EduShare - Higher Ed Blog & News

RSS

Friday 5: Things To Ponder This Week In Higher Ed 8/6/2021

 

1

Intel Offers AI Program at 18 Community Colleges

Higher Ed Dive this week examines the expansion of Intel’s AI (artificial intelligence) for Workforce Program. The tech giant is supplying curriculum and faculty development at 18 community colleges and has partnered with Dell to provide the technical and infrastructure expertise. The program can lead to a certification or associate degree.  Intel intentionally is working with community colleges and underserved communities. Eight of the 18 participating schools are classified as minority-serving institutions. Intel plans to expand the program to 50 community and vocational colleges next year. Graduates can enter a variety of fields, including healthcare, business consulting and manufacturing.

  

2

U.S. Tries to Attract International Scholars But Face Obstacles

NPR reported this week on U.S. institutions’ efforts to recruit international students. It is a top foreign policy imperative of the Biden administration.  International student enrollment hit a peak in 2018 but has declined by 20% since. Students cite safety concerns and lack of future opportunities as reasons they are enrolling in greater numbers in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. NBC News covered the challenges international students face this academic year meeting U.S. school vaccination protocols.  Many institutions are requiring their international students to present proof that they have received a World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccine against COVID. For some students whose vaccine is not approved, they must now decide whether they get a dose of a different vaccine.

 

Higher education is one of the nation's largest service exports, greater than corn and soybeans.

  

3

To Increase Sales Pearson Launches New Direct to Student Subscription Service

Pearson is launching a new service to students called Pearson+ which will make available its library of online textbooks through a monthly subscription fee. For $14.99 a month students will have access to the entire platform’s textbooks; $9.99 provides access to one textbook. Pearson’s goal is to recapture students who buy books on the secondary markets. Cengage launched a similar platform four years ago but charges a $120 fee per semester.  Industry experts see Open Educational Resources (OERs) as major competition for the publishing companies.

 

4

Ed Department Expands 2nd Chance Pell

This week the U.S. Department of Education announced that it will expand the 2nd Chance Pell program which provides incarcerated students the opportunity to use Pell Grants to pursue an educational credential. These students must be enrolled in prison education programs approved by their state corrections departments or the federal prison bureau.  Now 200 institutions will be eligible to provide educational programming for 2nd Chance Pell students.  The program began in 2015 with 67 institutions.

 

Looking to learn more?  These upcoming webinars may be of interest: 

Promoting Mental Health As We Return To Campus: Creating A Proactive Culture Of Well-Being 8/11

Using High-Impact Practices To Advance Equity & Student Success Outcomes 8/18


5

NCAA and Gender Inequality

This week Inside Higher Ed examines a review commissioned by the NCAA after the men’s 2021 basketball tournament received disproportionate resources compared to the women’s competition.  The review done by an independent agency identified a $35 million spending difference in the men’s and women’s competitions in 2019.  The report further found that “the NCAA prioritizes Division I men’s basketball over everything else in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities.” The NCAA states that it will use the information gained from the review to address inequities across championships.

 
Author: Meg Foster
August 6, 2021
Comments 0
Leave a comment
Your Name:*
Email Address:*
Message: *

Please note: comments must be approved before they are published.

* Required Fields