Daily Higher Education News: 28 January 2013

The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 28 January 2013.

Cambridge University may reintroduce entrance examination

Cambridge University, second in the 2012/13 QS World University Rankings, and first in the two preceding years, is debating reintroducing a common entrance exam to be taken by all prospective students, reports The Telegraph. The reintroduction of the exam, last held in 1986, is a reaction to changes in the UK high school examination system which will see students’ grades hinging on one set of final exams rather than being spread out over two years as at present.

American graduates overqualified for jobs market, argues new report

A report published by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity entitled ‘Why are recent college graduates underemployed’ argues that US universities are producing too many graduates, with nearly half of those who found work in 2010 working in jobs for which they are overqualified. These arguments are countered by those of Georgetown University’s Center for Education and the Workforce, which has repeatedly argued that even in professions which do not require a degree, graduates tend to enjoy greater success, reports Inside Higher Ed.

Fire at freshers’ ball in Brazil claims over 200 lives

A fire at a nightclub in Brazil at which a Universidade Federal de Santa Maria freshers’ ball was being held has resulted in the deaths of at least 233 people, reports the BBC. The fire started when a band performing at the party set of fireworks while performing, with the ensuing crush and toxic fumes causing most of the deaths. Reportedly, the club – in which between 300 and 500 people were thought to have been – only had one fire exit, requiring the fire brigade to knock down one of its walls in order to allow people to escape. 

New Zealand government report compares post-degree earnings by subject

A study by New Zealand’s Ministry of Education has revealed the average earnings of graduates of different subjects, reports Stuff.co.nz. ‘Moving on up – What young people earn after their tertiary education’ reports that a medical graduate stands to earn around three times as much as a performing arts graduate, with the earnings of the latter standing at NZ$35,500 (around US$29,500 at today’s rates). New Zealand’s government has also launched a new tool on its careers website which allows users to compare the earnings potential of different careers.

Gaza university condemned for introduction of female dress code

Al-Aqsa University in Gaza has been condemned by the Palestinian higher education minister for implanting an ‘Islamic’ dress code for female students, reports Eurasia Review. Ali Jarbawi has declared that the rule is illegal and therefore unenforceable. The university’s president has stated d that students will not be expelled for breaking the code, which does not require students to wear a niqab (a full-face covering).