Educonnect June 2025 Wrap-Up Edition
POPULAR STUDY DESTINATION UPDATES
USA l Updates Visa Screening and Vetting Process
United States announcements make visa screening and vetting easier, where all F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applicants will be directed to change the privacy settings on all their social media sites to “public.” UNC System joins Florida, Texas to form new accrediting agency for public college.
United Kingdom | Offers Opportunities to Malaysian Students and Funds Researchers
The UK is opening its doors to Malaysian students by adapting academic opportunities and making stronger educational links, with the Government unveiling a new five-year, £54 million “Global Talent Fund” to recruit top overseas researchers and their teams in high-priority areas.
Canada | Strengthens Academic Collaboration
Canada has added 119 programs while eliminating 178, affecting PGWP eligibility for international students. Four Canadian universities have applied to recruit foreign scholars, King’s University College will fully fund tuition for African Nova Scotian journalism students, and Durham College and Ayrshire College launches a global partnership. Nova Scotia is working with Lebanon to attract family doctors, while Canada and India will restore high commissioners and restart visa services.
Australia | Policy Updates in Global Education
Swinburne University of Technology is now the first to have its qualifications delivered in Qatar. The Department of Home Affairs, Australia, has affirmed that the new higher Visa Application Charge (VAC) will become effective 1st July 2025. The signing of two international MoUs strengthens NSW ties with Korea and Japan.
New Zealand | Opens Doors to Students Through Educational Ties
The Whitireia Foundation has provided scholarships to close to 900 students across careers from paramedicine to IT, while UP Education reinforces China-New Zealand education ties on the Prime Minister’s Delegation, emphasizing international education’s role.
Europe | Unlocking New Doors in Learning Worldwide
Switzerland and the EU signed a new deal allowing Swiss researchers to apply for Horizon Europe grants. Spanish language school group FEDELE is revising immigration rules. Spain will fast-track university entry for students affected by past U.S. visa bans. Egypt and the UN are working together to improve access to education.
Russia | Builds Educational Bridges and Unites Nations
The head of the state-funded cultural diplomacy department in Russia has assigned 100 places and plans to expand university places reserved for North Korean students, while the Russian and Indonesian governments have committed to developing strategic collaboration in higher education and between institutions.
China | Focuses on Educational Co-operation and Innovation
China and Sri Lanka signed a deal on June 25, 2025, to fast-track digital education in Sri Lanka, while Indonesia and China are discussing deeper ties in higher education. Additionally, Kenya is strengthening its science and tech partnership with China, and China and Edo State, Nigeria, are exploring partnerships to boost education, culture, and tech exchanges.
South Korea | Korean Universities Support Students for a Skilled Future
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups and the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency are running the “Foreign Professional Workforce (E-7-1 Visa) Employment Recommendation System” on a year-round basis. South Korean university presidents participated in a Korean Council for University Education survey.
Vietnam | Switzerland and Vietnam Strengthen Education Ties at Zurich Forum
The Vietnamese Embassy in Switzerland and the Switzerland–Vietnam Economic Forum (SVEF) carried out a series of discussions at the University of Zurich on June 25 to enhance the country’s cooperation in education within the framework of Vietnam Day 2025.
Indonesia | Indonesia and France Forge Smarter Ties Through Education
Indonesia and France are actively pursuing new fronts to deepen their bilateral partnership, particularly to develop greater cooperation in higher and vocational education, as well as strategic sectors of importance. Read more here.
India | Expands Its Global Footprint in Education Leadership
The Indian Institute of Management collaborated with Emeritus to introduce the Senior Management Programme, while O.P. Jindal Global University, India, signed 8 new MoUs with top Japanese universities. Additionally, the University of Leeds and Delhi University, India, have signed an MoU to boost research, exchanges, and joint programmes.
Poland | To Regulate Stricter Rules for International Students
Poland restricts entry to foreign students and economic migrants with the application of new rules and has offered the local authorities permission to block work permits for certain professionals, while the universities are required to verify candidates’ qualifications. Read more here.
Norway | Announces End to Access to Free Education
Norway reversed its tuition fee requirements for international students after seeing an 80% drop. The government now allows individual universities to decide whether to charge international students tuitions fees, aiming to restore Norway’s attractiveness as a study destination and encourage academic participation. Read more here.
ASIA UPDATES
- A Vietnamese EdTech company, Galaxy Education (GE), has raised nearly USD 10 million from East Ventures and other investors in a transaction that is among the largest EdTech transactions in Vietnam under challenging market conditions.
- The Indonesian Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will implement a huge school revitalisation programme across more than 10,440 schools across the country as part of the government’s Quick Response Programmes aimed at enhancing the accessibility and quality of education across the country.
- The Government of Bangladesh has started to release ‘Assessment Tools’ for six months from 1st July to evaluate the quality of primary school education in the country in a bid to enhance the standard and foundation of primary education in the future.
- Approximately 300 scholarships are reserved for top Sijil Pelajaran Tinggi Malaysia (STPM) graduates pursuing education degrees at public universities, maintaining its emphasis on sponsoring capable and talented individuals with good STPM performance to pursue further studies in education.
- The Government of Bangladesh has started to release ‘Assessment Tools’ for six months from 1st July to evaluate the quality of primary school education in the country in a bid to enhance the standard and foundation of primary education in the future.
- Sri Lanka to digitally upgrade 500 Schools with a $20 million Chinese Grant and has sanctioned a US$20 million digital transformation programme funded by the People’s Republic of China to provide 500 selected schools around the country with the required digital infrastructure and a minimum of one model smart classroom per school.
- The Turkish Ministry of National Education (MoNE) started a national programme named ‘Young R&D’ in an effort to promote the early identification and development of students’ talents and capacities, particularly in science, technology, and vocational fields.
- UAE compels Arabic for kindergarten students to inspire a generation proud of its national identity and literate in its native language, while the Ministry of Education has announced a redesign of educational streams for Cycle 3 students in private and public schools to align with students’ future interests and improve their capacity to adapt to the changing labor market.
AFRICA UPDATES
- Africa AFF, SLU and KEFRI collaborate to enhance the engagement of youth in sustainable forest management and livelihoods for Kenya, while the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa Re) entered into a historic partnership to enhance the education of children and youth on climate change and the development of green skills in Nigeria.
- The Gauteng province of South Africa is securing private sector funding to construct 200 schools after the national treasury released R2.5 billion for the 2025-26 financial year to construct 18 schools, Member of the Executive Council (MEC) Matome Kopano Chiloane said.
- At a courtesy call on the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria, Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Mohammed pushes for an increase in basic education to strengthen Nigeria’s foundational education system.
- Kenya’s President Ruto has announced plans to build 1,600 science laboratories across the country, targeting rural areas, with the project to start in July, with the aim of easing student access and bridging the gap between rural and urban areas.
- The Ghana Government has unveiled a GH¢40 million seed financing package that will be issued under the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) as part of the provisions in the 2025 budgetary appropriation, in a significant boost to the nation’s tertiary education system.
- Egypt and Germany collaborate to reform and support technical education and build new schools to promote mutual cooperation in developing the technical education and vocational training system and establishing a German-type technical education system.
- The Morocco-UK education agreement will target scaling English throughout Moroccan schools, which will enable increased access to English-language education and represent a further step towards building institutional partnerships in transnational education and research.
- The Ministry of Education in Rwanda has revealed a major reform of the general secondary school curriculum, aimed at simplifying the subject combinations provided to students in upper secondary education, with the intention of preparing them to have the knowledge and skills necessary for making informed decisions.