Office of Study Abroad will host its spring fair on Wednesday

The Office of Study Abroad will host its spring fair on Wednesday. It will be in the Kansas Union on the fourth floor lobby from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The fair will promote summer study abroad options. Information about financial aid and scholarships will also be available.

Even if you’re not interested in doing it right now, it’s never too early to start planning and seeing about those opportunities,” said Robert Lopez, outreach coordinator for the Office of Study Abroad.Other departments, including the Global Awareness Program, Global Partners, the Passport Office and the Peace Corps will also offer information about their respective departments throughout the day.The deadline for summer study abroad applications is March 1. The internship deadline is Feb.

Institutes of Technology planning an 80% fee hike

The New Year may spell bad news for engineering aspirants, with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) planning an 80% fee hike. The decision to hike fees for undergraduate courses from Rs 50,000 to Rs 90,000 annually will be taken at an IIT Council meeting on Monday.The last hike had occurred in 2008-09, when the fees were doubled from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 annually. The increase has been recommended by the IIT standing committee last November.A government panel has recommended an increase in tuition fee for IIT students from an annual Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh-2.5 lakh (Rs 8-Rs 10 lakh over four years) to help the premier schools improve their standards both in terms of physical and intellectual infrastructure. At the B. Tech level, the IITs admit around 10,000 students every year after a national-level entrance that tests around 500,000 students annually.

HRD ministry officials said the revision was overdue and was required to bring the IIT fee structure on a par with other top central government institutions like the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), which charge at least three times the fee of the IITs. Even second-rung deemed universities have fee structures ranging from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2 lakh annually. The IITs, on the other hand, continue to charge Rs 50,000 for an intensive course.Other recommendations that are part of the agenda include setting up of a "green office" which will include carrying out a green audit and ensure inclusion of green technology-related courses in the curriculum.

The Kakodkar committee had also emphasized the need for IITs to be in the forefront of development of technology for sustainable growth. The panel felt that working on environmental issues such as pollution-control technologies will serve as one of the reasons for IITs to engage more with the society.Currently, the six new IITs have been more aggressive in using green technology as they are in the process of setting up their permanent campus. For instance, IIT-Jodhpur has set up a solar field to meet most of its energy needs and IIT-Mandi is also using green technology to build its campus

Five study abroad destinations

Although students have been going to the US and UK for higher studies particularly in MS and MBA, there are other countries that offer interesting options for students wishing to pursue their Masters courses in business management.While drawing up the list of countries, we looked at the quality of colleges in the country along with other factors such as infrastructure, companies having presence in that country, economic situation, visa and immigration processes etc.

It is very crucial that all MBA aspirants do a detailed analysis of the country and business school they intend to study in to ensure whether the institute is enrolling themselves in a suitable programme according to their background or not.

Courses for junior doctors

Vital educational courses are being offered to the region’s junior doctors and trainee medical specialists in the Capital in January.Medical enthusiasts are being offered the chance to study for the much sought-after Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) programme, which provides excellent preparation for the coveted MRCP exam and is held in partnership with the UK’s Hammersmith Medicine.

“Anyone who wants to specialise has to become a member (of MRCP) by taking this exam, and it’s quite a difficult paper to pass,” Professor Karim Meeran, course leader from Imperial College London said.MRCP Part 1 and Part 2 will take place from January 27–29 at Imperial College London Diabetes Centre (ICLDC) Abu Dhabi.

Computer software programs for free

Employment Security Department has expanded a popular service that allows Washington residents to learn computer software programs for free.For the past two years, the department provided free access to online Microsoft courses. Now, under a contract with Skillsoft, the course selection has been broadened to include software by Adobe, Apple, IBM, Intuit, SAP and others.

In addition, users no longer are limited to taking courses only for software they own. As a result, the entire collection of Web-based courses is available to every registered learner.All working-age residents of Washington are eligible for the free courses both the employed and unemployed. Registered users can take as many courses as they want, at their own pace, on their own schedule.Registrations are processed through WorkSource, which is part of the state’s workforce development system. To learn more and to begin registration, go online.

Students offered chance to develop their career

ART students from around the region will be able to receive some free expert advice to help them to get into university.Cleveland College of Arts and Design (CCAD) is hosting a Portfolio Advice Day at mima art gallery in Middlesbrough on Wednesday, January 9 to provide art and design A-Level and BTEC students with access to course tutors for informal chats about university life.

