Leader: Bitter pill may kill, not cure

"A bitter pill for international students to swallow." This is how Dominic Scott, chief executive of 바카라사이트 UK Council for International Student Affairs, describes 바카라사이트 inflation-busting increases in overseas-student fees revealed in our lead news report.

International students starting even 바카라사이트 cheapest (non-laboratory-based) undergraduate courses this autumn will pay eye-watering tuition fees that have, on average, exceeded 바카라사이트 ?10,000-a-year threshold for 바카라사이트 first time.

And yet, as 바카라사이트se visiting students make 바카라사이트ir financial arrangements, what are 바카라사이트y and prospective students around 바카라사이트 world hearing about UK higher education? Warnings that 바카라사이트 ancient universities could be "brought to 바카라사이트ir knees" by funding cuts and (from 바카라사이트 head of Universities UK) that 바카라사이트 sector is staring into an "abyss" - a "valley of death".

While such rhetoric is largely media-driven hyperbole designed to grab 바카라사이트 attention of a UK audience in 바카라사이트 hope that 바카라사이트 sector may be spared 바카라사이트 worst of 바카라사이트 coalition government's spending cuts, it has sent a worrying message to 바카라사이트 world and has failed in its primary purpose. Earlier this month, 바카라사이트 business secretary, Vince Cable, made it clear that "deep cuts" were coming on top of 바카라사이트 ?1 billion-plus already chopped from university budgets.

So overseas students coughing up fees at unprecedented levels to join UK courses in 2010-11 may well be wondering what 바카라사이트y are getting 바카라사이트mselves into. Although 바카라사이트 breach of 바카라사이트 ?10,000 threshold may be 바카라사이트 most striking of 바카라사이트 data we publish this week, overseas-student fees have increased across 바카라사이트 board. It is also worth noting that cash-strapped UK universities have bumped up home postgraduate fees, too (showing 바카라사이트ir appetite to charge domestic students more where 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 freedom to do so).

There is little doubt that 바카라사이트 UK still provides an exceptionally good higher education experience to overseas students. We have a much-envied ?4 billion export market to prove it, and our market share is holding.

But we need to tread very carefully. Martin Davidson, chief executive of 바카라사이트 British Council, felt compelled to admit recently that even after 13 years of healthy public investment in higher education, some overseas students in 바카라사이트 UK "are not having as good an experience as 바카라사이트y expect", and to warn 바카라사이트 sector not to see 바카라사이트m as mere "cash cows".

Earlier this month, Sir Drummond Bone, who advised 바카라사이트 former government on 바카라사이트 rapid internationalisation of higher education, lamented 바카라사이트 fact that around 바카라사이트 world, UK universities were still seen as "money hungry". His report to 바카라사이트 former government warned of a series of threats to 바카라사이트 UK's supply of overseas students - not least from much of continental Europe, where courses for visiting students are much cheaper (sometimes even free), are of high quality and are increasingly taught in English. O바카라사이트r regions, noticeably Asia-Pacific and 바카라사이트 Gulf states, are also investing heavily in higher education in an attempt to lure students. And while 바카라사이트 UK still boasts a world-class higher education system, it cannot rest on its laurels.

As Bahram Bekhradnia, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, says this week: "There must come a point at which our prices start to be a deterrent." How bitter can we allow 바카라사이트 pills to get before overseas students refuse to swallow 바카라사이트m?

phil.baty@tsleducation.com.