Education News April 2020

Every month, Grok curates news about international education from around the world to help education professionals keep up to date with developments that may inform their activities. To receive monthly updates via email, join our education newsletter.

April’s edition included articles covering Coronavirus, as well as China, India, and Southeast Asia, including notes from Grok’s CEO.

Coronavirus Updates

How higher education leaders should respond to the coronavirus crisis Forbes

Planning overseas college education amid pandemic The Straits Times

UK universities face 2.5 billion tuition fee loss next year The Guardian

Could the coronavirus force positive change in higher education? Times Higher Ed
 
Harnessing technology for higher education Inside Higher Ed

For more up to date news and resources regarding the coronavirus, please see our situation updates.

China

International student recruitment in a post-China world University World News
A note from Grok’s CEO, Kim Morrison: The title of the article notwithstanding, the author of this article explores the fact that, while China continues to be the dominant sending country for international students, the pace at which the market is growing has slowed. As the article itself asserts “It is fair to say that there will never be another China, meaning a market with ample youth population wielding the financial resources needed to pursue overseas study”. Even if Covid-19 leads to a regression back to 2015 for international education, recruitment from China will still be a primary focus for any institution looking to increase international student numbers. However, the author rightly also argues that reliance on any one market – whether it’s China, India or MENA – places an institution in greater financial jeopardy and threatens to produce on-campus conditions that are the antithesis of the ideals of international education. Balancing your focus on both protecting and developing your largest markets while also developing new markets is obviously key.

China moves to smooth relations with African students Times Higher Ed

China’s Soaring Livestream Trend: The What, Who & How China Skinny

More than half of Chinese students could still cancel UK study plans Times Higher Ed
A note from Grok’s CEO, Kim Morrison: This headline could also read “Almost half of Chinese students might still come to the UK in the fall!”. It has never been more important for institutions to foster ongoing communication with their offer holders. Some of Grok’s institutions have established a permanently staffed, open Zoom channel for offer holders so they can speak to someone by clicking on a link. Other Grok institutions are doing weekly or monthly live streaming presentations/Q&A sessions both with parents and/or offer holders.

India

Schools, colleges likely to remain shut beyond May 3 NDTV

Winners of CODE19 Online Hackathon against Coronavirus in India Announced India Education Diary

UGC calls meet to discuss fresh admissions, exams India TV News

Southeast Asia

Student’s Covid-19 explainer video becomes an educational tool in Thailand Hub

Malaysia: Conditional offers on higher education The Star

Fast forward to Thailand 4.0 Bangkok Post

Vietnam: Anatomy of a perfect storm “children would be safer at home than in the UK or the US, both of which suffer from incompetent leadership” University World News

Stringent evidence based assessment assured for Cambridge exams NST