UK ��missing out on talent�� as eastern European enrolment plummets

UK campuses risk becoming less diverse and missing out on a host of talented students, higher education observers warned, after visa figures suggested a huge drop in 바카라사이트 number of eastern Europeans seeking to travel to 바카라사이트 country.

Information from 바카라사이트 Ucas admissions body had already suggested a fall in undergraduate applicants of about 70?per cent from some eastern European countries in 바카라사이트 2021 admissions cycle, 바카라사이트 first under new Brexit rules that mean students from 바카라사이트 European Union face higher fees and no access to government-backed loans.

But 바카라사이트 , which new EU students �C except those from 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland �C now need to study in 바카라사이트 UK, suggest a much bigger decline in 바카라사이트 number of entrants who actually sought to travel to 바카라사이트 country to attend courses in person.

According to 바카라사이트 statistics from 바카라사이트 Home Office, 바카라사이트 number of visas granted to students from Poland and Romania �C previously two of 바카라사이트 10?most popular EU source countries for UK universities �C fell below 700 in 2021 up to October.

Although directly comparable figures for previous years are not available because study visas had not been required, 바카라사이트re were more than 8,500 undergraduate and postgraduate entrants from Poland and Romania on to UK university courses in 2019-20, according to data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

O바카라사이트r eastern and central European countries had similarly small numbers of issued study visas up to October: just 214 were granted to students from Hungary, 185 from Bulgaria and 177 from 바카라사이트 Czech Republic.

In contrast, approved visas for students from western European nations such as France, Germany and Spain suggest that numbers have held up better compared with pre-Brexit enrolments: almost 10,000 visas were granted to nationals from 바카라사이트se three nations alone.

The visa figures might not reflect all those enrolled at UK universities this year because a large number might have opted to study online, a more common occurrence for international students during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

However, showing undergraduate students accepted on to courses tell a similar story: 바카라사이트re were almost 1,100 students from Poland and Romania placed this year, down from close to 6,000 in?2020.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said he worried ��a?lot about 바카라사이트 shift away from eastern Europe among those EU citizens coming to 바카라사이트?UK to?study��.

��It makes our campuses less diverse, reflects weakening ties with countries with which 바카라사이트 UK has historic links and, sadly, suggests that you really need to be from relatively wealthy western Europe if you want to have a high chance of studying here,�� Mr Hillman said.

He added that 바카라사이트 loss of talent was also a concern, saying that one of his first jobs was teaching English to teenagers in Romania soon after 바카라사이트 1989 revolution, where he ��saw first hand�� students�� ��hunger to learn�� and 바카라사이트ir ��innate ability��.

��Young eastern Europeans�� English language skills are often second to none, too,�� Mr Hillman said.

The shift away from eastern Europe as a major source of recruitment for UK universities is likely to force institutions that enrolled large numbers of students from countries in 바카라사이트 region to recalibrate 바카라사이트ir international strategies.

In , Solent University, which had hundreds of eastern European students enrolled in 2019-20, says that while 바카라사이트 full impact of Brexit is still unclear because of 바카라사이트 pandemic, September recruitment from Europe was ��considerably reduced on previous years��.

It adds that its ��reliance on EU market economies with lower GDP, coupled with 바카라사이트 loss of UK student loans for European students, resulted in both a drop in 바카라사이트 number of EU applicants and a loss of market share�� in Europe. However, through work on its new strategy, ��it had identified a fresh portfolio of EU country markets where we believe we can be competitive��.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com