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Universities of Europe are suffering now from “Wimbledon syndrome” states Pro-Vice Chancellor Lykke Friis, Copenhagen University’s; like Britain, they created the game but today do not stand any chances of being champions. So she takes a look at the possible ways to change the situation and breathe life into their fortunes.

Being at home and writing to the very captivating but off-putting sounds of Wimbledon championship on TV I hit upon the thought that promoting research as well as higher education itself in Europe suffers now from the so-called Wimbledon syndrome. Similar to Britain that hosts the world’s chief tennis tournament but can never win it, at the same situation are Europeans on education. The first university of the world was Plato’s Academy situated in Athens, and certainly respected old universities are located across all the Europe from Coimbra and to Cambridge and to Copenhagen. The main principle of the contemporary university which joins research as well as education was created in Berlin at Wilhelm von Humboldt’s university, yet modern Europe is outperformed by the United States.

No more than 2% of the GDP of the EU is for research (cf. 2.5% of the US, 3% in Japan). For example, in France, the expenses per student on higher education are over $9,000 and in Germany this figure is under $11,000 whereas in the UK this accounts almost $12,000. A number of EU countries − together with Denmark − do much better, but the United States’ figure is over $25,000.

As a rule it is the amount of research along with education budgets that makes the output quality. Measuring the output quality of university is very difficult, though The Times Higher Education Supplement tries to do so each year. Only a few European universities, i.e. Oxford, Cambridge plus London Imperial College, were included to the Top Ten, and all the others were all American.

The historic castle in Prague was an appropriate place for a conference this spring of Europe’s major education officials. Its topic was the prospects of European higher education, and the castle–this majestic but confusing labyrinth of structures which inspired Franz Kafka’s novel about contemporary alienation and bureaucracy–was as a good metaphor for the Kafkaesque maze facing students that want to transfer degrees and credits between higher institutions in different European countries.

Europe has a number of the oldest, and greatest, universities. But attempts to unite standards of higher education have constantly played second fiddle to influential regional or national sentiments. And that is slowly altering, nevertheless, as national parliaments struggle with recent assures by ministers to give undergraduates a comparatively harmonized scheme of degrees, credits, as well as requirements.

Sweden’s education minister Thomas Östros who is also a co-chair of this Prague meeting says that student mobility is, undoubtedly, a motivating force for high quality in education, since the best schools benefit. He states that they need to make the higher education systems much more attractive to people from different parts of Europe and from all over the world. Students also agree that the National Unions of Students in Europe that represents students in more than 30 countries has long worked for better mobility –of students, and degrees as well as scholarships. The idea of an area of European Higher Education, which was discussed during the meeting in Prague, has got the roots in a meeting (in 1998) in Paris of ministers of education from France, Germany, and the U K, and also from Italy. Several years ago the ministers agreed in Bologna to move to easily readable and analogous degrees– counting bachelor’s as well as master’s degrees in the majority of fields. Other goals comprise standardizing a scheme of transferable credits; setting up “quality assurance” networks in order to examine each other’s degrees as well as credits; and making the students’ and researchers’ movement across national borders easier.

Probably the noblest profession for UK and Europe graduates is to be a teacher in primary or secondary schools. The growing demand for qualified as well as enthusiastic graduates to be on teaching positions in the U K implies that there is a market for professionals in this sphere. Nevertheless, education graduates have to think about the hard work which goes into this profession before go into the job market.

As soon as their first degree is earned, graduates after that need to earn their Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in order to work in private as well as public schools. So charter schools along with independent educational centers usually require that their teachers have QTS prior to starting work. So the UK government has created a fast program for those with the program Teach First. So Teach First allows all the graduates to take an serious learning program and work the way toward their QTS through their on-the-job experience.

Apart from this, the schedule of an average teaching professional in this country also can be extremely stressful for fresh graduates. The day in school starts early and lasts till the late afternoon. Teachers must enforce school policies as well as their classroom rules whilst teaching course material so that it is interesting and enjoyable for the students. Fresh graduates are often taken aback at the amount of obligations they must fulfill after their workday is done, since teachers must prepare daily as well as weekly course materials, they need to develop grade reports, and meet with concerned parents, besides, they must attend meetings with their school administrators.

