education scenario may issue

g Cover Story

How to choose an appropriate educational institute?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page10

g Study in USA

Planning Your Journey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page15

g Study in Australia

Money Matters in Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page18

g Counselling

Why use Services of a Consultant?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page20

g Study in Pakistan

Ranking of Pakistan Universities?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page31

g Cover Story How to choose an appropriate educationalinstitute? Page10

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Copyright: Education Scenario InternationalMaterial published in this magazine cannot be copied,reproduced or electronically stored for resale or hire,without written permission, except for the express pur-pose of student advice. The opinions published in thismagazine represent those of the authors, and don’treflect those of the publisher.

Printed at Adoos Printing Press Lahore.

EDUCATION SCENARIO INTERNATIONAL | www.educationscenario.com

Higher education,today, hasbecome a primaryneed to earnbread and butterand excel in life.Obviously, educa-tion is available inthe universitiesand colleges only.The big difficultyis that education;is emerging as abig business in the world and there is growingforest of the universities & colleges etc.

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Editor-in-ChiefSamiullah Sami

Managing EditorShaista Sami

Editorial BoardDr Zafar CheemaM. Nawaz Saleem KianiNadeem Qadir

Resident Editor (Islamabad)Saifullah Khan

Artwork/DesigningSerfraz Qadir Almani

Marketing ExecutivesManzoor AhmedG.M BajwaShahnawaz KianiAbrar Ahmed

Legal AdvisorHashmat Ali HabibAdvocate, Supereme Court

CirculationWaqar Ahmed

PhotographersNadeem KhawarZulfiqar Ali KalhoroM Yaqoob BhattiSagheer Ahmed KambohSajjad Butt

Pakistan Office394, Hunza Block, Allama Iqbal Town,Lahore - PakistanTel: +92 42 5296754Fax: +92 42 5296755Mobile: 0300 9452755

Islamabad OfficeSaifullah KhanOffice # 8, Israr PlazaG-10 Markaz, IslamabadTel: 051 2110020Mobile: 0333 5278862

UK CorrespondentRashid AhmedBushra Muzammal102-Montague Road, Slough Berks SL. 3RN UKTel: 017 53-535289

Our global city has brought unimaginable challenges andopportunities for its member nations. No one can now hideanything from the others and no one can stem the tide oflust to benefit from the lacking of the others. Survival of the

fittest has become more valid and applicable than ever before. The keyto success lies only in knowing the demands of the time and this riddlecan only be resolved through education and awareness.

Those, who are pursuing their aim to stand distinctly in the front rowof the nations are keeping their eyes open and watching the happen-ings around. No one can deny this very true fact that the level of univer-sities of any country is the level of a nation. The Education ScenarioInternational since its inception has been publishing the rankings of theworld universities & higher education institutions whenever and whoev-er ranked in order to create a competitive environment among the insti-tutions of higher learning.

Our editorial staff has been persuaded by its readers to publish theseranking in a combined April issue.Here,you will find three rakings-World University Ranking,Top Business Schools of the World & TopChinese Universities in the issue you are reading right now.

It is amazing to find the facts that the only overriding and decidingfactor for the ranking of the countries of the world, is the standard ofthe academic institutions. It is worth noting that most of the top institu-tions are in developed countries, indicating the very importance of theeconomic power in building world class universities.” It is however, amatter of great concern that none of our universities fall among top100 universities of the world. Isn’t there a real need to ask the universi-ties the reasons of lagging behind? The sentences quoted by the schol-ars of Shangai Jiao Tong University is worth nothing that “most of thetop institutions are in developed countries, indicating the very impor-tance of economic power in building world-class universities.” We needto give it a serious thought to ensure that our educational standardsmeet the compete the global standards.

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www.educationscenario.com | EDUCATION SCENARIO INTERNATIONAL


10 COVER STORY

Higher education, today, has become aprimary need to earn bread and butterand excel in life. Obviously, educationis available in the universities and col-

leges only. The big difficulty is that education; isemerging as a big business in the world and thereis growing forest of the universities & colleges etc.This phenomenon has confused and confronted theeducation seekers with a challenge to reach theright institution for the right education at a righttime. It is a crucial decision, which decides the fateof a person. This article will provide you reasonableguidance to reach some logical decision, for mak-ing your career.

Assessment of InterestThis is best done by sharing with someone (your

parents, a friend, the school counselor) what yourdreams are. What would you like to study? Whatskills do you have? Do you like to work with peo-ple? information? things? all three? What are yourbest subjects in school? It isn’t necessary for you to

know exactly what you want to do, what’s importantis that you think about the future and the impor-tance of a college degree in achieving your dreams

and explore different options.

University you are looking for?Think in terms of:n Location – Do you want to stay close to home?

How far are you willing to travel? Do you want to bein a small town or in a large city?

n Size – Would you like to be in a small

Academic competition level among studentsRanking/Quality/Reputation of the institutionRange of the degrees offered Academic support programmes (e.g; programmes for special learning needs)Size of the student population of the universityAdmission Criteria (e.g. percent of applicant admitted)Advanced placement credit givenAffiliation of the college or university with relevant organizationsApplication deadlineAthletics facilitiesClass sizeBackground of other students or diversityClimate Consortia opportunities (opportunities to take classes at neighboring universitiesCooperative work-study programmesCounselling services available (Academic and psychological)Course offerings (e.g. the variety of courses offered in one’s programme of interest)Cultural opportunities on and off campus

Disability consciousness (e.g. wheelchair accessibility)Enrolment (total number of students)Environment (e.g.; appearance of the campus)Extracurricular offerings (student clubs or societies)Faculty (Professors & Instructors: availability, percent holding doctorates)Grading systemHousing options (e.g. proximity to the campus and affordability)International baccalaureate credit (opportunities to study abroad)Internship opportunitiesLibrary facilitiesPlacement record (percentage of graduate employment)Research facilities and opportunitiesSafety Measures ( crime level on campus)Spirit of the institutionStudent/Faculty rationSports FacilitiesTransfer possibilitiesTransportation (university bus service, airport nearby)

Key considerations in choosing a university or collegeFollowing are the key considerations for the selection of an institution.


11CAREERCOUNSELLING

college/university where you will get morepersonalized attention? How about a largeruniversity that might have a greater variety ofresources and academic offerings? Or maybe middle sized one that may offer a bit ofeach?

n Type of university or college – Do youwant to go to a public or private institution? Aliberal arts school or a technical college? Afour year institution or a two year college?

n Make a list of universities – After complet-ing the first two steps, figure out what type ofschool best fits your interests. Based on thisinformation make list of universities that meetyour needs. In order to come up with this list,you may want to talk to other family membersor friends, and your school counselor. Werecommend that you look at a university web-site. Find out if there are any organizations in

your community which provide assistancewith this process. Write to the schools select-ed and ask for more information, application,and a financial aid if any. Try to attend somecollege fairs and bring your parents along.

Strength of AcademicInstitution

A university will vary in quality. Some maybe strong and carry a world or area fame.Many factors count in the process of judgingthe strength of the institutions. Firstly theworld ranking matters that whether the uni-versity falls into the world ranking and what isits number on the table of world ranking.Secondly, what the student has to look into,is that what is the quality education standardin the university which he is going to apply.Some institutions are ranked according totheir academic or research performance.

After that “Strength of AcademicProgramme” will influence how much youlearn, how well equipped you will be for yourcareer, and how many offers you will getupon graduation. Try to find out the durationof academic programme. This may be animportant consideration if you are eager toget into the working world. Often, pro-grammes differ in class size as well.

Student TestimonialsGet the scoop from the people who have

been there. The best thing to do is to look forcomments on topics that are important toyou. For example if is very important to you tohave small classes, and people complain thatthe classes are too large, then this should bea warning. Anything that starts out like this: “Ihad this one professor” is pretty much use-less. Everyone will have a different universityexperience, even at the same school.

While one person will really dislike a class,programme, professor, or policy, you maylove it. So ask around, and keep an openmind. Try going on a tour of your top universi-ties, and don’t be afraid to ask random stu-dents questions.

There is a dare needto promote this trend,so that the studentswho are not fullyaware of, shouldunderstand the needto take some fore-steps, because theirsuccess is based onthe decision ofchoosing the rightinstitution.

There is a dare need to promotethis trend, so that the studentswho are not fully aware of,should understand the need totake some fore-steps, becausetheir success is based on thedecision of choosing the rightinstitution.

HOW YOU CAN CHOOSE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITYThis is just a single chart where you might rate four different colleges on any number of different variablesusing your own scoring system.Degree(s) offered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 . . . . . .2 . . . . .3 . . . . .4Majors/Minors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Locations/Distance from Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Size of institution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Public/Private . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cost (tuition, room and board etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Financial Aid Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Campus Resources (labs, library, etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Graduation Rate/Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Placement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Quality of Program(s)/Pressure to Excel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Admissions Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Accreditation(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Average Class Sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Degree of Faculty Contact/Courses Taught . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .By Full-Time Faculty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Student Body Characteristics (diversity, gender, etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Social Activities (Greek organizations, sports, schools spirit etc. . . . . . . . . . .Safety Concerns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Housing Options (dorms, apartments, off-campus, living at home) . . . . . . . .

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Gather all your resources and informationabout each institute you are considering-

If you don’t have all the information youneed on a particular college, you shouldconsider visiting the college’s website. Andmost colleges offer some sort of virtual cam-pus tour, so you can get anearly taste of the lookand feel of a col-lege fromy o u rperson-al comput-er.

Visit the University you areapplying in if possible

Approaching graduation, the typical col-lege student is bombarded with a plethoraof slick and glitzy literature from collegesattempting to entice the student to apply.With each institution appearing more fabu-lous than the last, how is a student to decidewhere to apply, and later, in which universityor college to enroll?

Exactly because of the increased market-ing efforts that colleges and universities aredoing for today’s student, publications,expos and even websites are quite glam-orous.

Experts advise translating the slickbrochures into reality. They contend that vis-iting campuses is a crucial to the college

decision-making process. It is the singlemost important part of a student’s collegesearch. However, if it is not possible for astudent to visit before the admission, he orshe may utilize other sources to verify thecreditability and the features looking for.

Role of your parents/guardianin decision making

In most cases students need parents’ helpin financing the education. Don’t alienatethem by showing that you don’t care whatthey think. Involve them in the process, andtalk about things like finances, future per-

spectives and reputation of the institution.Don’t let your parents wishes prevent youfrom applying to schools you want to go to.At the same time, don’t feel you haveapplied to a college because your motherwants you to go there.

If you are determined to do battle. Makesure you are fighting over a school thatgenuinely means something to you.

The importance of guidance counselor in the process

Most student counselors in the institu-tions are knowledgeable and caring.

Listen to what they have to say. On the otherhand, many counselors have hundred of stu-dents to advise on personal, career, andacademic concerns, not to mention collegeplanning. Moreover, even the best coun-selors or agents cannot be expected toknow about all the programmes and depart-ments at the colleges or universities in acountry.

If you are applying to a college or pro-gramme outside your counselor’s experi-ence. You will have to do research on youron. Certainly you should walk into yourcounselor’s office having done some think-ing about your needs and strengths.

Always apply to more than oneinstitution

How many institutions should you apply to?Of course this decision partly depends onyour financial situation (since most collegeshave application fees or prospectus chargesas well) but most students generally apply toone or two dream or “reach” institution (wherethey have small chance of getting admittedbased on a realistic appraisal of admissionscriteria), two to four intuitions where they wantto go (and can expect to be admitted), and atleast one “safety” institution. But you need to


12 CAREERCOUNSELLING

You need to choose the numberand type that are right for you.Some students don’t apply tosafety institutions, and othersapply to only the best institutions.

Financial Aid Availability

Higher education is very expensive in

majority of the countries and not all fami-

lies can provide total support for their

children’s academic endeavors. Students

will often have to get full time summer

jobs and part-time jobs during the univer-

sity tenure to meet their expenditures. It

is very important to know what types of

financial aid are available to you. Each

university offers a variety of different pro-

grammes to assist students in the cost of

university life. Entrance scholarships and

bursaries are offered by many universi-

ties in advanced countries, but it is

important to find out the requirements

and availability in order to determine

which institute can best accommodate

your academic and financial needs.

Often Scholarships are based on aca-

demic achievements, financial need, ath-

letics, or extracurricular involvement.

Additionally, many universities offer work

study or cooperative education pro-

grammes that give students the opportu-

nity to work on campus in their field of

interest, and at the same time give them

the flexibility they need with their busy

university schedule.


13CAREERCOUNSELLING

choose the number and type that are right foryou. Some students don’t apply to safety insti-tutions, and others apply to only thebest institutions that have madethe cut from the first six steps.

Make a finalchoice among theuniversities thataccepted you

If you applied for financialaid or scholarship take a closelook at the offers. If the institu-tion you really

want to attend gave you a low aid offer, youshould consider contacting the institutionsand making a counter offer and seewhat happens; many schools havebecome more willing to negotiate inthis area.

Some general advice aboutthe whole process

Another point, institutions websites aregreat source of information, they also give allthe little details about the applicationprocess, so make sure you check them thor-oughly. They may also have a grad studentdirectory, including links to their websites.

The whole thing resembles some kind oflottery, so don’t despair if you get a rejectionfrom one place, you may get into another.Depending on when you finish, have someideas what to do if it does not work out (andmay be even have started on them).And if youdon’t make the cut this year, you can alwaysreapply in the following years. Get peopleinvolved, get advice and help, but in the endyou have to write a letters and you have tomake the decision where to go. Give yourself

enough time to do the wholething; there will always

be some unforeseenc o m p l i c a t i o n s .Administrators andadmissions officialsare only people, so

don’t worry toomuch if someonline site doesnot change your

status right atthe dead-

l i n e .

K e e pw a t c h -

ing andafter sometime try to contact

the departments. Now giveyourself the freedomto choose by applying

to all of these schools.

Trend of Today

With the passage of time, as the communi-cation media is taking uplift and the aware-ness about education is going far ahead, thestudents are becoming more consciousabout choosing their institutions. Though themajority is not fully aware of the necessitatedsteps but minority of students now takes edu-cation in some of the well-known institutions,they are aware of that. The trend is mountingthrough them.

But as no promotional activity is being doneso far, to up-ride this trend that is why there isa dare need to promote this trend, so that thestudents who are not fully aware of, shouldunderstand the need to take some fore-steps,because their success is based on the deci-sion of choosing the right institution.

If you are applying to a college or programme outside your coun-selor’s experience. You will have to do research on your on.Certainly you should walk into your counselor’s office having donesome thinking about your needs and strengths.

Things to remeberThe best universities and colleges

of future will be those demonstratingthe most effective gains in learning andlearning skills among their students.There are some tips to choose a rightinstitution:n Ranking among the top national instituten Organization and highly qualified facultyn First rate extra curricular activitiesn Professionally attuned but procedurallyefficientn Knowledge based, student orientedresearch - drivenShould provide learning at everylevel (especially graduate) withemphasis on clearly defined stan-dads, high competence, effectiveadvising and monitoring, cultivationof learning skills, personal growthand individual creativity.

Figure out what type of schoolbest fits your interests. Based onthis information make list of uni-versities that meet your needs.


15CAREERCOUNSELLING


16 CAREERCOUNSELLING

What to Bring With YouWhat you bring with you is largely a matter

of personal choice. You will have to carrywhatever you bring, so it is in your interest tokeep it light and compact. If you need advice,write to the international student adviser at thecollege or university you plan to attend or talkto another student who has recently been tothe United States.

Start to pack early, so that excess weightand bulk can be eliminated and essentialitems not overlooked. Do not worry if you can-not bring everything, since most goods areavailable in a wide range of prices in theUnited States. Small items can be sent by air-freight or through the postal system. Shippingby sea can take several months.

Do bring:g a good bilingual dictionary, since it

might not be possible to obtain one foryour language in the United States;

g all of your essential identificationpapers and documents, to be carried onyour person or in your hand baggage.

g Do not put important documents inbags you have check onto the plane - keepthem in your hand luggage

g books, manuals, or journals that youthink may be useful for reference in yourfield of study and that definitely will not beavailable in the United States;

g pictures of your family, home, andcountry, for yourself but also to show toyour new friends;

g items from your culture, such as musi-cal instruments, recordings of traditionaland contemporary music, picture books,arts and crafts, and small gifts, to shareyour talents and customs with people inthe United States. For festive occasionsyou may consider bringing traditional dressand accessories from your country. Thiswould be a great way to show and tellAmericans more about your culture and tra-ditions;

g a camera so you will have souvenirs ofyour time in the United States after youreturn home.

Things to Leave at HomeYou can obtain a booklet on customs regula-

tions at the consulate or embassy where youacquire your visa. Prohibited items includesome foodstuffs, narcotics, weapons, and itemsfor resale.

