UK private school fee tax riles sector as foreigners mull options
CLEMENT NGU
LONDON -- Andrew Wong was all set to send his daughter to Queen Margaret's School for Girls, a boarding school in York, hoping that the 43,000 pounds ($57,617) he would pay in annual fees would provide her with a better education than any school in Hong Kong.
But in June, three months before the start of term, he received a letter informing him that the school would close after 125 years.
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Asahi Shimbun
15 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
As Trump cracks down on college student visas, other countries see opportunity
An Emirati student arrives at the building of the University of Wollongong in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Dec. 28, 2009. (AP Photo) LONDON--In China, wait times for U.S. visa interviews are so long that some students have given up. Universities in Hong Kong are fielding transfer inquiries from foreign students in the U.S., and international applications for British undergraduate programs have surged. President Donald Trump's administration has been pressuring U.S. colleges to reduce their dependence on international enrollment while adding new layers of scrutiny for foreign students as part of its crackdown on immigration. The U.S. government has sought to deport foreign students for participating in pro-Palestinian activism. In the spring, it abruptly revoked the legal status of thousands of international students, including some whose only brush with law enforcement was a traffic ticket. After reversing course, the government paused new appointments for student visas while rolling out a process for screening applicants' social media accounts. The U.S. remains the first choice for many international students, but institutions elsewhere are recognizing opportunity in the upheaval, and applicants are considering destinations they might have otherwise overlooked. The impact on U.S. universities — and the nation's economy — may be significant. New international enrollment in the U.S. could drop by 30% to 40% this fall, according to an analysis of visa and enrollment data by NAFSA, an agency that promotes international education. That would deprive the U.S. economy of $7 billion in spending, according to the analysis. Many international students pay full price, so their absence would also hurt college budgets. As the second most popular destination for international students, Britain is positioned to benefit. The country's new Labor government has vowed to cut migration, and officials have imposed time limits on post-study visas allowing graduates to stay and work. But admissions consultants say the United Kingdom is still seen as the most welcoming of the traditional 'big four' English-speaking destinations in higher education — the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia. After declining last year, the number of international applications for undergraduate study in the U.K. this fall grew by 2.2%, official figures show. A record number of applications came from China, up 10% compared with the previous year. Applications from the U.S. also reached nearly 8,000 students — an increase of 14% and a 20-year high. Acceptances of international students for graduate programs in the U.K. grew an estimated 10% from last year, driven by demand for business and management courses in particular, according to data from UniQuest, which works with many British universities on admissions. Data showing the extent of any impact will not be available until fall, said Mike Henniger, CEO of Illume Student Advisory Services, a consultancy that works with colleges in the U.S., Canada and Europe. 'But the American brand has taken a massive hit, and the U.K. is the one that is benefiting,' he said. Demand from Chinese students has risen rapidly for universities places in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, said Will Kwong, managing director of AAS Education, a consultancy in Hong Kong. Many Western universities have offshore campuses there that are more affordable than going to the U.S. or U.K. 'Opting for study in Asia has been a trend since the easing of COVID-19,' Kwong said. 'But obviously it's been exacerbated by the change of administration in the U.S.' Some Asian families have told him the U.S. is no longer their clear first choice because of political turbulence and visa difficulties, many are still waiting for U.S. visa interviews and will likely miss the start of the fall term, Kwong said. Chinese college student Alisa, who is studying data science, plans to attend an exchange program this fall at the University of California, Berkeley. She hopes to pursue a master's degree in the U.S. But she is also looking into other options 'just so I could still go to school if the extreme scenario occurs,' said Alisa, who spoke on condition of partial anonymity out of fear of being targeted. Hong Kong will welcome any students who are denied entry to the U.S., the city's leader John Lee has said. Last year, the Chinese territory decided to allow international students to work part-time. Hong Kong University said it has received over 500 inquiries from students in the U.S. and is processing around 200 applications for transfer. At another school, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, international undergraduate applications have surged by 40% from last year, said Alison Lloyd, associate provost on institutional data and research. Countries including the United Arab Emirates have invested heavily in attracting international students by partnering with universities elsewhere to host branch campuses. These arrangements could appeal to students who fear being denied access to the U.S. Dubai, which has designs on becoming a global education hub, hosts dozens of international institutions' satellite campuses. It saw international student numbers grow by a third in 2024-2025. Lisa Johnson, principal of Dubai's private American Academy for Girls, said her mostly Emirati student body is increasingly looking away from the U.S. for college. 'Every student wants and dreams to go to Harvard,' she said. 'But as college options increase in the United Arab Emirates, more and more students are staying.' Kazakhstan has similar ambitions, said Daniel Palm, who has helped U.S. universities set up campuses abroad. Illinois Tech and the University of Arizona are among colleges offering degree programs in the Central Asian country, drawing students mostly from China and Russia. 'All of a sudden U.S. colleges are asking how to provide diversity, provide access,' Palm said, 'because you have students who want to come to the U.S. and can't.'
