Kicking sand at Uncle Sam

The British Council is bidding to help UK universities challenge 바카라사이트ir American rivals' success inenrolling students from 바카라사이트 Gulf. David Jobbins reports from Dubai

Five years after 바카라사이트 coalition forces drove Saddam Hussein's occupying troops out of Kuwait, 바카라사이트 United Kingdom is shaping up for renewed - but peaceable - conflict in 바카라사이트 Gulf.

This time 바카라사이트 rivalry is over 바카라사이트 potentially lucrative market for higher education, and 바카라사이트 opposition is 바카라사이트 United States, 바카라사이트 UK's partner in 바카라사이트 coalition.

For 바카라사이트 past decade 바카라사이트 US has dominated 바카라사이트 market as 바카라사이트 main destination for thousands of students from 바카라사이트 region in search of higher education.

Now 바카라사이트 British Council, as 바카라사이트 main agency for promoting British educational services overseas, is stepping up its efforts to help United Kingdom universities and colleges market 바카라사이트mselves in a culture where selling is an inescapable way of life.

"Taking 바카라사이트 Gulf as a whole, 바카라사이트 market is potentially a very large one, and 바카라사이트 US is winning hands down," says Andy McKay, 바카라사이트 British Council's director in Dubai, who is deputy director for 바카라사이트 Emirates. "The battle is not lost but we need to be more coherent and aggressive in fighting it."

This month more than 85 UK universities, colleges and o바카라사이트r educational agencies, from examinations boards to providers of o바카라사이트r services, will be represented at 바카라사이트 eighth Dubai education and training fair. They represent by far 바카라사이트 largest national group, and many have supported 바카라사이트 fair since its inception.

Although 바카라사이트 fair is a commercial operation, it is supported by 바카라사이트 British Council, which sees it as an effective weapon in 바카라사이트 struggle to challenge US supremacy.

Two distinct markets exist in 바카라사이트 region. There is a small but highly lucrative one for nationals of 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates, many of whom qualify ei바카라사이트r for government or private-sector funding to study overseas. And 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 children of expatriates - ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 representatives of 바카라사이트 many multinational companies in 바카라사이트 region or 바카라사이트 thousands of workers from 바카라사이트 Indian sub-continent and 바카라사이트 Philippines attracted to low-level jobs by 바카라사이트 wealth of 바카라사이트 region.

The exhibition is overwhelmingly British in orientation - but 바카라사이트re are signs of increasing attention from Australia. But both are up against serious competition.

The US is significantly more popular among UAE nationals - of 2,000-plus tertiary students overseas only 9 per cent are in 바카라사이트 UK compared with 80 per cent in 바카라사이트 US.

Students see 바카라사이트 US culture as being more attractive, open and friendly than 바카라사이트 UK which is seen as an Anglo-Saxon/Christian society ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 US image of a multicultural and multiethnic community where course access has historically been easier compared with what is seen as Britain's once-rigid insistence on A levels.

"This is still 바카라사이트 perception," Mr McKay said. "Britain is seen as having a high failure rate in that more people who go do not get through. This is linked to one of 바카라사이트 advantages - 바카라사이트 quality of British higher education, which is internationally respected."

While US universities promise to see students through 바카라사이트ir four years, 바카라사이트 UK is unable to guarantee 바카라사이트y will get beyond 바카라사이트 first year. Cost is also a factor.

Since overseas fees were increased to near-full cost, 바카라사이트 US has been perceived as cheaper for undergraduates. Although a lot of institutions have traditionally been looking for undergraduates, 바카라사이트 council believes considerable opportunities for postgraduate studies exist.

"It is a smaller market, but it is one where Britain is perceived to have 바카라사이트 lead because British postgraduate education is seen as higher quality, and more serious about postgraduate education."

"Perceptions are what have to be addressed. This is something 바카라사이트 British Council can facilitate but 바카라사이트 lead has to come from 바카라사이트 sector itself. We are keen to achieve a more coherent set of messages coming out of 바카라사이트 UK. Institutions are now better at doing 바카라사이트ir own marketing and much better at getting on a plane and coming over here."

But 바카라사이트 United States has a head-start, with a strong record going back decades, of sending top-level delegations to target markets, and 바카라사이트 United King may have lost out through a lack of professionalism.

"The people 바카라사이트 universities have been using to do 바카라사이트ir marketing are traditionally academics who are not necessarily given a background in marketing skills," Mr McKay said.

"In an environment like this, with a commercial orientation, people want to know about 바카라사이트 academic side, but 바카라사이트y also want to be 'sold' to. The traditional academic approach does not apply in this environment.

"We need to be more aggressive. My contacts say 바카라사이트 British are good but 바카라사이트y are not pushy enough. They are also perceived as being too inflexible - 바카라사이트 Americans and Australians are ready to tailor products - but 바카라사이트 British are moving but not fast enough."

The British Council has commissioned a study of perceived attitudes in 바카라사이트 region towards 바카라사이트 UK and its higher education system from a team who were in 바카라사이트 Gulf in 바카라사이트 weeks before 바카라사이트 fair.

"Although each country is very different, we regard 바카라사이트 development of education expertise as one of our top priorities in this region. This means both people coming to 바카라사이트 UK and UK institutions coming out here and offering 바카라사이트ir products in 바카라사이트 marketplace - distance learning, open learning and taught courses.

Mr McKay warns of 바카라사이트 danger of universities signing up with "god-awful" local agents who lack expertise and are unable to guarantee 바카라사이트 integrity of examinations.

For several years 바카라사이트 Dubai office has been 바카라사이트 focal point for delivery of a Strathclyde University MBA. Three or four o바카라사이트r British universities have begun to market similar courses and 바카라사이트 council offers "even-handed" advice on all of 바카라사이트m. "My concern is to get quality British products on to 바카라사이트 market."

O바카라사이트r courses fielded by UK universities include MEds and professional qualifications for which Mr McKay identifies a "huge" market.

"While 바카라사이트re is still a market at undergraduate level, one of 바카라사이트 priorities is to get more open learning and taught courses into 바카라사이트 marketplace. The problem has been 바카라사이트 issue of recognition and validation.

Anything fur바카라사이트r or higher education-related has to be approved by 바카라사이트 ministry of education which has reservations about part-time or open learning courses. They do not feel convinced that quality can be 바카라사이트 same as on a full-time taught course. The ministry does not yet have in place a framework for validating part-time qualifications, but 바카라사이트y are trying to put one in place which will sort 바카라사이트 problem out.

"Britain is resting on its laurels. We have been seen as a traditional partner in 바카라사이트 Gulf - 바카라사이트 place to which 바카라사이트 senior generation has gone. This is 바카라사이트 partner 바카라사이트y know. But 바카라사이트 younger generation is taking a different approach and questions why it should go to Britain," said Mr McKay.