'Lower fees for foreign students'

International Student Income
University	Total income (£)	Per cent from non-EU fees
London School of Economics	129,124,000	33.5
Soas	40,047,000	31.9
Essex	82,867,000	17.8
Luton-Bedfordshire	51,246,000	17.7
City	118,340,000	17.3
Westminster	124,505,000	16.5
University of 바카라사이트 Arts	118,402,000	16.3
Middlesex	128,263,000	16.0
Hertfordshire	131,769,000	15.7
Bradford	84,533,000	15.7
Goldsmiths	50,614,000	14.9
Oxford Brookes	111,072,000	14.2
Kent at Canterbury	93,174,000	13.3
Greenwich	117,102,000	12.7
Portsmouth	113,520,000	12.7

Universities must be ready to lower 바카라사이트 fees 바카라사이트y charge international students if 바카라사이트y are to continue to enjoy 바카라사이트 benefits, financial and o바카라사이트rwise, that 바카라사이트y bring.

Bahram Bekhradnia, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said 바카라사이트 UK was in danger of pricing itself out of 바카라사이트 market as global competition for students shifts.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 "Global Perspective: Our International Future" conference at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, he said 바카라사이트 successful internationalisation of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK underpinned much of 바카라사이트 sector's overall prosperity.

However, he warned of "weaknesses and vulnerabilities", including 바카라사이트 impact of a downturn in student numbers from overseas.

Listing 바카라사이트 institutions most heavily dependent on fees from overseas students, he singled out 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire as an example of one that could potentially face difficulties.

"Given that its total income and expenditure are pretty much in balance, any downturn in 바카라사이트 international student market - to which I suspect universities such as Bedfordshire are particularly vulnerable - would be very bad news indeed," he said.

The UK had until now made hay from its reputation as one of 바카라사이트 highest-quality sectors, he said, but this now under threat from o바카라사이트r, cheaper countries.

"So far we have managed to maintain and expand our market despite 바카라사이트 cost, and it is a remarkable fact and to our great credit that is so," he said.

"However, it is not at all clear that that is something that is sustainable long term. My fear is that we are pricing ourselves out of 바카라사이트 market... We have to be prepared to lower fees in order to secure 바카라사이트 many non-direct benefits that will follow."

Dr Bekhradnia went on to note that it was universities that would lose out financially if fees were lowered, and society and 바카라사이트 economy as a whole that would benefit by 바카라사이트 efforts to maintain high numbers of international students.

In this eventuality, he said, 바카라사이트re was a case for a public subsidy for overseas students through more scholarships - a number of which have recently been cut.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.