Tutors and students from the North-East will be on hand to advise on putting together a strong portfolio of work, how the courses are structured and getting in to the creative industries, covering a range of subjects including Fine Art, Fashion & Textiles, Graphic Design, 3D Design, Illustration and Photography.  The scheme is part of a wider initiative begun by University of the Arts London (UAL) and Tate Britain, and is aimed at students with no family background in higher education to give them the information and tools they need to win a place on an art and design degree course.Nicky Peacock, project co-ordinator at CCAD, said: “Portfolio Advice Day is an amazing opportunity for students to get expert advice from tutors and current students. I was the first person in my family to study at higher education so whilst I had encouragement, I had no access to relevant knowledge so I certainly understand how helpful an event like this can be. This day is about redressing the balance.

Wellesley College Boston announced on Tuesday to start free online courses

The Women’s Liberal Arts College outside Boston will offer free online classes through edX to educate people around the world, particularly women.Wellesley Provost and Dean Andy Shennan said that there might be women who may not have access to a university education but have access to a computer. Those could be benefited by this method of delivering education, he added.EdX was funded and launched by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) jointly earlier this year to create a new online-learning experience for interactive study with a huge variety of online courses.Students can also get a lot of exposure while studying in such universities and different course Business Administration, Engineering and Internet MBA.

Wellesley will also add four liberal arts courses in online resource.Wellesley has already exchanged the program with other colleges, so it won’t be the first time male students can take a course at the college.Edx students cannot currently earn college credits or degrees through the online classes but edX president and an MIT professor Anant Agarwal said that it was up to participating schools to decide whether to grant credits or not.He said that the University of Texas which joined edX in October was planning to offer college credits.Current edX students come from nearly 200 countries and more than 300,000 students signed up for fall courses including classes from the Universities of California and Berkeley.Harvard and MIT will also use the edX platform to research how students learn and how technology influences the process.

With approval of accrediting body, 7 courses will be available

Starting winter term at Klamath Community College, students will be able to take some of their courses online, a development that could mean future growth for the school.School officials received approval Wednesday from their accrediting body, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, to offer up to 10 online courses, said Ryan Brown, chief information officer.The college will offer seven courses online, and hopes they will be available for registration by early December, said Pat Hockersmith, distance education coordinator.The implementation of the program fulfills one of the top priorities new KCC President Roberto Gutierrez outlined when taking office, Brown said.

KCC will work with Learning House, an online education partner that helps institutions develop online programs.The college will utilize Learning House’s infrastructure to offer the online courses, and the company will also help train the faculty and assist in designing the courses, Hockersmith said.The change may require the hiring of new faculty to handle the additional course load, although the college could use existing, qualified adjunct instructors to teach the classes as well, Brown said.There is no upfront cost for the college to implement the Learning House program, though the company will receive 18 percent of the tuition from the online courses, Brown said.This model incentivizes our partner to do their very best to help us create a superior online experience for our students,said Interim Vice President for Administrative Services Eric Stasak.

While the program is starting small, it has the potential to play a large role in the college’s future if it is successful.Eventually the plan is to have entire online programs so someone could complete a degree without setting their foot on campus,” Brown said. “Right now the vast majority of our students come from within our local district, but when you have online classes available, somebody could be anywhere in the world and take classes.Entire programs could be available online as early as next fall, Hockersmith said.While the tuition for online courses will be the same as traditional courses, there may be a fee that the college will need to charge for distance education, Hockersmith said.The move brings KCC up to date with other community colleges in Oregon, which already offer distance education courses.We’re a little bit late to join the party, but we are more concerned with doing it right, in a way that best helps our students, than with the timeline, Brown said.College officials also hope the program will provide a boost to KCC’s declining enrollment, which fell 25 percent in the fall term. Enrollment for winter courses has begun, and 780 students — or 66 percent of fall enrollment have registered so far, a figure that has college officials confident that winter enrollment will be stronger than the fall.

universities to offer Fulbright Scholarships to overseas students

Libyan university educators are to be offered fully-funded Fulbright scholarships to some of the largest and most prestigious universities in America as part of a programme supported by the US government.The scholarships, which will be ten weeks in duration, are open to any Libyan with less than five years of teaching experience with Libyan universities. This is the first time the US has ever offered the scholarship for Libyan junior faculty members.A total of 60 places are available, and the deadline for applications is 30 November 2012, with the courses due to commence in the summer of 2013.

