19 recession will be severely hampered,” she warned.
La Trobe University is seeking similar changes and has scheduled votes for 15 and 16 June. Vice-chancellor John Dewar repudiated a newspaper report that La Trobe was “at risk of going broke”, but said adoption of the framework could save the equivalent of 225 jobs in 2020 and 2021.
Southern Cross University has proposed cancelling two annual pay rises and inviting staff to cut working hours, as it scrambles to save up to A$58 million over the next two years.
Academic Freedom for American College's China Program
Inside Higher Ed | Elizabeth Redden | Jun 2, 2020
Faculty at Franklin & Marshall College, a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, have raised academic freedom concerns about a planned F&M semester program in Shanghai designed to teach first-year Chinese students who may not be able to make it to campus due to the pandemic. Students in the Shanghai program will take online classes with professors at F&M, a college with an especially international student body: between 20 and 25 percent of its students are from overseas, with most coming from China.
Concerns about academic freedom for American university programs in China are not new and have only deepened in recent years as pressures on Chinese students and faculty members have, by expert accounts, increased. A September 2019 report from Scholars at Risk, an organization that monitors academic freedom conditions worldwide, said that in mainland China, "state and university authorities have employed a range of tactics to intimidate, silence, and punish academics and students," including "limits on internet access, libraries, and publication imports that impair research and learning; orders to ban discussion and research on topics the Party-state deems controversial; surveillance and monitoring of academic activity that result in loss of position and self-censorship; travel restrictions that disrupt the flow of ideas across borders; and the use of detentions, prosecutions, and other coercive tactics to retaliate against and constrain critical inquiry and expression."
Alarm over universities’ backing of national security law
University World News | Yojana Sharma | Jun 2, 2020
The heads of the governing councils of Hong Kong’s eight publicly funded universities have backed a plan announced by Beijing last month to impose a national security law on the city, in an act that many academics see as ‘doing Beijing’s bidding’.
Some fear such statements on policies from Beijing emanating from universities could lead to the politicization of institutions in Hong Kong, which are already polarized between pro-democracy and pro-Beijing groups. A proportion of university council members are directly appointed by Hong Kong’s chief executive, who also acts as chancellor of all the publicly funded universities.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200602174432310
Global lockdown puts skills development to the test
UNESCO | Jun 2, 2020
“The world and the TVET community and systems are facing a double crisis: a sanitary crisis and an economic crisis, “said Bohrene Chakroun, Director of the Division for Policies and Lifelong Learning in UNESCO’s Education Sector, at the opening of the eighth COVID-19 education response webinar on 7 May. “These crises are affecting other aspects of living. We need to look at how skills development and TVET will be affected in a short-, mid- and long-term perspective.” While the COVID-19 pandemic highlights some already existing structural weaknesses of TVET systems including financing, it also brings an opportunity to rethink their readiness to face similar crises in the future with more agility. To mitigate the immediate actions and reduce the impact of COVID-19, it is important to find alternative pathways, including reinforcing online and digital solutions.
A mix of high-, low- and no-tech solutions should be taken into account as continuous learning solutions. Whether on-line or off-line, distance training requires adequate ICT infrastructure, adapted curricula and trainer training - an experience which most trainers and students do not have.
During the lockdown, the platform provided the opportunity for continuous learning. To address the COVID-19 crisis, specific programs targeting digital skills as well as new items were added to address distance learning. Some of the keywords for solutions to TVET challenges during lockdown are agility, Open Educational Resources (OER) and distance learning. Investing in the training of trainers to use digital solutions is important if distance learning is to become a core part of teaching today and in the future.
Source: https://en.unesco.org/news/global-lockdown-puts-skills-development-test-covid-19-webinar-8
Coalition partner mobilizes for teachers
UNESCO | Jun 2, 2020
New data released today by the Teacher Task Force show that 9.1 million teachers across the world who have been impacted by coronavirus school closures (out of 63 million affected teachers in total) are untrained. This is only exacerbating the impact of the crisis as teachers are forced to adapt to remote learning.
Meanwhile, data released by the Teacher Task Force, which is hosted by UNESCO, on the basis of data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics and the International Telecommunication Union, show 706 million of the world’s 1.75 billion learners lack internet access. he data revealing the scale of the educational challenge posed by COVID-19 was discussed at the TEACHERS OF THE WORLD UNITE! summit on coronavirus and the future of education, held on 26 May.
The summit - which was opened by Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation and the Global Teacher Prize - saw the launch of nine teacher task forces on coronavirus and the future of education to be coordinated in collaboration with the Teacher Task Force. These nine task forces will lend governments and international bodies the expertise and varied perspectives of teachers from every continent on key policies such as providing reliable internet access for all, solutions to keep children learning where there is no internet, and a safe environment for teachers and students to return to when schools reopen.
The Teacher Task Force gave the teachers present at the summit the opportunity to contribute to a draft toolkit with practical tips and checklists for school leaders to ensure they are supported and protected as schools re-open. Participants were able to discuss the toolkit and provide feedback to help improve this important international tool before it is released.
Source: https://en.unesco.org/news/coalition-partner-mobilizes-teachers
Academic year in Kerala begins with online classes
WEB INDIA | June 1, 2020
On Monday,1ST JUNE 2020, The Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the beginning of the academic year in the state with online classes for school students by the name 'First Bell'. Chief Minister Mr.Vijayan said that” government has opted for online classes as students cannot reach schools due to COVID-19”.
As soon as The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) has released the timetable for the classes that will be carried out through KITE Victors Channel, and they will be also available on YouTube.
The online classes will be held from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday for all the classes. Various time slots have been allocated to students of different standards. Students of Class 11 was launched on April 6 in partnership with the Career Launcher and 85 per cent students registered for the class.
The English classes were launched on May 4 by the government in partnership with British Council and MacMillian Education to provide an opportunity to acquire new skills for the students waiting to complete their board exams.
In the online Maths classes in collaboration with Khan Academy, around 1.75 lakh students of Class 9 accessed the Maths lessons assisted by 1,015 teachers who were oriented by Khan Academy to guide the students of their respective schools.
Universities will never be the same after the coronavirus crisis
NATURE | Alexandra Witze | June 1, 20200
The coronavirus crisis is forcing universities to confront long-standing challenges in higher education, such as skyrocketing tuition costs and perceptions of elitism — and some of the resulting changes could be permanent. Over the long term, universities might shift many classes online (a trend already under way), have fewer international students and even refashion themselves to be more relevant to local and national communities — both to solve pressing problems and to prove their worth at a time when experts and public institutions are coming under increased criticism.
The universities that are likely to fare best are those that are rich and powerful. But even those face challenges. Some educators expect the pandemic will lead to more and better online teaching than before — in both wealthy countries and those with lower incomes.
