Global, South Korea, Australia: University News

The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest university news from around the world, on 10 September 2013.

Global: New QS World University Rankings published

The new QS World University Rankings are out today, covering 800 institutions around the world. Having reached top spot for the first time last year, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retains its position this year. Harvard University has climbed back up one place to 2^nd in the world, pushing the University of Cambridge into 3^rd, and University College London (UCL) retains its position at 4^th, followed by Imperial College London and the University of Oxford. This is a strong showing for the UK, with four spots in the top 6.

The ranking is accompanied by the QS World University Rankings by Faculty, which list the world’s top universities in five subject areas: Engineering & Technology, Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences & Management, Medicine & Life Sciences and Natural Sciences.

This is the most comprehensive QS listing ever, with over 100 institutions added.

South Korea: Students in financial difficulty

University students in South Korea are getting into increasing debt because of the rising cost of loans and housing, reports Radio Australia. This is despite promises by President Park Geun-hye to cut tuition fees by half. Students spend 40% of their income on housing, and are left with an average of US$90 a month after expenses. This is putting financial pressure on parents to help out their children. Professor Choi Jin Nam from Seoul National University said: "The cost to support their children continues to rise despite having no growth in their personal income."

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Australia: University of Ballarat changes its name

The University of Ballarat is now Federation University Australia, following legislation passed by Victoria’s Parliament, reports ABC News. It will be taking over Monash University’s Gippsland campus, and is expected to open next year after the finalization of laws needed to transfer land. The Minister for Higher Education, Peter Hall, has suggested the abbreviation of Fed Uni, saying: "I think in time to come this will be abbreviated and become well known and a respected brand not only across Victoria but nationally and internationally as well". 

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India: Foreign universities to operate independently

Foreign universities can now set up in India without a local partner, and function as companies under the Companies Act, reports Live Mint and The Wall Street Journal. They had previously been constrained by the necessity to form a partnership with a local education provider. The executive order from the ministry of human resources development comes ahead of the foreign education providers’ Bill, which is still awaiting parliamentary approval. The proposed rules will allow a foreign institution to set up in India if it makes it into the top 400 rank in one of three global rankings: the Times Higher Education Rankings, the QS World University Rankings, or the China-based Shanghai Jiao Tong University rankings.

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