The scholarships are open in a total of six different disciplines: Teaching English as a Foreign Language; Engineer;Business Administration, Information Technology; Public Administration; Public Health; and Natural Sciences.Other types of Fulbright Scholarship currently in Libya include the Fulbright Foreign Student Programme, the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FTLA), and the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Programme.Established in 1946 by US Senator J. William Fulbright, the Fulbright Scholarship Programme offers competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists.

It aims to take American students to universities abroad, and foreign students to universities in the United States and aspires to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.As of 2011, approximately 310,000 Fulbrighters from over 155 countries had participated in the programme since its inception. To date, a total of 44 Fulbright Alumni are recipients of Nobel Prizes.

Study abroad in India

Every year, we celebrate our country's Independence Day with flag hoisting ceremonies and cultural programmes.We sing our national anthem with great pride.Just as Indian students travel overseas for higher studies, international students are coming to India for a range of courses. Technology, culture, English skills and more are attracting them to India.Well, this year, the students at the South Asian University in Delhi, launched by SAARC in 2010, observed not one, but two Independence Day celebrations.

On August 14, 11 pm, a two-hour event was held where the students of Pakistan first presented cultural programmes and sang the Pakistani national anthem in the presence of the entire university comprising students of the eight SAARC nations -- Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and recent entrant Afghanistan.At midnight, the function was taken over by Indian students. The university plans to make this an annual event.

On a similar note, October 1, 2012 marked a special day for Nigerian students at Manipal University's College of Allied Health Sciences (MCOAHS) and Manav Rachna International University (MRIU).Both institutes observed Nigeria's 52nd year of independence. "The national anthem of Nigeria was recited and a party was hosted.The Nigerian students appreciated the gesture, and after that there was significant warmth in the behaviour of Nigerian students towards the Indian students, and teachers in particular," shares Dr Anil Sarin, Professor & Dean, Faculty of International Programmes, MRIU.VIT University also celebrated the Chinese New Year for the benefit of Chinese students on campus, one of the largest contingents of international students at VIT.

These celebrations indicate a growing trend of international students coming to India for higher studies. It began in the 1950s with schemes like the ICCR scholarships, which offered 20-30 international students an opportunity to pursue higher studies at public universities at Pune, Delhi and Mysore.This number has now risen to around 3,000. Private universities like Symbiosis and Manipal, have also had international students on their campuses for many years. And more private institutions are following this trend.The Acharya Institute in Bangalore have around 700+ students from 35 countries.They come for all levels, right from Pre-University to Master's but mostly Bachelor level programmes. Computer applications, Business Administration,business management, pharmacy and engineering are the most popular streams," shares Dr C Vijayakumar, Director, Human Resource & International Affiliations, Acharya Institutes.

Majority of Chinese studying abroad are returning back

A vast majority of Chinese studying abroad are returning back offering stiff competition for jobs to the students, who studied in local universities.Nearly 72 per cent of overseas Chinese students have returned to China after finishing education abroad since the late 1970s, a government-backed agency said in a report.From 1978 to 2011, about 8,18,400 Chinese students returned home after studying abroad, said the report by the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE), which is administered by the Ministry of Education.

In 2011 alone, nearly 186,200 chose to return, nearly 40 per cent more than that in the previous year, said the report, adding the centre had offered services to 1,10,000 of them.To help those returning students, the centre organised a special job fair for them, which is scheduled for November 24.The fair, featuring more than 500 jobs in big enterprises or public institutions, has attracted more than 1,500 applications, state news agency Xinhua reported quoting the report.However, their return is posing a stiff competition to those students graduating locally as those overseas degrees had an edge in job hunting. With economy slowing down, Chinese job market is shrinking and struggling to accommodate about six million students who come out of universities every year.

Expand free student access to quality online college courses

Georgia Tech has been tapped to participate in a national effort to expand free student access to quality online college courses.The college received $150,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create three introductory courses to be taught online. The classes in physics, psychology,Materials Science and first-year composition will be offered next fall and geared toward students who have yet to start college or earn a degree.The foundation awarded grants to nine colleges, including Duke University and Ohio State University, to develop these massive open online courses, also known as MOOCs. It was part of a series of 12 awards worth more than $3 million to invest in this growing market.

