waichingliu81
10-31-2007, 07:28 AM
For millions of students, the American higher education system still represents the global standard. Shola Adenekan reports
Tuesday October 30, 2007
The Guardian
Sophie Gilbert thinks journalism as a university course is viewed less seriously in Britain than in the US. So when she wanted to pursue a postgraduate degree, she enrolled at New York University.
"Journalism is not 'just' a vocational postgraduate course [in the US]," says the 24-year-old former magazine journalist from London. "There's a lot of thinking about the process and history of reporting the news, and a lot of reading courses."
Studying in the US is more expensive, but Gilbert says: "Personally, it gave me the break I needed to completely shake up my perspective and thinking."
Joohee Park, a 19-year-old South Korean accountancy undergraduate at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, initially applied to study in England, before opting for the US. "In general, for business and accounting, I felt that the US is better than countries in Europe, which was a big determinant for me coming here," he explains. "Also, I felt that I would have a more fun college experience in the US, especially in LA because of its population diversity and good weather compared to the gloomy weather in London."
For more than 50 years, American colleges and universities have been luring millions of young people from all over the world. A study by the London-based Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (Obhe) - a thinktank affiliated with the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Universities UK - says the US has the biggest share (22%) of the international student market. Last year nearly 565,000 foreign students travelled there for higher education.
The US remains the benchmark in higher education and its institutions dominate global league tables.
American experience
"For many students, a US higher education degree still seems to define the quintessential 'American experience'." says Don Olcott, chief executive officer of Obhe. "The massive sports facilities, on-campus accommodation and fraternities that US education seems to provide offer an archetype for student living [of the sort] that international students have seen in movies."
Olcott points out that despite heavy investment by other countries, the idea of higher education has more significance in the States, which is why institutions receive a lot of their funding from the private sector and alumni donations.
In addition, the US has a tradition of openness, which fosters the freedom of inquiry essential to productive graduate training. This means students have much more flexibility and control over their destinies, including finance - a factor that is lacking in many European countries, where debate about whether higher education should be a privilege or a right continues to cause controversy.
"Perhaps the greatest and most lasting draw to students is the flexibility of the system," says Jerome A Lucido, vice-provost for enrolment and policy management at USC, which for the past six years has consistently drawn the largest international population of any US university. "Undergraduate students are not restricted to one area of study, are not required to choose early on, and can often structure a programme according to their diverse and emerging interests."
Another big advantage is the number of American institutions of higher learning -more than 4,000 and counting. These range from public and private research universities to two-year community colleges, regional universities and the growing for-profit university sector.
British qualifications are highly regarded and widely recognised, yet the Obhe study suggests that many overseas students consider an American degree a better investment. In the US, annual tuition fees can reach $38,000 (£19,000) at top institutions; students could save as much as $10,000 by enrolling on a similar degree at a British university. However, this advantage disappears after taking into account the high cost of living in many parts of Britain.
The UK Council for International Education says the perception that future earnings may be better with a US degree is another factor.
A study by JWT, the advertising and communications agency, for the British Council says that although foreign students often see British education to be of better quality, they choose to study in the US because many universities and colleges have industrial partnerships that provide prospects for future employment.
"Yes, our tuition can be higher than other nations', but our prices are wide- range," says Peggy Blumenthal, chief operating officer for the Institute of International Education, the powerful New York-based charity that works with stakeholders to promote US education. "For example, our community colleges charge less, and students can study for two years and then transfer to a four-year institution to complete their study."
Blumenthal says American graduate programmes offer incentives for outstanding foreign students, especially in science and technology. "This is not often the case in the UK," she says. "I've heard colleagues in India saying that while British and Australian universities may be less expensive, they often don't offer incentives in funded postgraduate research opportunities. So in the long run we are less expensive."
British universities point out that despite the perceived strength of the American system, the proportion of international students there is less than 5%, while the UK figure exceeds 13%.
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,,2201394,00.html
Tuesday October 30, 2007
The Guardian
Sophie Gilbert thinks journalism as a university course is viewed less seriously in Britain than in the US. So when she wanted to pursue a postgraduate degree, she enrolled at New York University.
"Journalism is not 'just' a vocational postgraduate course [in the US]," says the 24-year-old former magazine journalist from London. "There's a lot of thinking about the process and history of reporting the news, and a lot of reading courses."
Studying in the US is more expensive, but Gilbert says: "Personally, it gave me the break I needed to completely shake up my perspective and thinking."
Joohee Park, a 19-year-old South Korean accountancy undergraduate at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, initially applied to study in England, before opting for the US. "In general, for business and accounting, I felt that the US is better than countries in Europe, which was a big determinant for me coming here," he explains. "Also, I felt that I would have a more fun college experience in the US, especially in LA because of its population diversity and good weather compared to the gloomy weather in London."
For more than 50 years, American colleges and universities have been luring millions of young people from all over the world. A study by the London-based Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (Obhe) - a thinktank affiliated with the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Universities UK - says the US has the biggest share (22%) of the international student market. Last year nearly 565,000 foreign students travelled there for higher education.
The US remains the benchmark in higher education and its institutions dominate global league tables.
American experience
"For many students, a US higher education degree still seems to define the quintessential 'American experience'." says Don Olcott, chief executive officer of Obhe. "The massive sports facilities, on-campus accommodation and fraternities that US education seems to provide offer an archetype for student living [of the sort] that international students have seen in movies."
Olcott points out that despite heavy investment by other countries, the idea of higher education has more significance in the States, which is why institutions receive a lot of their funding from the private sector and alumni donations.
In addition, the US has a tradition of openness, which fosters the freedom of inquiry essential to productive graduate training. This means students have much more flexibility and control over their destinies, including finance - a factor that is lacking in many European countries, where debate about whether higher education should be a privilege or a right continues to cause controversy.
"Perhaps the greatest and most lasting draw to students is the flexibility of the system," says Jerome A Lucido, vice-provost for enrolment and policy management at USC, which for the past six years has consistently drawn the largest international population of any US university. "Undergraduate students are not restricted to one area of study, are not required to choose early on, and can often structure a programme according to their diverse and emerging interests."
Another big advantage is the number of American institutions of higher learning -more than 4,000 and counting. These range from public and private research universities to two-year community colleges, regional universities and the growing for-profit university sector.
British qualifications are highly regarded and widely recognised, yet the Obhe study suggests that many overseas students consider an American degree a better investment. In the US, annual tuition fees can reach $38,000 (£19,000) at top institutions; students could save as much as $10,000 by enrolling on a similar degree at a British university. However, this advantage disappears after taking into account the high cost of living in many parts of Britain.
The UK Council for International Education says the perception that future earnings may be better with a US degree is another factor.
A study by JWT, the advertising and communications agency, for the British Council says that although foreign students often see British education to be of better quality, they choose to study in the US because many universities and colleges have industrial partnerships that provide prospects for future employment.
"Yes, our tuition can be higher than other nations', but our prices are wide- range," says Peggy Blumenthal, chief operating officer for the Institute of International Education, the powerful New York-based charity that works with stakeholders to promote US education. "For example, our community colleges charge less, and students can study for two years and then transfer to a four-year institution to complete their study."
Blumenthal says American graduate programmes offer incentives for outstanding foreign students, especially in science and technology. "This is not often the case in the UK," she says. "I've heard colleagues in India saying that while British and Australian universities may be less expensive, they often don't offer incentives in funded postgraduate research opportunities. So in the long run we are less expensive."
British universities point out that despite the perceived strength of the American system, the proportion of international students there is less than 5%, while the UK figure exceeds 13%.
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,,2201394,00.html