The U.S. Customs Service also provides thisinformation on their website at http://www.cus-toms.gov/xp/cgov/travel/alerts/

Do not bring:g things you can easily buy in the United

States, such as notebooks, pens, paper(paper in the United States is of a slightly dif-ferent size than in countries following the met-ric system), toiletries, towels, or bed sheets.These items will take up valuable space inyour luggage;

g food, seeds, or plants. The United Stateshas very strict restrictions on importing foods,perishables, and agricultural goods into thecountry;

g books that can easily be obtained in U.S.libraries. Some universities have their librarycatalog on the Internet, where you can checkthe availability of books. You can also contactthe university library staff to verify the availabil-ity of any essential books. You can usuallyalso obtain books through interlibrary loans;

g animals;g medications, unless you have written pre-

scriptions from a doctor (see "Prescriptionsfor Medication and Eyeglasses");

g expensive jewelry, treasured possessions,family heirlooms, or delicate things, sincethere is always a chance that these items canget lost, stolen, or damaged during travel orduring your stay;

g firearms, knives, weapons, or articles thatcould be perceived as weapons;

g narcotics or drugs;g any article of clothing, artifact, or medicine

made from endangered animals;g electrical appliances. Appliances in the

United States work on a 115 volts and 60cycles system. It is usually best to purchaseelectrical items in the United States, especial-ly if you plan to live in university housing, assome items will not be allowed. Most itemsare reasonably priced. Also note that videosystems, including televisions, VCRs, andDVD players (including those in laptop com-puters), use different systems in differentparts of the world, and those you bring fromhome are unlikely to be compatible with theU.S. media.

Travel AgenciesProbably the most efficient and convenient

way to make your travel arrangements isthrough a travel agency. Travel agents areusually knowledgeable about conditions invarious countries and make specialized travelarrangements adapted to your needs. Theycan advise you on airlines, fares, and routes;compare prices; and confirm or change reser-vations. If you have dietary restrictions for reli-gious or health reasons, the travel agent willalso be able to order you a special, in-flightmeal. You may not have to pay a fee for theseservices. In many countries, you pay no more

Travel During U.S. HolidaysMake travel reservations well in advance of your departure date. This is especially impor-tant if you travel in the United States during peak tourist seasons or holidays. These includethe Easter observance (either in March or April); the summer months of June throughAugust; and the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day holidays in November,December, and January. There are ten U.S. Federal holidays:g New Year’s Day — January 1g Martin Luther King Day — observed the third Monday in Januaryg Presidents’ Day — observed the third Monday in Februaryg Memorial Day — observed the fourth Monday in Mayg Independence Day — July 4g Labor Day — observed the first Monday in Septemberg Columbus Day — observed the second Monday in Octoberg Veteran’s Day — November 11g Thanksgiving Day — observed the fourth Thursday in Novemberg Christmas Day — December 25

Check the following website for more information on U.S. holidays: www.america.gov

Probably the most efficient andconvenient way to make your travelarrangements is through a travelagency. Travel agents are usually

knowledgeable about conditions invarious countries and make spe-

cialized travel arrangements adapt-ed to your needs.

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17CAREERCOUNSELLING

than you would if you dealt directly with the air-lines, purchased your own ticket, and madeyour own hotel reservations. In fact, becausethey have access to current specials or sales,travel agents may save you money. They alsoare aware of which airlines offer reduced stu-dent rates or special student packages,including round-trip international fares anddomestic U.S. fares.

NOTE: Students sponsored by the U.S. gov-ernment may be required to travel on U.S. air-lines wherever possible.

Travel Clubs/Charter OrganizationsCertain organizations in your country may

specialize in charter flights and other low-costtravel to the UnitedStates. Sometimes theseorganizations advertise inlocal publications andstudent newspapers,but students usuallylearn about them fromother people who have dealt withthem. Some travel clubs require that you jointheir club and pay a membership fee beforeyou are eligible to take advantage of theircharter flights.

It is a good idea to check on the organiza-tion’s reputation before you pay a fee or makereservations.

When you call for information, ask whetherfares, departure dates, and connections arereliable. Sometimes, if the carrier does notsell enough seats, charter flights are can-celled or rescheduled.

Making Your Own ReservationsIf you want to make your own reservations,

you can deal directly with an international air-line by phone, mail, or Internet. Most airlineagents also can advise you on other travelmatters, such as baggage allowances, airportand customs procedures, vaccination andhealth requirements, and so on.

In addition, there are many travel websiteswhere you can compare prices, create yourown itinerary, and buy your tickets on-line.Making reservations in this way can be a bitmore risky since you do not have the expertiseof the travel agent at your service, but it canalso save you time if you know exactly whatyou are looking for.

Travel to InstituteOnce you reach your U.S. port of entry, you

may have to travel by other means to your finaldestination. A travel agent can also help youmake those arrangements.

Connecting FlightsIt is best to book your tickets for U.S.

domestic flights while you are still in yourhome country. Be aware that if your final des-tination is a medium- to small-sized city, yourfinal leg of travel may be in a small, propeller-driven “commuter” plane, rather than a jet air-liner.

Correct Time in the U.S.As you approach the airport

where you will land in the UnitedStates, the pilot will announcethe correct time. The UnitedStates follows a 12-hour systemof time, rather than the 24-hoursystem followed by many other

c o u n t r i e s .

The 12hours from midnight to noon are called “a.m.”(ante meridian). The 12 hours from noon tomidnight are called “p.m.” (post meridian). Forexample, 1400 is two o’clock or 2:00 p.m.;2200 is 10 o’clock (10:00 p.m. or 10 o’clockat night,) and 1000 is 10 o’clock (10:00 a.m.or 10 o’clock in the morning). Set your watchto the correct U.S. time before you leave theplane.

Trains & BusesTrain travel in the United States is relatively

expensive, compared to train travel in othercountries, and is not very extensive. Amtrak isthe national rail line, privately owned and oper-ated but publicly subsidized. Travel by bus isoften the least expensive way to travel in theUnited States and service is extensive, thoughfrequency of services will vary.

Renting a CarThere are certain requirements and restric-

tions connected with renting a car. It also isprobably the most expensive, but the mostflexible, way of traveling in the United States.

Arriving at InstituteYou should always inform your international

student adviser of your expected date andtime of arrival. Also provide him or her withother pertinent information, such as the air-port at which you will arrive (or train station orbus terminal), your flight number, name of air-line, and last point of departure. Sometimesthe international student adviser, a represen-tative from the university, or a member of thecommunity can come to meet you. The recom-mended time of arrival will vary from oneschool to another, but generally you shouldarrive several days before the campus orienta-tion for new international students and regis-tration for classes.

Overnight AccommodationsYou may arrive at your final destination in

advance of the date when you can move intoyour permanent housing,or you may have to spendthe night in an intermedi-ate city. There are a num-ber of choices when tem-porary, overnight accom-modations are required.

The most expensive arehotels and motels, but some“budget” motel chains can bequite reasonable. Otheroptions include the local

YMCA or YWCA, youthhostels, international

houses, and at some schools, universityresidences.

Travel Arrangements Made bySponsors

If you are being sponsored by your homecountry government, a government officialmay make travel arrangements for you. If so,you will be informed by your sponsor.

If you want to make your ownreservations, you can deal directly

with an international airline byphone, mail, or Internet. Most air-

line agents also can advise you onother travel matters, such as bag-gage allowances, airport and cus-toms procedures, vaccination andhealth requirements, and so on.

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Many U.S. colleges and universitiesare located away from urban centersor in small cities, so local directionswill be very helpful in planning your

itinerary. Notify your international stu-dent adviser of your arrival date andtime, since he or she may meet you

at the airport.

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18 STUDY INAUSTRALIA


19STUDY INAUSTRALIA

g Tuition feesAside from tuition fees, some institutions

may also charge for other student costs, suchas library, laboratory or sports facility costs.Excursions, books and stationery are othercosts to consider, and your course may alsorequire specific essential materials, such aslab coats or photographic supplies.

Your institution will provide you with informa-tion on how and when to pay your tuition fees.g Foundation Studies

A$9,000 to 14,000 a year such as university entrance, preparatory and

bridging coursesg Undergraduate

Bachelor Degree A$10,000 to 13,500 ayear

such as courses in arts, business, econom-ics and lawg Laboratory-based BachelorDegree

A$11,000 to 16,500 a year such as science and engineering courses

g PostgraduateGraduate Diplomas A$9,000 to 16,000 a yearDoctoral Degree A$11,000 to 18,500 a

yearg Vocational education & training

Diploma-Advanced Diploma A$5,500 to18,000 a yearg School

Secondary school A$6,000 to 13,000 a year Primary and junior secondary schoolsA$5,000 to 11,000 a year

g English language trainingVaries significantly depending on the course

duration or institution A$3,500 to 13,500g Accommodation options & costs

From on-campus residences to sharedHomestay with an Australian family, you’ll findroom to grow in accommodation to suit yourbudget and needs.

Your institution can give you advice on youraccommodation options and understandingtenant and lease conditions. Temporaryaccommodation can be arranged for youbefore you leave home so that when you arriveyou have some time to consider your long-termoptions.g Accommodation options

Approximate cost Homestay A$110–270 a weekHomestay is a great way for younger interna-

tional students to immerse themselves inAustralian life, and benefit from the safety andsupervision of adults. Meals are usually includ-ed in the cost, but self-catering Homestay is

sometimes available. Single or shared roomsare available. Institutions maintain registers offamilies who board international students dur-ing the academic year. Institutions check thatthese families are reputable and offer accom-modation at a reasonable standard.g Hostels and guest houses

A$80–135 a weekHostels are usually run by organisations

such as Youth Hostels Australia and theYoung Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).Students share kitchen and bathroom facili-ties.

Shared accommodation A$70–250 a weekRental accommodation A$100–400 a weekSharing off-campus accommodation is very

popular with international students. Youshould look for advertisements on campusnoticeboards and local newspapers. Expectthat you will have to provide your own furniture.When renting a house, apartment or bed sitter,landlords require rent to be paid in advance,and will require a security bond equal to onemonths’ rent.g Boarding schools

A$10,000–20,000 a yearMany private secondary schools provide

accommodation, meals and laundry servicesfor international students.

Note: Tuition fees are in addition to theboarding fees.g Campus accommodation

A$80–250 per weekMost universities and some vocational institu-

tions offer a variety of accommodation on ornear campus, such as apartments, residentialcolleges or halls of residence. The cost varieson the type of accommodation. Residential col-leges are slightly more expensive and provideaccommodation with meals. They may alsohave sporting and social facilities, tutoring,libraries and computer facilities. Halls of resi-dence are located on or near institution cam-puses. Students usually have meals and somecleaning services provided. Students need toapply early because demand for places is high.g Overseas student health cover

Australia has a special system of health coverfor international students called OverseasStudent Health Cover (OSHC). You will needto buy OSHC before you come to Australia tocover you from when you arrive. TheDepartment of Immigration and Citizenshiprequires you to maintain OSHC for the durationof your time on a student visa in Australia. YourOSHC will help you pay for any medical or hos-pital care you may need while you’re studying inAustralia and it will contribute towards the costof most prescription medicines, and an ambu-lance in an emergency. OSHC does not coverdental, optical or physiotherapy. If you want tobe covered for these treatments you will needto buy additional private health insurance.

One of the advantages of being an international student in Australia is that you can receivepermission to work part time (up to 20 hours per week) while you study.

International students often find work in retail, hospitality and administration. You could expectto earn A$6-15 an hour, depending on the kind of work you do and your age. You may be paidmore for working on Sundays or public holidays. Tutoring younger students in the field you arestudying, or in your native language is also a good way to earn money. Student tutors can earnabout A$40 an hour.

While most international students inAustralia are full-fee paying students, anotheroption is to apply for a scholarship.Scholarships are offered by the AustralianGovernment, education institutions and anumber of other organisations. They covervarious educational sectors, including voca-tional education and training, studentexchanges, undergraduate and postgradu-ate study and research. AustralianGovernment scholarships are not availablefor international students undertakingEnglish language training specifically inAustralia. However, there are several Englishlanguage training scholarships offered byAustralian institutions. International and char-itable organisations offer scholarships forinternational study. You must apply for thesescholarships in your home country, not inAustralia. The Association of CommonwealthUniversities website provides a scholarshipsguide for Commonwealth postgraduate stu-dents offered by Governments, RotaryInternational, World Bank, World HealthOrganisation, Asian Development Bank,United Nations, Rockefeller Foundation andother organisations.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Working while you study

01 | Education Scenario International

C O U N S E L L I N G

Q:-Takes a long time to search for therequired information and sometimesthe information obtained in general innature rather than being specific. Also itis not necessary that it is as valid andpertinent as you think of it. So, applyingby yourself wastes time.

A:-The agent has all the informationyou need immediately - they will be ableto find extra information more easilybecause of direct access to key persons orinformation outlet. So, it saves time.

Q:-No one available to help or guideyou regarding the courses and placessuitable for you.

A:-Experienced, amiable and support-ing staff at the consultant office is alwaysready to give you the proper assistance.

Q:-Information in prospectuses andbrochures you have may be out of date -courses and places often get full quickly

A:-Having the most up-to-date infor-mation on the course availability anddirect links with the university/collegethe consultant shall be able to guarantee aplace.

Q:-Getting a visa - you will have to fillin the application form by yourself,which is often difficult as most of the

times visas are refused due to wrongentries in the application forms.

A:-The consultant will help you fill inthe visa application form with rightentries in a professional manner andaccording to the latest rules. He may rep-resent you in the embassy (whenrequired) reducing your chances for therefusal tremendously.

Q:-Finding out if your admission hasbeen granted often takes a long time!You may have no idea for tracking yourapplication or pursuing further with theprocedure.

A:-The consultant due to its exclusiveaccess to the university/college can findstatus of your application early and guideyour for further preparations accordingly.

Q:-Will I be granted an entry clearanceor not? Does my application meet all thecriteria set for a successful application?Questions like these may haunt yourmind spoiling its peace and addingstress to it?

A:-The consultant, having knowledgeof all the intervening procedures, willtake up the job of communication withthe right office on your behalf would thusbring a soothing comfort to your worried

mind.Q:-You have to write your statement of

purpose or admission essay, researchproposal and educational referenceswithout any professional assistance.Any casual approach in this respect willmeek your admission or entry clearancechances.

A:-The consultant will help you in writ-ing your admission essay or preparing inwrite up for your research proposaldirectly or guide you to the referencelinks or providing you with a model doc-ument to improve your chances foracceptance

Q:-You will have to correspond withthe university/college yourself and mailall your own documents. Sometimesyou have to repeat the entire processwith more than one college/ universityor more than one departments.

A:-The consultant on the student’sbehalf corresponds with the right personat the right office in the university/col-lege. He keeps in touch both with the stu-dent and the university.

Q:-You may be having a little informa-tion about countries abroad, their sys-tem of education, finding jobs, boarding

Education Scenario International | 02

C O U N S E L L I N G

and accommodation arrangements andother travel arrangements etc.

A:-The staff at the consultant office ismainly trained by the relevant educationdepartment of the relevant embassy orconsulate.

They are well conversant of the educa-tion system of these countries, their cul-ture, their social norms and visa proce-dures. They provide you with the preciseinformation about all aspects.

FINALLY, it will probably cost youmore!!!

The consultant offers his set of servicesat most reasonable and competitive rates.Immigration representatives: Tips onchoosing an immigration representativeIt is your decision whether or not to usean immigration representative. No immi-gration representative has special accessto our programs and services and no onecan guarantee you a visa. All the formsand guides you need to apply for anytype of visa are available for free on thiswebsite.

Choosing a representative

Ask for recommendations from peopleyou trust. Talk to several potential advis-ers before choosing one. Ask about theirtraining and experience: find out if theyare an authorized representative ask forreferences find out how long they have

been in business. Discuss what services they will provide

and the fee. Get this information in writ-ing. Ask questions. You should be waryof a representative who refuses to answeryour questions. Be careful of anythingthat sounds too good to be true.

If you are choosing a representative inCanada, you can also contact the BetterBusiness Bureau before making yourchoice. They can tell you if any com-plaints have been raised against immi-gration representatives that operate inCanada. Once you have chosen a repre-sentative: Make sure you get a writtencontract—read it carefully before yousign it. Make sure that all the promisedservices are listed and the fee is clearly setout. Do not leave original documents orphotos with the representative.

Do not sign blank application forms. Ifthe representative has forms or docu-ments for you to sign, do not sign themunless you are able to read them. If youdon’t understand them, bring someonewith you to translate. Make sure to getcopies of any documents that are pre-pared for you. Any time you make a pay-ment, get a signed receipt.

Make sure your representative updatesyou on your application on a regularbasis. If you change your mind aboutyour representative, you do not have tocontinue with them. You can change yourrepresentative at any time or deal direct-ly with the visa office or the in-Canadaimmigration office yourself. If youchange your representative, you must

notify CIC. Youmust provide yourrepresentat ive ’s

name and contactinformationon yourapplicationf o r mw h e t h e rthey are

paid ornot. If yourrepresen-tative says

that this is notnecessary, this isfalse. Youshould verify

the accuracy ofyour represen-tative’s advice.If you appointa paid repre-sentative who isnot a member ofone of the designatedbodies, your applica-tion will be returned.

