The TopUniversities.com guide to the latest university news from around the world, on 10 June 2013.
Hong Kong: Most students would consider working in mainland China
A survey of students at Hong Kong’s eight universities found that 85% would consider working in mainland China, at least for internships or short-term career development. This is 2% more than last year, South China Morning Post reports. However, only 15% said they would like to stay in the mainland for more than six years, and the average desired stay was three years. Reasons for seeking work in China included better opportunities, professional networking, and the fact that employers value the experience.
UK: Universities ban ‘payday’ loans companies from campus
Three more UK universities have banned payday loans companies from advertising on their campuses, The Telegraph reports. The country’s National Union of Students (NUS) has been campaigning against payday lenders, arguing that they target vulnerable students and often give misleading information. Swansea, Nottingham and Northumbria are the latest universities to ban them, following the example of the University of East London, which took the step in February after discovering students were facing repayments with interest rates as high as 4,000% a year.
World: Global University Summit highlights role of universities in economic regeneration
This year’s Global University Summit has called on the G8 leaders to recognize the role of universities in economic regeneration, when they meet later this month. Among its recommendations, the GUS suggested G8 nations should establish a Global Commission to identify best practices for university-business relations, University World News reports. Summit attendees from 30 countries also united in calling for more investment in universities, “to secure economic recovery and reap long-term rewards”.
Palestine: University president appointed prime minister
Rami Hamdallah, the president of An-Najah National University, has been appointed Palestine’s prime minister, Bloomberg Businessweek reports. Hamdallah has a doctorate in applied linguistics from the UK’s Lancaster University, and is less internationally known than other candidates considered by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said, “We don’t know the new Palestinian prime minister as a statesman but as an academic, and we will see how things develop. Hopefully we are dealing with pragmatic people.”