During his speech, A new beginning, held at the University of Cairo in early June, US President Barack Obama announced a plan for promoting cooperation between the US and the Islamic states in higher education, science, technology and innovation. Calling for “a new beginning”, i.e. a partnership between the US and the Muslim world, the cooperation plan in the field of education fosters: expanding exchange programmes, increasing scholarships, encouraging more US students to study in Muslim communities, offering traineeships in America for promising Muslim students, and creating an online network. A clear expression of friendliness towards the Muslim world.

In parallel, new victories and losses are registered on the US student loans ‘battle field’.  While waiting for the decision of the US Congress, which could overhaul the entire student loans system (see If the lawmakers in Congress decide to support Obama’s plan to abolish the bank-based guaranteed loans programme, servicing contracts like those above could be the only way for banks and other private lenders to take part in student lending.