So the stresses of every teacher’s day are a bit relieved by various professional as well as personal factors. Teachers get a decent salary in their first years in this profession, making about 30,000 pounds per year. Conditional on the pay scale, teachers can expect regular pay increases during the long term.

These days we see the rising interest of students from other countries to medical education in Russia. We will attempt to explain the reasons of this dynamics. So Russia is the country which always had high level of this field of education. Besides, Russia was the first state in the world which opened pediatric faculty (in Russian State Medical University), and first state in Europe which opened medico-biological faculty (in Russian State Medical University), moreover, it is the country where were made many greatest medical discoveries, and where were born many greatest scientists. Today the chain of Russian Universities is placed in the dozen the greatest Universities according to UNESCO. For instance Moscow Medical Academy is on the 2nd place of this pointed rating. All that proves that Russian medical education always had the best quality. According to national legislation of established economies countries students who graduated any University have identical rights, despite where University is. However, much more significant are the personal students’ merits. Most Russian Medical Universities are registered by WHO. And in Russian Federation people can take undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate courses. The period for applying starts in April each year. By the way, the cost of this education in Russian Federation is much less compared to in Europe or the USA. So in this country the foreign students are able to get excellent level of education at satisfactory price. With the help of the educational agents you will escape many problems in new state and always feel comfortable. The cost of their services is a great deal lower than that in other countries. Besides, they can help with selecting of educational programs and Universities. Apart from this, when foreign students get education in Russia they also get a great chance to gain knowledge of the culture of the biggest country, and to see its world famous places.

Having an opaque network of instructive institutions (invented of 20 universities and 33 polytechnics in addition to occupational institutions), has given such establishments with the chance to suggest students an attractive collection of specializations from which to select. Universities suggest degrees at Bachelor, Master, Licenntiate, in addition to Doctorate stage, at the same time as degree teaching in polytechnics emphasizes business and manufacturing needs and therefore has a very sensible orientation. Institutions as well suggest numerous professional growth programs, that are perfect for knowledgeable managers or technicians who desire to bring up to date their skills.

So it is not strange to discover situations, for example Mikkeli Polytechnic, where the student body in the institution is drawn from more than 36 states. Despite contacting institutions in a straight line, potential students may get in touch with CIMO, the Centre for International Mobility, who can give information concerning international programs in Finland. Their phone number is +358 9 7747 7067, and particulars may as well be obtained from their website address at http://www.cimo.fi

As a Nordic state, Finland clearly has a huge difference in temperature during the year. Given its enormous land mass, part of which lies within the Arctic Circle, temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius are not extraordinary in winter, depending upon where you live! Though, the summers are as well extremely temperate and gorgeous, affording a lot of opportunities to bathe and sail on Finland’s 188,000 lakes. Finn’s are extremely close to nature and have an intense sense of requiring for ecological protection, so anguish betides the stranger who throws their rubbish in the incorrect disposal container!

Finland has developed a wide air, ship, train and bus network within the state, in addition to its adjacent countries. Consequently, foreign students like to take the chance to make a trip for Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Russia, all of which are with no trouble accessed from any part of Finland. Finnair, as with other main airlines, as well has straight flights from Helsinki to lots of key cities around the planet. For those students with bottomless pockets to please their journey plans, Finland is a great place to begin from, and certainly to return to! Finland however as well displays a finely developed sense of parity and concern for those less lucky in civilization. It what’s more has a culture that is as different as its language, which for those students who are paying attention to learning more concerning cross-cultural interactions, makes it the best place to study. For the thousands of overseas students who yearly experience this education for themselves, studying in Finland has provided them with the chance to lay the base for their prospect careers.

Not just does its geographic position makes it a entry to Europe, other than as well its expediency, at the back those dykes is a energetic, contemporary civilization. The Netherlands’ long custom as a trading state has given it an open, global civilization, where almost everybody speaks English.

As a result of various programs of international collaboration, increasingly overseas students are coming to the Netherlands to fulfill all or part of their studies, or to follow a doctorate. Since the 1950s the Netherlands has offered courses conducted in English particularly for the advantage of overseas students whose numbers are growing in usual degree program enrolments? All of these students almost immediately study that higher education in the Netherlands means lots of chances other than as well many firm work. Students are estimated to be critical of what they read and hear, and to be able of working separately.

