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Welcome to our January 2019 Newsletter!
UK Education Guide in the news this month
How technology is changing the way English is taught
We asked industry insiders for their views on the best new advances in technology and delivery to support teachers of EAL and their pupils, both inside and outside the classroom.
We highlight how FutureLearn has modified its online English offer to specifically help refugees affected by the conflict in Syria to learn English and help prevent a ‘lost generation’ in the region. The whole blog post, featured on The PIE, can be found here
blog.thepienews.com/2018/12/whats-new-in-eal-delivery-for-both-teachers-and-pupils/
Supporting international Boarding school students to make the higher education decisions that are right for them…
It is clearly a huge challenge for UK Boarding schools to help every international student in the way that UK students take for granted. In this article for ST Magazine we look at the different ways schools are helping international students and their parents manage expectations and make informed Higher education decisions: from hosting University Fairs on school campuses to early preparation for US University applications. We also look at the valuable role Guardians, Agents and independent advisors can play in the process too…
Published in ST Magazine studytravel.network/magazine/news/2/26281
Other news…
Scrutiny this month on the true value of an English degree…
Up to 25% of degrees (at English Universities) will not give sufficient lifetime earnings for students to justify their loans, a new report states
The new report from Onward states that while 'education has a value in its own right' too many young people 'are being sold a false promise'.
"Too many are facing hefty repayments for degrees that won't help them financially and too few are being offered quality technical and apprenticeship options instead," it says.
The report also states that in 2015-16 40% of undergraduates were enrolled in courses that led to median earnings below the student loan repayment threshold of £25,000 5 years after graduation.
The report argues for; a tax cut for graduates, a limit to places offered on courses that offer limited value for money for students, plus an increase in post-18 technical education.
Australian study highlights the challenges in making sure international students get the mental health support they need…
The study was conducted by the Coroners Court of Victoria as part of an inquest into the death of Chinese student Zhikai Liu, who threw himself off a Melbourne balcony in March 2016. The 24-year-old had arrived in Australia just four months earlier to study at the University of Melbourne.
Mr Liu had apparently been depressed over study and language difficulties. He had played down his problems to his sister, who lived with him, but confessed to his mother that he was experiencing suicidal thoughts.
The Coroner said that there was a need for educational material about mental health to be made available to family members of international students, as well as the students themselves. He added that while international students may avoid mental health services for financial or cultural reasons, many also lacked an understanding about how such services worked.
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/suicide-warning-over-foreign-students-suffering-silence
UK University overseas branch campuses-losses mount at some institutions, but more to open within the EU.
Reading University has recently announced a £27 million loss at its Malaysian branch campus and this deficit pushed the institution as a whole into the red to the tune of £20 million for the year ended July 2018.
The picture is no brighter at some other institutions with overseas operations. UCL (University College London) has already announced the closure of its Qatar campus in October 2020.The university closed its Australia campus in 2017 and ceased teaching in Kazakhstan in 2015.
Meanwhile, other UK universities made losses on their branch campuses last year.
The University of Central Lancashire’s financial statements show that its Cyprus campus, which opened in 2012 and received a licence to operate as a legally autonomous Cypriot institution in 2015, made a deficit of £1.9 million in 2018 and £2 million in 2017.
However, the prospect of Brexit is encouraging other Universities to look at opening new 'branch' campuses within the EU. Coventry University has announced plans to open a branch campus in Poland, in what is said to be the first independent venture for a foreign university in the country. The UK university said that it will open a new outpost in Wrocław to offer Coventry degrees taught in English from September 2019. Kings College and Lancaster have also indicated plans to open campuses within the EU.
www.timeshighereducation.com/news/reading-ignored-warning-signals-over-malaysia-branch-campus?fbclid
UWS follow up…
Learning to speak a foreign language and gaining new vocational skills are great enablers and improve lives. Unfortunately many people around the world who come from less privileged backgrounds will never have that opportunity. This month we feature Bayswater Education: www.bayswater.ac a company with a social mission at its heart. Their aim is to give young people around the world these opportunities whatever their backgrounds.
Last month we featured UWS (United World Schools) who are building schools in Cambodia, Nepal and Burma. Fergus Brownlee who sits on the board of trustees of UWS is also the chairman of Bayswater. When a student studies at Bayswater they help provide English classes for someone from a less fortunate background, on a one for one basis. You can read more about English for Good and how you can be involved here: www.bayswater.ac/giving and see their video: https://youtu.be/PaRlW_p0F90
We are delighted to continue our Oxford Guide this month!
Oxford is home to the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and also d’Overbroeck’s school. Thanks to the team at d’Overbroeck’s for providing this insider’s guide to Oxford. d'Overbroeck's is a selective, highly ranked day and boarding school for students aged 11-18.
Top places to take the parents:
Oxford is full of rich history and so one can lose oneself in stories of an ancient time. Below are a selection of top sites to visit when exploring Oxford.
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The Ashmolean Museum is Britain’s oldest public museum, which makes it a great place to entertain the parents.
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Christ Church attracts tourist from all over the world famed for its architecture and literary heritage. A home to the Harry Potter’s Hogwarts and Alice in Wonderland.
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The Pitt Rivers Museum is a great place to explore long lost hidden treasure from across the globe.
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The Radcliffe Camera is by far the most iconic image of Oxford. This beautiful, circular columned library is a must see!
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The Bodleian Library has had many visitors walk through its doors from the likes of Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien and a number of prime ministers. This magnificent building is laced with history having survived the Middle Ages.
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Magdalen College is one of Oxford’s most beautiful colleges and boasts of having its very own deer park. Notable Alumni students have included writers such as Oscar Wilde, CS Lewis, John Betjeman and TE Lawrence to name but a few.
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Oxford University Museum of Natural History has specimens from all over the world from a towing T-rex skeleton to a 150-year-old Japanese spider crab.
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Merton College is one of Oxford’s three original colleges. TS Elliot and Louis MacNeice were fellows at this college.
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Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum is UK’s oldest botanic garden founded in 1621. Today it contains over 8,000 different plant species. This is a beautiful place to visit all year round.
Lastly, Oxford would not be Oxford without Punting!
To prepare for your journey along the English riverside ensure you have adequate provisions. We would recommend a picnic basket stocked with sandwiches and some Pimms or Prosecco to ensure you enjoy the scenic views along the way.
Where to get a Punt:
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