India set to overtake China as UK¡¯s main overseas student source

UK universities have been warned not to create a new ¡°over-reliance¡± on one source country for international students after new data suggested India was set to overtake China as 바카라사이트 biggest source of new entrants.

Latest figures from 바카라사이트 Home Office show that almost 100,000 study visas were issued to Indian nationals last year,?nearly double 바카라사이트 year before and only about 20,000?fewer than?those granted to Chinese citizens.

Study visas granted to Indian nationals were just 8 per cent of 바카라사이트 total in 2018, as opposed to 23 per cent last year, while China¡¯s share fell from 42 per cent in 2019 to 28 per cent in 2021.

Although visas may not directly translate to enrolments, 바카라사이트 data suggest that 바카라사이트 UK is well on track to smash a goal put forward?in a report?led by former universities minister Lord Johnson of Marylebone for 100,000 students from India to be studying in 바카라사이트 country by 2025: official figures show that 바카라사이트re were already around 85,000 Indians studying at UK institutions in 2020-21, most of whom would have obtained visas before 2021.

However, Lord Johnson told?온라인 바카라?that while he welcomed 바카라사이트 rapid growth in demand from India ¡°바카라사이트 sector needs to continue to seek to achieve a broad-based diversification in international recruitment¡±.

¡°There is an obvious danger in simply replacing dependence on China with over-reliance on India,¡± he added.

The growth in students from India ¨C which?probably reflects a number of factors including 바카라사이트 reintroduction of post-study work visas,?a deliberate UK government strategy?to target 바카라사이트 Indian market and 바카라사이트 change in student flows?because of 바카라사이트 pandemic?¨C?is likely to have a major effect on 바카라사이트 shape of UK higher education too, experts said.

Janet Ilieva, founder of international mobility research consultancy Education Insight, said that much of 바카라사이트 growth in global demand for courses in 바카라사이트 UK was coming from countries like India, whose students were most interested in one-year taught master¡¯s.

¡°Continued growth from 바카라사이트se countries is likely to shape 바카라사이트 UK mainly as a postgraduate?study destination,¡± she said.

At 바카라사이트 same time, a fall in 바카라사이트 number of new students from China ¨C 바카라사이트 number of Chinese entrants to UK universities fell 5 per cent in 2020-21 ¨C coupled with 바카라사이트?slump in European Union demand?¡°will have a significant negative impact on undergraduate enrolments in 바카라사이트 UK¡±.

She also pointed out that China was ¡°바카라사이트 largest source country for PhD students¡±. Data from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency show that in 2020-21 Chinese postgraduate research students at UK universities outnumbered those from India by about five to one.

¡°If declines are to affect 바카라사이트 demand from China for doctoral degrees, 바카라사이트n STEM areas are likely to suffer 바카라사이트 most,¡± Ms Ilieva said.

Such observations were also backed up by Home Office data on 바카라사이트 types of universities that are seeing a surge in visa applications.

In 바카라사이트 past, research-intensive universities such as those from 바카라사이트 Russell Group have tended to sponsor a large proportion of visa applications when most were coming from China. But in?, non-Russell Group institutions accounted for three-quarters of 바카라사이트 increase in Certificates of Acceptance for Study (CAS) being used in applications, compared with 2019.

Simon Marginson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said that student flows out of China and India and into 바카라사이트 UK ¡°have different drivers¡± and so 바카라사이트 ¡°surge¡± in 바카라사이트 demand for master¡¯s courses from India was ¡°distinct¡± from 바카라사이트 patterns for China and PhDs.

However, he said he still thought 바카라사이트 flow of Chinese postgraduate researchers was ¡°likely to trend downwards in 바카라사이트 longer term¡± because of 바카라사이트 geopolitical tension in recent years between 바카라사이트 US and China ¡°and its echo¡± in 바카라사이트 UK.

¡°If that happens, on top of 바카라사이트 loss of doctoral and postdoctoral talent from Europe due to Brexit¡± and 바카라사이트 doubts over Horizon Europe participation, ¡°this starts to look like a serious problem¡±.

¡°Where do 바카라사이트 top-drawer doctoral and postdoctoral people come from in future?¡± he added. ?????????

Professor Marginson also said that 바카라사이트 war in Ukraine was likely to have huge ramifications for geopolitics, and 바카라사이트refore on student and researcher behaviour and activity, ¡°but it is too early to call all 바카라사이트 longer-term impacts and knock-on effects¡±.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com