“MOOCs are an exciting innovation,Dan Greenstein, director of postsecondary success at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in a statement. “They hold great promise but are not without challenges, and we are still discovering their full potential.These online courses are part of a series of higher education experiments as colleges test what services they can provide through advanced technology and improved efficiency. It comes as many question the cost of higher education and students demand more control over what they learn and where they go to class.MOOCs allow thousands of students regardless of age, location or income to learn and acquire skills without paying tuition or earning a degree.

Students currently don’t receive credit for these courses, but there is an effort to change that.The Gates Foundation’s awards included a grant to the American Council on Education, an umbrella group for higher education, to determine whether some of these online courses should be eligible for credit. Students would treat the credits just like others when they transfer from one college to another.Colleges will offer courses to ACE for potential accreditation and Tech is studying this option, said Richard DeMillo, director of the institute’s Center for 21st Century Universities.

That credit review combined with the type of courses Georgia Tech and others will develop through the Gates Foundation unites the MOOC movement with the state and national completion agenda, a push to have more adults earn some type of certificate or degree beyond a high school diploma.These Gates Foundation awards address one of higher education’s most pressing problems: bending the cost curve and improving learning outcomes for introductory courses,” DeMillo said.If we are successful, courses like these will be a shift in both quality and cost for the vast majority of American college students.Tech entered the MOOC arena this semester by joining Coursera, a group founded in 2011 by professors from Stanford University that is now one of the largest providers of these classes.More than 40,000 students registered for Tech’s first free Coursera class, Computational Investing Part I. Registration is currently open for eight different Coursera courses led by Tech professors, and so far more than 140,000 students have signed up.Emory University also belongs to Coursera and is scheduled to offer its first courses next semester.

Opportunity to study abroad

The opportunity to study abroad is a truly extraordinary opportunity. My recent yearlong study abroad at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England became the most transforming experience in my life. Not only was I enriched by the significant amount of independent research I conducted for my courses at UEA, but I also built many invaluable friendships with other international and English students. Additionally, I was fortunate to travel all throughout Europe from Rome to Barcelona to Paris and beyond.

My greatest challenge was funding my program. My search for scholarships, however, revealed that financial support does in fact exist. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program became a cornerstone in the patchwork of scholarships I received to afford me the opportunity to study abroad. Living and studying in another country had a profound impact on me. I encourage all UO students to take advantage of the wide range of study abroad opportunities our university has to offer. Furthermore, for those students who have the dream, but lack the means, seek financial assistance. Review the Gilman Scholarship.

Internal government study cites budget cuts, winter

Canada is failing to attract high-quality university students from China, India and Brazil, internal research commissioned by the Foreign Affairs Department concludes.The findings of the focus groups conducted in those countries represent a setback to the Harper government’s ambitious efforts to broaden Canadian trade and investment in the three emerging markets.Initiatives designed to forge educational links have been a feature of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s strategy to deepen economic ties with Asia during his trips to China and India this year.

Meanwhile, Gov. Gen. David Johnston travelled to Brazil in the spring with 30 university presidents in tow, one of the biggest delegations abroad to push the benefits of Canadian education.Polling firm Ipsos-Reid said in its March report to Foreign Affairs that Canada needed to do more to “communicate its post-secondary education advantages abroad.Despite that conclusion, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird decided two months later to cut a popular program that promoted Canada in foreign universities.The “Understanding Canada” program brought foreign scholars to Canada on the condition they teach university courses on the country for several years after they return home.

Canadian and foreign scholars have criticized the government for cutting the $5-million program because they say it will reduce awareness about Canada in foreign academic circles.The cut was part of an effort to trim $170 million from Foreign Affairs’ annual budget.A senior government official defended the cutting of the Understanding Canada program .This program has traditionally funded foreign academics, not foreign students. What we have done is streamline its administration,” the official said Tuesday on condition of anonymity.The Ipsos-Reid research, conducted between January and March this year, found that awareness of Canada was lacking in China, India and Brazil.Canada is not a top-of-mind destination for foreign study for participants in any of the three countries except with Brazilian participants interested in language studies,” said the research company’s report.

There is no awareness that Canada has world-class educational establishments, indeed, apart from a few mentions of the University of Toronto there is very little awareness of any Canadian educational establishments.”The United States and United Kingdom, by comparison, “dominate” discussions about post-secondary opportunities.The report said that because having world-class educational institutions is a major draw for foreign students “this lack of prominence is a serious obstacle.The findings were a result of 11 focus groups held in the three countries, and one-on-one interviews.The participants included prospective students, parents and educational advisers.Even though the report found some awareness in Brazil of Canada, it noted one factor that was not favourable: Prior to his Brazil trip in April, Johnston acknowledged that Canada has a mediocre record in attracting foreign students. But he insisted that Brazil was fertile ground, noting “a huge appetite in Brazil for Canadian education. To my great delight, Canada is the most favoured nation for Brazilians studying abroad.”

