Global Warming and Education Abroad

Not that long ago, a major concern amongst universitywashed away.
administrations and student recruiters in the UK andOne likely thing is that the clean-up will include a deep
Australia was the effect the increased threats oflook at what can be done to protect some of the
terrorism against those countries - and the US - wouldworld's greatest universities, their facilities - and their
have on the numbers of students who wanted to dostudents. For the most part, terrorism has been a treat
advanced academic work in those countries. Wouldthat has manifested mostly in London - and terrorist
parents wanting to give their children the bestattacks have not had an only-in-England stamp. As but
educational advantages available also send theirone conspicuous example, the generations-old conflicts
children into potential war zones?between native Thai Buddhist and separatist Thai
The actual effect has been hard to measure, since theMuslim populations in Thailand's southernmost three
factor is not easily quantifiable.provinces have, over the last year, reached new
Right now, one of the world's biggest security threats -peaks of violence sparked by an energized
a steadily heating global climate and the extremeinsurgencies. Thai students thinking of studying abroad
weather changes that seem to be caused by it - isin countries such as the UK would be only too familiar
striking the UK at its literal heart, giving universitieswith the ubiquity of world terrorism.
throughout the country a host of new things to worryHow universities everywhere - not just in the UK - deal
about. Britain is undergoing its greatest flooding in atwith the 'extreme weather' we have been told to
least 60 years - not incidentally at the same timeprepare for throughout the world could have profound
southern Europe is withering under a record heateffects on the very nature of the educations those
wave that has taken the lives of at least 60 people asuniversities offer. Until now, they have, for the most
of this writing.part, promised advanced insights and training in the
A glimpse at a map of the areas hardest hit by thepractices of international business. Now that global
floods in England bring place names renownedclimate change in all its aspects is threatening to
throughout the world. The prime example, Oxford, onbecome a 'growth industry' - from earth science to
the River Thames, is synonymous with British higherpublic policy - the opportunity to educate and train
education. It's still what newscaster call 'early days', soyoung students in a range of new knowledge and skill
there's no telling what the damage to Oxford andareas they may well need to survive, wherever they
others of Britain's top universities have been or willlive and work after earning advanced degrees, is one
eventually be. At the time of this writing, the concern isthey will miss at the world's collective peril.
still for saving lives and whole towns from being