Foreign Student Enrollment At U.S. Universities May Plummet This Fall
Forbes | Preston Cooper | Jun 1, 2020
The Trump administration is preparing to restrict a program that allows international students at U.S. universities to work in the country after they graduate, according to press reports. The move is sure to discourage foreign students from enrolling at American colleges.
With hundreds of globally-ranked research universities, the United States is a top destination for foreign students looking for a college education. A collapse in international student enrollment may be devastating for the finances of some universities. The average foreign student were paying 3-time more of the amount that a local students’ tuition fee.
That decision now looks prescient. Some have argued that fewer foreign students may be a positive development: while university finances will take a hit, more spots will open for domestic students. On the other hand, foreign students’ high tuition rates cross-subsidize their domestic peers and could allow the university system to enroll more American students. A study of universities in the United Kingdom reaches a similar conclusion: in programs where student enrollment is not constrained by quotas, more foreign students and more domestic students go hand-in-hand.
In either case, foreign students have a positive impact on universities’ finances. But domestic students should also be sad to see them go. If the lack of foreign tuition dollars results in smaller university budgets, domestic students may suffer from fewer admissions or leaner financial aid packages. Overall, there’s greater reason to mourn rather than cheer the departure of international students from American universities.
For class of 2020, all higher study plans put on the back-burner because of Covid-19
Hindustan Times | Srishti Jaswal | June 01, 2020
The student community moving to colleges and universities has been hit hard by the pandemic, with no clarity on competitive exams and admission schedules to institutes of higher education. The home ministry’s fresh guidelines for lockdown 5.0 to reopen schools and colleges after consultations with states and union territories in July has added to the confusion.
Students are upset and confused about their planning to study abroad as most of the universities are providing online classes from home. Which disrupt their planning to change their place and earn a certificate and experience abroad.
Many more reasons leading to the students’ confusions are:
Changing education destinations
No concrete plan to reopen institutes
Situation more complicated for government institutes
Covid-19 Lockdown: UGC drafts plan to reopen campuses
Hindustan Times | Amandeep Shukla | June 01, 2020
All higher education institutions will also need to form strategic tie-ups with medical facilities and put protocols in place to deal with students who are unwell. Students and teachers with a history of health conditions will be asked to opt for online learning and teaching.
In the draft prepared by the UGC, it was suggested that the process of admissions be conducted online to avoid visits by students to the campus.
Students and faculty with a history of ailments like heart disease or diabetes would be told to prefer the online mode. For international students, too, the focus would be on promoting the online mode of learning. Another suggestion, especially for teaching of subjects that have a practical component, is to teach half the students in the classroom and engage the rest in laboratories. Even in common facilities like labs, it will have to be ensured that equipment is not widely shared.
A ‘gap year’ will just increase the gap in your higher education
CALLMATTER | Vincent J. Del Casino Jr.| May 31, 2020
Under COVID-19, the term “gap year” is taking on new meaning. It has broadened to “taking time off” until higher education can reset and re-establish its more traditional face-to-face role.
While higher education might not be perfect in the fall of 2020 because it needs to teach more classes remotely, reduce face-to-face interactions or limit large events, it is still one of the best investments that can be made in one’s self today not just economically but emotionally and socially also.
New and returning students are better off moving their education forward and should take advantage of these new and creative approaches.
After all, this is what higher education does. For millions of first-generation and underrepresented students enrolling in higher education systems, such as California’s public universities and colleges, taking classes this fall will help them navigate the uncertain path laid out by this pandemic. It will provide tools they need in this new digital age to move on in a career after COVID-19 has been managed. And, it will enhance the life journey by connecting them to communities that facilitate lifelong learning.
There is no greater equalizer than a university degree. A gap year in uncertain times does not meet the current needs of most students. Instead, a gap year delays the longer-term investment higher education helps a student make in their professional and personal lives as citizens.
Source: https://calmatters.org/commentary/a-gap-year-will-just-increase-the-gap-in-your-higher-education/
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing a crisis in the UK universities
VOX | Peter Dolton | May 31, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing serious financial problems for UK universities. the present financial problems of universities are rooted in their growing reliance of UK universities on the huge growth in overseas students coming to the UK for higher education. This growth has been more or less exclusively from China. This over-reliance on recruiting Chinese students has meant that the UK HE system is vulnerable to any change in policy from the Chinese government or an exogenous event like COVID-19.
Figure 1 First-year non-UK students by domicile, 2006/7 to 2018/19
Now only approximately 25% of funding comes from central government. The remainder comes directly from student fee income. The reality is that the present UK HE funding regime involves a large-scale underinvestment in research and an element of cross subsidization of fee income to fund research. As the overseas students may or may not come for the fall seasons .It will be a huge problem for universities.
Faced with these large expected losses in income, many universities in the UK are already implementing, or planning to implement, hiring freezes, redundancies, termination of short-term contracts, dropping courses and even whole degree programmes, and closing departments. Talk of mergers of neighbouring universities have been rumoured In response to the potential loss of overseas student fee income, UUK (2020) asked the government for a £2.2 billion boost to short run research funding. What the government decided to do instead was increase research funding by only £100 millio and allow an advance on undergraduate fee income from the Student Loans company to the tune of £2.6 billion. This represents a loan of around 10% of fee income to universities. While this loan will be a short-run lifeline for some universities, it only stores up future funding problems as these loans will inflate future financial obligations.
Source: https://voxeu.org/article/covid-19-pandemic-causing-crisis-uk-universities
International enrolment drop to cost universities US$4.5bn
University World News | Mary Beth Marklein | May 30, 2020
United States colleges and universities are bracing for declines in international student enrolments in the coming autumn (fall) semester, a prospect that could lead to a loss of revenues as high as US$4.5 billion and further slow the momentum of overseas recruitment, a pair of reports examining the impact of COVID-19 on US higher education suggest. The reports also raise concerns about the potential long-term consequences, including jobs lost and missed opportunities for global learning, if study abroad opportunities for US students are scaled back dramatically because of the uncertainties around public health.
NAFSA’s analysis of responses from 346 institutions estimates that US higher education overall will lose at least US$3 billion due to anticipated international student enrolment declines in autumn 2020. Based on projections by the American Council on Education of a projected 25% decline in international student enrolment for fall 2020, NAFSA estimates a loss of approximately US$10 billion and 114,000 jobs to the nation’s economy.
Most institutions responding to the IIE survey (83%) had cancelled their summer study abroad programmes. A relatively small proportion (17%) of institutions have already cancelled all or some of their study abroad programmes in the fall.
Most colleges and universities have held off announcing study abroad plans, the IIE said, and will likely base decisions on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of State’s Global Health Advisory.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200530072612612
The time is NOW
The Times of India | Shibu John and Seyed Ehtesham Hasnain | May 30, 2020
The current pandemic has adversely affected every aspect of human life from health, business, and leisure to education. Schools and colleges are closed and there are many doubts about the short-term and long-term impact of the measures being used to tackle the problem. Even after the pandemic subsides, its ripple effects will have a permanent impact on education.