Note: TheGovernment ofCanada will never ask you todeposit money into a personalbank account or to transfermoney through a specific pri-vate money transfer company.Remember—you are responsi-ble for all the information inyour application It is againstthe law to give false or mislead-ing information to Citizenshipand Immigration Canada.

If the information on your application isfalse or misleading, this is against the lawand you may be refused entry to Canadaor be deported from Canada after youarrive. Immigration representatives whotell you to provide false or misleadinginformation are also breaking the law.Processing fees are the same at allCanadian visa offices around the world.Fees are in Canadian currency.

Check the website for the visa officeyou are dealing with to get details on theform of payment. If you are in Canada,you can also contact the call centre at18882422100 for guidelines on how toapply. To protect your privacy, you mustprovide written consent to CIC beforeany personal information may be sharedwith your representative.

The consultant offers his set ofservices at most reasonableand competitive rates.

Do not sign blank applicationforms. If the representative hasforms or documents for you tosign, do not sign them unlessyou are able to read them. If youdon’t understand them, bringsomeone with you to translate.

The new points-based UK student visa system dishes out points tofacilitate students. According to some leading UK representatives, theUK student visa is the easiest to get because strategically there arejust 40 points and no other hassles involved for students who do nothave to entangle themselves in unnecessary documentation. Moreimportantly, CAS (confirmation of acceptance for studies) is the onlything which makes things a lot easier for students to go through thesimple procedure of making them eligible for admission to a UK uni-versity. For example, 30 marks come from the institution as a recom-mendation while 10 marks are added in form of a bank statement. g


23STUDY IN UK

The moment the idea of internationaleducation flashes through one’smind, one thinks, almost uncon-sciously, of choosing the United

Kingdom (UK) as his or her first and ultimatedestination without even giving a secondthought regardless of the choice of subjects,no matter whatever is the study plan. Hence,in a way, looking back at the history of educa-tion pursued by a majority of students fromPakistan, almost 60 years have witnessed tra-ditionally long association of Pakistani stu-dents with the UK for the purpose of higherstudies. Not only that the UK-Pakistan rela-tions have enjoyed strong diplomatic, socialand cultural relations which grew overdecades and were further cemented withexchange of delegations consisting of mem-bers from various fields very often prominent-ly of educational experts and academicians.

Aside from it, the UK has proved itself quitea successful and encouraging market forPakistani students seeking to pursue higherstudies in this country with keen interest toachieve their academic goals and targets inconsonance with the currently emerginginternational situation and formidable chal-lenges ahead of them. That indeed encour-ages them to gird up their loin for the onwardrush of life in an appropriate and pragmaticway. More often than not, Pakistani students,say just 10 or perhaps more than that out of100, enjoy the advantage of having a closerelative a blood relation living in the UK as acitizen or as a permanent resident, who isusually kind enough to accept the responsi-bility of taking care or sponsoring them,though in some cases only, as a means offacilitating they would-be ambassador ofPakistan. Approximately, more than 50 percent of Pakistani students opt for the UK astheir first choice or destination while the restgo for other countries– with some going tothe United States of America, Canada,Australia or New Zealand or some other insti-tution of higher studies.

Just a word on the British education systemas a preamble. The education system in theUK is divided into four main parts: primaryeducation, secondary education, further edu-cation and higher education. Children in theUK have to legally attend primary and second-ary education which runs from about fiveyears old until the student is 16. Admittedly,the UK is the biggest and the best market forstudents especially from Pakistan to con-tribute to the UK economy which then can

result in billions of lbs as the country’s rev-enue. Nevertheless, some unhappy orunpleasant incidents mar the situation, creat-ing difficulties for not only students but forparents putting them all in a fix as to whatcountry they should go for higher studies.

The UK is a traditional market and itinvolves sharing social and cultural normstogether with the kith and kin of the intendingstudents who seem to play their importantrole in this regard. Local institutions like theBritish Council, which play their due part asfacilitation, have their bearing as part of theirdirect and indirect methodology as well.

Applying for a UK student visa allows a per-son to come to the United Kingdom toembark upon a course of study in excess ofsix months duration. The study visa immigra-tion service entails the grant of a UK studypermit enabling visa nationals to study in theUK with a view to gaining a recognized quali-fication. The other side of the picture, howev-er, is not that bleak. Rather it is encouragingdespite all said and done. How? Getting astudent visa for the UK has become a bigaspiration for every educationally weak andunemployed youngster in our country. So,obviously, it has its own drawbacks and pit-falls too because in some cases some con-sultancies assist the aspiring students tochoose Mickey Mouse colleges, arrange fakebank statements to get admissions and thenobtain a British student visa. Behind all thesescams, real ‘credit’ goes to unregisteredbogus British colleges, which entice eco-nomically-motivated fake students.

The new points-based UK student visa sys-tem dishes out points to facilitate students.According to some leading UK representa-tives, the UK student visa is the easiest to getbecause strategically there are just 40 pointsand no other hassles involved for studentswho do not have to entangle themselves inunnecessary documentation. More important-ly, admission/enrolment or AcceptanceLetter is the only thing which makes things alot easier for students to go through the sim-ple procedure of making them eligible foradmission to a UK university. For example, 30marks come from the institution as a recom-mendation while 10 marks are added in formof a bank statement.

To elaborate a bit more, the system hadbeen introduced to streamline the visa appli-cation process for Pakistani students. Underthe new system, a student needs to have 40points to qualify for the grant of the visa.

Due to the extremely poor securitysituation, the UK educationproviders could not come toPakistan in recent years for securi-ty reasons and also in view of thetravel advisory by their respectivegovernments. This is why they werejust not able to take part in thedirect marketing i.e. seminars andexhibitions. This is the main reasonthat they were not able to markettheir courses which were outlinedby their educational institutions. g


24 STUDY IN UK

A student would require an acceptance let-ter from the educational institution he/sheintends to attend. The respective educa-tional institution would become the spon-sor for the student, who would fetch 30points. For the remaining 10 points, a stu-dent would have to show evidence for hav-ing enough finances to cover his/hercourse fee and monthly living expenses forone year.A student must score 40 points intotal as shown below to be eligible to makean application.

30 points for a visa letter, which they getfor studying a course at an acceptablelevel with an approved education provider(also known as sponsorship); This visa let-ter will be provided by the University at theappropriate point in the cycle (once anunconditional offer has been accepted) aspart of the admissions process for a newcourse, or by the International Office forcurrent students extending their visas and10 points for having enough money (alsoknown as maintenance or funds) for thecourse fees and living costs.

The levels of maintenance a student mustshow will depend on the length of thecourse, where they are studying andwhether they have recently completed (orare currently still studying on) a course inthe UK. Students should consult the appro-priate web pages detailed above for specif-ic advice as to the levels of finances theywill need to provide evidence of and whatdocumentary evidence they will need toprovide.

In the past there has been some flexibili-ty with the Home Office with regards tolate applications or the facility for key doc-uments to follow an application that hasalready been submitted. Under the newsystem it is highly likely that such flexibilitywill be removed.

New requirements for student applica-tions under Tier 4 of the points-based sys-tem have come into effect .The new requirements are as follows:

• UK has raised the minimum level ofEnglish language course that Tier 4(General) students can study, to level B2 ofthe Common European Framework ofReference for Languages (CEFR). Beforeyou can apply to study an English languagecourse in the UK, you will need to show thatyour English language skills are at CEFRlevel B1 or higher. (There are exceptions ifyou are a government-sponsored student orif you want to study a pre-sessional Englishcourse that meets certain requirements.)

• If you are applying under Tier 4(General) to study a course that is belowdegree level and is not a foundation degree,we have reduced the amount of work thatyou can do during term time to 10 hours perweek. (The maximum level used to be 20hours per week).

• If you are applying under Tier 4 (Child)and you are 16 or 17 years old, we havereduced the amount of work that you cando during term time to 10 hours per week.(The maximum level used to be 20 hoursper week).

• If you are applying to study a courseunder Tier 4 (General) for six months orless, you will no longer be able to bringyour family members (known as 'depen-dants').

• If you are applying to study a courselower than degree level (excluding founda-tion degree courses) under Tier 4(General), your dependants will no longerbe able to work (unless they qualify towork in their own right under Tier 1 or Tier2 of the points-based system).

• If you have submitted and paid for yourapplication before 3 March 2010, you willbe considered against the rules that were inforce at the time when you applied.

Further changes will be introduced fromApril 2010.

Changes to Tier 4 studentvisa applications from 3rdMarch 2010


25STUDY IN UK


26 UK UNIVERSITIESRANKINGS


27UK UNIVERSITIESRANKINGS



Let’s see how we go about it as the tables and the listof University Rankings for Year 2010 in this year’s GoodUniversity Guide show. It may be kept in mind that theuniversities were ranked according to measures in theeight key-performance areas: students’ satisfaction,research quality, entrance standards, student-staffratios, services and facilities, completion, good honoursand graduate prospects.

In building the table, scores for Student Satisfactionand Research Quality were weighted by 1.5. The indica-tors were combined using a z-score transformation andthe totals were transformed to a scale with 1,000 for thetop score. For entry standards, good honours and grad-uate prospects the score was adjusted for subject mix.The detailed definitions of the indicators are givenbelow.

‘Student Satisfaction’

The percentage of positive responses in each of thesix question areas (Teaching, Assessment andFeedback, Academic Support, Organisation andManagement, Learning Resources and PersonalDevelopment) plus the Overall Satisfaction questionwere combined to provide a composite score and aver-aged over two years.

‘Research Quality’

The overall quality of research is based on the new2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

‘Entry Standards’

The tariff point scores on entry for first year; firstdegree students under 21 years of age based on A andA-Levels and ‘Highers’ and ‘Advanced Highers’ only.Entrants with zero tariffs were excluded from the calcu-lation.

‘Services and Facilities Spend’

A two-year average of expenditure on AcademicServices and Staff and Student Facilities, divided by thetotal number of full time equivalent students.

‘Completion’

Percentage of students projected to leave with adegree including students who transfer to other institu-tions. The HESA Performance Indicator uses currentmovements of students to project the eventual outcome.

‘Good Honours’

The number of students, who graduated with a first orupper-second-class degree as a proportion of the totalnumber of graduates with classified degrees; theenhanced first degrees such as a MEng gained afterfour-year engineering course were treated as equivalentto a first or upper second.

‘Graduate Prospects’Destinations of full-time first degree UK domiciled

leavers. The destination categories were based upon asplit of SOC 2000 codes for graduates and leaversentering employment, together with the type of qualifi-cation codes for graduates and leavers entering for fur-ther study. This split of SOC 2000 codes was derivedfrom Elias & Purcell’s report ‘SOC (HE).

‘Subject Tables’

The subject tables were based on four indicators: TheResearch Quality, Entry Standards and GraduateProspects and, for the first time, Student Satisfaction.Theses were combined using a z-score transformationwith equal weighting for the indicators and the totalswere transformed to a scale with 100 for the top score.

‘Student Satisfaction’

The percentage of positive responses (Agree &Definitely Agree) in each of the six question areas(Teaching, Assessment & Feedback, Academic Support,Organisation & Management, Learning Resources andPersonal Development) plus the Overall Satisfactionquestion were combined to provide a composite scoreand averaged over two years. This was mapped at 107subject level to the Times subjects. If a score did notexist at this level then the 41 subject level data was usedor, if that did not exist, 19 subject level.

‘Research Quality’

The overall quality of research based on the new 2008Research Assessment Exercise. The output of the RAEgave each institution a profile in the following cate-gories: (a) ‘World-leading; (b) ‘Internationally excellent’and (c) ‘Internationally recognised’ (with another twolower categories). The Funding Bodies decided only tofund research in the higher three categories, and direct-ed more funds to the very best research by applyingweightings.

‘Entry Standards’

The mean tariff point scores on entry for first year, thefirst degree students under 21 years of age based on Aand As Levels and ‘Highers’ and ‘Advanced Highers’only. Entrants with zero tariffs were excluded from thecalculation.

‘Graduate Prospects’

Destinations of full-time first degree UK domiciledleavers aggregated over two years. The destination cat-egories were based upon a split of SOC 2000 codes forgraduates and leavers entering employment, togetherwith type of qualification codes for graduates andleavers entering further study. This split of SOC 2000codes was derived from Elias & Purcell’s report ‘SOC(HE) A Classification of occupations for studying the

graduate labour market’ (Institute for EmploymentResearch, Warwick).

Many would argue that the subject tables are moreimportant than any comparison of whole universities, inany case, because they concern the course that willoccupy so much of an undergraduate’s time.

But they carry particular weight in subjects wheregraduates will be expected to put the knowledge gainedon their course directly into practice.

Employers in agriculture, for example, will be wellaware of Reading’s reputation and much more interest-ed in its top place in the subject than its 31st place inthe main league table. The first University League Tableswere published some 15 years ago and have continuedto be the subject of vigorous debate among academicsever since. Given that analysis of this type within high-er education and elsewhere – in schools, health, etc –have come to be seen as legitimate aids, it is perhapssurprising that many universities remain opposed to thevery notion of comparing one with another, and yet thatis what applicants have to do all the time.

All universities were provided with complete sets oftheir own HESA data well in advance of publication.

In addition, where anomalous figures were identifiedin the HESA data, institutions were given a furtheropportunity to check for and notify any errors. Similarly,we consulted the universities on methodology. Once ayear an Advisory Group with university representativesmeets to discuss the methodology and how it can beimproved. Thus, every effort has been made to ensureaccuracy, but no responsibility can be taken for errors oromissions.

1 Oxford 4.1 3.0 523.9 10.9 2,639 587 91.1 82.3 982 Cambridge 4.2 3.0 538.5 11.6 1,755 657 87.0 85.5 993 Imperial College 3.7 2.9 489.4 10.3 3,036 575 68.5 88.4 974 London School of Economics 3.8 3.0 483.0 14.1 1,391 265 76.0 90.6 965 Durham 4.0 2.7 459.0 15.2 1,036 682 77.5 78.3 976 Warwick 3.9 2.8 463.0 13.5 1,630 354 79.7 79.2 967 St Andrews 4.2 2.7 467.9 12.3 1,152 357 85.1 77.8 948 University College London 3.9 2.8 452.1 9.1 1,586 220 80.4 82.9 929 Bath 3.9 2.7 440.4 15.3 960 424 75.1 81.9 9610 York 4.0 2.8 434.0 13.4 1,246 369 74.9 69.4 9611 Edinburgh 3.7 2.7 447.0 12.8 1,660 335 80.6 76.9 9012 Lancaster 3.9 2.7 388.5 13.7 1,036 488 69.6 64.3 9313 Southampton 3.8 2.7 406.6 14.0 1,154 449 74.6 76.5 9413 Aston 4.0 2.4 365.0 16.6 895 675 63.6 78.1 9115 SOAS 3.8 2.6 378.3 10.7 1,520 253 73.2 73.5 8316 Bristol 3.7 2.7 447.2 13.3 1,386 307 81.5 82.0 9617 King’s College London 3.7 2.7 414.7 11.6 1,589 320 72.8 83.2 9218 Loughborough 4.1 2.6 368.4 17.3 744 496 67.7 75.7 9119 Nottingham 3.8 2.7 408.0 13.8 972 392 74.3 76.3 9619 Exeter 4.2 2.6 394.5 17.6 987 384 79.4 71.7 9520 Leicester 4.1 2.5 360.3 14.8 970 460 71.6 76.2 9322 Royal Holloway 3.9 2.7 364.7 14.6 868 389 70.3 69.8 9322 Sheffield 3.9 2.7 406.0 14.5 969 354 74.5 79.1 9224 Newcastle 3.8 2.6 405.2 14.9 1,097 398 72.2 79.4 9225 Sussex 3.9 2.6 377.7 15.6 785 333 81.7 70.6 9026 Glasgow 3.9 2.6 412.4 13.5 933 511 71.3 75.4 8727 Birmingham 3.9 2.6 403.3 15.3 1,216 401 70.9 72.7 9428 Leeds 3.8 2.7 392.3 14.4 851 385 73.4 71.1 9228 Manchester 3.7 2.8 412.5 14.7 1,136 362 70.4 73.8 9230 Essex 3.9 2.8 302.5 13.8 1,050 413 61.0 62.7 8731 Surrey 3.8 2.6 352.4 17.0 858 347 65.1 80.0 8932 East Anglia 4.1 2.6 361.3 17.1 866 401 70.1 71.9 8633 Queens - Belfast 3.8 2.6 358.3 15.3 905 511 69.0 78.3 8534 Liverpool 3.8 2.5 387.0 12.3 1,196 285 68.8 72.5 9135 Reading 3.9 2.5 346.7 16.6 709 343 75.4 68.7 9236 Cardiff 3.8 2.7 393.6 14.9 927 253 66.8 77.6 9237 Goldsmiths College 3.8 2.6 317.7 12.8 641 178 65.2 69.0 8638 Kent 4.0 2.6 317.0 17.0 733 312 61.7 71.8 8839 Heriot-Watt 3.8 2.5 349.9 15.8 832 391 65.5 76.2 8040 Strathclyde 3.7 2.5 392.9 19.2 1,118 254 74.0 78.1 8341 Brunel 3.7 2.3 319.1 17.5 1,080 423 64.9 67.9 8642 Keele 3.9 2.4 319.4 14.5 808 331 64.4 70.4 8943 Queen Mary 3.8 2.7 345.6 13.4 878 338 64.2 77.3 8844 City 3.8 2.5 316.1 17.9 776 305 66.6 81.4 8444 Stirling 3.8 2.4 324.2 14.3 873 153 64.3 69.8 8145 Hertfordshire 3.7 2.4 244.3 15.0 822 850 47.3 65.3 8246 Nottingham Trent 3.8 2.2 276.2 16.6 795 399 55.7 74.1 8647 Robert Gordon 3.8 2.1 331.8 18.2 913 288 59.6 84.1 8247 Aberdeen 4.0 2.6 362.6 15.1 929 224 67.6 74.4 7749 Dundee 3.8 2.5 371.0 14.9 935 262 65.8 75.6 7151 Ulster 3.7 2.5 267.7 16.2 1,160 356 61.4 65.0 7752 Hull 4.0 2.4 285.2 19.0 799 281 57.7 73.2 8753 Oxford Brookes 3.8 2.2 300.5 18.7 648 380 66.1 73.0 8454 Bournemouth 3.8 2.2 288.6 21.2 896 233 57.2 75.5 85

