Foreign Degree Research Articles

Analysis for the Teaching-Method Reformation of Degree Students Based on PBL Theory

Under the current circumstances of foreign academic degree students in University of Science and Technology Liaoning (the foreign academic degree students come from different countries and have different foundations, different languages and different learning habits), based on the PBL theory, this work has proposed the teaching-method reformation of foreign degree students, which is combining the group study and assignment-oriented study together to reinforce students' learning process, and to improve the teaching effect. There are five steps in teaching-method reformation: questions prepared by instructors, references researching, group communication and study, in- class discussion and teacher's evaluation and summary. It is conducive to the rational allocation of the proportion of “teaching” and “learning”, promoting students' active learning. The methodology would help improve the quality of the teachers and evoke self-esteem and self-confidence of the students, stimulate their enterprising spirit.

Research Productivity of Returnees from Study Abroad in Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia

This study analyzes whether academics with advanced degrees from foreign universities are more research productive than their domestic counterparts in the three selected East Asian higher education systems – Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. The three systems have relatively large proportions of foreign degree holders among their professoriates. The data for this study is drawn from the Changing Academic Profession survey. In our negative binominal regression analysis, we found that foreign degree holders are not more research productive than their colleagues with domestic degrees, and even slightly less productive than domestic degree holders in soft disciplines (arts, humanities, and social sciences) in Korea unless they have further foreign post-doc experience after their PhD. Furthermore, foreign degree holders are less productive in hard disciplines (natural sciences, engineering, and bio-medical sciences) in Malaysia. Finally, we discuss the findings and attribute them to contextual differences between the three localities.

Dwindling Social Prosperity and Migratory Youths

Migratory trend in Nepalese society is an ever growing trend. Nepalese have migrated abroad through different ways in different time like recruitment in army, as cheap manpower and now to pursue the foreign degrees. Whatsoever the excuses are, country is losing the skilled youths in present context jeopardizing the socio economic development of the country. This study investigates the influencing social factors that motivate educated youth to leave their country in the name of education. Similarly this study has also sensed the integrity of youth towards their own country. It should help concerned scholars to have a bit more concern about their role to choreograph the structure and function that favour the social welfare and development. Youths attempting to enroll themselves for IELTS test in British Council were surveyed and this study adopted an exploratory and descriptive research design. It is found that youths are tempted to go abroad with the motive to settle in there as the native structural and functional aspects of the society are not found justifiable. Moreover youths have placed the foreign degrees in higher priority to access in a decent job anywhere. Lastly the study has concluded that the execution of the policies in every field should not be manipulated instead fair competition and strict bureaucracy in the system must be practiced. However the trend of employment in foreign must also be accepted with dignity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hjsa.v6i0.10731 Himalayan Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.6 2014: 211-220

Re-estimation of China’s Degree of Trade Dependence and External Imbalance: Value-added Statistics in the Global Production Chain

The distortion of GDP and foreign trade data has exaggerated China’s foreign trade dependence degree and external imbalance degree. The distortion of GDP is mainly caused by the difference between the exchange rate method and purchasing power parity (PPP) estimation. The distortion of trade data includes double counting of customs statistics as well as the discrepancy between the international trade flows of goods and of capital caused by the ownership issue. The re-estimation of China’s trade dependence degree and external imbalance degree reveals that according to official statistics, in 2007 the dependence degree of China’s foreign trade decreased to 31.59 percent from 68.02 percent and its imbalance degree decreased to 2.11 percent from 10.13 percent. Therefore, it is utterly groundless to accuse China of “manipulating the exchange rate.”

‘Just not being able to make friends’: social interaction during the year abroad in modern foreign language degrees

There is a wide consensus that during their year abroad higher education (HE) language students should improve their language skills in contact with native speakers in the host community. Research shows, however, that many students find it difficult, if not impossible, to make meaningful contact to locals, and some consider the lack of it as a personal failure. Student data from interviews (n = 24) and a nominal voting exercise (n = 12), as well as tutor data (n = 11) from the University of Bath were analysed and are discussed from three perspectives: Jim Coleman’s concentric circle model, social capital theory and sociocultural theory. This illustrates that the list of objectives frequently used in the context of the year abroad should also emphasise participation in and contribution to the local community as a key objective. The article argues that students should be made aware of these crucial aims, and they should understand that neither participation nor contribution opportunities appear automatically. Indeed, students are required to make a concerted effort in an unfamiliar and complex social situation. This may mean that students need support to reconceptualise their identity as second language learners and develop greater learner agency before and during the year abroad.