According to the 2018-19 All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), a total of 47,427 international students are enrolled in different Indian universities. The majority belong to India’s neighboring countries. COVID-19 will definitely limit their international travel and the proportion of foreign students enrolled in Indian Universities will also reduce.
an argument towards the Indian education system waiting for a revamp. If India is to be featured on a larger scale on the global education platforms, this is the time. Significant focus needs to be laid on technology and innovation with improvisations in the IT infrastructure.
The Finance Minister has announced that the top 100 universities in the country will be permitted to start online courses by May 30, 2020, which is a welcome step. This will help in increasing the GER substantially with increased enrolment from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. We have never given online or distance mode of education as much weightage as the regular mode.
The online education system cannot function unless there is a reliable backup of Information Technology infrastructure. Very few universities have a good quality IT-enabled education system, which also has Internet connectivity with good bandwidth and a robust security system, in place.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/education/the-time-is-now/article31710989.ece
SOAS University of London to slash budgets and cut staff amid coronavirus crisis
The National | May 30, 2020
The university, formerly known as the School of Oriental and African Studies, is seeing a significant number of students not take up offers for placements compared with previous years because of the coronavirus outbreak. Graduate enrolments have been at their lowest levels since 2012.
The university’s latest financial statements show it is carrying multi-million pound deficits – accounts for 2018-19 revealed a £19.1m (Dh 86.6m) deficit, but excluding changes in pension liabilities, the annual deficit was £6.2m, driven by a £2m drop in tuition fees from UK and EU students. Adding to this, the university’s auditors warned earlier in May that difficulties recruiting more students during the pandemic meant “a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the school’s ability to continue as a going concern” over the next year. SOAS interim director Graham Upton’s leaked email to the press on May 6, said that “recurrent deficits have posed a severe threat to our long-term financial sustainability”.
SOAS University of London plans to cut budgets and lay off a significant number of staff as it struggles to deal with the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier this month SOAS sold valuable property in central London’s Russell Square for £9m to help it maintain sufficient credit from banks to remain solvent.
COVID 19 plunges Indians' study abroad dreams into turmoil
BBC News | Nikita Mandhani | May 29, 2020
Universities fear fall in lucrative overseas students
Online students face full tuition fees
Universities warn of going bust without emergency funds
As the world changed as Covid-19 spread, plunging the immediate future into uncertainty, hundreds of thousands of Indian students who were planning to study abroad. But now they are not quite sure what will happen given international travel restrictions, new social distancing norms and the sheer uncertainty of what the next few months will bring.
Some universities across the UK and the US are giving international students the option to defer their courses to the next semester or year, while others have mandated online classes until the situation improves.
Virtual classes mean they don't have to pay for a visa, air tickets or living expenses. But many students are hesitant about spending their savings or borrowing money to pay for attending college in their living room.
The idea of returning to India with an expensive degree and the looming unemployment is scaring students - especially since for many of them, the decision to study abroad is tied to a desire to find a well-paying job there.
Experts say universities are in a tough spot too. And logistics will also pose a challenge - colleges have to enforce social distancing across campuses, including dormitories, and accommodate students from multiple time zones in virtual classes.
COVID-19 crisis nudges universities embracing technology for...
The Times of India | B S Anilkumar | May 29, 2020
Even as the absence of a well laid out protocol for online classes poses series challenges to schools, universities in the state seem to have decided to take the untamed technology bull by the horns and domesticate it themselves. According to sources, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University would be taking a lead role in shaping up a broad protocol and training facility for affiliated colleges. The university would suggest a bouquet of platforms, available free of cost, to the colleges. Using the same, each college can configure their online transaction platforms for academic transaction between faculties and students. Deliberations are also on regarding how to bridge the internet connectivity gap among students. During the lockdown period, the university has organised online training programme in which more than 100 teachers participated. The first online faculty development programme held from May 22 to 27 saw faculties developing 70 online courses for engineering students.
Taking the proactive initiative to the next level, Kerala University has developed an online platform modeled on Google Meet. The software UoKmeet, developed using Freesoftware, was launched by university vice chancellor V P Mahadevan Pillai on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Kerala State Higher Education Council has prepared a draft approach paper on the approach to be taken to higher education sector in the post-Covid scenario. The draft paper has laid stress on the need to embrace technology based academic transaction with immediate effect and wanted teaching community to realise it. It also predicted the inevitability of several ICT enaplatforms getting integrated to the main body of academic transaction and its seamless and ubiquitous use even after the Covid crisis.
Calicut University is perhaps the pioneer among varsities in Kerala that effectively embraced technology aided teaching learning systems, thanks to the educational multimedia research centre there. The centre has successfully curated several online courseware which are of high demand from students and faculties across the country. "The Centre has over 100 online courses to its credit. This includes 'Art of C programming', which has already been attended by around l people", said the centre director Damodar Prasad.
COVID-19 Provides Opportunities and Challenges for African Universities
Global Atlanta | Phil Bolton | May 29, 2020
COVID-19 has forced African universities to re-imagine their futures and seek out ways of adopting blended curriculums that don’t entirely sacrifice classroom instruction, according to university officials brought together by the Atlanta-based IUGB Foundation for a Trans-Atlantic webinar May 20. The IUGB Foundation is an outgrowth of an historical relationship between the International University of Grand-Bassam in the Cote d’Ivoire and Georgia State University. During the webinar, Amini Kajunju, the foundation’s executive director, expressed her support for their mantra “Proudly African With a Global Scope” as representing the common goal of the francophone universities participating in the conference.
“This conversation is showing that bilingual professionals are indispensable in the development of the continent of Africa,” said Ms. Kajunju. The eruption of COVID-19 has forced educational institutions around the world, much less African institutions, to adopt on-line courses and to grapple with a wide variety of issues concerning their futures such as the development of partnerships especially with information technology companies and internet providers on behalf of the students, financing the general needs of the universities and on-line course development.
Mr. Kaneye said that “There was intensive learning of how to do it on-line and it was easier than could have been imagined.” he admitted that his university hadn’t received as of yet payment for the new on-line courses. With the development of widespread on-line learning, he said that he feared the students at the moment “feel that they don’t have to pay anymore.” He added that the threat of COVID-19 might change the desire of students to study abroad, which could have the positive effect of encouraging more locally-based development, more local innovation and more self-reliance.
COVID-19 pandemic may create opportunities to deepen India’s engagement with Africa
The Indian Express | Sujan R Chinoy | May 29, 2020
India could also create a new fund for Africa and adapt its grant-in-aid assistance to reflect the current priorities. This could include support for new investment projects by Indian entrepreneurs especially in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors in Africa.
