Auckland ranked third in Mercer’s 19th annual Quality of Living survey. The global survey looks at 450 different cities around the world.

Mercer’s annual survey is run to for companies, to help them ‘compensate employees fairly when placing them on international assignments.’ The survey considers factors including crime level, economic environment, personal and cultural freedom, political stability, education, housing, transportation and more.

Sydney was named the best city in Australia for quality of life.

Sydney tied 10th in the world with Basel, Switzerland.

Auckland, Sydney and Vancouver, which ranked fifth, were the only non-European countries to make the top ten,

Vienna held its title for the eighth year running. Zurich came in second behind Auckland.

Melbourne came in 16th, tied with Toronto. Amsterdam and Berlin came in 12th and 13th respectively.

Source: Domain.com.au

Sydney beat out the likes of Amsterdam (12), Berlin (13) and Toronto (16), and was only joined in the top 20 by one other Australian city – Melbourne – which ranked 16th.

Perth just missed out, with a ranking of 22, and was followed by Adelaide (28), Canberra (29) and Brisbane (37). Hobart and Darwin were not included in the rankings.

Unsurprisingly, the countries coming in last were unsafe, war-affected cities in developing natures. Baghdad came in in last place. Damascus, Syria and Port au Prince, Haiti also feature on the bottom of the list.

The survey also develops an infrastructure ranking. This ranking considers electricity supply, access to drinking water,  the range of international flights available, mail services, public transportation, telephone services and traffic congestion.

Slagin Parakatil from Mercer said infrastructure in a city has a significant effect on the quality of life of people in a city.

“Access to a variety of transport options, being connected locally and internationally, and access to electricity and drinkable water are among the essential needs of expatriates arriving in a new location on assignment. A well-developed infrastructure can also be a key competitive advantage for cities and municipalities trying to attract multinational companies, talent, and foreign investments,”  he said.

“Cities that rank high in the city infrastructure list provide a combination of top-notch local and international airport facilities, varied and extended coverage through their local transportation networks, and innovative solutions such as smart technology and alternative energy.

“Most cities now align variety, reliability, technology and sustainability when designing infrastructure for the future.”

Singapore topped the list, followed by the second place tie held by Frankfurt and Munich. Australia fared well, with Syndey coming in eighth above Perth at 32,  Melbourne at 34 and Brisbane at 37 on the ranking.

Source: Domain.com.au

Top 10 cities for quality of living

Rank – City –  Country

1 – Vienna – Austria

2 – Zurich – Switzerland

3 – Auckland – New Zealand

4 – Munich – Germany

5 – Vancouver – Canada

6 – Dusseldorf – Germany

7 – Frankfurt – Germany

8 – Geneva- Switzerland

9 – Copenhagen- Denmark

10 – Basel – Switzerland

10 – Sydney – Australia

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for Master’s Courses in UK, 2017

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) in partnership with UK universities offers Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for students from developing Commonwealth countries. Shared Scholarships are usually tenable for one-year Master’s courses only.

The purpose of the scholarship is to contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics who would not otherwise have been able to study in the UK.

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is one of the largest and most prestigious scholarship schemes for international study in the world. Since it was established in 1959, around 30,000 individuals have benefited – 25,000 of them have held awards funded by the UK government, managed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC).

If applicants require a Tier 4 visa to come to the UK to study, they may be required to take an approved English language test and/or be screened for tuberculosis for your visa application. These regulations are subject to change at any time.

Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing master’s degree program at UK Institutions.

Study Subject: Scholarships are awarded to study subjects related to the development of their home country at participating UK universities only.

Scholarship Award: Shared Scholarships are jointly funded by the CSC and participating UK universities. Each Scholarship provides:

• Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (arranged by the university; funded by the CSC)
• Approved tuition and examination fees (funded by the CSC)
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,043 per month, or £1,279 per month for those studying at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2016-2017 levels) (paid and funded by the university)
• Warm clothing allowance (paid and funded by the university)
• Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas (claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC)
• Excess baggage allowance, up to an annual approved limit, when returning home (claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC)

Scholarship can be taken in the UK

Eligibility: To apply for these scholarships, applicants must:

• Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected person
• Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
• Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2017
• By August 2017, hold a first degree of either first or upper second class (2:1) classification, or lower second class (2:2) classification plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)
• Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a developed country
• Be unable, either yourself or through your family, to pay to study in the UK

The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates.

Nationality: Students of developing Commonwealth countries can apply for these Commonwealth Shared Scholarships.

List of Countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Virgin Islands (British), Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn  Islands, Rwanda, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Seychelles, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirements: In order to be eligible applicants must hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard.

English language Requirements: If applicants require a Tier 4 visa to come to the UK to study, they may be required to take an approved English language test and/or be screened for tuberculosis for your visa application. These regulations are subject to change at any time.

How to Apply: Applicants should apply to study an eligible Master’s course at a UK university that is participating in the Shared Scholarship scheme. Click here for a list of participating universities and eligible courses

• Applicants must make their application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS). Click here for full information on how to use the EAS, including detailed guides. The EAS will open for Shared Scholarship applications on 17 November 2016.
• Before applying, applicants must check with your UK university for their specific advice, admission requirements, and rules for applying. Some universities may require you to complete their own admissions application form as well, which may have a separate closing date. They must take the necessary steps to secure admission to your chosen course(s) at your preferred university/universities at the same time as applying for a Shared Scholarship.
• Applicants can apply for more than one course and/or to more than one university, but you may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS to your UK university or applications directly from individuals.

Online Application

List of participating universities and eligible courses

Application Deadline: All applications must be submitted by 23.59 (BST) on March 29, 2017 at the latest. Each university has its own closing date for applications, and most are before 29 March 2017.

For more Details, Please Contact
AK CONSULTANTS, Anna Nagar,Madurai.
0452-4361818.
Website: www.akconsultants.in

Congratulations to our AUT university student Vishnu Raj who has been offered for 3 weeks fully paid trip to Shanghai, China.

Woo AUT is looking pretty colorful for Auckland Pride Month!

Auckland University of Technology (AUT)

AUT is a contemporary New Zealand university focusing on student success, research and industry connectivity. AUT is the second largest university in New Zealand, and has established itself as an institution of global standing and impact. Our success as a university is underpinned by our ability to forge strong partnerships with individuals, institutions and organisations world-wide. These partnerships create opportunities for researchcollaboration by bringing together the best minds to address critical issues of global importance and deliver outcomes with maximum impact

International students

AUT 

AUT University welcomes international students from all over the globe. Located in Auckland, AUT is the second largest university in New Zealand and the fastest growing. We are internationally recognised and ranked in the world's best universities, with several subjects ranked among the top 200 in the world, a five star rating from QS for Internationalisation, Teaching, Graduate Employability and Facilities, as well as AACSB accreditation for the AUT Business School. Our dedicated International Student Support Service team is committed to helping you make the most of your time at AUT.