The Netherlands has two major types of higher education: university instruction, and higher specialized education, which is suggested at hogescholen. The Dutch hogescholen present themselves out of the country as ‘universities of professional education’. The universities teach students for the self-governing practice of discipline, while the hogescholen are more practice-oriented; they arrange students in a straight line for careers.

At both universities and hogescholen the formal distance end to end of most study programs is four years, though in several cases students are permitted more time than this. The starting stage of Dutch higher education is tall and the educational year is extended, starting at the end of August and ending in mid-June. Programs are designed to need 40 hours a week, counting both contact hours and hours of self-governing work.

English as the second language of the Dutch, contributed to the formation of a particular manufactured goods that combines discipline with the move of information. Worldwide Education is meant first and foremost for people at postgraduate stage who by now have some expert knowledge. Numerous of these courses are offered at particular IE institutions; some are offered by universities and hogescholen. The Netherlands has approximately 400 dissimilar courses and learn programs, which yearly register just over 4500 participants

On account of their history and notion, MBAs are American diplomas and looking at the significance these programs have in the commerce world nowadays, no one can refute their need and worth.

However, a lot of European MBAs arise, for the most part in France. This diploma is becoming an average of teaching for all managers that went to get better their knowledge and skill, and furthermore, an MBA is recognized and respected by most corporations as a suitable requirement for the place of work.
The competence of this diploma can be deliberate by the increase it gives to a vocation. The advantage will be greater than before if the student has a specialized scheme, and can then employ this year of study to enlarge and get better the subject.

To be able to suggest an MBA Program is extremely significant for any establishment. It is a chance to expand global recognition and nowadays, all the most significant commerce schools in France suggest such diplomas in both French and English, in an effort to compete with the most famous American universities. The INSEAD in Fontainebleau is the European is the European MBA College corresponding, and a new review in the ‘Times’ placed this organization first in the world, beating institutions such as Warton and Harvard. This official approval has helped to endorse the excellence of all other European institutions offering alike programs.

Though, MBA programs in France are not forever taught in French, and if an establishment wants to employ the most excellent students and teachers, it is becoming required for programs to be conducted in English. Most of these institutions need students to have a high-quality TOEFL or GMAT achieve to pertain.

Management education in France is practical and the solutions proposed to resolve problems are typically sensible. Compared to the US scheme, where teaching is academic, French courses are closer to the manufacturing since the arrangement of their institutions; schools are frequently sponsored by the restricted Chamber of Commerce, thus lots of meetings with business managers or corporation visits are prearranged on a regular basis. What is more, the graduate’s network is incredibly well-organized

The teaching programs in English at the Hungarian universities make it simple to put together the European swap students arriving to Hungary from dissimilar states of the EU in the structure of unlike European programs like ERASMUS/ SOCRATES or, before, TEMPUS. Many of American students as well get there for a semester out of the country to connect alike programs.

The Budapest University of Technology and Economics was one of the primary Hungarian universities to establish a teaching course in English 16 years previous to. All the manufacturing faculties take part in this program. The course takes in four-year B.Sc., two-year M.Sc. in addition to three-year Ph.D.courses. Description of these programs containing more information can be found in the www.tanok.bme.hu homepage. The university grounds lies in the centre of Budapest, at the coast of the Danube and at the foot of the Gellert hill. The instruction fees at the Hungarian universities are reasonable and the living operating costs are comparatively little in comparison to Western standards.

Hungary is at the present a constant social equality. All the governments following the release from the Soviet pressure have have served their four-year terms. The financial system is booming with an annual enlarge of the of 5-6%, the manufacturing manufacture greater than before with a record 21% in the last year making Hungary the best rising state in Europe. Hungary has the uppermost overseas capital asset per person in Central and Eastern Europe. Price rises is below 10% and is still lessening; being without a job is lower then than in the EU. Hungary is in addition a preferred place for worldwide sightseeing.

