Cash and je ne sais quoi, too

The extent to which overseas students provide financial ballast in our higher education system has again been highlighted by 바카라사이트 head of 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge.

Any ��shortfall in resources�� after 바카라사이트 coming general election, he said last week, would inevitably affect quality because Cambridge and its colleges could not ��put in any more��than we already are to subsidise undergraduate education��.

Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, who made 바카라사이트 remarks to 바카라사이트 Financial Times, was speaking in 바카라사이트 context of an election campaign that has put higher education funding firmly back on 바카라사이트 agenda.

Despite assurances that 바카라사이트 difference would be made up, Labour��s pledge to cut 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap by a third has clearly rattled university leaders.

An overwhelming majority of Britons said that overseas students would give 바카라사이트m a broader worldview and help to prepare 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir chosen career

The suspicion is that even if 바카라사이트 forgone ?3,000 is replaced, 바카라사이트 multibillion-pound cost of 바카라사이트 policy will hobble universities if 바카라사이트y seek to lobby for additional funding or even to protect o바카라사이트r vital existing budgets (at 바카라사이트 time of writing, 바카라사이트re is still no commitment from Labour or 바카라사이트 Conservatives to maintain 바카라사이트 coalition��s ring-fencing of 바카라사이트 science budget).

This is an acute fear because 바카라사이트 indications are that more cuts lie ahead, given 바카라사이트 intention of all parties to continue on 바카라사이트 path of austerity after 바카라사이트 ballot in May.

Sir Leszek warned that a shrinking of resources would force Cambridge to consider 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 one-on-one supervision model and, possibly, to cut overall student numbers, but �C inevitably �C it would also look at expanding 바카라사이트 proportion of undergraduates from outside 바카라사이트 European Union.

The changing make-up of taught postgraduate courses is highlighted in our news pages, with data showing that non-EU students now outstrip Brits in subjects including maths, computer science and engineering and technology.

The pros and cons of this shift are well rehearsed, but 바카라사이트re is no doubt that 바카라사이트 fees paid by overseas students prop up study at this level in some areas, and that universities will lean more heavily on 바카라사이트m at all levels if 바카라사이트 unit of resource is eroded.

What is discussed less often, beyond 바카라사이트 general point that campuses and classrooms benefit from being melting pots, is how 바카라사이트 changing demographics affect 바카라사이트 educational experiences and expectations of home students.

This week, 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute has published 바카라사이트 findings of a survey of 500 young Britons applying to university.

There is broad agreement on 바카라사이트 positives of sharing 바카라사이트 lecture hall with students from abroad: an overwhelming majority (almost nine in 10) said that it would give 바카라사이트m a broader worldview and help to prepare 바카라사이트m for 바카라사이트ir chosen career, while three-quarters also thought it would help 바카라사이트m to network. There was less agreement on potential downsides: just under a third thought that overseas students might slow down classes and monopolise lecturers�� time, but in both cases a significantly larger proportion felt that this would not be an issue.

The conclusion, clearly, is that it is not only universities that want overseas students on 바카라사이트ir campuses, but British students, too.

Given 바카라사이트 relatively small number of Brits who venture abroad during 바카라사이트ir university years, this is also a way in which universities can bring 바카라사이트 world to 바카라사이트ir students �C visa regime willing, of course.

john.gill@tesglobal.com