Labor market penalties for foreign degrees among college educated immigrants

Are college degrees earned abroad worth less in the American economy than degrees earned in the United States? Do the labor market penalties associated with holding a foreign degree vary as a function of the country or region in which it was earned? Do these processes differ for men and women? We use data on 18,361 college-educated immigrants from the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG) to address these questions. Female immigrants with foreign degrees are less likely to be employed than immigrant women who earned their degrees in the US. When employed, both female and male immigrants with foreign degrees are less likely to work in a job related to their highest college degree. Among employed female immigrants, the wage returns to foreign degrees are about 17% less than for US degrees; among male immigrants, this figure is about 11%. For both female and male immigrants, the labor market penalties associated with holding a foreign degree vary as a function of the region from which the foreign degree was obtained.

Studying and teaching at UK degree programmes in India

PurposeBranch campuses and other types of partnerships are becoming increasingly common where a degree provider starts offering a programme in another nation. The aim of this paper is to focus specifically on the student and staff experience of learning in UK degree programmes operating in India.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology followed for this study was qualitative. Open‐ended responses were invited from students and members of faculty about their experiences from two UK degree programmes in India. The data were analysed by using open coding which led to the identification of major categories.FindingsStudents expressed high level of satisfaction related to the internal environment particularly the quality of education provided by a foreign degree. But they also worry about the regulatory environment, branding and industry linkages of such programmes.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the most obvious limitations of this research is that the results cannot be generalized. The satisfaction with the academic engagement expressed by the students and the faculty could be due the strong systems put in place by these specific partnerships and not a generic feature of transnational partnerships.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights that the educational issues important in the host nation may be different to the home nation. So equivalence of degrees or even rankings in the home country may not automatically get transferred in the host nation.Originality/valueStudent and faculty experience of learning in a foreign degree programme without leaving their country is underreported in the literature. To the best of the author's knowledge no work exists on the foreign degree programmes existing in India and this paper is the first attempt to research the issues related to transnational education in India.

Outside Directors and Stock Return Volatility: The Foreign Investor Connection

In this paper we note that unrelated research in the management and finance fields, if combined, makes predictions concerning board reforms in emerging countries. Specifically, outside directors’ demographic characteristics that are salient to foreign investors should reduce stock price volatility in the local market. We investigate a sample of large public Korean firms in 2000-2003, a watershed period when Korean firms were forced to introduce a significant number of outside directors and allow a substantially larger amount of foreign ownership in the wake of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. Our empirical results show that the proportion of outside directors with advanced foreign degrees stabilizes stock price volatility. Given the possibility of bilateral interplay between board characteristics and foreign ownership, this study employs a variety of econometric models, including feedback, to test the robustness of our empirical results.

한국 문헌정보학 연구의 계량적 분석 - 국내 문헌정보학과 교수 연구업적을 중심으로 -

본 연구는 국내 문헌정보학 연구자 및 이들의 연구행태를 파악하기 위해 국내 4년제 대학의 문헌정보학과에 재직 중인 교수(전임강사 이상) 159명이 지난 10년간(2001~2010년) 발표한 국내·외 학술논문 및 국제 학술회의 발표 논문 2,400편을 연도별, 저자별, 학교별, 학술지별 정량분석 하였다. 분석결과, 국내 문헌정보학과 교수들의 왕성한 학술활동(1인당 연평균 1.51편의 논문발표), 국외 학술논문 생산증가(170편) 및 공동연구 비율의 증가(단독연구 52.75%, 공동연구 47.25%) 등의 연구행태를 제시하였으며 특히 한국 문헌정보학의 국제화 추세를 보여주고 있다. 구체적으로 지난 10년간 해외 박사학위 취득자의 문헌정보학 교수임용 비율이 증가하고 있으며 해외 박사학위 교수들의 높은 논문생산성이 나타났다. 학술 논문의 서지정보를 계량 분석한 본 연구는 학술논문 품질평가를 위한 다방면 인용 분석연구의 첫 번째 단계를 실행하였고, 향후 진행될 연구에서는 학술 논문의 참고문헌 및 인용관계에 있는 자료를 분석하여 관련 학문분야 및 논문의 질적인 측면에 대한 연구가 수행되어야 할 것으로 본다.

