A shocking 40% of South African students drop-out of university in their first year, a major study has found. Financial difficulties among the country's large pool of poor black students are, unsurprisingly, largely to blame first generation students from low-income, less educated families are the most likely to drop out.

Did you know? A recent study by Dutton, Dutton & Perry (2002), agreed that students enrolled in online professional development courses are most concerned with reducing class conflict with work, reducing commuting time and creating flexibility in their study schedules.

Did you know? A study by the University of Illinois (1999) reported that online instruction is not appropriate for every type of student. Online courses lack the face-to-face contact and informal socialization that takes place in a traditional classroom. Some students may decide that these components are necessary for their learning experience.

More and more, adult learners are finding the convenience and flexibility of online learning a match for their learning goals and busy lifestyles. Online degree programs, courses, and virtual universities targeting adult learners have proliferated in the past decade. Although students can easily locate an online course or degree program that's both convenient and accessible, they may face significant challenges in developing a new set of skills for this type of instruction.

Africa’s universities barely feature in the rankings. Some think that for them to even attempt to join the rankings race is a waste of resources that should be focused on improving lives in the communities they serve.

Two main reasons: (1) India's higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States. (2) According to the International Monetary Fund, as of 2011, the Indian economy is worth US$1.631 trillion; it is the ninth-largest economy by market exchange rates, and is, at US$4.057 trillion, the fourth-largest by purchasing power parity, or PPP. With its average annual GDP growth rate of 5.8% over the past two decades, and reaching 10.4% during 2010, India is one of the world's fastest-growing economies

The internet is full of advertisements offering the chance to quickly and easily earn an undergraduate or graduate degree based on life experience. Are these life experience degrees legitimate?

Choosing a business school and choosing an MBA programme are two related matters. So, in addition to these notes, read the article on choosing an MBA programme.

The MBA is a post-graduate programme designed to prepare professionals to deal with all aspects of the complex and competitive world of business today. Click here to read further.

Studying for an MBA need not be a worry with the increasing range of options available at most MBA schools, from studying part-time to taking your MBA over the Internet.