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Taiwan's Lai reaffirms defense spending hike above 3% of GDP
TAIPEI (Kyodo) -- Taiwan President Lai Ching-te on Tuesday reaffirmed that next year's defense budget is set to exceed 3 percent of gross domestic product, as part of efforts to strengthen the island's self-defense capabilities amid rising tensions with mainland China. Taiwan has allocated about 2.45 percent of its GDP for defense in 2025. Speaking at a regional security forum in Taipei, Lai warned that China's growing military activities in the Taiwan Strait as well as the East and South China seas pose "an unprecedented challenge to the rules-based international order." "As authoritarianism continues to expand, democratic nations must join even closer in solidarity to defend our values," Lai said at the Ketagalan Forum, adding that his government remains committed to maintaining the status quo and ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Cross-strait tensions have been rising since Lai, whom Beijing condemns as a separatist, assumed the presidency in May last year. The mainland considers the self-ruled island as an inalienable part of China's territory and aims to bring it into its fold, by force if necessary. Lai also vowed to advance Taiwan's economic resilience and security by deepening economic and trade cooperation with other countries, including in the sectors of semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Echoing Lai's call for solidarity, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the forum that he hopes the United States, Britain and all European nations will stand with Taiwan and strengthen economic ties as China ramps up pressure on the island. "No one wants war, and certainly no one wants to see Chinese domination of the first island chain," Johnson said, referring to the strategic chain of islands stretching from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines. Communist-ruled China and Taiwan have been governed separately since they split in 1949 following a civil war.
The Diplomat
3 days ago
- The Diplomat
As the US Rethinks AUKUS, Australia and the UK Forge Ahead
While the U.S. reviews AUKUS, amid pessimism about its feasibility, Canberra and London are tightening their strategic partnership. Amid the Trump administration's ongoing review of the AUKUS trilateral security pact, Canberra paid Washington $800 million as the second 2025 installment for submarine capability and capacity development. Australian and British regulators also met in England to update their Memorandum of Cooperation for enhanced information sharing on the nuclear submarine sector. A 50-year bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Agreement was signed in the same week during the 15th AUKMIN held in Geelong, Australia. Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell brushed off the idea that the bilateral treaty would cause annoyance in Washington. 'The message that the Americans will get out of this is that the other two parties to AUKUS are very, very supportive of the continuation of the project,' he argued. Commencement of the Geelong Treaty negotiations was announced at the trilateral AUKUS defense ministerial meeting in September 2024. While focusing on the establishment of strategic and operational frameworks for the delivery of AUKUS' nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs), the treaty signifies London and Canberra's extended commitment to strengthening the resilience of submarine industrial bases across the two nations well beyond the AUKUS timeline, which looks to have eight SSN submarines built in Australia by the 2060s. The treaty also strikes a chord with the U.K.'s Strategic Defense Review published in June, announcing the enhancement of British submarine production with up to 12 SSNs by producing a submarine every 18 months. The renewed defense vision by the British government pays particular attention to Pillar 2 of AUKUS against the backdrop of 'a new era of threat,' underscoring the need to forge closer industrial and technological partnerships with the US for defense capability upgrades. Pillar 1 of AUKUS focuses on developing shipbuilding capacities of the three nations, which includes Australia's acquisition of its first SSNs. Pillar 2 focuses on joint development of eight advanced military capability areas such as autonomy, artificial intelligence (AI), electromagnetic warfare, modelling, and simulation. The United States' Reassessment While Australia and the U.K. push forward, the Pentagon is undertaking a review of the deal. One of the questions under scrutiny is whether the U.S. industrial base can support U.S. naval strategy in today's complex security environment. The current production rate of Virginia-class submarines stands at 1.13 per year – far from the rate of two per year necessary for fulfilling its own defense priorities and the 2.33/year rate necessary to deliver on its AUKUS promises. Under those circumstances, the U.S. commander-in-chief would not be able to sign off on relinquishing SSNs to Australia as scheduled per the AUKUS mandate. To make good on its AUKUS obligations, the U.S. shipbuilding industry is 'going to require a transformational improvement' with a '100 percent' boost in delivery pace, Adm. Daryl Caudle said on July 24, in a Senate hearing to consider his nomination as the next chief of naval operations. He particularly pointed out existing deficiencies of the U.S. Navy's undersea capability. Caudle told the U.S. Senate that 'the delivery pace is not where it needs to be to make good on the Pillar 1 of the AUKUS agreement, which is currently under review by our Defense Department.' Another sticking point for Washington is the commitment to collective defense among U.S. allies