Neurosurgery Certification in Member Societies of the WFNS: Global Overview

To determine the complexity and diversity of the neurosurgery certification and recertification process in member societies of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. A 13-item survey was sent to 88 national and regional societies that are members of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies. Variables included in the survey covered a wide range of aspects pertaining to the certification process achieved by cognitive and oral examinations. The data received from 40 responding societies (response rate 45%) were tabulated, and an individual and comparative (global) analysis was performed for all categories, including eligibility and requirements for certification, examination components, use of computer-assisted technology and imaging, performance, validation of foreign degrees, recertification, and maintenance of certification. We present here the global analysis, which is comparative of all participating societies. Although there is high variability in the structure of certification programs worldwide, performance in knowledge-based examinations is similar. Recertification and maintenance of certification are still under development in many societies. With the onset of globalization, we anticipate that efforts will be made in the future to obtain homogeneity in the structure of certification, recertification, and in criteria for international reciprocity of postgraduate neurosurgical training. Peer-Review Article.

Managing Quality from a Distance: A Case Study of Collaboration Between Oman and New Zealand

Both the public and private higher education sectors in Oman are undergoing rapid change in the number and type of local and foreign degrees offered. The Sultanate is developing a comprehensive quality assurance system to ensure the educational appropriateness of all degrees awarded in Oman. This paper examines the collaboration between the Ministry of Higher Education in Oman and the New Zealand Tertiary Education Consortium, which has resulted in the delivery of four degrees based on New Zealand material but conferred by Oman. These degrees are thus neither fully local nor awarded by external institutions. Taking the communication degree as its focus, quality assurance matters relating to content, teaching and learning, accreditation processes, maintenance of standards across multi‐campus delivery and benchmarking are explored against local and international standards.

Reaching Out to the West: An Assessment of Chinese Students' Views Regarding Foreign-Delivered University Programs in China

This article identifies the views and expectations of Chinese students located in nine cities in China and Hong Kong in regard to the delivery of foreign degree programs within China. This delivery mode is becoming a common form of educational delivery and augments other modes of international activity such as study abroad and distance education. The research has found that students wanted a relatively unadapted course, delivered in English by foreign academics, with a high level of academic and administrative servicing in China. They did not like subjects which had been overly adapted for the Chinese market, since these were viewed to be somewhat lacking in authenticity. However, some very minor areas of adaptation were required to meet some specific local requirements, but in essence students wanted courses which were a close replication of what it would be like to study in the foreign university location, whether it be in America, Australia, or Europe. The value of this research is that it identifies the desire of students for relatively unadapted foreign programs in China. This finding is of use to foreign universities planning courses and programs in China and also adds to the debate about the adaptation or standardization of services in a Chinese context.

International student migration and social stratification in China

Abstract During the late 1990s China moved from a period of “wealth creation” that benefited the majority of the population to a period of “wealth concentration” that benefited a minority. This essay focuses on the role of international student migration from China to other countries in this process. In particular the authors delineate how different types of capital – the human, social, political and cultural (specifically foreign degrees) – transform into each other. In the process the analysis considers how the conversions among these different types of capital have intensified and have become concentrated in the top stratum of society. The essay links the international education to general patterns of social transformation currently occurring in China. Specifically the discussion brings in a transnational dimension to the examination of social stratification in contemporary China.

The Signal Outside Directors Send to Foreign Investors

This paper explores how the composition of a firm's outside directors influences the growth of foreign investment in the firm. In this paper, we explore a signaling role of the composition of a firm's outside directors by examining how the composition influences the growth of foreigners' investment in the firm. Our analysis of large Korean firms shows that the growth of foreign ownership is positively affected if a higher proportion of outside directors hold advanced foreign degrees, if a higher proportion of outside directors work in the governmental organizations, or if a higher proportion of outside directors have job experience in the same industry.