India has been closely associated with African Unity (now known as the African Union) on account of its shared colonial past and rich contemporary ties. The Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses has hosted an Africa Day Round Table annually for the last four years in order to commemorate this epochal event. This year, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has marred the celebrations in India. Africa, too, has come to a standstill due to the coronavirus.
The World Bank’s Africa’s Pulse, a biannual analysis of the near-term macroeconomic outlook for the region, in its April 9 report, assessed that the COVID-19 outbreak has sparked off the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region’s first recession in 25 years. Growth is expected to plummet to between -2.1 and -5.1 per cent in 2020, from a modest 2.4 per cent in 2019. With high rates of HIV, malaria, diabetes, hypertension and malnourishment prevalent, a large number of Africans were already faced with a health and economic crisis.
Africa’s rich natural resources, long-term economic potential, youthful demography and influence as a bloc of 54 countries in multi-lateral organisations are apparent. In recent years, several extra-regional economies have strengthened their engagement with African states, with an eye to rising economic opportunities, including in energy, mining, infrastructure and connectivity. India could also create a new fund for Africa and adapt its grant-in-aid assistance to reflect the current priorities. This could include support for new investment projects by Indian entrepreneurs especially in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors in Africa.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/africa-day-india-coronavirus-covid-19-6432071/
6 Factors Impacting Information Security and Privacy during the COVID-19 Crisis
Campus Technology | Brian P. Fodrey | May 28, 2020
While each institution's experience is likely individualized and hardly standard, as you recount your lessons learned and future planning, consider the following factors influencing security and privacy during this crisis.
1) Expediency of the Migration to Remote
In the current situation, fast was the mandate, so we were left with just two options: 1) Some of the efforts that were put forth came at an expense that will now need to be accounted for in already strapped budgetary times (in other words, good but not cheap), or 2) The quality of the solution might reflect its intention as a temporary option or the solution lacks a sustainable business or support plan beyond the immediate (cheap but not good).
2) Enhanced Vendor Accommodations
In a lot of ways, the licensing and access that has been afforded to us (temporarily) by many of our vendors/partners is likely what we always wished we had or could afford all the time! But this also is a cautionary tale for many because with those looser or more generous access options, you may find yourself in a situation where users are accessing and managing university data and information in ways that you no longer have oversight or visibility into.
Improve Remote Learning with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
ED TECH | Doug Bonderud | May 28, 2020
With many colleges and universities opting for remote learning this fall, VDIs offer a way to bridge the desktop divide and improve student outcomes. While this safety-based shift makes sense given current conditions and uncertain futures, it also poses a significant challenge: How can colleges and universities deliver online or remote classes that still support successful learning outcomes?
According to Mike Joyner, senior solutions architect for client virtualization at CDW, there’s a simple rule for making this work. “User experience is king. It needs to be the same or better than in-person,” he says. Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) offers a way to bridge the gap by giving students simple, streamlined, straightforward options for remote access.
The concept of VDI is straightforward: Running on-premises or in-cloud data centers, desktop virtualization software makes it possible to create a virtual desktop image that is delivered via network infrastructure to end-user devices such as PCs or tablets. Users can then interact with applications and services on the VDI as if they were on local machines.
Joyner breaks down three tiers of VDI, each with its own potential benefits and drawbacks:
Tier 1: Joyner points to solutions such as Citrix XenDesktop or Horizon in the tier 1 space. He describes these VDIs as “the Cadillac of user experience and the closest to a normal desktop.” Tier 1 VDIs provide each user a dedicated virtual instance, allowing them to make the best use of any connected services, solutions or apps.
Tier 2: According to Joyner, tier 2 VDIs are multisession instances. These types of VDIs, he says, “have terminal services that provide a multikernel environment to offer more density per virtual session.” Here, the big advantage is volume — more users in a smaller virtual space — but Joyner points to the potential for “noisy neighbor” problems. If, for instance, another user on the same virtual machine has a runaway process, it could affect the experience for everyone. Solutions such as VMware’s RDSH offer tier 2 functionality.
Tier 3: These solutions require the lowest infrastructure commitment by focusing on application delivery. Joyner describes it as “injecting a set of applications into the OS,” which allows students to access what they need, when they need it. This isn’t a one-to-one desktop experience, however. Instead, it’s an app-focused analog of university IT resources.
While remote learning remains a necessity, it’s not enough to simply deliver canned lectures and allow limited IT access. The student experience and ease of use are critical to improve course outcomes and encourage ongoing student enrollment. Implemented effectively, VDI offers a potential means of accomplishing both.
Source: https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/taxonomy/term/11901
How AI and machine learning are helping to fight COVID-19
WE FORUM | Swami Sivasubramanian | May 28, 2020
Organizations have been quick to apply their AI and machine learning know-how in the fight to curb this pandemic.
These technologies are being deployed in areas from research to healthcare and even agriculture.
As the world grapples with COVID-19, every ounce of technological innovation and ingenuity harnessed to fight this pandemic brings us one step closer to overcoming it. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are playing a key role in better understanding and addressing the COVID-19 crisis. Machine learning technology enables computers to mimic human intelligence and ingest large volumes of data to quickly identify patterns and insights.
Source: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/how-ai-and-machine-learning-are-helping-to-fight-covid-19/
Russell Group sets out proposals to improve UK position in the international student market
The Boar | Reece Goodall | May 28, 2020
The Russell Group has set out a number of proposals to give the UK an edge in the international student market after the disruption caused by COVID-19.
The leading universities have called for continuing reform of the student visa system, a joint international marketing campaign and global recognition of online courses.
It has proposed a three-part plan, which it hopes to deliver alongside the UK government.
- The group has advised that the two-year UK post-study work visa is fast-tracked into law and extended by six months.
- It has suggested fee waivers for those forced to extend visas as a result of COVID-19 disruption. This should be followed by a new campaign targeting particular countries that involves universities, the British Council, and the Departments for Education and International Trade.
- The final measure is a global consensus on the recognition of online courses. The group recommends that the UK works with other governments to agree reciprocal recognition over courses which are delivered partly online as a result of COVID-19.
Dr Tim Bradshaw (Chief executive of the Russell Group) said - “Further action to streamline the immigration process, alongside an ambitious campaign to show the UK’s doors are open will be crucial to helping the country bounce back”.
He added that International students bring many benefits to the UK, but as the world recovers from the Covid-19 crisis, we have to expect numbers will fall for a while and that competition from other countries will be even more fierce than usual. With more top universities than any country other than the US, the UK has an advantage but we must maintain that and protect our hard-won reputation as one of the best places globally to study for a degree. “The Government has shown its determination to do that with the new 2-post study work visa and now is the time to build on this progress.
