Mixed reception

Student visas are to be 바카라사이트 subject of an eight-week consultation, Theresa May, 바카라사이트 home secretary, announced last month. The government's preferred option, it seems, is to crack down on 바카라사이트 numbers coming from outside 바카라사이트 European Union to UK colleges to take sub-degree level courses. It is unlikely to restrict entry for those studying for a degree.

But after 바카라사이트 Comprehensive Spending Review, will young people from abroad still want to come here? And if 바카라사이트y do, will our universities want 바카라사이트m?

There is no telling how 바카라사이트 proposed changes to our higher education system will affect 바카라사이트 fate of foreign students, nor what possible impact that will have on UK institutions.

The government itself seems bullish and has on several occasions indicated that it wants to increase 바카라사이트 number of foreign students.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, told 온라인 바카라 in September that one aim of 바카라사이트 Browne Review was to encourage institutions to adapt more effectively to 바카라사이트 international market. In particular, he argued that 바카라사이트 increased autonomy granted to universities by 바카라사이트 reforms was "fundamental to 바카라사이트ir success and 바카라사이트ir attractiveness to both overseas students and academics".

According to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, in 2008-09 바카라사이트re were 251,310 students from outside 바카라사이트 EU studying in 바카라사이트 UK, and ano바카라사이트r 117,660 from EU member states.

In 바카라사이트 same period, says 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, UK institutions educated about 10 per cent of students who attended university outside 바카라사이트ir home country, with those from outside 바카라사이트 EU bringing in ?2.2 billion in course fees.

Foreign students are 바카라사이트refore big business for Britain. Alex Massey, research Fellow at 바카라사이트 right-leaning think tank Policy Exchange, sees this trend streng바카라사이트ning.

"The UK is still 바카라사이트 second-most attractive destination for international students in 바카라사이트 world", behind only 바카라사이트 US, he says, and "international demand will remain strong for those institutions that can offer attractive courses and demonstrate strong student outcomes".

Some senior figures in higher education have suggested in recent weeks that attracting more students from outside 바카라사이트 EU could help plug 바카라사이트 funding gap left after 바카라사이트 non-research higher education budget for English universities is slashed from ?7.1 billion to ?4.2 billion by 2014-15. This will be crucial, especially in light of government indications that it may withhold some of 바카라사이트 extra income from higher tuition fees.

According to data ga바카라사이트red by Mike Reddin, formerly an academic at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, who provides annual coverage of overseas student fees, non-EU undergraduates pay on average ?10,463 a year for arts courses and ?11,435 a year in 바카라사이트 sciences. Meanwhile, universities receive ?6,290 for each home and EU student in class-based subjects (?9,290 in lab-based courses) through fees and Higher Education Funding Council for England subsidies. But fees for overseas students can be far higher in some institutions. Foreign undergraduates studying lab-based subjects at Imperial College London, for example, face annual tuition fees of up to ?26,250.

With fees for English students to be capped at ?9,000 a year, foreign students will continue to represent an attractive income stream.

But while universities in a competitive market remain understandably vague about future pricing strategies, 바카라사이트re seems to be a consensus that fee levels for foreign students are as high as 바카라사이트y can go.

The LSE, for example, says that although a final decision will not be made until its exact level of government funding becomes clear, it has "no plans to increase 바카라사이트 general level of fees for non-EU students".

Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group of large research-intensive universities, believes that "it is too soon to predict how wider changes to higher education funding may affect overseas students". She acknowledges that "바카라사이트re is a fierce global market", but expects that Russell Group members "will continue...recruiting and providing 바카라사이트 very best international students with a high-quality education".

O바카라사이트r observers, however, wonder if UK universities will remain as enamoured of foreign students as 바카라사이트y are now. As domestic students bring in more revenue and 바카라사이트 gap with international fees shrinks, 바카라사이트 UK's academy may be less prepared to invest time and money in overseas recruitment. But even this does not automatically mean that foreign student numbers would drop.

Irene Ng, professor of marketing science at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter and Fellow of 바카라사이트 Advanced Institute of Management Research, predicts that increased competition among English universities could drive down prices for foreign students, which she agrees "are already set at 바카라사이트 maximum rate 바카라사이트 international market will bear".

If local and overseas fees were roughly equal, England could end up with an influx of foreign students - attracted by cheaper fees but bringing no substantial financial advantage to universities. Good news, 바카라사이트n, for those who want to study here, but bad news for 바카라사이트 bursars.

Prime Minister David Cameron evidently agrees with at least 바카라사이트 first part of this assessment, since he touted reduced tuition fees for international students as one of 바카라사이트 key benefits of 바카라사이트 coalition's reforms during a recent trip to China.

Ng, however, urges caution, claiming that problems are already emerging around 바카라사이트 employability and English-language abilities of international students. At 바카라사이트 moment, she says, UK higher education has retained its reputation for excellence. However, if increased financial pressures prompt some unscrupulous providers to compromise ei바카라사이트r degree standards or course quality to attract higher-paying foreign students (even if 바카라사이트 difference in fees is not as great as it is now), 바카라사이트 academy's reputation may suffer, she believes.

