US, if it gets rough, export your faculty
When Uncle Sam turns Big Brother, it can be a curious spectacle resembling Great Hall of the People-style policy action - with American characteristics. Screening social media posts for foreign students seeking visas to study in US universities - as reportedly stated in a directive cabled to US diplomats worldwide on Tuesday - isn't only a bureaucrat's nightmare, but it's unlikely to shed enough light on applicants' political affiliations. In most cases, students applying for US visas intend to find jobs and settle in the country. The US offers a degree of freedom of expression that many foreign students are unaccustomed to at home. So, their social media posts are usually more 'conservative' anyway. As far as card-carrying radicals go, they may choose not to advertise the fact on social media at all.US universities, on their part, need foreign students. Overall numbers flatter to deceive, and enrolment in advanced courses of top-drawer universities is truly multinational. It's not just a matter of capacity. Academic outcomes linked to industry funding are critically fulfilled by international students. Industry-funded research provides the US university system its embarrassingly enormous competitive advantage. American companies will seek to guard it against the progressive paranoia of the country's chief executive. If academic research is affected at home, it will be conducted offshore where the talent is. Trump has a fight on his hands to get US companies to invest more at home. But he seems to be opening another front where consumers and producers of innovation may find it easier to conduct their business overseas.Foreign/US campuses in India have had limited success principally due to a shortage of available faculty. This scenario could change if US universities find newer, tougher barriers on import of students too restrictive. Pushed into a corner, they could find it easier to export faculty. Globalisation has taken jobs to where the workers are. Attempts to reverse it could send research to where the talent is.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
38 minutes ago
- India Today
How Tharoor hit Trump, Rahul Gandhi with a single stone on ceasefire
Diplomacy is like the proverbial tip of the iceberg. What is visible to the public is just 10% of what takes place behind closed doors. And US President Donald Trump, with his bull-in-a-China-shop approach, is a diplomat's nightmare. There is a big reason why the Indian government hasn't vociferously junked Trump's claims of having mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after the mini-war in May. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor made that public, albeit with the skills of a former diplomat that he most American presidents, Trump has been big on claims and short on action. This has led to him being mocked as Taco -- Trump always chickens out. However, the flying taco leaves an imprint wherever it claim of having brokered a ceasefire was lapped up by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who used it to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Trump made one gesture from there (the US), picked up the call and said 'Modiji, what are you doing? Narender surrender'. And Modiji said 'yes sir' and followed Trump's instructions," Rahul said in Bhopal on June was less than a month ago that India launched Operation Sindoor to target terror camps inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). The May 7 strike saw Pakistan attack military and civilian areas in India with missiles and swarm of drones. India retaliated by targeting military infra deep inside Pakistan and left its forces May 10, as Trump made a surprise announcement on Truth Social -- the US had mediated a ceasefire between the two announced that the pause to the war came about after the Pakistani DGMO called up his Indian counterpart, raising the white Rahul Gandhi and his Congress have chosen to go with Trump, who also spoke about trade in the same has repeatedly, but prudently, stated that Trump didn't play any role in the ceasefire and that the pause came about with discussions between the two warring question is, why hasn't India vociferously rejected Trump's claims?The short answer is -- diplomacy happens behind closed doors and isn't a shouting ties are bigger than a property dealer-turned-politician's ego. Similarly, messaging for the nation, in which Shashi Tharoor is currently engaged, is not about the ego-massaging of a political is leading a multi-party team to the US to put forth India's stance on Operation Sindoor and the compulsion that forced it to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan."Do you think India has been firm enough to the constant mediation claim by Trump? It is the same question that your party continues to ask back home," Tharoor was asked in the yesterday, the leader of your party, Rahul Gandhi, said Modi surrendered to President Trump," the person asking made the backdrop with a loud laugh, Tharoor strongly reiterated India's stand -- India didn't ask anyone for mediation."All I can say is that I have enormous respect for the American Presidency and the American President. All we can say for ourselves is that we have never particularly wanted to ask anyone to mediate," Tharoor who has seen all shades of global diplomacy during his stint in the United Nations, including as the Under-Secretary-General of the UN, made clear India had clear priorities and didn't want to "jeopardise" ongoing India-US talks by countering Trump on a "matter of detail"."We have enormous respect for the US, and we have a much more important, valuable, and strategic partnership with Washington that we would not want to jeopardize over a matter of detail. We are cooperating in a number of areas and are interested in enhancing all of that. Small matters can be set aside so we can focus on tomorrow," said is amid ongoing India-US talks, where a trade deal could be finalised between the two countries soon. advertisementThe former diplomat killed two birds with one stone by calling Trump's ceasefire claims, and thereby Rahul Gandhi's political rhetoric, by trashing the issue as "small matter".Like Asaduddin Owaisi, who has been ferocious against Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack and used terms unlike anyone else to expose it, the suave Tharoor performed his national duty even as his own party tried to pull him Congress and Rahul Gandhi have been an exception in attacking the government at a time when the entire country stood united and bipartisan teams are representing Tharoor diplomatically sidestepped the political question, his colleague and Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora, addressed it."As far as the political question is concerned, I would like to extend my admiration for Dr Tharoor, whom I have known for a long time. He always puts country before party," said Deora, who is among the leaders in Rahul Gandhi's inner circle to have moved out of the Tharoor explained was a growing India's treading the line in not antagonising Trump, for Trump is like Jaykant Shikre of Singham, the bhi karne ka, Jaykant Shikre ke ego nahi hurt karne ka," is his pet statement in the is the Jaykant Shikre in the White House -- a mass of bloated ego -- and India, like Tharoor outlined, doesn't believe in a diplomatic hack is no denying that the government is answerable, and will be held accountable, but this might not be the right time. It isn't the time to bolster voices against the country that might be amped up by forces inimical to India's interests. This is the time to speak up in one voice as a nation. And Shashi Tharoor is one of the millions of such voices, stating the InMust Watch