in light of the growing flashpoints across the Indo-Pacific. The Pentagon review is being led by U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, an AUKUS skeptic who has pressed Australia on how it would act in a hypothetical China-U.S. conflict over Taiwan. Using his account on X, Colby also urged allies to step up defense spending, doubling down on the Trump administration's earlier call for Australia to raise defense spending to 3.5 percent of its GDP from 2.33 percent by 2033. However, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Cabinet continue to refrain from making further military and financial commitments. Prior to joining the Trump administration, Colby cast doubts over the United States' AUKUS deliverables during a January 2024 interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 'It would be crazy for the United States to give away its single most important asset for a conflict with China over Taiwan when it doesn't have enough already,' he said at the time. 'Money is not the only issue – it's also time, limits on our workforce, etc., so both sides of this vitally important alliance need to look reality in the face.' Despite the new Australia-U.K. treaty and memorandum, Australia's timely down payment, and Pillar 2 partnership envisagement, these reassuring moves did not allay the concerns that have Colby and the Pentagon rethinking AUKUS. China's Reactions Although there was no public mention of AUKUS being on the agenda in the meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China's President Xi Jinping in July, China is seen making more subtle moves to counter the trilateral defense partnership in the region. While Albanese was in Chengdu as part of his second official visit to China as prime minister, China's Consul General in Sydney Wang Yu caught Newcastle Mayor Ross Kerridge by surprise on July 17, with a question on potential docking locations for AUKUS submarines. Australian federal government officials and senators have voiced concerns regarding national security being brought to city-level closed-door meet-and-greets. On the sidelines of the 58th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in July, China shared its intention to accede to ASEAN's Protocol to the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty. The treaty commits state parties not to develop, acquire, and station nuclear weapons. China emphasized in its announcement that the region is 'not an arena for major power rivalry.' The 10 ASEAN nations have been calling on the five nuclear weapon states – including both the U.S. and the U.K. – to ratify the treaty since 1997, and China expressed support as early as 1999. However, Beijing's latest confirmation that it will sign the treaty, after more than two decades of intent, could not only reinforce China's good neighborhood image without additional tangible commitments but also add to its toolbelt for discrediting nuclear-powered military partnerships in the region. A French (Re)involvement? As the Pentagon's AUKUS review prolongs, recent activities suggest France might be a keen onlooker of the development. Under the Lancaster House 2.0 and Northwood Declaration unveiled during French President Emmanuel Macron's recent state visit to the United Kingdom in July, nuclear coordination and cooperation were deepened between the two European nuclear powers. Their enhanced nuclear research, intelligence exchange, and overall defense capability could indirectly complement Pillar 2 of AUKUS – even without France joining. Additionally, France and the U.K. also agreed to strengthen maritime coordination in the Indo-Pacific through joint security training, reciprocal base access, and the launch of a new Global Maritime Security Dialogue. The renewed interest by the French government recognizes its shared responsibility in the region, given that more than 90 percent of France's Exclusive Economic Zone is in the Indo-Pacific. Subsequently, the French government revamped its Indo-Pacific strategy as a priority in July with an emphasis on strategic autonomy and sovereignty partnerships. Most prominently, Australia is now back on the list of 'priority strategic partners' after being taken out from France's 2022 strategy after AUKUS was formed. The new SSN partnership left France blindsided, as it also brought the cancellation of an Australia-France contract for diesel-electric submarines. Rebuilding Australia-France ties from that 'unprecedented new low' has been prioritized by the Albanese administration from the beginning. A $585 million settlement to the French Naval Group was agreed to less than a month after Albanese took office in July 2022, and a three-pillar roadmap was laid out soon after for their New Agenda for Bilateral Cooperation. French Ambassador Pierre-André Imbert did not rule out a future submarine deal with Australia as the French armed Forces joined the 19-nation military drill in Australian waters and Papua New Guinea in July. Australia has 'chosen AUKUS… If that changes – if they ask, we will see,' he said. 'The first pillar of our Cooperation is Defense and Security, so we have a very good level of cooperation.' Speculation and public anxiety continue to sprout with the Pentagon review expected to be concluded in the fall. In the meantime, calls for an Australian inquiry into the nation's largest-ever defense project are simmering. With high-profile figures like former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expressing opposition to the deal. The path for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines is likely to remain rocky, with the question at hand not being whether AUKUS should continue, but how. Calls for contingencies and deliverable assurances are rising as the pact comes under scrutiny.
