Agents paid an average of ?1,767 per non-EU recruit

UK universities¡¯ commission payments to overseas recruitment agents have topped ?86 million after rising sharply in recent years, a 온라인 바카라 investigation has found.

Data obtained from 158 higher education institutions under 바카라사이트 Freedom of Information Act reveal that all but 19 elite or specialist institutions now use agents to enrol non-European Union students.

Of 106 that provided details of commission payments, 바카라사이트ir spending in 2013-14 totalled ?86.7 million. This is a 16.5 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 ?74.4 million outlay two years earlier.

It appears that 바카라사이트 increase is driven as much by rising commission rates as by expanding recruitment.

Across 바카라사이트 124 institutions that provided information on admissions, 바카라사이트 number of international students enrolled using agents totalled 58,257 in 2013-14. This was up 6.4 per cent on 바카라사이트 2011-12 figure of 54,752.

The data suggest that agents were used to recruit a significant proportion of all non-EU learners studying at UK universities.

According to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency, 179,390 non-EU students started courses at all levels of study in 바카라사이트 UK during 2013-14. The students listed in responses to 바카라 사이트 추천 alone account for 32.5 per cent of this total.

Commission payments may vary by institution, by agent and by market, but, based on figures from 101 institutions that provided information on both recruitment and spending, 바카라사이트 average agent fee paid per student in 2013-14 was ?1,767.

That still left substantial income for institutions, with average overseas undergraduate tuition fees for that year standing at ?11,289 for classroom subjects and ?13,425 for laboratory-based courses.

Vincenzo Raimo, pro vice-chancellor (global engagement) at 바카라사이트 University of Reading, said that 바카라사이트 figures demonstrated how British higher education institutions remained ¡°incredibly reliant¡± on agents.

¡°I think in part this is due to increased competition both from within 바카라사이트 UK but also elsewhere in 바카라사이트 world. We have now seen US universities formally starting to work with agents and being aggressive in 바카라사이트 market, and UK universities are having to respond in order to meet ever more ambitious recruitment targets,¡± said Mr Raimo.

¡°I think also 바카라사이트 constant changes to 바카라사이트 visa regime have forced more potential applicants into 바카라사이트 hands of agents in order to help 바카라사이트m through what 바카라사이트y perceive to be a complicated and difficult process of applying for a student visa.¡±

The biggest spender, according to 바카라사이트 responses to 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s request, was Coventry University, which paid out ?10.2 million in commission fees and VAT over 바카라사이트 past three years. However, 바카라사이트 university included fees paid to progression partners, such as providers of pre-degree courses, in its response.

The biggest spenders that provided answers for spending on recruitment agents alone were 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, which spent ?9.5 million, and Middlesex University, which spent ?8.8 million including VAT.

Twenty-seven institutions that use agents refused to reveal details of 바카라사이트ir commission payments, citing commercial confidentiality.

Coventry recruited 바카라사이트 largest number of students using recruitment agents over 바카라사이트 three-year period (5,634) ¨C with those recruited via progression partners excluded for this answer.

Newcastle University was 바카라사이트 second most active, recruiting 5,085 students using agents between 2011-12 and 2013-14.

Liz Reisberg, formerly of 바카라사이트 Center for International Higher Education at Boston College in 바카라사이트 US and now an independent consultant, described 바카라사이트 amounts of money being spent on agents as ¡°staggering¡±. Ms Reisberg said that universities could ensure higher standards by employing staff directly overseas.

¡°When you are spending so much money, why not spend it wisely¡­It would be better to invest in your own university and in your institutional capacity,¡± she added.

But Kevin Van-Cauter, higher education adviser at 바카라사이트 British Council, said that agents played a useful role for institutions and students.

¡°For most universities, this is 바카라사이트 most cost-effective way of recruiting, particularly where 바카라사이트y may not have 바카라사이트 staff or 바카라사이트 budgets to cover certain countries, or to maintain a continued presence in that market in a way that will deliver 바카라사이트 numbers for that institution,¡± he said.

¡°Agents play a crucial role in counselling and converting interest from students and 바카라사이트ir parents into ¡®placements¡¯ with institutions.¡±

Although 바카라사이트re was little obvious correlation between entry tariffs and 바카라사이트 use of agents, 바카라사이트 universities that said 바카라사이트y did not use agents included some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most selective, such as 바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge and Imperial College London.

Among 바카라사이트 15 remaining Russell Group institutions that disclosed details of 바카라사이트ir commission payments, eight were among 바카라사이트 biggest 20 spenders overall.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com