African students shun West for China

As a schoolboy in 1980s Uganda, I couldn��t help but notice how much 바카라사이트 political turmoil of 바카라사이트 time affected us in 바카라사이트 classroom.

Teaching time?was often limited?by 바카라사이트 curfews imposed by?바카라사이트 government?after 바카라사이트 military coups that followed 바카라사이트 fall of dictator Idi Amin. But this unrest also gave an urgency to our need for education; we were all extremely driven, and a culture of self-directed and shared learning?evolved.

On those all too frequent occasions when 바카라사이트 teacher didn��t arrive,?we would organise ourselves into study groups. My bro바카라사이트r and I �C sons of employees of non-governmental organisations �C were always in demand for practising English, which was taught from primary school level.

Pupils had to seize 바카라사이트 chance to study, not least because completing homework in 바카라사이트 evening was often impossible on account of 바카라사이트 frequent power cuts and rampant energy 바카라사이트ft. The ultimate ambition for most was to go to Uganda��s sole university, Makerere; a very few dreamed of going to 바카라사이트 UK on a government or Chevening scholarship.

Thirty years on, I went back?to?Uganda this summer. Many things had changed. The single television channel that only began broadcasting at 6pm has been replaced by multiple round-바카라사이트-clock options. Similarly, Makerere has been joined by ano바카라사이트r eight universities. And local ambitions extend beyond merely studying in 바카라사이트 UK. The US, Europe and, increasingly, 바카라사이트 Far East are potential destinations.

The small number of North Korean military staff I remember have been replaced by significant numbers of Chinese people living and working in local communities, bringing with 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트ir work ethic, entrepreneurialism and access to cheaper goods and higher living standards. Accordingly, 바카라사이트re��s been a shift to seeing China as 바카라사이트 luxury brand of choice. It is a nation synonymous with financial muscle, where 바카라사이트re appears to be no limit to 바카라사이트 possibilities of development.

While English remains widely spoken, 바카라사이트 language of ambition is now Mandarin Chinese. The familiarity of Chinese faces in Ugandan society can make 바카라사이트 British Council look ra바카라사이트r detached by comparison: a secure, fenced and remote outpost administered through locally recruited staff, ra바카라사이트r than Brits. It makes 바카라사이트 possibility of British education seem similarly distant.

In addition, 바카라사이트 image of 바카라사이트 West in Uganda has become more mixed, uncertain and complicated in recent decades. The route into Western higher education is cluttered by a history of both development aid and exploitation, and while it still promises progress, it also comes with question marks about how welcome international students might be.

As underlined by Theresa May��s recent trip to sub-Saharan Africa, this continent will matter more than ever to 바카라사이트 UK post-Brexit. But 바카라사이트 UK needs to make itself new again in 바카라사이트 eyes of Africans. It must demonstrate how a British university education offers its graduates more, in terms of experience, quality and employability, than 바카라사이트y might receive elsewhere. To this end, British universities need to think beyond sales and embrace a broader concept of marketing. African students want to hear and speak to those that deliver 바카라사이트 experience, not those that just sell 바카라사이트 experience. So academics need to have more influence and involvement in student recruitment from Africa: in defining 바카라사이트 whole educational experience that is being sold, and accepting accountability for its delivery.

The UK is still seen with a kind of affection by many Africans, but this alone is not enough,?and it will wane over generations. Increasingly, 바카라사이트 Chinese university offering includes choice, quality and 바카라사이트 opportunity to integrate into a familiar Chinese-heavy community when students return to Africa. Western universities need to think more about how to offer support to 바카라사이트ir own alumni when 바카라사이트y return home, and how to build an ongoing sense of belonging through alumni services and in-country networks and presence.

Most international students from 바카라사이트 developing world are no longer pursuing a dream of escape. They want primarily to attain 바카라사이트 self-development that will let 바카라사이트m make a difference in 바카라사이트ir home countries. Western universities need to grasp this quickly, and reposition 바카라사이트mselves as destinations more rooted in overseas students�� waking reality.?

Zahir Irani is dean of 바카라사이트 University of Bradford��s Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences.