India and Indonesia among UK sector¡¯s priority overseas markets

The UK government has announced a set of priority countries to help achieve its goal of growing overseas student recruitment to 600,000 by 2030 in an update to its international education strategy.

A new report from 바카라사이트 Department for Education and 바카라사이트 Department for International Trade reaffirms its?commitment to achieving 바카라사이트 recruitment target?as well as its ambition to increase 바카라사이트 amount generated from education exports, such as fees and income from overseas students and English-language teaching abroad, by 75 per cent to ?35?billion a year, despite 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The update to 바카라사이트 international education strategy, which revises a document first published in March 2019, adds that Sir Steve Smith, 바카라사이트 recently appointed international education champion, will focus on growing export opportunities in five countries: India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.

China is absent from this list of priority markets, but it is included as one of several ¡°important regional markets¡±, alongside Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, Europe and Hong Kong. There have been concerns in?government, and within 바카라사이트?sector, that universities have been over-reliant on Chinese students. The new document says it will ¡°support 바카라사이트 sector to widen 바카라사이트 range of countries and regions from which international students are recruited¡±.

The government adds that it will work with Sir Steve and 바카라사이트 British Council to identify and resolve barriers?that prevent 바카라사이트 recognition of online and blended learning internationally. It also promises to improve 바카라사이트 international student experience in 바카라사이트 UK by exploring 바카라사이트 application process for overseas students, graduate outcomes and employability, 바카라사이트 academic experience and alternative student finance.

Sir Steve said 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 report sticks to 바카라사이트 original recruitment and export targets despite 바카라사이트 pandemic was ¡°a statement of 바카라사이트 confidence that government has in 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트 education sector¡±.

¡°Whilst 바카라사이트re are undeniably going to be some changes in 바카라사이트 short term because of 바카라사이트 pandemic and Brexit, it's very reassuring for me in my role and for 바카라사이트 whole education sector that 바카라사이트 government has that faith and, since 바카라사이트 launch of 바카라사이트 strategy in 2019, has done things to support 바카라사이트 education sector, specifically 바카라사이트 changes on visas,¡± he said.

Sir Steve added that 바카라사이트 five priority countries were picked on 바카라사이트 basis that 바카라사이트y would account for 바카라사이트 most growth. He said that ¡°China is clearly going to continue to be a major partner and market, but 바카라사이트 realisation of having too many eggs in one basket is 바카라사이트 issue¡±.

The report also includes new details on 바카라사이트 Turing scheme ¨C 바카라사이트 government¡¯s domestic alternative to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s Erasmus+ student exchange programme. It says that a call for bids will open in March and it expects ¡°tuition fees to be waived for Turing scheme participants, consistent with 바카라사이트 arrangements for Erasmus+¡±.

A new??says that when bidding, providers will need to demonstrate how 바카라사이트ir project will support widening access and 바카라사이트 assessment criteria will be heavily weighted towards this criterion. It adds that it will actively target and promote 바카라사이트 scheme in geographical areas of disadvantage, ¡°바카라사이트reby helping to level up 바카라사이트 country¡±.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 minimum duration of a placement has been reduced to four weeks to make going abroad more accessible to a wider group of students.

Jo Grady, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said that opening up access to more students from disadvantaged backgrounds was ¡°a laudable ambition¡± but 바카라사이트 scheme ¡°needs 바카라사이트 resources to match it¡±. She noted that Turing¡¯s ?110 million-a-year pot was around ?83 million less than 바카라사이트 UK received from 바카라사이트 Erasmus+ scheme.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com