Latest news with #HKSGlobal
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First Post
19 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
Harvard & Toronto Universities join hands to host international students amid Trump's visa blockade
Harvard University and the University of Toronto came out with a plan that would see some of the Harvard students complete their studies in Canada if visa restrictions prevent them from entering the United States read more A Harvard sign is seen at the Harvard University campus in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 27. Image used for representation. (Source: AFP) Harvard University and the University of Toronto are collaborating to host international students who are facing visa restrictions imposed by US President Donald Trump. Both institutions came out with a plan that would see some of the Harvard students complete their studies in Canada if visa restrictions prevent them from entering the United States. The pact between the two institutions reflects how schools are willing to collaborate to ensure that students are not affected by the tumultuous policies introduced by the current Trump administration. The deal was struck between the Harvard John F Kennedy School of Government and the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In a letter to the students, Jeremy Weinstein, the Harvard Kennedy School Dean, noted that the plans were meant to ease concerns. He maintained that a formal program would only be unveiled if there is 'sufficient demand' from students who are unable to come to the United States. 'We are deeply grateful for the support of the Munk School and other partners, who are helping to ensure that we can continue to provide all HKS students with the excellent education they deserve,' he said in his letter. Harvard's struggle with the Trump administration The American university is locked in an acrimonious legal battle with the Trump administration after it claims the Department of Homeland Security improperly revoked its ability to enrol international students. It is pertinent to note that nearly a quarter of Harvard's students come from outside the US, and their students are a key source of funding for the school. So far, Harvard has won two preliminary injunctions against the DHS, probably clearing a path for international students to obtain entry visas. 'These are exceptional times,' Janice Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, said in a statement. 'If Harvard Kennedy School international students are not able to complete their studies in Cambridge, Mass., the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy looks forward to providing shared academic and co-curricular experiences for students from both our schools.' In addition to the HKS at Munk School program, institutes are also announcing HKS Global, which will have both an online and in-person component. The University of Toronto made it clear that Harvard students attending their college will still have to apply for Canadian study permits and will be enrolled as full-time, non-degree students at the Munk School. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The program is only open to students who have already completed a year of study in the United States. Interestingly, Canada has put its cap on international students and curtailed the number of visas it will allow. The University of Toronto said the plan with Harvard 'would not reduce the number of spaces available for U of T students in any academic programs or university housing'.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Harvard Finds International Student Lifeline Amid Trump Visa Showdown
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS) has brokered a deal with the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy to accept foreign students should the Trump administration succeed in blocking Harvard from enrolling them. In remarks provided to Newsweek via email, HKS Dean Jeremy Weinstein thanked the Munk School—"and other partners"—for their help "to ensure that we can continue to provide all HKS students with the excellent education they deserve. In similar remarks, Munk School Dean Janice Stein said that the agreement arose out of "exceptional times" and that the school "looks forward to providing shared academic and co-curricular experiences for students from both our schools." Why It Matters President Donald Trump targeted Harvard University and other higher education institutions, aiming to limit pro-Palestinian activism and end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. While Columbia University in New York City agreed to work with the administration, Harvard has refused to bow to its demands. In response, Trump canceled or froze billions of dollars in grants and contracts and attempted to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status. The president then tried to block the school from enrolling foreign students, but this past week, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs issued a preliminary injunction that extends a temporary order she had issued earlier this month that halted Trump's June 4 proclamation blocking foreign students from attending Harvard. University spokesperson Jason Newton said in a statement to Newsweek that the order will "continue to allow Harvard to host international students and scholars while this case moves forward." Signage for the Harvard Kennedy School of Government is pictured on July 8, 2020, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Signage for the Harvard Kennedy School of Government is pictured on July 8, 2020, in Cambridge, To Know Weinstein in a letter to students on Friday announced contingency plans in the event that the Trump administration ultimately wins its case and is able to block international students from enrolling at Harvard and it schools. Among those plans are the HKS Global program for new and returning students, in which they could take online classes and attend three intensive, in-person "convenings" in cities around the world led by HKS faculty. The other option is for returning students to attend the HKS at Munk School program, which would include a mix of online and in-person lessons taught by HKS faculty and instructors from the University of Toronto. "We are announcing these contingency plans now to alleviate the uncertainty many students feel, but we will not officially launch these programs unless there is sufficient demand from students who are unable to come to the United States due to visa or entry restrictions," Weinstein wrote. "If these programs become necessary, I am fully confident that we will provide a world-class HKS experience for any student who participates in them." According to information available on the HKS website, the goal of this program is to ensure students still receive their Harvard diplomas, which can only happen if students take "a certain percentage of their courses exclusively with HKS faculty"—excluding the possibility of students bypassing the issue by using the "visiting students" program at Munk. HKS currently enrolls students from over 100 countries, comprising an average of 52 percent of classes, according to a school spokesperson. In a YouGov poll surveying 3,717 American adults on May 23, 57 percent found it unacceptable for the federal government to block a university's ability to enroll international students, while the remainder of those surveyed were split evenly between finding it acceptable or saying they were unsure. What People Are Saying Weinstein, in comments shared with Newsweek: "At Harvard Kennedy School, we bring together the world's best students –– from the United States and across the world –– and train them to tackle the world's biggest problems. With these contingency plans in place, HKS will be able to continue to provide a world-class public policy education to all of our students, even if they cannot make it to our campus this year. We are deeply grateful for the support of the Munk School and other partners, who are helping to ensure that we can continue to provide all HKS students with the excellent education they deserve." Stein, in comments shared with Newsweek: "These are exceptional times. If Harvard Kennedy School international students are not able to complete their studies in Cambridge. Mass., the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy looks forward to providing shared academic and co-curricular experiences for students from both our schools." Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said in a previous statement to Newsweek: "It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments. The Trump administration is committed to restoring common sense to our student visa system; no lawsuit, this or any other, is going to change that. We have the law, the facts, and common sense on our side." Trump wrote on Truth Social last week: "Many people have been asking what is going on with Harvard University and their largescale improprieties that we have been addressing, looking for a solution. We have been working closely with Harvard, and it is very possible that a Deal will be announced over the next week or so." He added: "They have acted extremely appropriately during these negotiations, and appear to be committed to doing what is right. If a Settlement is made on the basis that is currently being discussed, it will be 'mindbogglingly' HISTORIC, and very good for our Country. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" What Happens Next The case will continue to work its way up to the Supreme Court, where Harvard University and the Trump administration will seek a final resolution. Should the administration succeed, the university will have these programs ready to launch. As Trump indicated in his Truth Social post, the university and administration may reach a deal before the case is settled in court.