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L I S T O F U N I V E R S I T I E S


29UK UNIVERSITIESRANKINGS

55 Aberystwyth 4.0 2.5 310.1 17.7 746 364 61.1 53.0 8856 Swansea 3.9 2.4 303.8 15.0 778 303 50.3 62.5 8757 Bradford 3.7 2.3 270.3 15.0 830 279 62.8 70.4 8258 Northumbria 3.9 2.1 291.2 17.7 787 271 54.1 73.0 8059 Birmingham City 3.7 2.3 257.6 17.6 827 519 57.3 65.7 7560 University of the Arts - London 3.5 2.5 322.0 22.1 687 90 61.6 63.6 8561 West of England - Bristol 3.9 2.2 275.3 19.3 696 328 63.2 66.1 7962 Portsmouth 3.9 2.2 271.5 19.0 917 265 52.4 63.9 8663 Brighton 3.8 2.4 278.3 19.8 579 239 58.5 65.3 8563 Bangor 3.9 2.4 282.6 19.2 751 200 55.7 67.8 8465 De Montfort 3.9 2.3 248.1 17.2 731 232 51.1 65.7 8265 UWIC - Cardiff 3.8 1.9 261.4 20.1 798 461 51.8 61.5 8367 Chichester 4.0 2.0 233.5 18.8 567 377 49.3 64.0 8968 Sheffield Hallam 3.7 2.0 268.5 18.9 735 239 61.3 64.2 8469 Winchester 3.9 2.2 261.2 17.5 588 271 55.7 55.6 8670 University for the Creative Arts 3.6 2.3 246.9 24.9 1,167 284 51.2 58.2 8571 Gloucestershire 3.8 1.7 239.0 18.7 886 354 56.2 64.2 8272 Edinburgh Napier 3.8 1.8 291.3 18.3 780 154 62.4 72.9 7372 Bedfordshire 3.8 2.1 215.1 15.7 662 426 47.8 66.7 7574 Glasgow Caledonian 3.8 2.0 328.0 21.8 814 159 66.5 68.8 7775 Plymouth 3.8 2.2 267.7 15.9 787 251 61.4 58.0 8476 Salford 3.7 2.4 252.9 18.8 725 300 55.1 62.7 7677 Lampeter 4.0 2.1 251.9 15.5 658 149 52.8 61.8 8378 Lincoln 3.9 1.9 265.7 22.9 724 228 57.1 60.4 8579 Central Lancashire 3.8 2.0 252.1 20.2 826 361 49.3 70.1 7380 Staffordshire 3.8 1.6 231.7 17.9 897 311 53.0 69.0 7881 Kingston 3.8 2.0 236.2 19.4 723 310 60.1 61.0 7982 Manchester Metropolitan 3.6 2.2 265.8 19.9 779 242 57.2 63.8 7982 Bath Spa 3.9 1.9 287.5 24.0 418 133 67.7 59.0 8784 Huddersfield 3.8 2.1 265.4 16.3 671 205 51.9 56.9 8185 Coventry 3.7 1.9 279.9 20.8 798 294 61.0 67.5 7586 Queen Margaret 3.8 1.4 328.3 20.7 833 111 65.3 69.2 7987 Roehampton 3.6 2.2 250.7 18.9 1,049 215 51.0 56.8 7888 Middlesex 3.7 2.2 194.3 24.1 1,476 442 50.8 64.4 6589 Westminster 3.6 2.2 248.8 16.5 581 237 51.5 54.1 7890 Chester 3.8 1.7 266.6 19.3 534 210 54.8 65.1 7890 Glamorgan 3.7 2.0 263.1 18.0 701 297 52.4 60.4 6991 York St John 3.8 1.4 287.8 20.3 875 299 52.9 58.8 8492 Teesside 3.9 2.0 256.6 19.9 668 196 52.4 67.3 7393 Sunderland 3.9 1.9 225.9 17.1 554 311 50.2 59.3 7695 Abertay Dundee 3.8 1.8 279.5 20.5 1,260 246 48.3 53.3 7096 Worcester 3.9 1.5 235.7 20.3 708 165 48.4 68.2 8497 Leeds Metropolitan 3.5 2.1 256.9 23.1 825 120 53.0 59.9 8298 Thames Valley 3.8 1.7 196.5 16.8 878 432 50.4 59.7 6498 University of Wales - Newport 3.8 2.4 228.6 26.4 530 304 54.8 55.8 72100 Glyndwr 3.8 1.7 212.3 20.0 776 345 50.6 69.3 70101 Derby 3.7 2.0 231.4 19.2 1,073 251 46.6 54.9 76102 Wolverhampton 3.7 2.0 203.6 19.2 800 419 44.6 60.9 73103 Buckinghamshire New 3.6 1.7 210.4 20.4 550 633 46.3 50.9 80104 Liverpool John Moores 3.7 2.2 243.8 19.7 790 212 45.7 58.8 76104 Northampton 3.8 1.7 233.2 20.8 693 209 53.7 59.5 81106 East London 3.6 2.2 191.2 22.7 725 404 44.4 62.7 72107 Canterbury Christ Church 3.8 1.8 237.8 19.1 537 148 49.7 59.0 80108 Cumbria 3.7 1.2 255.8 31.7 496 181 48.8 71.4 85109 Edge Hill 3.8 1.5 248.3 19.9 928 160 46.1 56.8 79110 Southampton Solent 3.6 1.5 211.0 21.6 699 351 45.7 56.6 75111 Greenwich 3.9 1.9 211.7 23.1 619 219 44.9 59.6 76112 Bolton 3.8 1.7 213.3 19.4 392 328 53.5 59.1 56113 London South Bank 3.6 2.2 178.6 27.9 652 149 53.7 63.2 69

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STUDY INPAKISTAN 31


STUDY IN PAKISTAN

Under the directive of the PrimeMinister the Higher EducationCommission has developed the firstever ‘Ranking of Universities’ for

Pakistan. Approved through a specialistRanking Board constituted by the Chairman ofthe HEC, the ranking methodology has beendeveloped by the HEC Quality AssuranceCommittee (QAC) through a transparent con-sultative process in which various leading inter-national ranking practices and systems wereanalyzed. The ranking model was developed bythe QAC through extensive stakeholder partici-pation, tailoring the process according to theground realities of the higher education sectorin Pakistan.

The primary purpose of the ranking exerciseconducted by the Higher EducationCommission is to share with the GeneralPublic comprehensive data on the key issuesthat determine the state of higher education ina particular institution. This information is beingpublished to disseminate information on keyindicators of higher education institutions inPakistan to allow students, parents and allother stake holders to make informed deci-sions on higher education institutions. It alsoprovides a transparent mechanism to universi-ties on how they compare against their peers.

The rankings have been presented in broadsubject areas, to account for the evolution ofuniversities in Pakistan towards specializationin certain disciplines. The differing modes ofoperation and features unique to universities incertain disciplines would not allow for equi-table comparisons to be made across the sec-tors. A ranking between subject areas (such asagriculture universities versus engineering uni-versities) should not be attempted as the com-

parisons are meaningful only within each cate-gory. For this reason, the rankings are pub-lished according to broad institutional subjectareas. The ranking of universities will be a con-tinuous process to be conducted every year,with future ranking exercises to compare andrank university departments in key disciplines.

University rankings are inherently controver-sial, and no ranking is satisfying to all. Despiteyears of refinement to their ranking proceduresthe most prominent and widely used rankingsin developed countries still generate discordand draw criticism. The controversy associatedwith rankings essentially arises from the ques-tion of whether the quality of universities canbe precisely measured by numerical indicatorsalone. It is for this reason that all readersshould be cautious about any ranking, andshould not completely rely on the ranking list asbeing definitive. Instead, this ranking is to beused simply as a kind of reference to assist inthe decision making processes. All readers areencouraged to read the ranking methodologycarefully and understand it completely beforelooking at the ranking lists. Readers are then

encouraged to use these rankings as a tool toassist in making sophisticated, informed deci-sions on the basis of all information available tothem.

The Rankings are published with the follow-ing key features: Universities and DegreeAwarding Institutes awarded Charters after2001 have been excluded from this Ranking

Private Sector Universities currently notmeeting minimum Cabinet Criteria forEstablishment of Universities (i.e. those inCategories Y & Z) are not included in theRanking

Universities/Institutes imparting educationvia Distance Learning are excluded

The Rankings are based on data collected onthe following key issues with relative weigh-tages for each provided respectively: Students(17%), Facilities (15%), Finances (15%),Faculty (27%) and Research (26%).

Rankings & Controversy

It is not possible to have a discussion onRankings on Institutions without controversy.The immediate questions that arise are:

Why should we rank Institutions? Is it possible to have a single number for an

Institution consisting of multiple departments?

Can quality be measured?

The controversy surrounding rankings isextensive, yet there is no shortage of rankingsconducted by various Institutions.

University rankings are inherently controver-sial, and no ranking is absolutely objective. Themost prominent and widely used rankings indeveloped countries are typically conducted by

Ranking Criteria for UniversitiesResearch

Sr.# Name of Fields Score1 Number of Research Papers Published by the Faculty Members & Students during 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04 42 Research Papers / Faculty 33 Number of Journals Published by the University 14 Number of Books Published by the Faculty Members 15 Number of Papers Presented and Published at Refereed International Conferences by Faculty Members and Students. 16 Number of Papers Presented and Published at Refereed National Conferences by Faculty Members and Students. 17 Gross Score Point of all Faculty Members as Determined by PCST 28 Gross Score Point/Faculty Member 29 University Organized Conferences/Symposia/Seminars/Workshops at National Level Sponsored by other Agencies 110 University Organized Conferences/Symposia/Seminars/Workshops at International Level Sponsored by other Agencies 211 Number of Patent Designs/Formula/Approved Varieties 212 Number of International Collaborative Research Projects 313 M. Phil. Produced /Faculty 114 Ph.D. Produced /Faculty 2Total: 26

Total Marks: 100

The controversy associated withrankings essentially arises from

the question of whether the quali-ty of universities can be preciselymeasured by numerical indicatorsalone. It is for this reason that allreaders should be cautious aboutany ranking, and should not com-pletely rely on the ranking list as

being definitive.

g g g

32


STUDY INPAKISTAN

Media organizations and despite years ofrefinement to their ranking procedures, stillgenerate discord and draw widespread criti-cism. However, despite the controversy, univer-sity rankings are becoming more and morepopular. The U.S. News rankings have greatprominence and draw increased attention inthe United States and beyond. The UnitedKingdom has several League tablesincluding the ‘Times Good University Guide’and the Guardian’s Guide to Universities.Others include the MacLean’s UniversityRanking in Canada, the German UniversityRanking (Die Besten Unis) in Germany andAsia Week’s Best Universities in Asia. Thereare also several university rankings in China.

The controversy associated with rankingsessentially arises from the question of whetherthe quality of universities can be preciselymeasured by numerical indicators. This is simi-lar to the complaint of whether the quality of astudent can be precisely measured by scores.Universities and professors are continuing toscore the performance of students without anysignificant changes. However students are usu-ally not judged by scores alone- universitiesand potential employers tend to make sophisti-cated, independent judgments.

It is for this reason that all readers should becautious about any ranking, and should notcompletely rely on the ranking list as beingdefinitive. Instead, rankings are to be used sim-ply as one kind of reference to assist in deci-sion making processes. All readers are encour-aged to read the ranking methodology careful-ly and understand it completely before lookingat the ranking lists. Readers are then encour-aged to use these rankings as a tool to assist inmaking sophisticated, informed decisions onthe basis of all information available to them.

Ranking Methodology

The primary purpose of the ranking exerciseconducted by the Higher EducationCommission is to share with the GeneralPublic comprehensive data on the key issuesthat determine the state of higher education ina particular institution. The ranking exercisehas been conducted on the basis of extensiveinformation supplied by the Public and PrivateUniversities and Degree Awarding Institutionslegally authorized to grant degrees in Pakistan.

The methodology adopted in the publicationof these university rankings was developed bythe Quality Assurance Committee of the HECthrough a transparent consultative process in

which various leading international rankingpractices and systems were analyzed. The rank-ing model proposed by the QEC was devel-oped through extensive stakeholder participa-tion, tailoring the process according to theground realities of the higher education sectorin Pakistan. The final methodology proposedby the QEC was presented to the Commissionof the HEC for further scrutiny and approval ofthe ranking criteria.

The process of data collection for the rankingexercise was implemented specific to the rank-

ing criteria approved by the Commission. Anextensive questionnaire was developed andsent to all universities for completion. Onreceipt of the data from the Universities, theHEC conducted an exhaustive process of vet-ting to ensure that the data provided by the uni-versities was indeed accurate. The detailedproforma on which the Institutions of higherlearning supplied information is available here.The data was collected for the financial years2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004.

The data collected through this exercise was

Ranking Criteria for Universities

StudentsSr.# Name of Fields Score1 Student produced having 16 years of education 22 Student produced having M.Phil/16 + years of education 33 Number of Ph.D. Produced. 44 Student Selectivity 55 % of students getting admission having 60% and above marks 3Total: 17

FacilitiesSr.# Name of Fields Score1 Number of Books in Main Library 22 Number of Books / Student 23 Number of Journals Subscribed in the Main Library 14 Number of Computers for Students per Student. 15 Number of Computers for Faculty per Faculty. 16 Bandwidth per Student 27 Labs for Practical 28 Number of Teams Participating in Inter University Games 19 Ranking of University in Inter University Games 110 Equipment Costing >2 million (Operational) 2Total: 15

FinancesSr.# Name of Fields Score1 Amount Generated through Own Sources as (% age ) of Tot. Budget 22 Amount Spent on Library + Research as % of Total Budget 43 Recurring Expenditure / Student 54 Non-Recurring Expenditure/ Student 4Total: 15

FacultySr.# Name of Fields Score1 Full Time Ph.D. Faculty 32 Ratio of Ph.D. Faculty to Total Faculty 93 Full Time Faculty having M.Phil/16 + years of Education 24 National & International Awards won by Faculty 25 Student Teacher Ratio 56 Trainings received by Faculty 27 Amount of Funds obtained through Competitive Grants 4 Total: 27

33

processed through the ranking methodology toobtain preliminary ranking lists for universities.The rankings generated through this processwere presented to the Ranking Board, a Boardof eminent educationists constituted by theChairman of the HEC under the directive of thePrime Minister, for final review and approval.

The final Ranking Criteria used to generatethe rankings under this process are provided inthe table below. Each of the five keyCategories for this exercise, namely Students,Facilities, Finances, Faculty and Research, isassigned a weightage with the cumulativetotals of the Categories adding to 100.

Each individual Category is comprised ofranking Criteria relevant to the field, with eachassigned a number of points. The cumulativetotal of these points equals the relative weigh-tage of the Category itself.

When ranking the universities, the HEClooked at the information collected under eachof the ranking Criteria, and assigned relativescores to the total number of points assignedto each of the Criteria. The university scoringthe highest number of points under eachCriteria was awarded the total number ofpoints assigned to that item, with the remaininguniversities assigned a score relative to thetotal.

For example, looking at the ResearchCategory Criteria of ‘The Number of ResearchPapers Published by the Faculty Members &Students’ (during 2001-02, 2002-03 and2003-04), if University X scored the highestwith 1000 papers published during the period,they would be assigned the maximum numberof points available under this category, i.e. 4. IfUniversity Y published 800 papers, they wouldbe assigned a score relative to that of the high-est scoring university, in this case 3.2(800/1000 x 4).

