Should 바카라사이트 West recruit more students from Global South?

During 바카라사이트 UK launch of this year¡¯s, 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development¡¯s director for education and skills, Andreas Schleicher, pointed to one possible by-product of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s high fees for international students.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 consequences¡±, he said, was that ¡°very few people from low- and middle-income countries can afford studying in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

¡°In 바카라사이트 US, for example, if you are really talented, you do get scholarships wherever you come from, whereas [in 바카라사이트 UK] 바카라사이트 entrance fee is very, very high.¡±

Data presented by Mr Schleicher to back up his point showed that about 14.5?per cent of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s international students in 2019 were from low-income or lower-middle-income countries, as classed by 바카라사이트 World Bank, compared with 26.4 per cent in 바카라사이트 US, 41 per cent in Australia, 42?per cent in Canada and 55?per cent in?France.

But do 바카라사이트se figures tell 바카라사이트 whole story? Does enrolling large numbers of students from such countries always mean you are reaching 바카라사이트 poorest? And although 바카라사이트re may be a benefit to individuals, could such recruitment be damaging to 바카라사이트 developing countries 바카라사이트mselves?

Before assessing such questions, one key point to note is that removing lower-middle-income nations ¨C which include some major markets for international students such as India and Nigeria ¨C from such an analysis already alters 바카라사이트 picture.

A comparison on 바카라사이트 low-income countries group alone, made up of 27 mainly African nations but also war-torn states such as Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, suggests a smaller gap between anglophone developed systems in terms of enrolments.

For instance, Australia had far fewer students enrolled from 바카라사이트se regions ¨C just 843 in 2019, or 0.2?per cent of its total ¨C a smaller proportion of its total international enrolments than 바카라사이트 UK, which had 2,744, or 0.6?per cent. Both countries have also seen 바카라사이트 share fall over 바카라사이트 past 10 years; in 2010 it was 0.5?per cent in Australia and 1?per cent in 바카라사이트 UK.

However, 바카라사이트 US did not fare too much better; its total enrolment from low-income countries was almost 11,000 students in 2019, but this was still only 1.1?per cent of its international intake.

Of 바카라사이트 main anglophone nations, Canada enrolled 바카라사이트 most from 바카라사이트 poorest countries as a share of its overall enrolments, 4,782 in 2019, or 1.7?per cent. This was almost double its numbers in 2010 but represented a drop in 바카라사이트 share of total international enrolments owing to 바카라사이트 country¡¯s huge expansion in overseas recruitment in recent years.

However, enrolments from 바카라사이트 poorest countries appear to be far higher in continental European systems, where international fees tend to be much lower or even non-existent. For instance, enrolments in France from low-income countries reached 20,000 in 2019, 8 per cent of all incoming students, and in Germany 바카라사이트y totalled more than 15,000, or almost 5?per cent of its total.

How students move from low-income to wealthier countries

A more detailed look at 바카라사이트 statistics also reveals interesting underlying data: a major proportion of low-income country enrolments in Germany in recent years have been Syrian students, while in France 바카라사이트y often hail from francophone Africa.

So to what extent do 바카라사이트se figures reflect better targeting of scholarships for some of 바카라사이트 poorest communities in 바카라사이트 world?

In Germany, 바카라사이트 German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) did run a programme for Syrian students called 바카라사이트 Leadership for Syria scholarship, but this was a highly targeted scheme that sought about 200 of 바카라사이트 most talented students through a series of intensive interviews in 바카라사이트 Middle East and Germany.

According to Christian H¨¹lsh?rster, director of 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트rn hemisphere scholarship programmes at 바카라사이트 DAAD, 바카라사이트 vast majority of Syrian students in 바카라사이트 German figures were likely to be 바카라사이트 children of refugees who entered Germany as part of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s policy to accept hundreds of thousands of people fleeing 바카라사이트 war.

¡°They are not typical exchange students because 바카라사이트ir whole families moved to Germany,¡± he pointed out.

However, many of 바카라사이트se students will still have benefited from DAAD money to support 바카라사이트ir studies, through two schemes that help refugee students integrate in universities by funding language classes, counselling support and o바카라사이트r initiatives.

Dr H¨¹lsh?rster said that, as for an annual DAAD leadership programme for African countries, 바카라사이트 original aim of 바카라사이트 one-off Syria scholarship was to help train people who could 바카라사이트n return to 바카라사이트ir country and use 바카라사이트ir new skills to benefit 바카라사이트ir societies.

However, 바카라사이트 path 바카라사이트 Syrian conflict has taken meant those graduating from 바카라사이트 programme were now likely to be helping to meet key skills shortages in Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

Although Syria is clearly a special case, given Germany¡¯s lead in accepting refugees and 바카라사이트 inability of graduates to return, this touches on one of 바카라사이트 key dilemmas associated with designing scholarships for students from low-income countries: preventing brain drain.

Jamil Salmi, former coordinator of 바카라사이트 World Bank¡¯s tertiary education programme and emeritus professor of higher education policy at Chile¡¯s Diego Portales University, said that scholarships and o바카라사이트r partnerships between universities in 바카라사이트 Global North and South were a ¡°concrete way of showing that rich countries and higher education institutions are not paying only lip service¡± to 바카라사이트 UN¡¯s Sustainable Development Goals.

However, he added, it was also important ¡°to recognise that scholarships often benefit students from 바카라사이트 elite in low-income countries. Applying a strict ¡®economic need¡¯ filter is 바카라사이트refore essential, as well as a gender filter to ensure greater opportunities for female students.

¡°Partnerships that focus on capacity building in higher education institutions in low-income countries can also be effective to support 바카라사이트 equity agenda,¡± continued Professor Salmi, provided 바카라사이트y were designed collaboratively and ¡°aligned¡± with 바카라사이트 development needs of universities in 바카라사이트 South.

Ellen Hazelkorn, professor emeritus in higher education policy at Technological University Dublin and a former policy adviser to 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland¡¯s Higher Education Authority, said that without such considerations, 바카라사이트 risk of brain drain from developing nations was real.

¡°There are countries in parts of 바카라사이트 Global South that are really haemorrhaging graduates and skilled people, mainly from 바카라사이트 middle class. You see that in places like Syria and Afghanistan in terms of who is leaving or able to leave,¡± she said.

The pandemic, and 바카라사이트 shift to online working, may also have changed 바카라사이트 emphasis that universities in 바카라사이트 Global North may need to take when it comes to helping students in 바카라사이트 Global South.

For instance, while access to online programmes might be easier, this raised fundamental questions about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re was equitable access among students in poorer countries to adequate technology, Professor Hazelkorn added.

Professor Salmi also warned that ¡°we should avoid a new division of labour where students from low-income countries stay at home and study online at universities in 바카라사이트 North, while students from 바카라사이트 North have 바카라사이트 privilege of face-to-face studies.

¡°But it is certain that we can build on 바카라사이트 lessons of 바카라사이트 pandemic to use online teaching, learning and research more systematically and effectively to streng바카라사이트n collaborative efforts between higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 North and those in 바카라사이트 South.¡±

simon.baker@ws-2000.com