The Ipsos-Reid survey found deficiencies in the main advertising brand that the federal government and the provinces use to promote Canadian education abroad: the bilingual “Imagine Education au/in Canada” promotion.The Imagine initiative, with an annual $1-million budget, was launched in 2007 to convey a message of openness and supportiveness through the concept of ‘Empowered Idealism’, according to its website.Like those of our competitors, our education system is founded on quality, and our brand aims to convince international students that the quality of a Canadian education will provide them with the tools they need to develop their full potential.The Ipsos-Reid report recommended some major changes to the brand because “it is confusing and not seen as sufficiently linked to education in Canada.”

Focus groups wanted more specific information about the rankings of Canadian schools, top areas of study, famous and successful people who’ve graduated in Canada, and information about Canadian institutions in major publications.The absence of a clear national brand, which is present among Canada’s competitors, leaves participants wondering who the sponsor of the communications is.The Harper government has tried to make its own education inroads with India and China in recent years.In 2010, the India and Canada signed a memorandum of understanding to promote higher education.In his speech last week to the World Economic Forum in New Delhi, Harper said his government places great importance on education links as it tries to deepen relations with India.Harper said that 23,000 Indian students conducted research in Canada last year, a one-third increase in one year, and two-and-a-half times greater than in the past three years.On his trip to China and February, Harper signed a broad strategic partnership that called for greater education in energy, natural resources, science, agriculture ,Architecture and education.

Education abroad With the Holocaust and Genocide Program

 The Holocaust and Genocide Program at Kean University is hosting a study abroad program called the Delegation. This program is open to all students, regardless of their major is and whether they are undergraduate or graduate students. Students who take part in this program will be traveling to countries such as Berlin, Poland, Bonsia-Herzegovina, and London. The Delegation will be taking place from July 3 to July 16, 2012.

Students who decide to take part in the Delegation will be visiting areas that have been victimized during several international genocides. Students will be able to explore these areas and learn what it was like for people to live among neighbors who participated in the genocide. Traveling to Berlin will allow for students to learn about the history and background of the Holocaust. Poland and Bonsia- Herzegovina will be a great opportunity for students to engage in the comparative perspective and insight of the genocide. These locations will also give student an opportunity to view how the people of Poland commemorate the local assaults during the Holocaust. The final destination of London will be a truly enriching experience that gives students the chance to explore the human rights that have been established from then to now.

A large portion of the the Delegation will be spent in various seminars with local leaders that are seeking to express their post-genocide world. Students will be exposed to various perspectives such as witnesses, survivors, journalists, political leaders, and human rights activists. This program will give students a full course credit and be an experience that they will never forget.

Undergraduate study abroad programs in Israel

As part of a reevaluation of the University’s risk assessment policy, Northwestern will soon offer three new undergraduate study abroad programs in Israel.Starting in January 2013, students will be able to participate in study abroad programs at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Ben-Gurion University in Beer-Sheva, as well as an exchange program through Tel Aviv University, said Greg Buchanan, program coordinator for International Program Development.

Students will be able to take credit-approved courses in a variety of fields, including Jewish and Hebrew studies, engineering,Software Engineering, Middle East studies and global health, according to a news release issued last week by International Program Development and Global Health Studies.The new programs were established after two University committees conducted a thorough health and safety review,” according to the release. Israel is included on a list of countries subject to U.S. DOS Travel Warnings, which are issued for countries considered dangerous for travel by the federal government.

Although undergraduates have previously been able to study abroad in Israel through NU’s Fiedler Hillel Center, the new programs allow students to apply for financial aid and participate in programs through University channels, said Michael Simon, executive director of NU Hillel. The undergraduate programs join graduate offerings in Israel through Kellogg School of Management and NU’s School of Law that have been established for a number of years.

Scholarship for study abroad

Casual wear chain Uniqlo Co. has said it will provide 1.6 million dollars to set up a new fellowship aimed at helping young Japanese study in the United States.The new fellowship will support 10 Japanese pursuing graduate courses at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Fashion Institute of Technology and Parsons The New School for Design for three years.