Source: https://theboar.org/2020/05/russell-group-proposals-improve-position-international-student-market/.
Online exams expensive have limitations: Higher education panel
The Times Of India | Isha Jain | May 28, 2020
A higher education committee institute by UP Governor Anandiben Patel in her capacity as a chancellor of state university has found that holding online exams can burden universities financially. On contrary the committee gave its support to online evaluation said it will increase the quality of education.
10 Predictions for Higher Education’s Future
INSIDE HIGHER ED | John Kroger| May 26, 2020
Most experts predict we will not have a vaccine for COVID-19 until mid-2021, more than a year from now. In the meantime, the American higher education community is going to be turned upside down, and the educational effects will last long after the virus has been brought under control.
- Colleges and universities will try to open, but it will be challenging.
- Revenue will go way down, and costs way up.
- Colleges will maintain a major online presence.
- The nation will debate the value of in-person education.
- There will be massive online competition and consolidation.
- There will be an existential crisis and many closures.
- No federal bailout.
Despite the financial devastation, there will be no bailout of higher education, because our schools, unlike airlines or banks, lack the political clout needed to mobilize sufficient support. Congress is highly skeptical about the efficiency of the sector and concerned about high tuition; Republicans despise “tenured radicals”; our polling numbers for public approval are low. - More corporations will enter the market
- Greater inequality will result.
The market will fragment into two segments. A reduced number of institutions will offer traditional residential education to wealthy or gifted students, who will benefit personally and professionally from the experience. Everyone else will be shuttled into weaker online or partially online programs, many part-time. Graduates of traditional programs will have a major leg up in employment markets, fueling increased inequality. - A new ubiquitous learning platform will emerge
As more learning moves online, expect a major effort to develop and deploy a Facebook for learning, a ubiquitous and highly personal site, powered by AI, that curates individual learning opportunities and documents outcomes. Many are trying to develop that platform now; the winner will make billions of dollars.
6 ways a drop in international students could set back US higher education
THE CONVERSATION | May 26, 2020
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer and fewer international students were coming to study in the United States. The no of enrollment US colleges and universities were getting during 2015-16 had fallen by 10%.
This trend will undoubtedly accelerate in the fall of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The American Council on Education predicts that overall international enrollment for the next academic year will decline by as much as 25%.
As an international education professional, I foresee six major ways that the expected steep decline in international enrollment will change U.S. higher education and the economy.
- Higher tuition
- A weaker economy
While a decline in international enrollment will financially hurt American colleges and universities, it will also decrease the profits of local businesses and the tax revenues of state and local governments. - Less innovation
One of the strongest factors that influence future international scientific cooperation is having students study in different countries. This ability to collaborate across borders is critical to addressing the world’s greatest challenges, from combating climate change to eliminating COVID-19. - Job losses
As international enrollment declines, U.S. employers will have a harder time filling jobs. This may lead companies to look for talent in other countries – or possibly relocate jobs abroad. - Less exposure to diversity
When students interact with people from cultures other than their own, it enhances their ability to think more critically. It also reduces prejudice. - Less US influence
While more than 300 current and former world leaders were at one time international students in the U.S., other nations are making concerted efforts to catch up. If there are fewer students from other countries studying in the U.S., it will lessen the ability of the United States to touch the hearts and minds of future world leaders.
College Leaders Talk about Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Crisis
Williams College President Maud Mandel, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President James Birge, Berkshire Community College Ellen Kennedy and Bard College were joined at Simon's Rock Provost John Weinstein for the discussion on the topic "Higher Education During COVID-19,"and presented their views as the moderator Jonathan Butler asked the panel to talk about the lessons that their industry might take away from the pandemic.
Kennedy and Weinstein agreed that remote learning forced by the closure of their physical campuses has demonstrated that some students may perform differently outside of a traditional classroom. The introvert students who cannot open up during in-person class room are presenting themselves during remote online classrooms. This is also a opportunity for the faculty to capture their thoughts. So after coming back to in-person class the student can present their thoughts too.
They agree to the importance to provide students for financial aid to support them to have access to hardware for remote learning.
This remote working has many good impacts for environment and can provide ample time to figure out the flaws in in-person classrooms.
Universities Wales response to a report on Covid-19 and the Higher Education Sector in Wales
India Education Diaries | India Education Diary Bureau Admin | May 25, 2020
In response to a report from the Wales Governance Centre which details the financial risks facing universities in Wales as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, a University Wales spokesperson said: “We know that universities are proportionately more important to the economy of Wales than elsewhere in the UK, generating £5bn of output and nearly 50,000 jobs, and any significant shrinking of the sector would have knock-on impacts for jobs, regional economics, local communities and students .Wales’ universities are also making important contributions to support the national effort in response to COVID-19, and will have a vital role to play in the Wales’ recovery from this crisis.”
As highlighted by this report, there are substantial financial risks facing universities in Wales as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Welsh Government and UK Government must take urgent action to provide support to ensure universities are able to weather these very serious challenges, and to protect students, maintain research, and retain our capacity to drive the recovery of the economy and communities.
College Presidents Say Fall Opening Likely
Inside Higher Ed | May 25, 2020
More than half of college presidents (53 percent) said it was “very likely” their institutions would resume in-person courses this fall, and another 31 percent said it was “somewhat likely,” according to a survey of 310 presidents conducted by the American Council on Education.
Of the 230 presidents in the survey whose institutions offer on-campus housing, 51 percent said it was “very likely” their campuses would resume in-person housing operations at some point in the fall semester, and 40 percent said it was “somewhat likely.”
College Leaders Talk about Lessons Learned from COVID-19 Crisis
IBERKSHIRES.COM | Stephen Dravis | May 25, 2020
Williams College President Maud Mandel, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts President James Birge, Berkshire Community College Ellen Kennedy and Bard College were joined at Simon's Rock Provost John Weinstein for the discussion on the topic "Higher Education During COVID-19,"and presented their views as the moderator Jonathan Butler asked the panel to talk about the lessons that their industry might take away from the pandemic.
Kennedy and Weinstein agreed that remote learning forced by the closure of their physical campuses has demonstrated that some students may perform differently outside of a traditional classroom. The introvert students who cannot open up during in-person class room are presenting themselves during remote online classrooms. This is also a opportunity for the faculty to capture their thoughts. So after coming back to in-person class the student can present their thoughts too.
They agree to the importance to provide students for financial aid to support them to have access to hardware for remote learning.
This remote working has many good impacts for environment and can provide ample time to figure out the flaws in in-person classrooms.
COVID-19 patients not infectious after 11 days, finds Singapore study
E TIMES Entertainment News | Bloomberg | May 24, 2020
On the basis of a study of 73 patents in the city-state, a joint research paper by Singapore’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases and the Academy of Medicine, Singapore stated that the virus “could not be isolated or cultured after day 11 of illness” and the positive test “does not equate to infectiousness or viable virus,”. Which means Covid-19 patients are no longer infectious after 11 days of getting sick even though some may still test positive.
