Internationaleducation Starting a New Life
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUNDAY MAIL • February 2, 2020 special report Internationaleducation Starting a new life Going to university can be daunting. But, says o maybe you Nick Theodoulou, the know the words to Queen’s Bo- chance to start life on Shemian Rhap- sody off by heart, watch Premier League football and have seen Peaky your own terms means Blinders – but is this enough to integrate at a British university? the vast majority get over The UK remains the top destination for Cyp- riot students, with ap- initial jitters and will settle proximately one per cent of the population studying there at any into the routine despite one time, and around 40,000 alumni of UK in- stitutions in total. fi nding it hard at fi rst Despite its small size, Cyprus ranks as the 10th most important source country for international of Fresher’s Week. It’s ney classic Pinocchio. students in the UK ac- the fi rst crash-course of But since the 1940 fi lm cording to recent statis- your university experi- was fi rst released, and tics. The Universities of but life once you get of course, but when your look or a stereotype – ence, and one special- what Walt Disney prob- Reading, Essex and Sus- there. mother keeps remind- then university offers a ised in British drinking ably couldn’t have imag- sex traditionally have “University was diffi - ing you to have a shower, chance to start over. culture. ined, is that in the small the largest numbers of cult, but the independ- telling you to do this or Opening a bank ac- As most Cypriot teens islands of university Cypriot students, the ence was very important that, it’s good to have a count, buying bedsheets will have been on the towns such as Brighton, British High Commis- to me,” one 25-year-old chance to do things on and pots and pans while Protaras-Ayia Napa car- Edinburgh or Kent a lot sion announced in 2019. who studied in Canter- your own,” he explained. settling into your ac- ousel, the Brits’ enthu- of people are getting As a society which bury told the Cyprus “You can set your own commodation are just siasm for booze comes para (paralytic) drunk – places education close Mail. routine, even if that a few of the check-list as no surprise. But be- and not just the naughty to the top of our priori- A close-knit family means having cereal for chores to get done in ing immersed in that boys. ties, there can be a lot of structure is seen as the dinner.” the mad rush of the fi rst culture for three to four So you get through pressure to get a good cornerstone of Cypriot University is also a week. years instead of three to Fresher’s Week and degree from a good uni- society. But for some clean-slate on which to The whirlwind of emo- four days can come as then what? Well that’s versity. For a lot of peo- young people university rewrite your story. If you tions as you embark on quite a shock. when your new daily life ple though, the hardest offers a chance to spread got stuck with a nick- a new life abroad is per- Pleasure Island is a begins. Despite being part isn’t necessarily their wings. name you didn’t like at fectly encapsulated in scene most people re- getting into a university “Family is important, secondary school, or a the storm in a teacup member from the Dis- TURN TO PAGE 8 2 Internationaleducation February 2, 2020 • SUNDAY MAIL Rise in first class degrees in UK stalling By Alison Kershaw MORE than one in four students at UK universities gained a fi rst class degree last year, but the rapid increase in top honours appears to be stalling. In total, just over 28 per cent of stu- dents in Britain graduated with a fi rst last year, according to data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa). This is double the percentage who gained a fi rst in 2008/09 (14 per cent), but only a slight increase on 2017/18, when 27.8 per cent got the highest result. The slowdown follows pressure on uni- versities to be transparent about degree awarding systems, and to address con- cerns about grade infl ation. The Offi ce for Students (OfS) said the latest fi gures show that the “long-term trend” of rises in fi rsts has been arrested. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson warned that rises in the proportion of students awarded top results “under- mines” the UK’s international reputa- their awarding powers responsibly and tion for higher education. must not infl ate grades for their own University leaders said institutions are reputation or league table ranking. “committed to ensuring transparency, “I know the sector are looking at this fairness and reliability” in grade award- and while I recognise that change will ing. take time, I expect action to end artifi - The latest fi gures show that 28.4 per cial grade infl ation for good.” cent of students were awarded a fi rst; A spokesman for vice-chancellors’ 48.3 per cent got a 2:1, 19 per cent were group Universities UK said: “UK univer- handed a 2:2 and 4.3 per cent got a third sities are committed to ensuring trans- or a pass. parency, fairness and reliability in the Nicola Dandridge, OfS chief executive, way