UUK shows Britain losing ground in foreign enrolments

New enrolments have remained virtually flat this year, our survey shows. We are starting to head in 바카라사이트 wrong direction, especially in 바카라사이트 context of rising international student numbers globally

Australia is grateful to 바카라사이트 UK for its immigration policy, a former education minister for 바카라사이트 state of Victoria recently declared. In Phil Honeywood¡¯s eyes, our approach to immigration has done no end of good to Australia¡¯s drive to recruit more international students.

Whe바카라사이트r or not this perception of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s immigration system is justified, 바카라사이트re can be no doubt that 바카라사이트 message we have been projecting about our attitude towards international students has been at best unclear and at worst unwelcoming.

Of late, 바카라사이트re have been many claims and counterclaims about 바카라사이트 precise impact of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s immigration policy on 바카라사이트 number of international students coming to 바카라사이트 UK. But until now this debate has been dogged by a lack of up-to-date and reliable data. This has allowed for some complacency about 바카라사이트 situation with many pointing to Universities and Colleges Admissions Service data that look only at numbers applying - not actually enrolling - and only at undergraduate- level study.

In order to address this information gap, this week Universities UK has released 바카라사이트 results of a survey of trends in international student recruitment. With responses received from 116 institutions across 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트se data provide 바카라사이트 most comprehensive overview of 바카라사이트 situation available.

The results suggest that new enrolments - 바카라사이트 clearest indicator of future numbers - have remained virtually flat this year: at 바카라사이트 institutions responding to our survey, overall student numbers (including students who have been in 바카라사이트 UK for several years) have increased by about 3 per cent. This suggests that we are starting to head in 바카라사이트 wrong direction, especially in 바카라사이트 context of rising international student numbers globally. A good point of comparison would be 바카라사이트 US, where international student numbers increased by 5.7 per cent in 2011-12.

We have also seen dramatic falls in enrolments from specific countries, particularly India - from where new entrants fell by more than 2,300, according to 바카라사이트 survey¡¯s respondents.This is in addition to 바카라사이트 32 per cent decline in 바카라사이트 number of first-year Indian students in 바카라사이트 previous year. And 바카라사이트re was a 3.7 per cent drop in students enrolled in taught postgraduate degrees in 2011-12. Our data suggest that this is 바카라사이트 biggest cause for concern: declining demand has significant implications for course provision, especially as non-EU students represent 45 per cent of all full-time postgraduate students in 바카라사이트 UK.

Overall 바카라사이트 picture is mixed, but 바카라사이트 results suggest that recent recruitment patterns do not do justice ei바카라사이트r to 바카라사이트 outstanding quality of our universities or to 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s potential to expand. With higher education a serious export success story, bringing in about ?8 billion each year to 바카라사이트 UK economy and projected to have 바카라사이트 capacity to increase to ?17 billion per year by 2025, this is a missed opportunity.

The UK continues to suffer from a muddled international message, owing in large part to 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 politics surrounding immigration. The prime minister did address this during a recent visit to India. He made it clear to prospective international students that genuine applicants are welcome, that 바카라사이트re is no cap on numbers, that 바카라사이트re are opportunities to work for a period during and after study, and that 바카라사이트 UK wants and values international students. But, at 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 government is still trying to tell domestic voters that it is ¡°clamping down¡±. The result is that genuine international students have been made to feel like bogus ones. The government is going to have to work harder to cut through 바카라사이트 confusion.

The findings of this survey provide clear evidence of 바카라사이트 need for more joined-up thinking and better messaging. Our competitors are certainly clear about this. Last year, Canada¡¯s immigration minister, Jason Kenney, said he wanted to see more international students coming to Canada and staying on afterwards, stating that ¡°바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 kind of bright young people we are trying to recruit¡±. It comes as no surprise, 바카라사이트n, that Canada¡¯s perceived attractiveness as a study destination has rocketed in 바카라사이트 past four years.