The financial support will be made under the Tomodachi Initiative, a U.S.-led, public-private partnership designed to support Japan's recovery from last year's earthquake and tsunami disaster and strengthen ties between the two countries.Tadashi Yanai, president and chairman of the Fast Retailing Co. unit, said at a press conference Tuesday he hopes the Tomodachi-Uniqlo Fellowship will help young Japanese study in the United States and share many things with people all over the world.

With program attendance declining, students need answers

According to data presented by the Associate Director of Study Abroad, Lisa Chieffo, study abroad participation has declined by 35.5 percent over the 2010-2011 academic year. Often, students feel the study abroad programs offered at the university are too expensive, or they do not take the initiative to sign up due to the way the university organizes its programs. The university should consider hiring study abroad advisors to help walk students through the process. Applying to a study abroad program is a very independent process at the university, as there are no designated resources for students to contact for extra help and to answer questions besides the professors in charge of the trip. Accordingly, there are some students who are not aware of what each program offers or entails. Many programs have courses that satisfy breadth requirements, which students typically enroll in during their freshman and sophomore years of college, while there are a significant number of students who choose to study abroad in their second half of college. Students can find themselves taking courses abroad that they do not necessarily need to graduate. Having a study abroad officer ready to answer questions pertaining to satisfying required credits and financing trips could make the application process smoother.

Another reason students may stray away from studying abroad is the increasing cost of program fees. Many students are not aware of the different program fees and decide not to fill out an application after seeing the programs’ expenses. Many students choose to study abroad through programs not affiliated with the university because of the cheaper cost. All in all, studying abroad is an enriching experience some students overlook. College is one of the few times a student can actually take out a loan to finance travel endeavors. If the university could do a better job in advising students exclusively on studying abroad, there is no doubt that more students would show interest.

Free Online Study

Your state government believes you are entitled to free online higher education.This had been a point of controversy until, well, a few minutes ago. In an earlier post this afternoon, I noted that the free online education provider Coursera had added a proviso to its terms of service that Minnesotans should not take any of its free university courses, or at least that they should do the majority of the work in said courses in another state.Why was this state suddenly taking a stand against the online education tide?

Apparently someone in the Minnesota Office of Higher Education deemed it necessary for universities that offer courses via Coursera to register with the state, according to an old state law that aims to protect consumers from education scams. Apparently some had not done so.After this became public, and people raised a few questions about the First Amendment and other matters  namely, how exactly can a free course be a scam? the office issued a clarification via email.Obviously, our office encourages lifelong learning and wants Minnesotans to take advantage of educational materials available on the Internet, particularly if they’re free, said Larry Pogemiller, director of the office. “No Minnesotan should hesitate to take advantage of free, online offerings from Coursera.

Pogemiller, according to the e-mail, said a 20-year-old statute requiring institutional registration clearly did not envision free online, not-for-credit offerings.When the legislature convenes in January, my intent is to work with the Governor and Legislature to appropriately update the statute to meet modern-day circumstances,said Pogemiller. “Until that time, I see no reason for our office to require registration of free, not-for-credit offerings.Case closed? Not quite. I bet questions about regulation of universities in the online realm are only going to multiply in the future, maybe as fast as massive open online courses themselves. This is why MOOCs are, as they say, disruptive.

Free online courses from Coursera

Minnesota officials have sent a you're-not-welcome-here letter to Coursera, a California-based startup that partners with universities such as Princeton and the California Institute of Technology to offer free, online college courses.The Chronicle of Higher Education reports on the dispute, which so far has cropped up only in Minnesota.

Coursera has been informed by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education that under Minnesota Statutes (136A.61 to 136A.71), a university cannot offer online courses to Minnesota residents unless the university has received authorization from the State of Minnesota to do so. If you are a resident of Minnesota, you agree that either (1) you will not take courses on Coursera, or (2) for each class that you take, the majority of work you do for the class will be done from outside the State of Minnesota.

Slate.com also covers the issue, awarding Minnesota the grand prize for "most creative use of government to stifle innovation.Minneosta officials defended the move, adding that the 20-year-old law is designed to protect consumers, because they presumably might lose the money they didn't spend.Coursera is one of a growing number of sources of free college-level courses, often presented by top-shelf colleges themselves. The catch is that there's little interaction with professors; students watch videos and take tests that are graded by computer or by other students.Most other colleges don't accept the courses as credit. The sector also includes players like edX, operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and the University of California at Berkeley.