they award degrees, as shown by said: “This data shows us that the rapid their overwhelming support for collec- increase in the rates of students being tive action to ensure that students, past, awarded fi rst class degrees has stalled. present and future, get the qualifi cations “This arrests a long-term trend, with they deserve and can take pride in their signifi cant year-on-year increases having achievements.” been seen since 2011. Nick Hillman, director of the Higher “Previous analysis from the OfS found Education Policy Institute (Hepi), a evidence of unexplained increases in the university think tank, said he believes a rates of fi rst class degrees at 94 per cent slowing down in the rate of increase may of universities.” be the result of pressure on universities Dandridge said the watchdog is analys- from individuals such as former universi- ing the data, looking at the proportion of ties minister Jo Johnson. fi rsts that cannot be explained by factors He said universities award their own such as university entry grades, or the degrees and cannot ignore outside inter- make-up of a student body. ests. “So, they will control the number of “Grade infl ation risks undermining fi rsts to some extent,” he said. public confi dence in higher education “There may be other reasons too, such for students, graduates and employers as the removal of student number caps alike.” a few years ago meaning that more mar- Education Secretary Gavin Williamson ginal students, who are less likely to get said: “It is vital that students, graduates fi rsts, could fi nd a place. and the public are confi dent in the value “The higher education sector is, in ef- of a university degree, but the increasing fect, going through the same cycle that proportion of students being awarded A-levels went through, with lots of infl a- the top grades is undermining our world- tion followed by a period of refl ection. class reputation. “That is probably good because too big “The levels of fi rsts and upper second an increase in top grades devalues quali- honour degrees remain at an all-time fi cations, which is not in the interests of high. Universities are expected to use students, universities or employers.” ‘Golden triangle’ graduates ‘have highest earnings five years after degree’ GRADUATES of Oxbridge and top had typical salaries of below £20,000. London universities typically have the Outcomes were highest at the Lon- highest earnings among UK graduates don School of Economics and Political fi ve years after gaining their degree, of- Science, where students could typically fi cial fi gures suggest. expect to take home £44,000 fi ve years There is a signifi cant earnings premi- after graduating. um attached to attending an institution The analysis shows that, of the 10 in the so-called “golden triangle”, data institutions with the highest median published by Britain’s Department for earnings, fi ve were in London. Education indicates. Along with LSE was Imperial College And while graduates from some of Science, Technology and Medicine institutions may be earning upwards of (£43,300), St George’s Hospital Medi- £30,000 fi ve years after leaving univer- cal School (£43,000), University College sity, for others typical salaries are much London (£36,500) and King’s College lower. London (£35,700) In 2016/17, out of 133 universities and Also in the top 10 were both Cam- colleges, one in fi ve (20 per cent – 27 bridge (£38,800) and Oxford (£37,600). institutions) fi ve years after graduation, Together, Oxbridge and top London students had median earnings of more universities are often referred to as a than £30,000 per annum. “golden triangle” in higher education. Nearly half (47 per cent) of institutions Also in the top 10 for graduate – 62 in total – had median earnings of earnings were Bristol (£35,900), Bath less than £25,000, and 10 (eight per cent) (£34,800) and Strathclyde (£33,700). 3 SUNDAY MAIL • February 2, 2020 Internationaleducation PROGRAMMES OF STUDY. 2020/2021 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & MANAGEMENT BACHELOR DEGREES • BA (Hons) Business Administration • BA (Hons) Advertising & Marketing Communications • BA (Hons) Accounting & Finance • BA (Hons) Hospitality & Tourism Management • BA (Hons) English Language Studies - option modules in: Literature, Linguistics MASTERS • Master of Business Administration (MBA) - OFFERED ALSO AS DISTANCE LEARNING • MA Internship in International Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management SCHOOL OF LAW BACHELOR DEGREES • Law LLB (Hons) MASTERS • Master of Laws (LLM) - option modules in: International Energy Law, European Union Law, Law & International Security, International Business Law, Financial & Commercial Law • LLM Financial & Commercial Law • LLM International Business Law SCHOOL OF SCIENCES BACHELOR DEGREES • BSc (Hons) Mathematics with pathway in Statistics • BSc (Hons) Computing - option modules in: Software Engineering, Network THE BRITISH Technology, Computer Games Development • BSc (Hons) Web Design & Development UNIVERSITY • BSc (Hons) Psychology - option modules in: Forensic Psychology, OF CYPRUS.