Country’s patient discharge criteria are currently based on negative test results rather than infectiousness.
Singapore’s strategy on managing Covid-19 patients is guided by the latest local and international clinical scientific evidence, and the Ministry of Health will evaluate if the latest evidence can be incorporated into its patient clinical management plan, according to a report by the Straits Times.
Can Higher Education Get America Back To Work?
Forbes | Paul LeBlanc | May 24, 2020
The single most important job higher education will be asked to do over the next few years will be getting Americans back to work.
Focus on what students can do with what they know. Higher education mostly concerns itself with knowledge making (research and scholarship) and conveyance (publishing and teaching). The focus must now shift to what students can actually do with what they know. Our survey respondents seek skills, employers think about jobs in terms of skills, and higher education must embrace skills or competencies as the real measure of learning, not the credit hour.
Get really good at assessment. In a skills focused program, that means performance-based assessment. Higher education, which is generally poor at sound assessment practices, only does good performance based assessment in areas where our lives depend on a graduate’s demonstrated ability to do what we say they can.
Deliver learning in smaller bundles of skills. We need to offer smaller packages of skills focused learning that carry some form of recognition and that stack along a pathway that eventually leads to a degree. While two and four year degrees will remain important milestones, we need more granularity in program offerings and credentials for those who need to urgently re-skill in order to rejoin the workforce.
Equity in higher education essential for California’s strong economic recovery
CALLMATTERS | Monica Lozano | May 24, 2020
According to a national survey from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, More than half of the adults who have lost income were already living in poverty. As California re-opens its economy, equity must be a focus. Higher education has always been key to socioeconomic mobility. Now, more than ever, increasing college access and success will be essential to ensuring that California can recover and emerge stronger.
The state must continue to build on those advances. Even with fewer resources, California can leverage these priorities:
- Make transfers easy and seamless.
- Increase student support services.
- Be flexible with financial aid requirements.
- Strengthen partnerships that align education and labor needs.
What India’s performance in the Impact Rankings tells us?
UNIVERSITY WORLD NEWS | Anand Kulkarni | May 23, 2020
This article focuses on India’s performance in the recently released Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2020, which measure a university’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals according to the broad criteria of outreach, research and stewardship.
India and the Impact Rankings
Compared to 2019 when India had 2.8% of ranked institutions in the Impact Rankings (13 out of 467), in 2020 this has reached 3.4% (26 out of 767). The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, India has also advanced, but to a lesser extent, from 49 institutions out of a total of 1,258 (3.9%) to 56 institutions out of a total of 1,397 (just over 4%). The World University Rankings place more emphasis on research compared to Impact Rankings, while Impact Rankings reflect factors such as community outreach.
As Angel Calderon points out, more than 30% of institutions included in the Impact Rankings are not ranked in the THE World University Rankings.
However, the improvement in both rankings for India, when allied with its emerging strong position in the Global Innovation rankings – it ranked 52nd in the world out of 129 countries, including seventh position for graduates in science and engineering, 15th for research expenditure by globally listed companies and 23rd for industry and university collaboration – suggests that India is becoming a player in the global knowledge economy.
From clean water to general environmental performance
India performs poorly – it ranks 177 out of 180 countries – on the global Environmental Performance Index, which is a comprehensive ranking encompassing environmental health and eco-system vitality.
Other observations
One half of ranked India institutions are private ones. This reflects greater private provision of higher education in India as well as arguably new approaches and perspectives to teaching and learning.
Reflective of the World University Rankings is the relative paucity of the ‘next tier’ of ranked institutions.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20200522093621435
Notre Dame vs. Princeton: Two very different approaches on when and how to reopen college during COVID-19
The Washington Post | Valerie Strauss | May 22, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published newly updated guidance on how colleges and universities can openly safely.
Some colleges and universities are planning to reopen campuses in the fall with varying protective measures to try to prevent the spread of covid-19 while some other school leaders say it’s too soon to make a decision.
Purdue University President Mitch Daniels, a former governor of Indiana, was the first higher-education leader who announced to campus reopening and rather than surrendering to the situation to tackle it aggressively and creatively. Since then many other colleges are also in support to him and decided to reopen too.
One of the most recent major universities to do so was the University Of Notre Dame, whose president, John I. Jenkins, announced that students would come to campus and start classes early, Aug. 10, and finish the semester just before Thanksgiving (26th November).
Jenkins prepared to institute a comprehensive testing protocol, and to isolate those who test positive and quarantine those students who have been in close contact. They will continue the testing, contact tracing and quarantining protocol throughout the semester, acting aggressively to isolate those with the virus and quarantine any who have been in close contact. They will also institute a number of other health and safety measures.
Princeton University President Chris Eisgruber says they can’t decide to reopen thoughtlessly. He said “To bring back our undergraduates, we need to be confident of our ability to mitigate the health risks not only to them, but also to the faculty and staff who instruct and support them, and to the surrounding community.”
Canada extends flexible rules for post-graduate work permits through end of year
ICEF MONITOR | May 20, 2020
International students planning to begin studies in Canada this summer and fall are now permitted to complete up to 50% of their programmes online if restrictions prevent them from travelling from their home countries
The future of technical education is going to be different from what it is today amid COVID-19 crisis. The unprecedented outbreak of Coronavirus has caused extreme The future of technical education amid COVID-19: Insights from Dr. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE
Looming crisis could widen investment gap in higher education, EUA report says
Science | Business | May 19, 2020
Based on its analysis of policy decisions taken in Europe in the past decade, the EUA report warns of “large, long-lasting” negative effects on higher education systems, especially in countries which cut budgets for universities and research in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Cuts in public funding for universities and research agencies were meant to be temporary but some countries in Europe were not able to come back to pre-crisis funding levels fast enough, further widening the performance gap between higher education systems.
As COVID-19 pandemic likely to cause a global recession, “Universities must prepare for operational and financial difficulties in the coming few years,” European University Association (EUA) that calls on national and European policy makers to come up with new strategies to prevent the coronavirus crisis from further widening east-west disparities and to priorities research and innovation in new financial rescue packages, to avoid reproducing the effects of the 2008 crisis.
Cambridge University: All lectures to be online-only until summer of 2021
BBC News | May 19, 2020
During Covid-19 Pandemic Given that it is likely that social distancing will continue to be required, the university has decided there will be no face-to-face lectures during the next academic year. Lectures will continue to be made available online which has been applicable since March and exams are being carried out virtually .It may be possible to host smaller teaching groups in person, as long as this conforms to social distancing requirements. Cambridge University will review the decision if advice on social distancing changes.
