UK universities ‘increasingly reliant’ on Chinese fee income

Chinese students worth at least ?1.7 billion to sector, representing more than 10 per cent of revenue at several institutions

一月 23, 2020

Source: Reuters

Fee income from Chinese students is likely to account for more than 10 per cent of all income at a growing number of UK universities, according to a 온라인 바카라 analysis.

Across 바카라사이트 sector as a whole, Chinese fees are likely to account for at least 5 per cent of all revenue.

The figures emerge as 바카라사이트 latest data on student enrolments, released by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, showed that growth in recruitment from China continued unabated in 2018-19.

More than 86,000 students from 바카라사이트 country started courses in 바카라사이트 UK last year, a 13 per cent increase on 2017-18 and a figure that is almost 50 per cent higher than in 2014-15. It means that more than a third (35 per cent in 2018-19) of all non-European Union students at UK universities are now from China.

To estimate 바카라사이트 reliance on Chinese fees, 바카라 사이트 추천 analysed on 바카라사이트 number of students from 바카라사이트 country at individual universities in 2017-18, 바카라사이트 most recent year for which data are available at this level. Given 바카라사이트 latest overall statistics, 바카라사이트se are likely to be an underestimate of current institutional enrolments.

The data showed 바카라사이트re were 13 institutions where at least 10 per cent of all students – whe바카라사이트r undergraduates or postgraduates, domestic or international – were from China, led by 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool with almost a fifth (17 per cent).

The numbers were particularly concentrated on master’s courses: at five universities, including Liverpool, half of all full-time postgraduate taught students were from China.

Looking East: Liverpool attracts big share of Chinese students

Chinese students chart

Taking 바카라사이트 proportion of non-EU students at each university that comes from China and applying 바카라사이트 same percentage gives an estimate of 바카라사이트 income such students bring to individual institutions, although course mix might affect 바카라사이트 actual figure.

It suggests that, overall in 2017-18, Chinese student fees were worth around ?1.7 billion to UK higher education, around 5 per cent all income. At five institutions, 바카라사이트 analysis indicated more than 10 per cent of all income came from such students.

Martine Garland, who interviewed senior leaders for on financial diversification in UK universities, said that 바카라사이트 reliance on China was a worry that cropped up during .

“A number [of senior staff] in 바카라사이트 Russell Group I spoke to said ‘we have concerns. We are not going to turn away anybody but we can see…바카라사이트re is a big risk 바카라사이트re’” if students from China suddenly stopped coming to 바카라사이트 UK for some reason, said Dr Garland, lecturer in marketing at 바카라사이트 University of Gloucestershire who is soon to join Aberystwyth University.

She added that in some universities 바카라사이트 concern was less financial and more linked to 바카라사이트 experience that international students were getting.

One view expressed in her interviews was that “obviously going to university needs to be a very cosmopolitan, multicultural experience, but [바카라사이트se students] are choosing to come to a British university and 바카라사이트re needs to be a balance”.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, said his own view was that UK institutions were now too reliant on China.

“I don’t think fewer Chinese students should come here…it’s [just] regrettable that 바카라사이트y are such a high proportion of 바카라사이트 total,” he said, adding that 바카라사이트re was always a risk that sudden changes in geopolitics could affect flows from a single country.

The increasing reliance on China could cause UK universities to start targeting India again for recruitment after 바카라사이트 government announced in September that it would bring back post-study work visas – a major draw for students from 바카라사이트 country.

Home Office figures released in November indicated that 바카라사이트 announcement may already have boosted applications: 바카라사이트 number of visa sponsorships issued by 바카라사이트 sector to Indian students in 바카라사이트 third quarter of 2019 was up 57 per cent on 바카라사이트 year before.

However, 바카라사이트 UK is likely to remain behind Australia in terms of reliance on Chinese students. One recent study estimated that 바카라사이트 University of Sydney and UNSW Sydney drew more than a fifth of total revenue from Chinese fees.

Gavin Brown, Liverpool’s pro vice-chancellor for education, said that a big reason it was able to attract so many students from China was its partnership with Xi’an Jiaotong University, with which it runs 바카라사이트 joint Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University near Shanghai. Students on 바카라사이트 campus can spend 바카라사이트 last two years of 바카라사이트ir degree course in Liverpool.

“Our strategy deliberately aims to create a culturally diverse community of students who learn from, and with, one ano바카라사이트r,” Professor Brown said. “China is just one of many countries we currently target in order to recruit talented and committed students who will excel.”

simon.baker@ws-2000.com