The rankings have been presented in broadsubject areas, to account for the evolution ofuniversities in Pakistan towards specializationin certain disciplines. The differing modes ofoperation and features unique to universities incertain disciplines would not allow for equi-table comparisons to be made across the sec-tors. A ranking between subject areas (such asagriculture universities versus engineering uni-versities) should not be attempted as the com-parisons are meaningful only within each cate-gory. For this reason, the rankings are pub-lished according to the following broad institu-tional subject areas: Agriculture/VeterinarySciences, Arts/Design, Business/IT,Engineering, General and Health Sciences.


STUDY IN PAKISTAN

Public Sector Universities/Degree Awarding Institutions

Sr No University Name Year of Charter1 University of Health Sciences, Lahore 20022 Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 20023 Karakurram International University (KIU), Gilgit 20024 Federal Urdu University of Arts, Sciences and Technology, Islamabad 20025 Government College University, Faisalabad 20026 University of Sargodha, Sargodha 20027 University of Education (UE), Lahore 20028 Air University, Islamabad 20029 Virtual University, (VU), Lahore 200210 Balochistan Univ. of Information Tech. and Manag. Sciences, Quetta 200211 Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar 200212 University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 200213 Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi 200314 University of Gujrat, Gujrat 200415 Sardar Bahadur Khan University, Brewery Road, Quetta. 200416 Frontier Women University 200517 University of Science & Technology, Bannu 200518 Institue of Space Technologies, Islamabad 200519 The Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Science, Lasbela 200520 Sukkur Institute of Business Administration, Sukkur 2006

Private Sector Universities/Degree Awarding Institutions

Sr No University_Name Category Year of Charter1 National Textile University Mannawala, Faisalabad W 20022 Riphah International University, Islamabad W 20023 Foundation University, Islamabad W 20024 Institute of Business & Technology, Korangi Creek, Karachi W 20045 Gandhara University, Peshawar X (Now W) 20026 Hajvery University, Lahore X (Now W) 20027 University of Lahore, Lahore w 20028 University of Faisalabad, Faisalabad X (Now W) 20029 University of Central Punjab (UCP) Lahore X 200210 National College of Business Administration & Economics, Lahore X 200211 Institute of Management Sciences (IMS), Lahore X 200212 University of South Asia, Lahore Cantt. X 200313 GIFT University, Gujrawala W 200414 University of Management and Technology (IMT) Lahore X (Now W) 200415 Superior College, Lahore. X (Now W) 200416 Greenwich University (GU), Karachi X (Now W) 199817 Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Institute of Technology (KASBIT), Karachi X (Now W) 200118 Imperial College of Business Studies (ICBS), Lahore X 200219 Nazeer Hussain University, Karachi Z 200320 Al-Khair University, Muzaffarabad Z 199421 Mohi-ud-Din Islamic University (MIU), AJK W 200022 Sarhad University of Science & Information Technology (SU), Peshawar X (Now W) 200123 Preston Institute of Management, Science and Technology, Karachi Y (Now X) 200124 Northern University, 3 The Mall, Nowshera Cantt. Y (Now X) 200225 Preston University, Kohat X (Now W) 200226 Newports Institute of Communications and Economics . Karachi X (Now W) 200227 Iqra University, Quetta X 200228 Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education, Karachi W 200429 Preston University, Karachi X (Now W) 200430 Indus Institute of Higher Eduaction , Karachi W 200431 Forman Christian College, Lahore (University Status) X 200432 Minhaj University, Lahore W 200533 Beaconhouse National University, Lahore X (Now W) 200534 DHA Suffa University, Karachi Z 200235 University of East, Hyderabad Z (Now Y) 2004

Categorization of Private Universities/Degree Awarding InstitutionsCategory W: University/Institutions Meeting Requirements of Criteria Category X: University/Institutions With Minor Shortfalls, Expected to Meet Requirements of CriteriaCategory Y: University/Institutions Not Meeting the Requirements of Criteria Category Z: University/Institutions Seriously Deficient

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STUDY INPAKISTAN

Ranking of Universities by Type of University based on Revised Criteria By the Board Final.Only those universities were considered in the ranking list which were charted before 2002.

Note: Ranking of Universities has been revised on the request of Universities which have recently been upgraded to category X and has enrollment of > 200 students.

University Name TotalAgriculture / Veterinary Research Student Facilities Finances Faculty RankUniversity of Agriculture (UAF), Faisalabad 17.35 14.26 10.51 7.98 16.34 66.44NWFP University of Agriculture , Peshawar 19.17 7.49 8.97 8.22 20.25 64.10University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi 6.50 9.16 1.65 12.48 13.78 43.57Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam 3.57 5.09 9.49 9.32 11.85 39.31Art / DesignNational College of Arts, Lahore 8.40 10.90 6.96 9.04 17.25 52.55Textile Institute of Pakistan, Karachi 7.00 4.62 10.76 10.53 18.60 51.51Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture, Karachi 0.00 6.22 4.84 10.84 6.40 28.30Business / I.T.Lahore Uni. of Management Sciences (LUMS), Lahore 12.37 6.08 8.68 9.66 20.41 57.20Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Karachi 7.45 9.01 5.75 8.08 10.00 40.30Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Sci. & Tech. Karachi 4.97 7.48 5.21 5.00 11.07 33.73Iqra University, Defence View, Karachi 6.37 4.48 3.47 6.50 7.99 28.82Lahore School of Economics, Lahore 2.48 2.71 4.43 10.07 6.69 26.37Institute of Business Management (IBM), Karachi 7.06 2.54 1.63 6.47 4.72 22.41* Qurtuba University of Science & Information Technology D.I Khan 1.00 1.54 3.70 3.09 8.35 17.67* Karachi Institute of Economic & Technology (KIET), Karachi 1.02 2.84 4.60 3.79 3.49 15.74CECOS , Peshawar 0.00 3.03 4.43 2.38 3.57 13.40City University of Science & Information Tech., Peshawar 0.00 2.11 1.43 3.00 3.76 10.30EngineeringPakistan Institute of Engg. and Applied Sciences, Islamabad 11.70 9.73 6.52 12.42 20.98 61.35National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Islamabad 10.10 9.27 8.33 6.84 14.53 49.07Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering, Swabi 10.07 7.69 6.05 8.73 13.24 45.78University of Engg. & Technology (UET), Lahore 7.87 13.00 6.23 2.36 12.81 42.26Mehran University of Engg. & Technology (MUET), Jamshoro 6.30 6.27 4.51 1.80 10.29 29.17University of Engg. & Technology (UET), Taxila 4.90 5.94 3.30 5.72 5.15 25.00National Univ. of Computer and Emerging Sciences, Islamabad 2.47 5.53 3.69 3.88 9.26 24.84COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad 3.36 4.35 2.55 3.26 8.91 22.42NWFP University of Engg. & Technology, Peshawar 2.70 5.23 2.87 2.05 6.00 18.85NED University of Engg. & Technology, Karachi 2.79 5.52 4.40 1.50 4.44 18.65Quaid-e-Awam University, Nawabshsh 2.23 3.58 3.50 3.72 5.61 18.64Sir Syed University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi 1.56 4.95 3.00 4.64 2.91 17.06Balochistan University of Engg & Tech. Khuzdar 0.00 2.49 4.18 3.17 5.74 15.57GeneralQuaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad 17.63 8.14 7.98 4.91 19.50 58.16University of the Punjab, Lahore 10.49 12.04 6.91 5.07 11.41 45.92University of Karachi, Karachi 9.71 7.97 6.99 5.48 11.87 42.01University of Peshawar, Peshawar 10.18 10.86 3.49 3.28 8.98 36.78Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 8.56 7.49 3.04 4.03 10.23 33.34Government College Lahore University, Lahore 6.44 4.98 4.19 7.03 9.14 31.78Isra University, Hyderabad 2.16 4.28 2.67 11.65 9.08 29.84International Islamic University, Islamabad 6.45 6.33 4.58 4.15 8.31 29.82University of Sindh, Jamshoro 6.67 6.65 3.46 3.68 8.54 29.00Hamdard University, Karachi 0.96 2.99 8.65 10.43 4.65 27.68University of Balochistan, Sariab Road, Quetta 5.60 2.16 2.74 7.15 7.04 24.69Gomal University, D.I.Khan 3.60 5.45 2.68 4.49 7.37 23.60Islamia University, Bahawalpur 3.65 5.34 2.32 3.45 8.16 22.92University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir , Muzaffarabad 2.20 2.86 2.31 4.87 9.81 22.05Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 1.18 4.66 2.84 6.65 5.66 20.99Hazara University , Dhodial, Mansehra 2.00 2.97 2.60 5.38 7.52 20.47Muhammad Ali Jinnah University, Karachi 0.73 3.33 2.43 8.23 4.81 19.52Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi 1.48 6.42 2.24 5.42 3.73 19.29Bahria University, Islamabad 0.61 5.97 2.66 5.87 3.49 18.60Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur 1.69 1.21 2.08 6.27 5.95 17.20University of Malakand Chakdara, Dir, Malakand 0.66 7.36 1.36 2.01 2.10 13.49Kohat University of Science & Technology, Kohat 1.26 2.16 2.17 5.22 2.03 12.84National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, 1.82 2.06 2.56 2.94 2.85 12.23* Jinnah University for Women (JUW), Karachi 0.64 2.44 0.84 3.41 1.91 9.24Health SciencesAga Khan University, Karachi 15.87 7.27 10.68 14.85 21.24 69.91Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro 8.40 11.47 7.67 5.81 14.94 48.29Baqai Medical University, Karachi 7.64 9.88 4.11 5.19 5.87 32.69Zia-ud-din Medical University, Karachi 6.47 3.52 4.29 7.67 8.43 30.38

Courtesy: Copyright HEC-The Rankings published are on the basis of Data for the Years 2001-2002, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004

35

The non-official rankings that are producedhave therefore come in for a certainamount of criticism for lacking empirical

depth and perhaps more significantly for beingopen to corrupt practices, such as cash for ‘insti-tutional ranking tutoring.’

Beijing and Tsinghua ReignSupreme

Methodology considerations aside, just aboutevery Chinese ranking you will ever see rankstwo universities – (Beijing) and – as the two bestschools in the country. Almost without exception,the very best students in the annual nationaladmissions examination choose one of the twoacademic powerhouses as their study destina-tion of choice.

Beijing has historically had a stronger arts andpure science focus than Tsinghua, which has itsroots in engineering. Those biases have eased inrecent years, as both schools have broadenedtheir recruiting focuses to achieve a more bal-anced student and faculty body, but subject rank-ings suggest that the perceptions persist.

Moving beyond the top two schools, the topten in the rankings also tend to be fairly uniformand it is only when you look beyond the top ten

that the school placings become a little less pre-dictable.

Government Rankings Perhaps the most significant ranking of top

institutions – although not technically a ranking,more a club – is the recently announced C9group of universities.

The group, which was announced in Octoberof last year, have signed cooperative agreementsthat allow for flexible student exchange programsbetween member institutions, deepened cooper-ation on the training of postgraduates, and theestablishment of a credit system to facilitate theearning of credits at any member university.

The C9, or ‘Chinese Ivy League’ as the groupwas quickly dubbed by media outlets across theworld, has been backed by the Chinese govern-ment, which has been working for over a decadeto elevate a group of Chinese higher educationinstitutions to elite, world-class status. The stageprior to the adoption of the C9 was the 1988launch of the 985 project by President JiangZemin, who wanted to channel supplementalfunding to a select group of research-focusedinstitutions. Today, there are 30 universities addi-tional to the C9 universities in the 985 club, with

funding that has averaged US$92 million perinstitution for scientific research (and as high as$132 million for Beijing and Tsinghua).

From that group of 39 universities, the C9 hasclubbed together in what might be seen as a finalselection of universities from the 985 project thatwill spearhead China’s efforts to produce trulyworld-class universities that can be competitiveon a global scale both in attracting talent and inproducing research.

Quasi- governmental GraduateRankings: The CDGDC

The (CDGDC) is an administrative departmentdirectly under the , operating under the joint lead-ership of The Ministry of Education and TheAcademic Degrees Committee of the StateCouncil.

One of the main functions of the department isto undertake evaluations and appraisals of aca-demic degrees and graduate education onbehalf of the ministry, and as part of that roleranks graduate schools by National KeyDiscipline. The first such ranking was undertakenin 2002 and finished in 2004. A second round ofevaluations was conducted between 2007 and2009 with a total of 81 programs evaluated.


COUNTRY INFOCUS36

While the CDGDC has identified the top institu-tions in each program area, a methodology forthe scores has proven hard to come by. For themost recent ranking exercise (2007-09), wereceived a translated document with a ranking of20 disciplines from a researcher on the project,Mr. Luo at , mainly in the arts and pure sciences.We have included the top three in each field, butcan provide the full rankings for each disciplineupon request.

g Philosophy 1. Peking University 2. Renmin University 3. Sun Yat-Sen University 4. Fudan University 5. Nanjing Univeristy g Theoretical Economics 1. Renmin University 2. Peking University3. Nankai University 4. Fudan University 5. Nanjing University g Applied Economics 1. Renmin University 2. Peking University 3. Central University of Finance &g Economics 3. Shanghai University of Finance & Economics 3. Xiamen University g Law 1. Renmin University2. China University of Political Science3. Peking University3. Wuhan University5. Jilin Universityg Political Science 1. Peking University 1.Renmin University 3.Fudan university 3. Central China Normal University5. Nankai University5. Central Party Schoolg Ethnology 1. Yunnan University2. Lanzhou University 3. Inner Mongolia University4. Xiamen University5. Qinghai University for Nationalities g Sociology 1. Renmin University2. Peking University 3. Nankai University3. Nanjing University3. Sun Yat-sen University

Education Beijing Normal university East China Normal University Nanjing Normal University Huangzhong Normal University Northeast Normal University g Psychology 1. Beijing Normal University2. Peking University3. Zhejiang University 3. South China Normal University 5. East China Normal Universityg Sport Science

1. Beijing Sport University 2. Shnghai University of Sport 3. South China Normal University 4. East China Normal university 5. Tsinghua University5. Chengdu Sport University g Chinese Language andLiterature Beijing Normal University Peking University Fudan University Nanjing University Sichuan University g Foreign Languages andLiterature Peking University Beijing Foreign Studies University Guangdong University of Foreign Studies Nanjing University Tsinghua University g Journalism and Communication 1. Renmin University 2. Communication University 2. Fudan University 4.Tsinghua University 4.Wuhan University g Art1. Tsinghua University 2. Communication University of China3. Southeast University 4. Beijing Normal University 5. Nanjing University5. Nanjing Arts Institute g History 1. Peking University 2. Nankai University 3. Beijing University

Shanghai Jiao Tong World Rankings And finally, the view from China’s ranking of world uni-versities: 1=. Nanjing University (201-302) 1=. Peking University (201-302)1=. Shanghai Jiao Tong University (201-302)1=. Tsinghua University (201-302)1=. University of Science China (201-302)1=. Zhejiang University (201-302)7=. Fudan University (303-401)7=. Shandong University (303-401)9=. China Agricultural University (402-501)9=. Dalian University of Technology (402-501)9=. Harbin Institute of Technology (402-501)9=. Huazhong University of Science (402-501)9=. Jilin University (402-501)9=. Lnzhou University (402-501)9=. Nankai University (402-501)9=. Sichuan University (402-501)9=. Sun Yat-Sen University (402-501)9=. Tianjin University (402-501) * Global Ranking in parentheses** An overview of the ranking methodology is availablefrom: www.arwu.org/ARWUMethodology2009.jsp

Peking University (10=) Tsinghua University (15=) University of Science & Technology of China (24) Fudan University (26) Nanjing University (27) Shanghai Jiao Tong University (29) Zhejiang University (32) Tianjin University (70) Xian Jiao Tong University (75) Tongji University (94) Southeast University (95) Shandong University (101=) Beijing Normal University (110=) Jilin University (116) Nankai University (121) Sun Yat-Sen University (125=) East China University of Science & Technology (140) Hunan University (143) Nanjing Agricultural University (144=) Beijing Institute of Technology (146) East China Normal University (148) Lanzhou University (150=) Xiamen University (151=) Yunnan University (151=) Dalian University of Technology (151=) Donghua university (161=) Suzhou University (161=) China Agricultural University (161=) Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (161=) Huazhing University of Science and Technology (161=) Renmin University (171=) Northwestern Polytechnic university (171=) Beihang University (181=) Sichuan University (181=) South China University of Technology (181=) Nanjing Normal University (191=) Northeast Normal university (1919=) Beijing Foreign Studies University (191=) * Regional ranking in parentheses.** An overview of the ranking methodology is available from:www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/asian-universi-ty-rankings/2008/methodology/simple-overview

The research group that usedto perform the research forthe Times Higher WorldRanking of Universities, QS,undertook a ranking of Asianuniversities last year.According to the QS findings,the best universities in Chinaare as follows:

QS

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37COUNTRY INFOCUS

3. Fudan University 5. Renmin University 5. Sun Yat-Sen Universityg Mathematics 1. Peking University2. Fudan University3. Nankai University4. Zhejiang University5. University of Science and Technology g Physics 1. Nanjing University2. University of Science and Technology of China3. Peking University4. Tsinghua University 5. Fudan University5. Zhejiang Universityg Chemistry 1. Peking University 1. Nankai University3. Nanjing University 4. Fudan University 4. University of Science and Technology g Geography 1. Peking University2. Beijing Normal University 2. East China Normal University 4. Nanjing University 5. Lanzhou University g Business Administration 1.Tsinghua University 1. Xian Jiao Tong University 3. Renmin University 3. Nankai University5. Nanjing University

1. Peking University2. Tsinghua University3. Fudan University4. Renmin University of China5. Zhejiang University6. Nanjing University7. University of Science and Technology of China8. Beijing Normal University9. Nankai University10. Shanghai Jiaotong University11. Wuhan University12. Xi’an Jiaotong University13. Beihang University14. Sun Yat-sen University15. Xiamen University16. Tianjing University17. Harbin Institute of Technology18. Huazhong University of Science and Technology19. East China Normal University20. Tongji University21. Sichuan University22. China Agricultural University23. Shandong University24. Southeast University25. Jilin University

26. Dalian University of Technology27. Beijing Institute of Technology28. Central South University29. Shanghai University of Finance and Economics30. Beijing Foreign Studies University31. China University of Political Science and Law32. University of Science and Technology Beijing33. Northwest Polytechnic University34. Central University of Finance and Economics35. University of International Business and Economics. 36. Hunan University37. Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications38. Beijing Jiaotong University39. Nanjing University of Science and Technology40. East China University of Science and Technology41. Ocean University of China42. Chongqing University43. Northeast University44. Huazhong Normal University45. South China University of Technology46. Shanghai International Studies University47. Lanzhou University48. Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics49. Northeast Normal University50. Communication University of China

Top 50 Universities in ChinaThe Institute of Higher Education at Renmin University produced a ranking of China’s top 50 uni-versities based on an institution’s organizational strength and social influence. The ranking usesa methodology that it describes as being divided 60/40 between ‘core competitiveness’ and‘social influence’ respectively. The indicators under the core competitiveness section are ‘quanti-ty & structure of national key disciplines’ (30%), ‘national discipline ranking’ (10%), ‘articlesindexed in Science Citation Index’ (10%), ‘articles indexed in Chinese Social Sciences CitationIndex’ (10%). The indicators under the social influence section are ‘average scores in nationalmatriculation test’ (30%), ‘university name search index (7%), and ‘university president search fre-quency (3%). Due to data limitations, the ranking only looked at 80 or so universities directly affil-iated to the Ministry of Education, to the former Committee of Science & Technology and Industryfor National Defense (COSTIND), and to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

List of top 50 Universities in China

University (membership of C9/985) 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009Tsighua (C9-985) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Peking (C9-985) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2Zhejiang (C9-985) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3Shanghai Jiao Tong (C9-985) 10 9 9 7 4 4 4 4Nanjing (C9-985) 5 6 6 5 6 5 5 5Fudan (C9-985) 4 4 4 4 5 6 6 6University of Science and Technology (C9-985) 14 15 15 11 13 11 7 7Sun Yat-Sen (985) 11 10 11 10 10 12 12 8Huazhong University of Science and Technology (985) 6 5 5 6 7 7 8 9Wuhan (985) 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 10Jilin (985) 9 8 8 9 9 9 11 11Xian Jiao Tong (C9-985) 8 12 12 14 12 10 10 12Sichuan (985) 12 13 10 12 11 13 13 13Harbin Institute of Technology (C9-985) 15 11 13 13 14 14 14 14Nankai (985) 21 19 19 18 17 17 16 15Shandong (985) 13 14 14 15 15 15 15 16Beijing Normal (985) - - - - - - - 17Tianjin (985) - - - - - - - 18Central South (985) - - - - - - - 19Southeast (985) - - - - - - - 20Renmin (985) - - - - - - - 21

The Chinese Academy of Management Science, a division of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, produces an annual ranking of Chineseuniversities. The methodology is somewhat unclear, but the table below offers a yearly look at the top 20 schools from 2002 to 2009.


38 COUNTRY INFOCUS


CanadaMore Work Needed on PhD Production

The released its educationalreport card in January, grading thenation a ‘D’ in the production ofPh.D.’s (see a comparative ).

Overall Canada improved thisyear in several categories, movinginto second place in the annual com-parison of 17 developed countries.Finland topped the education and skills rankings, and the UnitedStates placed 16th. The report card blames Canada’s poor gradein the production of doctorates on “insufficient support” and saysthe country’s failure to support world-class universities is one rea-son for its comparative weaknesses in high-level academicachievement and innovation.

United Arab Emirates Some International Branch Campuses inDubai May Have Licenses Revoked

Some university branches in Dubai are not meeting the stan-dards of their home campuses and could be closed this year,according to the government department that oversees interna-tional institutions present in Dubai’s tax free zones. The UniversityQuality Assurance International Board (UQAIB), formed last yearto regulate the branches, is halfway through assessing 24 free-zone campuses. In a November meeting, as part of their first fullassessment of the branch campuses, UQAIB members reviewed12 free-zone campuses. The remaining 12 institutions will bereviewed in March, after which UQAIB will issue its decisions.

United KingdomPoints-based Visa System KeepsThousands of InternationalStudents Out of Country

Britain’s new points-based immigration system,design to unmask terrorists and crack down on fakestudents has been blamed for delaying the entry oftens of thousands of legitimate students, accordingto a recent report.

Errors and obstructive behavior by immigration offi-cials have been a major part of the problem, accord-ing to a study by the (UKCISA). The study found thatimmigration officials working for the UK BorderAgency in embassies and high commissions are mis-interpreting the new rules and refusing visas to gen-uine students. The study questioned 2,777 interna-tional students who applied for a student visabetween July and September last year. It found thattwo-fifths of the students had experienced difficultiesor encountered “errors or obstructions” that had putthem off studying in Britain or resulted in them beingrefused visas. Immigration minister Phil Woolas inNovember admitted that more than 23,000 overseas students had been forced to reapply for theirvisas in the last six months and had been granted them on the second or third attempt.

Enrollment Increase at the Research Level Mostly from Overseas British universities have rapidly expanded the number of overseas research students they enroll,

but growth in the number of domestic researchers is far slower, a study has found. The analysis, ,by the and the British Library, published in January, urges the government to make doctoraldegrees more attractive to British students to arrest the erosion of the UK’s research base.

SwedenTuition Fees for International Students in 2011

Sweden is scheduled to introduce application fees, and most likely tuitionfees, for international students from outside the European Union and theEuropean Economic Area from fall 2011. The legislative bill that would legal-ize the details of tuition fees in a country that has until now fully subsidizededucation for all, regardless of citizenship, was previously postponed but isnow scheduled for introduction to parliament in the first quarter of this year.The Swedish government has also instructed the to work out a system forintroducing fees on applications for a study place.

Australia Murders of Indians Add to Woes ofEducation Export Sector

The recent deaths of two Indian men in Australia havereignited a simmering diplomatic row over the treatment ofIndian students in the country.

Indian students make up one in five of all international stu-dents in Australia, or 117,000 places in universities andvocational education colleges in the 12 months to October2009.

The Indian government has recently issued a travel warn-ing advising its students to take precautions while living inAustralia, and especially in Melbourne where many of theattacks over the past two years have occurred.

Japan 2009 International Enrollment NumbersReleased

A record 132,720 international students were studying in theJapanese tertiary sector as of May 2009, up 7.2 percent fromthe year prior, according to statistics recently released by theJapan Student Services Organization (JASSO). Of that number,79,082 were from China, 19,605 from Korea, 5,32 fromTaiwan, 3,199 from Vietnam, and 2,395 from Malaysia.

United StatesForeign Ph.D.s Staying in the US Post-grad-uation

Contrary to predictions that post-9/11 visa restrictions, or increasedopportunities in China and India, would see newly minted internationalPh.D.s running for the border, most foreign doctoral students who

came to the United States to earn degrees in science and engineering are staying on after graduation.

Malaysia Polytechnics to be Upgraded to Offer Advanced Degrees

Malaysia’s has announced plans to implement two initiatives: the upgrade of polytechnics to offeradvanced diploma and degree qualifications, and a move to establish sports centers of excellence ata number of public universities.


99CAREERCOUNSELLING


40 PERSONALDEVELOPMENT

True, love needs to be communi-cated, but words are the weakestform of communication. After all,they are merely symbols, lacking

substance. It is actions that count. William Shakespeare (1564 ~ 1616)

did not say “They do not love who do notSAY they love.” Rather, he said “They donot love who do not SHOW their love.”

Yes, we communicate our love by show-ing or proving it. That is, we allow ouractions to speak for us. Of what value is ahusband’s “I love you,” if most of the timehe is complaining and treating his wifewith disrespect? But a gentle, kindheart-ed, generous, sympathetic husbandbathes his wife with love without utteringa single word.

If you must express your love withwords, don’t just say “I love you,” butexplain what you mean by ‘love.’ For exam-ple, compare these two sentences: 1. “I

love you.” 2. “I respect, admire, andbelieve in you. I delight in your companyand am proud and happy to be married toyou.”

Which would you rather hear from yourpartner? Which are you currently using?But as powerful as the words in sentencetwo are, they will become tarnished, weak-ened, and crumble unless they arebacked up with actions that prove you

mean what you say. Also, even if you are saying the right

words to your spouse, if they are not saidin the right way, they will be useless. Forwhen your spouse interprets what yousay, he or she will give just 7% weight inimportance to the words you use. Farmore important will be the tone of yourvoice (38% weight) and your body lan-guage (55% weight). These percentagescome from the well- known research ofDr. Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritusof Psychology, UCLA. So, whatProfessor Mehrabian is saying is thatwhen there is a mismatch with our verbalmessage and the tone of our voice andbody language, the verbal message is dis-counted, ignored, or not believed.

How do we make sure our words, toneof voice, and body language match per-fectly? That’s easy, be sincere! As long asyou mean what you say, your message will

get through loud and clear. Did you everstop to think why you love your spouse?One reason is the way he or she makesyou feel about yourself when you aretogether.

Armed with this knowledge, you canapply it to your relationship. That is, byencouraging, recognizing, appreciating,and praising your spouse, you will makehim or her feel good in your presence,and this will stoke the flames of love, sus-taining and developing your relationship.Someone else explained this principle bysaying, “I love you not because of who youare, but because of who I am when I amwith you.”

Another reason we love our spouse isbecause of what we are not. Although Ihave considerably changed over theyears, when I first met my wife I was intro-verted and shy while she was outgoingand confident. Because she representedthe ideal of what I wished to become, Iwas attracted to her.

And I greatly benefited from thestrengths she brought to the relationship.How have you benefited from your rela-tionship? When was the last time youthanked your partner for their contribu-tion? But don’t think only about your dif-ferences; think about how you are alike.For example, how do you feel when youare ignored, belittled, insulted, or unap-preciated? That’s exactly how your matefeels.

Remember the pain and be sure not toinflict it on the person you love (or on any-one else).

Remember, too, your spouse is your mir-ror. In other words, he or she merely

reflects how they are treated. If he or sheis upset or unhappy it is because they arereacting to your behavior. So, if you don’tlike what you see, change YOUR behav-ior. Ken Keyes, Jr. explains the ‘mirroreffect’ this way, “A loving person lives in aloving world.

A hostile person lives in a hostile world:everyone you meet is a mirror.” Sinceyour spouse will reflect to you whateveryou give, why not give love? That would bea wise decision, for as Elbert Hubbard(1856 ~ 1915) said, “The love we giveaway is the only love we keep.” Since wegive away our love by taking action, let’slook at some examples of how others haveexpressed their love for their spouse.The husband of an acquaintance diedmany years ago.

Yet, to this day she recalls, with tears inher eyes, how he told her every day, “Ilove you more than yesterday, but lessthan tomorrow.”

This simple act only took seconds tosay, but each day it fanned the flames oflove and left a mark that can never beremoved. In another example, the wife ofa Toronto man who died in an accidentfondly reported how after her marriage,her husband had a dozen roses deliveredevery Friday.

In two decades of married life, he nevermissed a Friday delivery. Can you imag-

ine how special and happy she felt? Whatis something you can do to make yourmate feel special and appreciated?

An easy way to make your mate feelappreciated is to accept them uncondi-tionally. Sam Keen explains it this way,“We come to love not by finding a perfectperson, but by learning to see an imper-fect person perfectly.” Here is a cleveridea that comes from Michael Webb: Buyyour partner eleven real red roses andone artificial red rose. Place the artificialrose in the center of the bouquet and

attach a card that says, “I will love youuntil the last rose fades.”

Why all this attention on love? Becauseas Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)says, “He who comes to do good knocksat the gate; he who loves finds the gateopen.”

Yes, open the gate and open your heartto life’s only true adventure.

Here are two more authors offeringcompelling reasons for us to work on ourrelationships: “Love makes burdenslighter because you divide them. It makesjoys more intense, because you sharethem. It makes you stronger, so that youcan reach out and become involved withlife in ways you dared not risk alone.”

(Arthur Gordon) “Without love one lacksthe warmth and emotions which createlife, youth, and beauty. He is like a stag-nant pond compared with a flowing, bab-bling, laughing brook. He depresses thelife force in those around him instead ofradiating sunshine to all who come nearhim.” Leon DeSeblo

By Chuck GallozziEmail: [email protected]

http://www.personal-development.com/chuck


41PERSONALDEVELOPMENT

“I love you not because of whoyou are, but because of who I am

when I am with you.”

g g g

How do you feel when you areignored, belittled, insulted, or

unappreciated? That’s exactly howyour mate feels.

g g g

For when your spouse interpretswhat you say, he or she will givejust 7% weight in importance to

the words you use. Far moreimportant will be the tone of yourvoice (38% weight) and your body

language (55% weight).

g g g


42 LANGUAGE

VocabularyFascinated by thethought of seeing his

own word in print,the writer may sub-

ordinate the businessof telling about a factor an idea to that if

impressing others withhis knowledge and vocabu-

lary. Unquestionably everycontemplator attempting to pro-

duce good writing should be acquainted withthe Dictionary, thesaurus, and similar books,but he need not prove his acquaintance inevery sentence he writes.

If, the would-be writer wants to bu8ild hisvocabulary, he will study the works of outstand-ing writers, among them such collections as

Wuthering Heights, the Good Earth, ForWhom the Bell Tolls. But he will not stop there.Now and then he will renew-or begin hisacquaintance with Shakespeare, Dickens andother classical writers. He will read poetry-Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats-and note with whatforce and beauty the poets write and yet withwhat an economy of words. If he is uncertainabout the fundamentals of writing, he will notbe ashamed to re-examine the rules of gram-mar, spelling, and punctuation. The young menwho feel they are too busy to bother perhapsshould choose an occupation in which mentalsloppiness may be tolerated.

The realm of writing has a simple geography.Books, for example, are broken up into partsand chapters. Newspapers and magaxines like-wise have their divisions and subdivisions. Inthe domains of poetry and prose alike there are

the still smaller units of- meaning-sentences,clauses, phrases, and words. Out of these thepoet builds stanzas and the prose writer buildsparagraphs neither following a hard and fastrule as to how much he may include or excludein a given area.

Paragraphs

Typical paragraphs-as described in Englishclasses are stout sticks in a bundle of writing.Remove one, and the entire bundle is weak-ened and the stick itself loses its strength. Theordinary paragraph usually has a topic sen-tence-as this one does-which the writer rein-forces by citing examples, enumerating details,making comparisons and contrasts, notingcause and effect, emphasizing by repetition, orby using some other device.

Paragraphs in managerial reports, essays andarticles however, are different from those inbooks. They are usually shorter. For that reasonthey often lack a topic sentence. Yet, they donot lack unity or coherence. What the profes-sional is doing in these short paragraphs is pre-senting ideas and information in smaller pack-ages-packages that are much easier for him tohandle.

There are at least two good reasons whyparagraphs in managerial writing should beshort. Short paragraphs are easier to read, andno publication makes much of an impact on lifeunless it is read, long paragraphs-especially inmanagerial reporting-seem to be off-balance ordisproportionate and hence are displeasing tothe reader’s eyes. Since writing is intended tobe read, it should be presented in the form thatwill make it easy for the consumer to read itquickly and easily.

Paragraphs usually are arranged in order ofimportance, the first, of course, being the mostimportant of all. The vital fact or idea ordinarilyis thrust toward the front of the paragraph. Toavoid monotony, good managers begin succes-sive paragraphs with different words and differ-ent parts of speech. And for the sake of claritythey present direct quotations and summarystatements for example, in different para-graphs.

Sentences

A manager’s sentences are terse, telegraph-ic. They express one complete thought-and oneonly-in compact and compelling English. Theyopen with the most important idea or fact first,hence usually start with the subject, continuewith the verb, and close with the object. Theyare written for readers who-unlike those in thedays of Macaulay and Carlyle- demand that thewriter get to the point quickly rather than leadthem through a maze to find it.

