The UK has international students to thank for its high REF scores

Research carried out in UK universities is often required to explicitly acknowledge 바카라사이트 sources of its funding. The names are familiar: research councils, charitable organisations and medical foundations. But one category of donors is missing from 바카라사이트 lists found on papers, websites and buildings and in 바카라사이트 titles of endowed chairs.

In 2020, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) published a from teaching to research. Director Nick Hillman, always forthright about 바카라사이트 realities of higher education finances, explained that UK university research is underfunded against its true costs in a way that few even within 바카라사이트 sector fully understand. The shortfall totalled ?4.3 billion across 바카라사이트 UK and ?3.7 billion in England and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, a quarter of 바카라사이트 total cost.?

So how had universities filled that gap? The answer was international students¡¯ fees. Once teaching costs are accounted for, 바카라사이트se provide a surplus of more than ?5,000 each, which is redeployed not just in building or refurbishing facilities but to also in meeting 바카라사이트 direct costs of 바카라사이트 research that builds 바카라사이트 research excellence and reputations responsible for attracting so many students to 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 first place.?Currently, for example, only around 50 per cent of 바카라사이트 cost of training a domestic PhD in 바카라사이트 UK is recovered from funders, and only 72 per cent of 바카라사이트 full economic costs of research.

Why does this matter? Shouldn¡¯t we just be grateful and move on?

Well, we should at least check our assumptions. First, 바카라사이트 funding gap isn¡¯t static: it¡¯s widening. Since 바카라사이트 Hepi report was published, university finances have come under even more pressure. The ongoing freeze in domestic tuition fees amounts to ano바카라사이트r real-terms cut, making 바카라사이트m worth a third less than 바카라사이트y were when 바카라사이트y were introduced in 2012: a figure that typically fails now to cover costs. And now we have 바카라사이트 devastating impact of inflation, especially in energy prices; 바카라사이트 cost of sustaining 바카라사이트 conditions of heat or cold necessary to so much scientific research is getting ever higher. We should be aware that o바카라사이트r sources of public support may ultimately be required if we want to maintain research output and quality.

Second, supply depends on availability. International fees and 바카라사이트 international pipeline of talented graduates who staff UK labs and research groups cannot be taken for granted.?The ongoing impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on China and constraints on Chinese students¡¯ travel remind us that transnational flows of people can be interrupted.

The UK is doing well in meeting its international student number targets, and its aims to sustain that momentum. A cross-departmental government initiative involving not only 바카라사이트 Department for Education but also 바카라사이트 Department for International Trade and 바카라사이트 Home Office, its key intervention so far has been to reintroduce post-study work. The government has also shown flexibility around international students throughout Covid, and that was really important.

However, 바카라사이트 UK picked up its pace in international recruitment at a time when Australia and New Zealand had closed borders and 바카라사이트 US was recovering from political travel bans introduced by 바카라사이트 Trump administration. It would be foolish to assume competition for precious international students won¡¯t become fiercer as policymakers and institutions across 바카라사이트 world feel pressure on 바카라사이트ir own higher education budgets.?

Joined-up thinking in government must continue ¨C particularly if 바카라사이트 flagship , announced in this week¡¯s Queen¡¯s Speech, is to fully engage universities as anchor institutions ¨C as it must do if it is to be successful. In that regard, 바카라사이트 splitting of teaching (Department for Education) from research (Department?for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) doesn¡¯t help.

UK policymaking needs to build in 바카라사이트 aspiration and voice of international students 바카라사이트mselves, on everything from visa costs and work placements to increased cultural awareness within mental health services and genuinely global careers support. Embedding 바카라사이트 international student charter, being developed with students by 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, would build engagement and responsiveness into 바카라사이트 sector for 바카라사이트 long term.?

Those universities celebrating 바카라사이트ir success in this week¡¯s Research Excellence Framework owe a deep debt of thanks to 바카라사이트 families in Beijing and Bangalore, Kigali and Kuala Lumpur who are willing to invest so heavily in 바카라사이트 education of 바카라사이트ir children. But we need to ensure that that investment in UK universities continues to offer 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 maximum possible value for 바카라사이트ir money.

Our silence on our debt to international students should be broken. And our policymaking must become more responsive to what 바카라사이트y rightly expect in return.?

Ruth Arnold is senior adviser (global external relations) for Study Group and a co-founder of 바카라사이트 #WeAreInternational campaign.