Weekly News Round-Up: November 4, 2022

By Shorelight Team
Last updated on November 4, 2022

Each week the Shorelight team rounds up trusted headlines on the latest in international education and all things impacting students and universities.

This image shows Shorelight's company logo: a traditional fishing-style lantern in orange.

8B Education Investments launches $111,600,000 initiative to Finance African Student Education

October 31, 2022

As we look ahead at changes to student mobility, this is very exciting news for students in Africa looking to study abroad. African students are one of the world’s fastest-growing demographics and are often overlooked. I’m excited to see this news and hope it is the first of many new opportunities for students.

“The world has underinvested in African brilliance. As a result, hundreds of thousands of African students every year obtain offers from world-class universities and fail to enroll, primarily due to a lack of financing. We are thrilled that our partnership with Nelnet Bank will help us to provide financing for this underserved group of brilliant students and create an example on how to accelerate African access to global innovation ecosystems.”

Get the full story on The Observer >

Why Chinese students are falling out of love with US universities

October 31, 2022

We all know that the number of students coming from China to study in the US has declined. We also understand that the political tensions between the US and China have significantly impacted student decisions. It is also important to recognize other factors, such as tuition costs. Like other countries around the world, the pandemic has significantly impacted China’s economy. This has opened the door to our global competitors who offer quality education at a lower price. Other issues, such as gun violence and safety, have impacted enrollments. It’s important for the US to address not only the political tensions but the other reasons for Chinese students choosing other destinations.

“Several consultants say China’s economic crisis, and the weakening renminbi, are making parents more price sensitive.“Previously you had large numbers of very affluent students applying to the US because it was just like another handbag they needed to have,” says one Chinese educational consultant, who also declined to give his name. It’s cheaper to get a degree in the UK, where in most cases undergraduate study takes three years rather than four”

Get the full story on Business Lend >

Inflation costs are making nearly half of grad students worldwide think about quitting their program

November 2, 2022

We are all feeling the pinch of inflation in the US, and we aren’t alone! The effects of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine have caused an enormous amount of stress on economies around the globe. I’ve shared articles previously about the impact of a strong US dollar on international students. The price of housing, food, travel, and more are all impacted by inflation. This article explores the challenges for graduate students, both domestic and international. 

“Nearly nine in 10 graduate students worldwide are having trouble balancing rising prices with their academic work, with 45% saying the higher cost of living could force them to drop their studies altogether, according to a survey conducted and published by Nature last week.”

Get the full story on Fortune >

Japan and U.S. urging more students to study in each other’s countries

November 1, 2022

In a joint effort, the US and Japan are looking to increase efforts in international study opportunities. To many, it feels like the pandemic is over, but the lingering effects of the pandemic are still impacting international students.

“We want both Americans and Japanese to consider the value of an international education, especially as they establish their post-COVID academic plans,” said the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Get the full story on Japan Times >

America’s Supreme Court seems ready to toss out affirmative action

November 1, 2022

While this article is very US-focused, it has the potential to have a big impact on universities across the country. We at Shorelight understand the importance of diversity on campuses. Affirmative action has been the law in the US for 44 years; it will be very interesting to see what direction the US Supreme Court goes with their rule.

“The heart of affirmative action came under attack with Justice Thomas’s first question for unc’s lawyer, Ryan Park.“I’ve heard the word diversity quite a few times”, he told Mr. Park, “and I don’t have a clue what it means. It seems to mean everything for everyone.”

Get the full story on The Economist >

Summing up international student work rights in 14 top study destinations

November 1, 2022

We post a lot about post-graduation work opportunities for international students. As we all know, this is a very important issue for our students. ICEF did a really good job in comparing 14 countries and their post-graduation work opportunities. I will admit the OPT program in the US is generous in comparison to other countries but we get into trouble when we dive into programs such as H-1B.

Get the full story on ICEF Monitor >