That being the case, the manager fashionshis words into simple, sentences, he uses fewperiodic or balanced sentences and seldominvolves himself or his reader in ling complex orcompound-complex sentences. He believesthat good prose as well as good poetry shouldconsist of “the best words in the best order.”To shorten a sentence, he substitutes a singleword for a phrase or clause. Or, if he finds ‘onesentence too cumbersome, he breads it intotwo to promote emphasis and clarity.

In so far as he chooses an inaccurate andinadequate noun, he may deceive or confuse.When he uses such words as panic and fiasco,

he should be sure that circumstances justify hischoice. Experienced managers use the simplerand shorter nouns never the ornate and grandil-oquent words of many syllables. They preferfire to conflagration, fear to apprehension, legto limb, man to gentleman, woman to lady, truthto veracity, theft to larceny and farming to agri-culture, they know that anthracite is a noun notan adjective, and also that event, incident,affair, circumstance; occurrence-and happen-ing are not synonyms.

Executives likewise exercise care in usingscientific terms, particularly those that pertainto illness and death. For example, knowing thatall persons eventually die of “heart attack.”They say hardening of the arteries, not arte-riosclerosis; sleeping sickness not encephalitislethargica. Every successful manager shunsfigures of speech, but he may use followingexpressions if he feels that these sound quitenatural and do not cause an offence:

Similarly he should be careful to use expres-sions, a few of which are noted below:

Then again his sentences are bright as wellas brief and brisk. They have a crackle andsnap seldom to be found in other writing. Howis this achieved? He varies the structure of suc-cessive sentences, frequently beginning themwith different parts of speech and uses keywords sparingly; that is, he substitutes a pro-noun for those key words rather than repeatthem in the same sentence. When he starts anew sentence, he chooses a word differentfrom that with which the previous sentenceopened or closed. He begins important sen-tences-the title, for example-with importantwords, shunning articles, prepositions,adverbs.

Words

Words are blitzkriegs and black-outs. Theymay strike with sudden swift and overwhelmingpower or they may dissipate themselves inobscurity, confusion, and contradiction. More

than patterns of symbols or sounds, words arethe smallest units of meaning. Effectively mobi-lized and maneuvered, they march forth in liveletters and business correspondence, in newsstories and advertisements, in mystery novelsand scientific abstracts. And the strategist withwords knows that, in each medium of writtencommunication, special tactics and techniquesmust be followed.

Some writers may presuppose aninterest among their readers in what they haveto say. That may be true of scientific and tech-nical writers. But it certainly is not true of theprofessional for words mean profit or loss tohim. An excellent book does not sell. Why? Itstitle arouses no curiosity. But change a fewwords in its title. And it may become a literaryclassic. That has happened more than once.Slogan writers know too that a few well-chosenwords may symbolize the quality and suprema-cy of a product for years. Mention “the beautysoap of the stars,” or “the skin you love totouch,” or “naam hee kaafi hai,” and we imme-diately think of a specific product that has beenpopular for years. Thus a word or several wordsmay symbolize a complete social philosophy.


43LANGUAGE

ball of flame pillar of the church

cheeks like roses police combing the city

eyes like stars sea of upturned faces

feet like gunboats teeth like pearls

hail of bullets the wings of disaster

picture of health vale of tears

bolt from the blue methods in his madness cannon fodder minions of the lawcity bastile music hath charms clubber news leaked out crime wave official circles cynosure of all eyes order out of chaosdenizens if the deep pool of blood feeling ran high sigh of relief foeman worthy of his steel signs of the times heart of the business district speculation is rife he-man superior odds host of friends trend in public sentiment inclemency of the weather variety is the spice of life

In Islam the Holy ProphetMuhammad PBUH says “Underthe feet of mother, lies the para-dise”. This simple dictum symbol-

izes the real stature of mother,for every Muslim the best of thevery best is nothing but paradise

for which one has to do piousdeeds, spend a noble life andlead it according to Quran andSunnah of the Holy Prophet.

g g g

By Dr Nayyar Hashmi

To let you have a feel of this motherlylove, I will narrate you a poem writ-ten by history’s most detested man

and another one which I saw on the net.But before that, a few words from me.

Mother stands for a cozy lap where eventhe mightiest would cuddle like innocentkids. In history the only relation that standsas an embodiment of all love, all affectionis only of a mother.

In Islam the Holy Prophet MuhammadPBUH says “Under the feet of mother, liesthe paradise”. This simple dictum symbol-izes the real stature of mother, for everyMuslim the best of the very best is nothingbut paradise for which one has to dopious deeds, spend a noble life and lead itaccording to Quran and Sunnah of theHoly Prophet. And reward for everyMuslim is the paradise. From this state-ment, it’s clear how great, how reveringand respectful the status of a mother inIslam is.

Sardar Muhammad Chaudhari, one timeIG Punjab and a very good writer, narratesin his book the story of Napoleon’s moth-er. As every body knows, that great King ofKings had many brothers and every broth-er was running the kingdom of one or theother country in Europe. Napoleon’s moth-er lived in her modest Corsica home andused to cook meals for all his sons.Somebody asked her “You know lady,your sons are kings now. “They don’t needto come to you and enjoy your simplemeals”. “Oh no” replied Napoleon’s moth-er. “I know, Monsieur, times may change.My kids might one day loose their rule.They would then come to their mother andask for dinner.


44 MOTHER’s DAY

How is it that my sons come to me and theyremain hungry”.

This story shows what mothers all overthink of their kids. They may be kings,priests, dacoits but for a mother they are justkids. A mother would like to protect her kidsand go on loving them whatever they in theirlife may be.

It’s the mother that brings humankind tothis world. In this respect every mother has agodly character. As God creates humansand protects them whatever they may be. Inour material life He protects everybody irre-spective of his / her deeds. As Allah says, allgood and evil deeds will be rewarded on theday of resurrection. Similarly moms also goon protecting, offering love to kids under allcircumstances.

Though many don’t care about sacrifices amother does during her life time, yet thereare also kids who remember their motheralways having in mind the time she rearedthem. They try to return a mother’s love in thebest possible manner they can.

The two incidents that follow, the first onerelates to a person whom the whole worlddetested and dreaded; a person who had aruthless lust to subjugate and kill all who dif-fered from him, pays tribute to his mother, ason who had a psyche that housed brutalattitudes in many areas but considerablesensitivity in others. A man who preached

merciless vengeance, could sit down andwrite drippingly sentimental poem.

“Consider This” which was published inMunich’s Sunday Morgenpost. An appeal forpatience and kindness toward one’s agedmother, it began “When your mother hasgrown older”.

And now a tribute from another son.After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted

me to take another woman out to dinner orrefreshment. She said, "I love you, but I knowthis other woman loves you and would loveto spend some time with you."

The other woman that my wife wanted meto visit was my MOTHER, who has been awidow for 19 years, but the demands of mywork and my three children had made it pos-sible to visit her only occasionally.

That night, I called to invite her to go outfor dinner. "What's wrong, are you well?" sheasked...

I thought that it would be pleasant tospend some time with you, I responded."Just the two of us," She thought about it fora moment, and then said, "I would like thatvery much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over topick her up I was a bit nervous. When Iarrived at her house, I noticed that she, too,seemed to be nervous about our date. Shewaited in the door with her coat on. She hadcurled her hair and was wearing the dressthat she had worn to celebrate her last wed-ding anniversary. She smiled from a face thatwas as radiant as an angel's. "I told myfriends that I was going to go out with myson, and they were impressed," she said, asshe got into the car. "They can't wait to hearabout our meeting." We went to a restaurantthat, although not elegant, was very nice and

cozy.My mother took my arm as if she were the

First Lady. After we sat down, I had to readthe menu. Her eyes could only read largeprint. Half way through the entries, I lifted myeyes and saw Mom sitting there staring atme. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. It wasI who used to have to read the menu whenyou were small, she said.

Then it's time that you relax and let mereturn the favor, I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeableconversation - nothing extraordinary butcatching up on recent events of each other'slife. As we arrived at her house later, shesaid, "I'll go out with you again, but only if youlet me invite you." I agreed.

How was your dinner date? asked my wifewhen I got home. "Very nice! Much more sothan I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a mas-sive heart attack. I could not do anything forher. Some time later, I received an envelopewith a copy of a restaurant receipt from thesame place mother and I had dined. Anattached note said: "I paid this bill inadvance. I wasn't sure that I could be there;but nevertheless, I paid for two plates onefor you and the other for your wife. You willnever know what that night meant for me. Ilove you, son." At that moment, I understoodthe importance of saying in time: "I LOVEYOU" and to give our loved ones the timethat they deserve. Give them the time theydeserve, because these things cannot beput off till. "some other time."

Happy Mother's Day is a time of commem-oration and celebration in honor of all kindand affectionate mothers of the universe. It isa time of family gatherings, and crayon scrib-bled "I Love You Mother".

Many take it just like any other daywhen people, NGO’s and women

rights activists would make lengthyspeeches but hardly would ponder

in their real life what a motheractually is.

g g g

When her dear faithful eyes

No longer see life as they once did

When her feet, grown tired,

No longer want to carry her as she walks,

Then lend her your arm in support,

Escort her with happy pleasure—

The hour will come when weeping, you

Must accompany her on her final walk

And if she asks you something, then give her

answer,

And if she asks again, then speak!

And if she asks yet again, respond to her,

Not impatiently but with gentle calm.

And if she cannot understand you properly,

Explain it all to her happily,

The hour will come the bitter hour,

When your mother asks for nothing more.

So kind and loving words from world’s most hated

man and he is none else than the German dictator

Adolph Hitler.

Perhaps he too could write this for mother only.

Such is the bond between a mother and the kid.


45MOTHER’s DAY

Nov 2008 | Education Scenario International

This is the age of information technol-ogy (IT) in which we all witnesstechnological advancements taking

place rapidly around the world. Almost allorganizations rely on computers and IT toconduct their businesses and to functionefficiently. Computer systems analystshelp organizations to use technology effec-tively and to incorporate the fast changingtechnologies into their existing systems.

Speaking technologically, the work of

computer systems analysts evolves rapid-ly, reflecting new areas of specialisationand changes in technology. In the fast-moving industry of computers and infor-mation technology, highly-trained workersare necessary in designing and developingnew hardware and software systems aswell as to incorporate new technologies.New areas of specialisation or changes intechnology, in addition to the preferencesand practices of employers have led to

rapid evolution of these specialists’ jobtasks and occupational titles.

Why is a computer system analyst animportant guy?

Significantly, the job of computer systemanalysts involves solving problems andapplying computer technology to fulfil theneeds of an organisation. In an organisa-tion, they help realise the maximum bene-fit from its investment in equipment, per-sonnel and business processes. They may

3 6 Education Scenario International | N o v

also plan and develop new computersystems or device ways in the applica-tion of existing systems’ resources toadditional operations. Most of themwork with specific types of systemssuch as business, accounting, or finan-cial systems, or scientific and engi-neering systems, depending on thekind of organisation. Sometimes, com-puter systems analysts are also knownas systems developers or systemsarchitects.

The job they do: In their line ofwork, system analysts would begin anassignment through discussion withmanagers and users to determine theexact nature of the systems problem.They use techniques such as struc-tured analysis, data modelling, infor-mation engineering, mathematicalmodel building, sampling and costaccounting to plan the system. Theymay also prepare cost-benefit andreturn-on-investment analyses to helpmanagement decide on the feasibilityof the proposed technology to beimplemented. Once the system isaccepted, computer systems analystswill determine what is needed to setthe system up. They would then coor-dinate tests and observe the initial useof the system to ensure that it per-forms accordingly.

In the case of database administra-tors, their jobs involve database man-agement systems software and waysto organise as well as store data. Theyidentify user requirements, set upcomputer databases, test and coordi-nate modifications to the systems.They ensure the performance of thesystem, understand the platform onwhich the database runs, and addsnew users to the system.

So, what exactly does thework entail?

With the rapid changes in technolo-gy, companies now look for profes-sionals with broader background andrange of skills, including technicalknowledge, communication and otherinterpersonal skills. For computer sys-tems analyst and database administra-tor positions, many employers wouldrequire a bachelor’s degree in comput-

er science, information science or man-agement information systems (MIS).MIS programmes are usually part ofthe business school or college, empha-sising business and management-ori-ented course work and business com-puting courses. As more firms movetheir business to the Internet, individ-uals with a master’s degree in busi-ness administration (MBA) concentrat-ing on information systems areincreasingly in demand.

The traits vital to the job: Computersystems analysts and database admin-istrators must be able to think logical-ly and possess good communicationskills. Their frequent dealing with anumber of tasks simultaneously alsorequires them to be meticulous. Theyfrequently work in teams on largeprojects although they do sometimeswork independently. It is importantfor them to communicate effectivelywith computer personnel, such as pro-grammers and managers, as well aswith users or other staff who mayhave no technical computer back-ground.

Employment and places ofwork

Career opportunities are favourablefor computer systems analysts anddatabase administrators due to thedemand for networking to facilitatethe sharing of information, the expan-sion of client-server environments,and the need for computer specialiststo use their knowledge and skills in aproblem-solving capacity. Computersystems analysts are in demand tohelp firms maximise their efficiencywith available technology while thecontinuing need to build and maintaindatabases that store critical informa-tion on customers, inventory and proj-ects would create job opportunities fordatabase administrators who arefamiliar with the latest technology.

Computer systems analysts anddatabase administrators are mainlyworking in the computer systemsdesign and related services industryalthough they are increasinglyemployed in every sector of the econo-my. Many of them are employed by

Internet service providers, web searchportals, and data processing, hosting,and related services firms while somework for government, manufacturersof computer and electronic products,insurance companies, financial institu-tions and universities. There are also agrowing number of computer systemsanalysts who are employed on a tem-porary or contract basis. They aremostly self-employed, working inde-pendently as contractors or consult-ants.

Computer systems analysts anddatabase administrators normallywork in offices and laboratories forabout 40 hours a week. In meetingdeadlines or solving specific problems,

With the rapid changes intechnology, companies nowlook for professionals withbroader background andrange of skills, includingtechnical knowledge, com-munication and other inter-personal skills.

evening or weekend work may be nec-essary. Areas Covered By

One challenge created by expandingcomputer use is the need for differentcomputer systems to communicatewith each other. Systems analystswork to make the computer systemswithin an organization, or acrossorganizations, compatible so thatinformation can be shared. Many sys-tems analysts are involved with these“networking” tasks, connecting all thecomputers internally, in an individualoffice, department, or establishment,or externally, as when setting up e-commerce networks to facilitate busi-ness among companies.

Work environmentComputer systems analysts work in

offices or laboratories in comfortablesurroundings. They usually workabout 40 hours a week—about thesame as many other professional oroffice workers. Evening or weekendwork may be necessary, however, tomeet deadlines or solve specific prob-lems. Many analysts telecommute,using computers to work from remotelocations.

Like other workers who spend longperiods typing on a computer, com-puter systems analysts are susceptibleto eyestrain, back discomfort, andhand and wrist problems such ascarpal tunnel syndrome or cumulativetrauma disorder.

ProgrammesThere are a few different pro-

grammes that open the doors to grad-uates who aim at a career as eithercomputer systems analysts or databaseadministrators, such as software engi-neering programme, information sys-tem programme and either a diplomaor a bachelor’s degree in informationtechnology majoring in computer sci-ence. These programmes are availablein some public and private institutionsof higher learning in Malaysia.

Students taking up programmes oncomputer systems analyst and data-base administration will be taught arange of desirable computing skills,including the ability to analyse, design

and implement systems to meet userspecifications.

On a full-time basis, programmesgenerally require about three years tocomplete. Those without any previouscomputing knowledge or experiencecan begin at the diploma level andeventually, the degree programmes.

Programmes include thefollowing subjects:

Introductory to programmingCalculusCommunication and computer net-

workSystem analysis and design methodMultimedia technologyDatabase administrationTechnical English 1 and 2Fundamentals of Information

Technology Foundation in ComputingInformation Technology Strategy and

ManagementDiplomas programmes usually

require are a minimum of O-Levels orits equivalent (12 years education). Fordegree programmes, applicants shouldobtain pass grades in three subjects,including mathematics and physics fortheir GCE A-Levels (14 years educa-tion)

Favourable job prospectsEducation requirements vary from a

2-year degree to a graduate degree.

Faster increment in employment com-pared to the average due to continu-ous adoption of increasingly sophisti-cated technologies by organisations.

Employers generally prefer appli-cants who have at least a bachelor’sdegree in computer science, informa-tion science, or management informa-tion systems (MIS). Employment isexpected to increase much faster thanthe average and more new jobs areexpected to arise than in all but a fewother occupations. Very good jobprospects are expected as organiza-tions continue to adopt increasinglysophisticated technologies.

As computer systems analysts solvecomputer problems and use computertechnology to meet the needs of anorganization. They may design anddevelop new computer systems bychoosing and configuring hardwareand software. They may also deviseways to apply existing systems’resources to additional tasks. Mostsystems analysts work with specifictypes of computer systems — forexample, business, accounting, orfinancial systems or scientific andengineering systems — that vary withthe kind of organization.