The major attractions of the state are Budapest and the Lake Balaton, though the additional regions of the country have as well lots of stunning things sights to visit and see and they are wealthy of in traditions, educational inheritance and historical buildings. Budapest, with a populace of 1.8 millions inhabitants, is not only the center of Hungary other than a cultural, monetary, financial transport and transport economic centre of the area. As it lies is located in Central Europe, it is simple to reach from Budapest the other capitals in Europe from Budapest. Vienna lies just 260km from Budapest, Prague is approximately 600 km away, Berlin is 900 km apart, Rome is 1300 km etc.The striking mountains of the Alps, the Adriatic Sea, and the Italian cities prosperous in visitor attractions are all of within trouble-free reach from Budapest

I am too arrogant of the come to an end education system and its presentation. Our nationwide plan is based on a high stage of teaching and R&D (investigate and growth). We have made a particular attempt to increase the expansion of the essential communications and know-how, so that we are able to meet the expectations of the rising knowledge-based financial system.

In the 1990s we implemented main reforms in our learning system and carried out an unusual asset course in R&D. Nowadays, we spend almost seven per cent on the education scheme. These are very high figures by global standards, and the administration is committed to ongoing this rule.

Our superior teaching system is quite big: we have 20 universities and 29 polytechnics, plus 65 per cent of the age group begins studies at higher teaching institutions. These figures demonstrate our promise to raising the height of education of the whole inhabitants.

In Finland, polytechnics are newcomers to the higher education picture. The organization was created several years ago with a sight to raising the height of occupational education and training and to accepting the needs of the more and more heterogeneous student inhabitants. The polytechnics were formed from post-secondary occupational institutions, which were upgraded to higher teaching stage following a direct phase and an exact external assessment. These days I would say that the polytechnics form an essential part of our high-quality higher teaching structure.

The primary act plan to increase internationalization in Finnish university education was devised at the end of the 1980s. At that time we were able to assign additional financial support to building up the managerial communications needed to be careful of both outgoing and inward students. We as well earmarked finances for the growth of English-language programs at universities and polytechnics. At present, I am very satisfied to state that all our higher education institutions suggest programs in English for the advantage of international students.

All through its olden times, France has been a centre for originality and the distribution of culture. Still at present, France holds a famous position in the field of mathematics and sciences (mathematics, astrophysics, ecology, medicine, genetics, and physics) with such main figures as Charpack, Pierre Gilles de Gennes and Luc Montagnier. Over the past ninety years, the French scientific group of people has got twenty-six Nobel prizes. The French administration finances 50% of scientific investigate. The huge public research institutions (the National Centre for Scientific Research, the National Institute for Health and Medical Research, the National Institute for Agronomical Research) confess a lot of overseas students and advanced researchers yearly.

France is in the forefront of technical development in more than a few fields. France is in charge for the monitoring and technological management of the European space program Ariane, the ready launcher of some dozen interactions and surveillance satellites. The 1981 open of France’s high-speed trains (TGV) which can journey at a standard velocity of 200km/h, at an utmost velocity of 300km/h and at a test velocity of 380km/h, set in movement the growth of a high-speed European rail network. The numerous other technical achievements that could be named – the Airbus, one more European success; Concorde; the smart card, and the completely usual rapid transit scheme, Val – make France a very good-looking country for young scientists.

Students from oversees who decide to come to France as well speak excitedly concerning the attractions of France’s wealthy inheritance: cooking, wine-making, the castles of the Loire region, Versailles, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, not to talk about the Gothic and Romanesque cathedrals, the Roman ruins, the Pont du Gard, the amphitheatre of Nîmes. University studies contain three programs: a primary program leading to a bachelor’s degree (after three years of higher studies), a second program leading first to an advanced diploma (subsequent to one year) and then to one of two postgraduate diplomas (the DEA or DESS, which are awarded two years following the bachelor’s degree). These two postgraduate diplomas sequentially award a master’s degree. The third program leads to the doctorate (three years following the DEA postgraduate degree).

A learner involved in other levels of study, nevertheless, can get information from several sources, either by contacting the cultural attaché, , or by contacting the EduFrance Agency, an executive body whose idea is to endorse French higher education overseas and to help foreign students in coming to study in France productively. Foreign students have a desire to come to France to study should get pertinent information well previous to the beginning of the year in which they imagine starting their program. As well, they should think concerning their premeditated course of study from the point of view of how suitable it will be to the world of employment in their own state.