Daily Higher Education News: 18 October 2012

The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest higher education news from around the world, on 18 October 2012.

UK perceived by students to be world’s safest study destination

Research by the British Council’s Education Intelligence service, reports University World News, has revealed that students around the world perceive the UK to be the world’s safest study destination. Its multicultural society, good healthcare and strict gun control laws were among the reasons cited. Israel, South Africa, India, the US and Brazil were considered the least safe.

New MyEdu services aim to create dialogue between students and employers

MyEdu, a US-based online university data platform, has launched two new services which will allow students to create profiles detailing their achievements, and employers to specify what they are looking for in prospective employees. The services, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education, are intended to foster dialogue between the two groups to aid student employability.

University of Phoenix to close 115 locations

The University of Phoenix, one of the United States’ most prominent for-profit university systems, is to close 90 satellite learning centers and 25 campus locations, reports Inside Higher Ed. The closures are predicted to affect 13,000 students – around 4% of the University of Phoenix’s student body. 112 locations will remain open.

Sweden announces increased investment in education and research

The Swedish government has announced that it will be increasing its annual spending on higher education and research by US$589 million by 2016. 2011 investment stood at US$18.5 billion, putting Sweden behind only Israel, Finland and South Korea in terms of investment as a percentage of GDP, reports University World News.

Website to help students find vocational courses in Australia to be launched

The Australian Minister for Skills has announced that a new website to help students research vocational training courses is to be launched later this year. My Skills, as it is to be known, is intended to increase transparency in the sector, and will include data on fees, satisfaction and facilities, as well as allowing in-depth comparisons between different courses.