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
'You can't fight a war without American steel': US declares economic war on Canada, the ally that armed it in WWII with steel
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The United States has doubled its protectionist stance by increasing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50%, which has alarmed Canadian producers and raised concerns across North American supply chains. The decision, signed by US President Donald Trump and effective June 5, is already being felt sharply in Canada , the largest steel exporter to the Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the tariff hike during testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, June gave national security as the primary rationale behind the decision and said, 'You can't fight a war without steel and aluminum production in America,'. 'If you don't have the ability to make your own steel and aluminum, you can't fight a war, and that is what the president's doing. He's trying to make sure that we make sufficient steel and aluminum to protect our defence.'However, the move has triggered backlash, particularly from Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who questioned whether the Pentagon had been consulted and raised concerns about long lead times and reduced access to key cited a ball bearing manufacturer in her state that relies heavily on Canadian and Indo-Pacific steel suppliers, noting that lead times for materials had jumped from 20 weeks to more than two downplayed the access issue, calling it a 'cost issue,' not a supply crisis. When Shaheen pushed back, highlighting the real-world production delays faced by US companies, Lutnick insisted that tariffs were monetary and not equivalent to steel and aluminum producers, however, are warning of significant damage. Catherine Cobden, President and CEO of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, said the tariff hike is 'creating chaos and disruption throughout North American supply chains and delivering a crushing blow to the Canadian steel industry.'Cobden noted that even at the previous 25% tariff rate, Canada experienced layoffs, lost investments, and a drop in US shipments. 'At a 50 per cent tariff rate, the US market is effectively closed to Canadian steel, and will leave billions of dollars of Canadian steel without a market,' she and his administration have justified the tariff hike by arguing that relying on foreign steel, especially from China, poses a national security risk. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett warned that countries like China are 'dumping' steel to dominate global production and prepare for potential military has long been a critical supplier of steel and aluminum to the US, particularly for the defense and aerospace sectors. Canadian materials have supported American military manufacturing from World War II through modern conflicts. To counter the latest tariffs, the Carney administration has pledged to increase domestic defense production using Canadian steel and aluminum to reduce reliance on the US and support local these dynamic trade tensions, the ripple effects of Trump's tariff policy are felt in Canadian and US industries, which depend on steady, affordable access to raw materials. The debate over economic security versus national defense is far from over.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
'Can't Risk Losing Money': Indian Students Pause American Dream Amid Visa Troubles
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Amid uncertainty over US student visas due to the Trump administration, Indian families are reconsidering studying in the US. Enrollment has dropped significantly, with students now looking to the UK, Germany, and other countries for education. Distressed students, panicked parents have been calling Subash Devatwal, who runs an education consultancy in Ahmedabad. They all have one question - whether studying in the US is still possible. Last year there were 330,000 Indians enrolled at American universities, more than any other nationality, even surpassing Chinese students for the first time in years. Families in India invest their entire life savings to get their children enrolled in US universities, as for most, it is the ultimate symbol of success. However, now that Trump's administration has targeted international students, the numbers have weakened. Devatwal's organisation used to send more than 100 students in previous years, but it has now dropped to about 10. The Trump administration has implemented social media vetting, for all foreign students, and then paused all student visa interviews globally, which has left many students in a state of uncertainty. 'The students are in shock. Most of them spend several years preparing to study in the US,' Devatwal told The Guardian. He added that now his clients are unsure if they should pursue a US degree because of the turmoil associated with the Trump administration. Indian students can expect to pay between $40,000 to $80,000 (£29,500 to £59,000) a year on tuition alone to study in the US. He said that now students are looking at the UK and other European countries. Brijesh Patel, a textile trader in Surat said that he had saved up money for a decade, sold his wife's jewellery and borrowed money from relatives, just to make sure his son could go to a US university. He said, 'We simply can't take that risk. If our son goes now and something goes wrong, we won't be able to save that kind of money again.' Patel had already paid 700,000 rupees (£6,000) to consultancies who helped with the applications. He said that they will wait a year, and hope that things improve by then. 'It's not just my son who will be living the American dream, it's all of us: my wife, our relatives and our neighbours. I've struggled my whole life – I don't want my son to face the same struggles here in India', he added. Piyush Bhartiya, a co-founder of the educational technology company AdmitKard, said that many parents were rethinking if the US should be the study destination for their children. He said that a student had been admitted to New York University for the coming year but was planning to go to London School of Economics when US visa interviews were paused. He stated that the US was the main destination for students to study Stem subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths, however, now the focus had shifted to other countries. 'Germany is the main country where students are shifting to for Stem subjects,' he said. 'Other countries like Ireland, France, the Netherlands, which are also gaining substantial interest in the students. At the undergraduate level, the Middle East has also seen a lot of gain in interest given parents feel that it is close by and safer and given the current political environment they may want their kids closer to the home.'