A similar move has been taken by the University of Manchester too. The university watchdog said students applying for university places in England must be told with "absolute clarity" how courses will be taught - before they make choices for the autumn.
California community college chancellor endorses going online-only this fall
CALLMATTERS |Mikhail Zinshteyn| May 18, 2020
The chancellor of California’s largest college system, Eloy Ortiz Oakley said he believes online instruction will be the best course of action this fall. As He advocates for the online-teaching methods will be the best option during this pandemic, he also admitted that this transition to online method from traditional face-to-face method is difficult yet their colleges have made amazing effort to continue to engage the students. Oakley also cautioned against the cut down the funding depending on student outcomes and advised to be united to protect all the colleges instead.
Higher Education at the COVID-19 Crossroads
Forbes | Henry Chesbrough| May 18, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic is placing many universities under extreme budget pressure, owing to the loss of high-margin international students. And, if schools cannot open on campus this fall, many may be forced to discount their tuition to students. Some observers think it likely that many universities will be forced to close, as a result of these pressures.
The longer term picture is not much better. Higher education costs have been rising at an unsustainable rate for decades. The rate of increase in the tuition fee has been much higher than inflation. The Covid-19 pandemic is merely accelerating a reckoning in higher education, a reckoning that has been coming for quite some time.
The reasons of this higher fee can draw attentions to following points:
As most often most faculty, also have home offices for work, which is a reason campus office utilization is low. So this very expensive campus asset, real estate, is woefully underutilized.
With the growth of the Internet, many of the traditional reference materials faculty need for their research are just a few clicks away.
Another area of the university that is overdue for a rethink is the bundling of research with teaching. The modern university bundles these two functions together. Digital also will have a role to play. It is already clear that Covid-19 has created a permanent shift towards digital instruction in the university. The tools to engage students online are only going to get better over time, and faculty are going to improve in how best to use digital instruction methods. The status quo is unsustainable, even after the Covid-19 crisis passes. The university desperately needs ways to reset its spending, without sacrificing its core mission and values. Unbundling research from teaching, disconnecting faculty from dedicated offices, and embracing digital technology together provide a new basis for a more affordable, sustainable education.
Colleges Are Deluding Themselves
The Atlantic | Michael J. Sorrell | President of Paul Quinn College | May15, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic is the direst crisis we have ever faced. The current health emergency makes striking the right balance all the more difficult—and multiplies the damage any missteps could cause. Leaders at many high-profile colleges and universities have announced plans to welcome students back to their classrooms, residence halls, and playing fields in the fall—with some modifications to allow for greater social distancing. But rushing to reopen our society and our schools is a mistake that will ultimately result in hundreds of thousands of citizens falling sick and worse. We should not let our own financial and reputational worries cloud our judgment about matters of life and death.
Many schools literally cannot afford an online-only existence; students would not want to pay the same amount for such an experience, but charging them less would lead to bankruptcy for some institutions. The good news is that higher education will get through this crisis. By adjusting our expectations and addressing our fears, we will provide room for a new model of realistic leadership. The freedom that accompanies this moment will provide space for necessary innovation.
Higher education institutions can tie up with Highway, MSME Ministry for specific projects’
The Hindu | Published on May 15, 2020
In a meeting with higher education authorities organized by FICCI, Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, Encourages the Higher education institutions tie-ups with the Ministries of Road Transport and Highways and Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) for research in the area of road safety, to conduct road safety audits and traffic studies on various stretches of highways. Highway Ministry has set a target to build highways with ₹15 lakh crore in the next two years, for which Road Ministry will soon tie-up with two IITs for developing areas of civil engineering. He asked universities to think of ways to focus on improving quality of education, creating jobs for students while lowering the burden of high fees.
COVID-19: 4 negative impacts and 4 opportunities created for education
India Today |May 12, 2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a major impact on education - both negative and positive. What exactly are the risks and opportunities brought about by Coronavirus?
4 negative impacts of Covid-19 on education
- Sluggish cross-border movement of students
It is becoming clearer that this cross-border movement of students will take a beating at least for the next two to three years and will lead to a major financial risk for universities in these countries who are already under financial pressure. - Passive learning by students
The sudden shift to online learning without any planning -- especially in countries like India where the backbone for online learning was not ready and the curriculum was not designed for such a format -- has created the risk of most of our students becoming passive learners and they seem to be losing interest due to low levels of attention span. This will create a digital divide. - Unprepared teachers for online education
There is a risk that in such a situation, learning outcomes may not be achieved and it may be only resulting in engaging the students. - Changing format of student recruitment
The risk of losing students is so high that they will need to re-look at their admission practices, admission criteria and the overall recruitment process itself which will include, new methods of outreach and application process itself.
positive changes in education due to Covid-19
- Rise in Blended Learning
New ways of delivery and assessments of learning outcomes will have to be adopted which opens immense opportunities for a major transformation in the area of curriculum development and pedagogy. - Learning management systems to be the new norm
A great opportunity will open up for those companies that have been developing and strengthening learning management systems for use by universities and colleges. - Improvement in learning material
Since blended learning will be the new format of learning there will be a push to find new ways to design and deliver quality content especially due to the fact that the use of learning management systems will bring about more openness and transparency in academics. - Rise in collaborative work
Faculty members/ teachers can deliver online courses to even students from competing institutions. Collaborations can also happen among faculty/teachers across the nation to benefit from each other.
How COVID-19 is driving a long-overdue revolution in education
World Economic Forum | Salah-Eddine Kandri | Global Head of Education, IFC| May 12, 2020
- The pandemic has forced universities to bring their courses online.
- This is just one step along the road to a new educational paradigm, however.
- We can expect a new model to emerge once COVID-19 has passed.
The pandemic that has shuttered economies around the world has also battered education systems in developing and developed countries. Some 1.5 billion students — close to 90% of all primary, secondary and tertiary learners in the world — are no longer able to physically go to school. While each level of education faces its unique challenges, it is the higher education segment that may end up, by necessity, triggering a learning revolution.
The real challenge lies for the institutions in which they have enrolled. Can traditional, campus-based universities adapt by choosing the right technologies and approaches for educating and engaging their students?
Right now, video-conferencing apps like Zoom and Webex are throwing universities a lifeline. However, lecturers are still struggling to maintain the same depth of engagement with students they could have in a classroom setting. The appetite from students for online offerings will likely grow because of COVID-19. As painful and stressful a time as this is, it may fashion a long overdue and welcome rebirth of our education systems.
The Coming Disruption Scott Galloway predicts a handful of elite cyborg universities will soon monopolize higher education.
INTELLIGENCER | James D. Walsh | May 11, 2020
Galloway, a Silicon Valley runaway who teaches marketing at NYU Stern School of Business, believes the pandemic has greased the wheels for big tech’s entrée into higher education. The post-pandemic future, he says, will entail partnerships between the largest tech companies in the world and elite universities. MIT@Google. iStanford. HarvardxFacebook. According to Galloway, these partnerships will allow universities to expand enrollment dramatically by offering hybrid online-offline degrees, the affordability and value of which will seismically alter the landscape of higher education.