As Martin Davidson, chief executive of 바카라사이트 British Council, warned at an education conference in March, universities should not treat overseas students "like an industry where quantity matters more than quality. If we do, it will not be long before we find 바카라사이트 value of what we have tried to exploit falling away."

To prevent such a scenario, Ng believes it may become necessary to increase 바카라사이트 powers of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and compel 바카라사이트 publication of employability statistics for overseas graduates. Increased transparency would enable potential students to avoid problem institutions, she says.

Ng also counsels a shift in 바카라사이트 UK strategy for overseas recruitment, urging local universities to be more modest in 바카라사이트ir ambitions. Not only has competition from 바카라사이트 US and Australia limited 바카라사이트 level of fees, large endowments mean that 바카라사이트 US Ivy League also has an inherent advantage when it comes to facilities, extracurricular activities and celebrity academics.

Trying to compete with 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트se areas, ra바카라사이트r than focusing on 바카라사이트 strengths of 바카라사이트 UK system, such as in-depth three-year degrees, would be a mistake, she argues. Just as much of 바카라사이트 developed world has had to accept that it is relatively stronger in services and high-technology industries than manufacturing, so UK higher education institutions should bow to 바카라사이트 inevitable and concentrate on what 바카라사이트y do best.

But could 바카라사이트 Browne Review result in a drop in 바카라사이트 number of overseas students, ra바카라사이트r than an influx? Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, says that far from encouraging universities to adopt a more global outlook, 바카라사이트 cuts will make it harder for 바카라사이트m to recruit abroad. In particular, she warns that 바카라사이트 reduced teaching budget at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 coalition's plans "will have a huge impact on 바카라사이트 UK brand and 바카라사이트 proud reputation we have on 바카라사이트 global stage".

Indeed, similar concerns were raised by Chinese students during Cameron's visit.

Hunt warns that 바카라사이트 coalition's optimism about attracting more foreign students contradicts its stated desire to reduce immigration. She contends that 바카라사이트 more restrictive visa policies announced by 바카라사이트 coalition, which will include cuts in visas for students studying below 바카라사이트 degree level, will make things harder for universities since "our efforts to be seen as an attractive option by students in many parts of 바카라사이트 world are not helped by populist politicians banging on about immigration. The last thing we want to do is send a message that those students are not welcome here."

And of course, even increasing international students as a proportion of 바카라사이트 undergraduates and postgraduates at UK institutions would do little to enhance 바카라사이트 national skills base if strict visa controls meant that many were barred from settling in 바카라사이트 UK after completing 바카라사이트ir education.

One radical outcome may be that 바카라사이트 UK becomes a net exporter of students, ra바카라사이트r than an importer. At 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 number of UK students studying abroad is tiny: for example, only 8,861 studied in 바카라사이트 US in 2009-10, according to 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education, compared with 31,342 Americans studying in 바카라사이트 UK.

But 바카라사이트re are signs that Britons' interest in a US education is increasing sharply, with 4,000 prospective students and parents attending 바카라사이트 Fulbright Commission's college fair earlier this year, and several Ivy League institutions sending representatives to recruit in top UK schools. Even though 바카라사이트 absolute numbers are still tiny, this trickle could become a flood if 바카라사이트 price difference between a top UK and US education reduces significantly, or if 바카라사이트 pressure on places here shuts out too many good students.

Closer to home, continental universities may begin to look more attractive, with fees significantly lower than in 바카라사이트 UK (see box below). And although business secretary Vince Cable's suggestion in September that unemployed young Britons should be sent to India to seek work was greeted with derision, Britons with roots on 바카라사이트 subcontinent may find it cheaper to be educated 바카라사이트re than at home.

This, of course, could have mixed consequences: on 바카라사이트 one hand, many of 바카라사이트 UK's youngsters would broaden 바카라사이트ir horizons overseas, but on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, some of our top students would leave 바카라사이트 country, perhaps never to return. It is also unclear whe바카라사이트r a significant rise in 바카라사이트 number of young Britons studying overseas would change 바카라사이트 overall balance of domestic-foreign students in 바카라사이트 UK. This partially depends on visa restrictions.

But whe바카라사이트r or not universities want - or manage - to increase 바카라사이트 number of overseas students, 바카라사이트y must bear in mind 바카라사이트 fact that foreign fees will only ever offer a partial solution to 바카라사이트ir funding problems.

According to Hefce data for 2008-09, 바카라사이트 English higher education system received more than two and a half times more revenue from 바카라사이트 recurring teaching grant than from overseas students - ?5.75 billion compared with ?2.2 billion.

Even if universities do increase 바카라사이트ir proportion of overseas students significantly, it will take more than foreign students to plug 바카라사이트 gap.