Analysts who specialize in helpingan organization select the proper sys-tem software and infrastructure areoften called system architects.Analysts who specialize in developing


As more firms move their business to the Internet, indi-viduals with a master’s degree in business administra-tion (MBA), concentrating on information systems are

increasingly in demand. Computer systems analysts anddatabase administrators must be able to think logically

and possess good communication skills.

and fine-tuning systems often areknown as systems designers.

To begin an assignment, systemsanalysts consult managers and usersto define the goals of the system.Analysts then design a system to meetthose goals. They specify the inputsthat the system will access, decidehow the inputs will be processed, andformat the output to meet users’needs. Analysts use techniques such asstructured analysis, data modelling,information engineering, mathematicalmodel building, sampling, and costaccounting to make sure their plansare efficient and complete.

When a system is approved, systemsanalysts determine what computerhardware and software will be neededto set it up. They coordinate tests andobserve the initial use of the system toensure that it performs as planned.They prepare specifications, flowcharts, and process diagrams for com-puter programmers to follow; thenthey work with programmers to“debug,” or eliminate errors, from thesystem. Systems analysts who do morein-depth testing may be called soft-ware quality assurance analysts. Inaddition to running tests, these work-ers diagnose problems, recommendsolutions, and determine whether pro-gramme requirements have been met.

Training, other qualifica-tions and advancement

Training requirements for computersystems analysts vary depending onthe job, but many employers preferapplicants who have a bachelor’sdegree. Relevant work experience alsois very important. Advancementopportunities are good for those withthe necessary skills and experience.

Education and trainingWhen hiring computer systems ana-

lysts, employers usually prefer appli-cants who have at least a bachelor’sdegree. For more technically complexjobs, people with graduate degrees arepreferred. The level and type of educa-tion that employers require reflectschanges in technology. Employersoften scramble to find workers capable


of implementing the newest technolo-gies. Workers with formal educationor experience in information security,for example, are currently in demandbecause of the growing use of comput-er networks, which must be protectedfrom threats.

For jobs in a technical or scientificenvironment, employers often seekapplicants who have at least a bache-lor’s degree in a technical field, suchas computer science, information sci-ence, applied mathematics, engineer-ing, or the physical sciences. For jobsin a business environment, employersoften seek applicants with at least abachelor’s degree in a business-relatedfield such as management informationsystems (MIS). Increasingly, employersare seeking individuals who have amaster’s degree in business adminis-tration (MBA) with a concentration ininformation systems.

Despite the preference for technicaldegrees, however, people who havedegrees in other majors may findemployment as systems analysts ifthey also have technical skills. Coursesin computer science or related subjectscombined with practical experiencecan qualify people for some jobs in theoccupation.

What do employers actuallylook for?

Employers generally look for peoplewith expertise relevant to the job. Forexample, systems analysts who wishto work for a bank should have someexpertise in finance, and systems ana-lysts who wish to work for a hospitalshould have some knowledge ofhealth management. Employers usual-ly look for people who have broadknowledge and experience related to

computer systems and technologies,strong problem-solving and analyticalskills, and the ability to think logically.In addition, because they often dealwith a number of tasks simultaneous-ly, the ability to concentrate and payclose attention to detail is important.

Employment of computer systemsanalysts is expected to grow by 30 percent from 2009 to 2015, which is cer-tainly much faster than the average forall occupations.

The monthly earnings of wage-and-salary computer systems analysts wereRs 50,000 in 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between Rs 30,000 and Rs40,000 a month. The lowest 10 per centearned less than Rs 30,000, and thehighest 10 per cent earned more thanRs 50,000.

Advancement

With experience, systems analystsmay be promoted to senior or leadsystems analyst. Those who possessleadership ability and good businessskills also can become computer andinformation systems managers or canadvance into other management posi-tions such as manager of informationsystems or chief information officer.Those with work experience and con-siderable expertise in a particular sub-ject or application may find lucrativeopportunities as independent consult-ants, or may choose to start their owncomputer consulting firms.

How important is Pakistan?The future of computer systems ana-

lysts in Pakistan is especially brightwhen looked from an angle of techno-logical advancement in this scientificand highly technical modern age aselsewhere around the globe. Pakistanhas witnessed a big boost in the ITjobs, even though there has been anoticeable downturn in the worldeconomies. There were around 504,000jobs two years ago and the figure hadan upward trend which continues inthe same direction.

Although these pure professionalsare increasingly employed in everysector, the greatest concentration ofthem is in the computer systemsdesign and related services industry.Computer systems analysts are alsoemployed by governments, insurancecompanies, financial institutions, hos-pitals, management, scientific andtechnical consulting services firms,data processing services firms, profes-sional and commercial equipmentwholesalers, universities and manage-ment of companies and enterprises.

Though a growing number of sys-tems analysts are employed on a tem-porary or contract basis, many of theseindividuals are self-employed, work-ing independently as contractors orconsultants. About 29,000 computersystems analysts were self-employedin 2006.

Job outlook in MalaysiaAmongst the Muslim countries

Malaysia, perhaps, is the only country

Employment of computer systems analysts is expected togrow by 30 per cent from 2009 to 2015, which is certainlymuch faster than the average for all occupations. Themonthly earnings of wage-and-salary computer systems ana-lysts was Rs 50,000 in 2008. The middle 50 per cent earnedbetween Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 a month. The lowest 10per cent earned less than Rs 30,000, and the highest 10 percent earned more than Rs 50,000.


which has made tremendous progressin the field of information technologymuch faster as compared to otherMuslim states in the world. And thisrapid progress made, no doubt, inleaps and bounds is expected to growfaster than the average for all occupa-tions. As a result of this rapid growth,job prospects should be very good inMalaysia.

Employment of computer systemsanalysts is expected to grow by 30 percent from 2009 to 2015, which is muchfaster than the average for all otheroccupations. In addition, the 146,000new jobs that are expected to ariseover the projections decade will besubstantial. Demand for these workerswill increase as organizations continueto adopt and integrate increasinglysophisticated technologies. Job growthwill not be as rapid as during the pre-ceding decade, however, as the infor-mation technology sector matures andas routine work is increasingly out-sourced offshore to foreign countrieswith lower prevailing wages.

The position of InternetThe growth of electronic commerce

and the integration of Internet tech-nologies into business have resulted ina growing need for specialists who candevelop and support Internet andintranet applications. Moreover, fallingprices of computer hardware and soft-ware should continue to induce morebusinesses to expand their computer-ized operations and incorporate newtechnologies.

The demand for computer network-ing within organizations will alsodrive demand for computer systemsanalysts. The introduction of the wire-less Internet, known as WiFi, and ofpersonal mobile computers has creat-ed a need for new systems that canintegrate these technologies into exist-ing networks. Explosive growth inthese areas is expected to fuel demandfor analysts who are knowledgeableabout systems integration and net-work, data, and communications secu-rity.

As more sophisticated and complextechnology is implemented across all

organizations, demand for systemsanalysts will remain strong. Theseworkers will be called upon to solveproblems and to integrate new tech-nologies with existing ones. Also, theincreasing importance being placed on“cyber security”—the protection ofelectronic information—will result in aneed for workers skilled in informa-tion security.

As with other information technolo-gy jobs, employment growth may betempered somewhat as some comput-er systems analyst jobs are outsourcedoffshore. Firms may look to cut costsby shifting operations to foreign coun-tries with lower prevailing wages andhighly educated workers who havestrong technical skills.

Some of the institutionsoffering IT courses inMalaysia

Asia Pacific University College ofTechnology & Innovation (UCTI)

Lot 6, Technology Park MalaysiaBukit Jalil, 57000 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 603- 8996 1000Fax: 603- 8996 1001E-mail: [email protected]: www.apiit.edu.my

Binary University College, MainCampus

No. 1, IOI Business ParkPersia ran Puchong Jaya SelatanBandar Puchong Jaya47100 PuchongSelangorTel: 603-8070 6590/6Fax: 603-8070 6594/9E-mail: [email protected]: www.binary.edu.my

HELP University CollegeBZ-2, Pusat Bandar Damansara,Damansara Heights50490 Kuala LumpurTel: 03-2094 2000Fax: 03-2095 7100E-mail: [email protected]: www.help.edu.my

Inti College (Subang Jaya)3 Jalan SS15/8,

47500 Subang JayaSelangorTel: 603-5634 3244Fax: 603-5633 4350 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.inti.edu.my

KBU International College No 1,Persiaran Bukit Utama

Bandar Utama47800 Petaling Jaya SelangorTel: 03-7727 3200Fax: 03-7727 2733E-mail: [email protected]: www.kbu.edu.my

KDU CollegeSS 22/41 Damansara Jaya47400 Petaling Jaya SelangorTel: 603-7728 8123Fax: 603-7727 7096 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.kdu.edu.my

Kuala Lumpur InfrastructureUniversity College

Corporate Block, Ikram ParkJalan Serdang-Kajang43000 Kajang Selangor Tel: 03-8926 6993 / 8738 / 3388 / HP No: 019-388 3435 Fax: 03-8925 9846E-mail: [email protected]: www.kliuc.edu.my


Monash University MalaysiaJalan Lagoon SelatanBandar Sunway46150 Petaling JayaSelangorTel: 03-5514 6000 Fax: 603-5514 6001E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.monash.edu.my

Nilai International CollegeNo.1 Persiaran Kolej BBNPutra Nilai 71800 Negeri SembilanTel: 06-850 2338Fax: 06-850 1266 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nilai.edu.my

Olympia CollegeWisma Budiman,Persiaran Raja Chulan,50200 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 603-2050 3638 / 88 Fax: 603-2050 3639 / 89Email: [email protected]: www.olympia.edu.my

Stamford College Lot 7A Jln 223Section 1446100 Petaling JayaSelangorTel: 03-7955 5158 Fax: 03-7958 4705 E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.stamford.edu.my

Sunway University CollegeJalan UniversitiBandar Sunway 46150 Petaling JayaSelangorTel: 03-7491 8622 Fax: 03-5635 8633 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sunway.edu.my

Taylor’s College A4-102, Level 1, Block A4Leisure Commerce Square, 9Jalan PJS 8/946150 Petaling JayaSelangor Tel: 03-7876 3939 Fax: 03-7876 3399 E-mail: [email protected]: www.taylors.edu.my

Taylor’s University College No. 1, Jalan SS 15/8 47500 Subang jaya Selangor Tel: 03-2094 2000Fax: 03-2095 7100E-mail: [email protected]: www.taylors.edu.my

University College SedayaInternational

No. 1, Jalan Menara GadingUCSI Heights56000 Kuala LumpurWilayah Persekutuan Tel: 03-9101 8880 Fax: 03-9102 3606 E-mail: [email protected]: www.ucsi.edu.my

The degrees offered are:1. Diploma Degree2. Bachelors Degree3. Masters Degree4. Doctoral DegreeSemester Offer1. Semester 1: January - April.2. Semester 2: May - August.3. Semester 3: September -

December.

Requirements forBachelor’s Program

A. Academic1. At least 12 years of education

(HSC equivalent).B. Language Proficiency1. Most University require minimumTOEFL CBT score of 173 to 250 orTOEFL iBT score of 61 to 100 orIELTS (academic) score of 6.0 to 7.0as the minimum admission require-

ment.C. Course Length1. Diploma Degree: 2 to 3 years of full time study.2. Bachelor Degree: 3 to 5 years of full time study.

Requirements for Master’sProgram

A. Academic1. At least 16 years of education.B. Language Proficiency1. Most University require minimum TOEFL CBT score of 173 to 250 or TOEFL iBT score of 61 to 100 or IELTS (academic) score of 6.0 to 7.0

as the minimum admission require-ment.

C. Course Length1. Master Degree: 1 to 2 years of full time study.2. Doctoral Degree: 3 to 5 years of full time study.

Subjects forBachelor’s & Master’sProgram

Health Sciences, Economics &Business, Business Management,Accounting Economics, Education,Engineering, Islamic Studies,Information Science & Technology,Law, Medicine, Non-clinical, Clinical,Social Sciences & Humanities, Scienceand Technology, Environment &Development, International Studies,Environmental Management,Agriculture, Forestry, VeterinaryMedicine, Educational Studies,Human Ecology, Food Science andTechnology, Modern Languages andCommunication, Design andArchitecture, Medicine and HealthSciences, Biotechnology andBiomolecular Sciences, Bioscience,Multimedia & Software, Gerontology,Pharmaceutical and NutraceuticalBiotechnology, Plantation Studies.


ExpensesA. Tuition Fees in US$1. Malaysian Private University:Bachelors degree: US$ 8,821.46 to US$ 17,642.91.2. Malaysian Public & Private University:Masters Degree: US$ 5,586.93 to US$ 10,291.67.PhD degree: US$ 8,821.46 to US$ 10,291.67.B. Living & Other Expense in US$1.The cost of living for international students to study in Malaysia US$ 2,940.49 (the cost of living in the city is about 10% higher).C. Accommodation Expense in US$ Types and monthly average costof on-campus and off-campus accomodation per person.1. Private Residential Homes:a. Single room (small) per student US$ 50.81 to US$ 88.22.b. Single room (medium/large) per student US$ 117.62 to US$ 176.43.2. Apartments or Flats:a. Per person per unit US$ 50.81 to US$ 88.22.3. Residential-Student Houses:a. Single room (furnished) per student US$ 50.81 to US$ 88.22.b. Twin sharing (furnished) per student US$ 50.81 to US$ 73.52.c. Triple sharing (furnished) per student US$ 52.93 to US$ 67.64.4. Residential-Furnished Hostel:a. Twin sharing ( include electricity & water ) per student US$ 88.22 to US$ 102.92.b. Quadruple sharing ( includeeletricity & water ) per studentUS$50.81 to US$ 73.52.D. Health Insurance in US$1. International students must haveadequate arrangements for health &travel insurance.2. Insurance cost is:Per semester US$ 29.41.3. It is a good idea to take out travelinsurance before leaving Pakistan.

Other useful tipsA. Working in Malaysia1. Student can apply for permissionto work once they start their courseon a full time study.

2. Students are allowed to work parttime for a maximum of 20 hours perweek only during semester breaks orholidays of more than 7 days.3. On-campus jobs do not provideenough funds to cover your tuitionor living expenses.4. Students wishing to work musthave a valid “Student Pass”.5. Details information about workpermit see- http:www.imi.gov.my.B. Jobs in Malaysia1. The job areas are: restaurants,petrol kiosks, mini markets andhotels except in the following postions: cashier, singer, masseur,muscian, Guest Relations Officer orany other activities deemed to beimmoral.2. Average wages (per month-casualtime):a. Cashier: US$ 588.10 to US$ 882.15.b. Waiter: US$ 264.65 to US$ 323.46.c. Asst. Chief: US$ 441.08 toUS$ 1,470.25.d. Food & Beverage Manager:US$ 588.10 to US$ 735.13.e. Assistant Manager: US$ 529.29to US$ 735.13.C. How to apply to the university1. Check with the departments to seeif there is a closing date for yourapplication.2. You should write directly to theInstitution’s Admission Office fordetailed application information andforms.3. You can also download applicationform from university website.4. Some universities have an on-lineapplication facility.5. Admission Office will inform youabout the documentation, translation,and visa requirements.6. You should apply for the StudentPass at higher learning institutions.7. Institutions will apply on yourbehalf for the Student Pass to theDirector of pas & permit division,Immigration Headquarters.8. Immigration Department will noti-fied through the education institutionwithin one month of the applicationstatus.9. You should start at least six monthsin advance to compile the necessary

information and documentation.10. All applications, processing,approval & issuance of the StudentPasses and Visas are done in Malaysia.D. Supporting documents1. Completed application form.2. English version of your all educa-tional documents including marksheet.3. School/College leaving certificate.4. English language (TOEFL or IELTS)tests result.5. Photocopy of your passport.6. Application fee payment document.7. Security or personal bond fee pay-ment document.8. Student Pass & Visa fee paymentdocument.E. Credit Transfer Facility1. Students may apply for credit trans-fer program at undergraduate or post-graduate level in Malaysia.2. Candidates who have completed 24or more transferable credit hours sub-sequent to graduation from highschool with at least a 2.50 (on a 4.0scale) cumulative grade point average(which must be more than 65%) maybe granted admission as transfer stu-dents.3. You have to submit the followingdocuments to your target university:a. Your application form for theUndergraduate or Postgraduatecoursework programme.b. Official copies of your academictranscript.c. Also include an official letter fromhead of the school/department ofyour university, from where you havealready completed the courses.d. Detailed course outlines (OfficialCopy) including subject descriptions,methods of teaching and assessment,reading lists, number of hours ofteaching etc.e. The academic level you are studying(e.g. First Year, Second Year etc.).f. How many credits you have com-pleted.g. An explanation of the grading sys-tem used at your institution.h. Information on the total units ofstudy requirement ( i.e. how manycredits are required) for the comple-tion of the degree.

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