MIT, Amherst, Dartmouth — they all have the money to not sacrifice any standards. At the same time, their trustees aren’t going to want them running inefficient businesses, where they have to dip into their endowment every year. Endowments are supposed to be for big, bold projects that result in additional cash appreciation.
National skill network
INTELLIGENCER | James D. Walsh | May 11, 2020
Galloway, a Silicon Valley runaway who teaches marketing at NYU Stern School of Business, believes the pandemic has greased the wheels for big tech’s entrée into higher education. The post-pandemic future, he says, will entail partnerships between the largest tech companies in the world and elite universities. MIT@Google. iStanford. HarvardxFacebook. According to Galloway, these partnerships will allow universities to expand enrollment dramatically by offering hybrid online-offline degrees, the affordability and value of which will seismically alter the landscape of higher education.
MIT, Amherst, Dartmouth — they all have the money to not sacrifice any standards. At the same time, their trustees aren’t going to want them running inefficient businesses, where they have to dip into their endowment every year. Endowments are supposed to be for big, bold projects that result in additional cash appreciation.
National skill network
Pratyusha Tripathy | May 6, 2020
- Higher education institutions were closed even before the nationwide lockdown as a caution to the situation. Nearly 70% of the curriculum was completed and 30% was remaining.
- To complete remaining curriculum institutions have decided to go online. The institutes which already had the infrastructure for online education started off smoothly. The real challenge was faced by those institutions which were not prepared with the required infrastructure for online learning.
- Students have also enrolled on SWAYAM to continue their learning. SWAYAM platform is enriched with a number of engineering and management courses and more than a lakh students were enrolled in different courses.
- Enhancement in Learning with Improvement In Skills (ELIS) portal has been designed by AICTE in order to foster digital learning and support the student community across the country. AICTE has devised online scrutiny of documents and online institute inspections using Microsoft team without physical visits for giving approvals to new colleges.
- Workshops for faculty on universal human values and three week student induction program for the first year students: These workshops covered all the life skills such as Leadership, communication along with the human core values that are important to cope with the crisis and will be important for the future as well.
- Workshops on various technical skills and soft skills which will be in demand: These workshops covered various emerging technical skills that are going to become all the more important post COVID such as AI, IoT, AR, VR, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Robotics, 3D Printing, Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, and Data Analysis.
- Workshops for preparing the faculty for AICTE’s examination reforms: These workshops are about the significance of examination reform, why, what and how.
- Certification courses to ensure better employability amid COVID-19
Platform called National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) numerous products/courses for students offered by startups and other big companies. The platform contains 30 courses offered by 15 different companies with a fee ranging from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 45000. As the courses are being provided by startups, they can’t be entirely free. So MHRD and AICTE came up with an innovative idea of enlisting good products through a three stage process first one being blind review.
Online workshops by AICTE
Source: https://www.nationalskillsnetwork.in/future-of-technical-education-amid-covid-19/
How COVID- 19 Can Reinvent Higher Education
QS WOW NEWS | Cameron Mirza | MENA Director for Nottingham Trent University | May 5, 2020
Higher education has been significantly disrupted as millions of students around the world are now studying remotely as campuses shut down in an attempt to help contain the virus. It’s a potential funding crisis for many private Universities. The impact of the current situation will have a profound impact on universities around the region in many ways and will force institutions to rethink their operating models, strategies, and fundamentally how higher education will be delivered.
It will also create opportunities; imagine if you are taught by the best subject matter faculty regardless of where they or you are in the world? Or the fact that learning is no longer bound by traditional semesters, credit hours, or having to spend hours traveling to a class, time wasted. We are now in an era where it is all possible due to technology.
Universities should be looking to AI to do the heavy lifting of faculty to free up time to allow them to focus on the actual job of teaching and doing research. AI’s potential to change the way teachers teach and students learn, helping maximize student success and prepare them for the future. Collective intelligence tools will be available to save teachers time with tasks like grading papers so teachers can spend more time with students. AI can help identify struggling students through behavioral cues and give them a nudge in the right direction. Universities can even use AI to offer a truly personalized learning experience, overcoming one of the biggest limitations of our current education model.
Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education
Dr. DNS Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Ansal University| April 29, 2020
The national lockdown and the ascending health crisis were striking the education of the students as well, with their universities being shut and their syllabi stranded, until the industry decided to initiate a revolution instead. The switch to online education has been ensuring that students suffer no loss of studies and their progress is being tracked simultaneously with timely evaluation. Providing AI-enabled learning by universities as they offer diverse courses in association with other collaborations is only making the country envision a new tomorrow based on educational reforms. In fact, some of the universities are also offering courses related to the fourth industrial revolution, which will stimulate the minds of the students and inspire them to bring a change in their respective fields. Uncertain times call for stronger measures and the education industry has been stepping up to take some. The pandemic has been working as a catalyst for the educational institutions to grow and opt for platforms and techniques, they haven’t used before.
Source: https://www.highereducationdigest.com/impact-of-covid-19-on-higher-education/
Measuring COVID-19’s impact on higher education
ICEF MONITOR | April 15, 2020
- The financial impact of the pandemic is being felt now by higher education institutions around the world
- As the pandemic continues this quarter, the effects are mounting in terms of both immediate budget impacts and forecasts for the coming year
- Most institutions are projecting declines in both domestic and international student numbers, with combined tuition shortfalls running into the tens of billions of dollars
Source: https://monitor.icef.com/2020/04/measuring-covid-19s-impact-on-higher-education/
Degrees of Separation
INSIDE HIGHER ED | Elizabeth Redden | April 14, 2020
As colleges grapple with the question of whether and when it will be safe to resume in-person instruction, a newly published working paper analyzing course enrollment patterns at Cornell University found that nearly all students are connected via a shared classmate.
"These results suggest caution in reopening colleges and universities for face-to-face instruction in response to the COVID-19 pandemic," Weeden and Cornwell wrote in their working paper.
In their working paper, Weeden and Cornwell note limitations of the study, including the fact that the data are reflective of just one university and that "course enrollment networks do not capture the many ways that students are connected outside of the classroom through advisors, friends, parties, athletics and other extra-curricular activities, or living situations."
“Most obviously, two students who are co-enrolled in a large lecture course may never come in close physical proximity to each other. Similarly, classes, particularly large ones, rarely achieve full attendance. Future work should consider factors such as physical space within a classroom or attendance rates to fine-tune estimates of how course enrollment networks may pattern the diffusion of a virus, a rumor, an idea, or anything else that can be transmitted through direct or indirect social contact on a college campus.”