International: Academic freedom reports worldwide

A new rule makes it more difficult entered for asylum seekers in Britain university, by classifying them as foreign rather than home students. In Egypt, security guards violently dispersed students protesting outside the Ministry of Higher Education in Cairo, and in Bahrain 20-year-old poet and student Ayah AL-Armenia facing prison for reading a poem critical of the regime during a pro-democracy demonstration. Six Italian seismologists and a government official in face trial over deaths linked to the earthquake that destroyed Aquila in April 2009.

UK: New rules barring asylum seekers to go to university

The British government has introduced a new rule that makes it harder for asylum seekers university in the UK to introduce, the Guardian reported on 31 May. Since February, asylum seekers who were granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK while waiting for refugee status and who want to go to university, is regarded as overseas students.

This rule targets mainly young asylum seekers who come unaccompanied in the country, since it implies that they have to pay the higher price and are not eligible for loans and grants or and had no family to support them. Previously, asylum seekers without refugee status are considered the house a student and pay the house fees.

This year, higher rates will also affect the chances of asylum seekers for financial aid. Indeed Alison East, an attorney for the Migrant Children's Project, explained that many organizations previously involved in the financing of education refugee now help house students struggling with rising fees, making it increasingly difficult to provide assistance to asylum seekers now forced to pay international fees.

Many social workers are concerned about the impact of the rule change. As argued by Western Striating, chief executive of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, asylum seekers are expected to contribute to British society and education can provide them with the means to do so.

But the direct result of the rule change will be that many of them will fall from teaching, unable to finance their studies. This new rule very penalize these students, who have already encountered traumatic experiences.