Requiem for international medical graduates

Requiem for international medical graduates

Labour market outcomes of higher education undertaken abroad

The aim of this article is to analyse the transferability of higher education undertaken abroad to a domestic labour market. More specifically, how do Norwegians who have undertaken their education abroad cope on the labour market compared to those who have a corresponding education from Norway? To examine this, we analyse short‐term labour market careers among graduates. Three measures of labour market outcome are investigated: job probability, skill mismatch and wages. Results show that education undertaken abroad has both positive and negative effects on labour market outcome. Graduates with a foreign degree have a lower job probability and a higher risk of over‐education relative to home graduates. But among the employed, ‘abroad’ graduates have higher wages. The latter is explained partly by more abroad graduates than home graduates being employed in the private sector. Highest job probabilities are found among those who have parts of their education from abroad. The main results are significant and robust across models, but the quantitative differences in labour market outcomes between abroad and home graduates are relatively small.

Why Do Students Switch from One University to Another: The View of Students Studying for a Foreign Degree in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Over 300 Foreign (non Hong Kong) universities deliver undergraduate degree programs in Hong Kong either on campus in that city or via distance education (or both). Although this topic has been studied from a variety of perspectives, the issue of why Hong Kong students might switch from one locally provided foreign university program to another has not been researched despite evidence of it being common. The current research found that students switched to another university if it offered a wider range of course delivery modes, if they could fast track their degree and if they were failing at the existing university. Increasingly, to be successful in competitive markets such as Hong Kong, foreign universities need to deliver their programs in a wide variety of modes, provide high levels of administrative and academic support, and ensure that they assist their students as much as possible. If they do not, students are likely to move to another provider. These findings have complex and far-reaching delivery ramifications for foreign universities wishing to survive in competitive markets such as Hong Kong-and elsewhere-where there is a high degree of competition amongst universities and a stressed economic situation which could force students to adopt quite ruthless consumer behaviour in regards to their university provider.

Migration and Recognition of Diplomas in Sweden

AbstractTrans‐national migration is now a global phenomenon, affecting an increasing amount of persons, many of whom have already completed a form of higher education in their country of origin or earlier residence at the time of migration. There is consequently a need to evaluate foreign degrees and assess migrants’ professional competence beyond their initial borders. Recognition of diplomas against the background of the integration process is the core of this article. Combining considerations regarding migration and integration of highly educated international migrants on the labour market of their target countries with a closer perspective on the process of validation of foreign higher education and professional competence in Sweden, the article treats this topic as a European example of the development of an issue of increasing importance in years to come.

Unmet Labour Demand in Europe - Chances for Immigrants?

This paper examines the chances for immigrants on the European job market. The data represents a one percent sample of the German population of the Micro census for the years 1998, 2000 and 2003 and Eurostat Labour Force Survey data. The issue addressed is how the academic and occupational level of education (participation in education), labour participation, professional status, unemployment rate, income, female labour participation and atypical occupation (structure of employment) of the foreigners differ from the native population. We find that foreigners in EU countries are more likely to be unemployed and are often in lower segments of the labour market. European comparisons of the labour market situation shows that the acknowledgment of foreign degrees, discrimination, supporting measures and the labour market policy have to be taken into account, as well as the (country-specific) human capital, language skills and the immigrants' participation in education.

An Evaluation of Levels of Adaptation Used in the Teaching of Foreign University Degree Programs in China

Many universities now deliver courses and programs in overseas markets such as China. Often these programs are delivered by foreign academics who teach in these overseas locations. This style and format of educational delivery raises the issue of the degree to which subject material and teaching styles need to be adapted to meet the needs of overseas markets. Using data collected from Chinese university students studying for foreign degree programs in various cities China, this research has found that students wanted only very minor, but still important, areas adaptation of subject materials and teaching styles. Their overall desire was to experience an educational experience that would approximate what they would experience if they studied abroad in the foreign university home campus. If there was a perception that the program had been adapted too much for the overseas market, students would reject it as being unauthentic and bogus. This was particularly important in view of the fact that they often ranked their student status and prestige on the perceived level of authenticity and status of the program. Therefore, the level of adaptation had to be subtle and very minor in nature. This research stands as a warning to universities which might seek to (in good faith) over-adapt programs for markets such as China in the mistaken belief that they are satisfying local needs.