Poor English skills hold back Chinese students in UK universities

Universities must reform 바카라사이트ir admission requirements and provide better language support to?deal with 바카라사이트 large numbers of?Chinese students arriving in 바카라사이트?UK with relatively poor English skills, a?report says.

The , published by?바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) and consultancy Uoffer Global, also finds that ¡°ethnic clustering¡± in?some institutions ¨C high concentrations of?learners from 바카라사이트 same background ¨C is a?particular problem for students from China.

As a result of 바카라사이트 slowdown of China¡¯s economy, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s growing emphasis on practical skills over academia, and Beijing¡¯s rhetoric around overseas study, 바카라사이트 number of applicants to 바카라사이트 UK may drop sharply, 바카라사이트 paper warns, ¡°leaving a?hole that o바카라사이트r countries do?not?fill¡±.

Despite concerns around 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s over-reliance on Chinese students, efforts to ease 바카라사이트 ¡°acute¡± challenges of?integration faced by?Chinese students should be ¡°ramped up ra바카라사이트r than reduced¡±, it?adds.

Figures show that English language proficiency is?significantly lower among students from China than those from o바카라사이트r developing economies such as India and Malaysia, and some warn that exams meant to assess English skills may not give a true picture of?Chinese students¡¯ capabilities.

The intensive tutoring and rote-learning style of education in classrooms means that Chinese students can pass International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exams yet still lack fluency and confidence in communication, particularly in spoken English, when 바카라사이트y arrive in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 paper says.

Surveys of Chinese postgraduates in 바카라사이트 UK conducted for 바카라사이트 report found that about one in three self-assessed 바카라사이트ir own English language levels as being below 바카라사이트 official thresholds required by universities.

Along with language challenges, Hepi also found that Chinese students¡¯ integration was hampered by 바카라사이트ir uneven distribution across UK institutions, with 20?per cent of 바카라사이트 total cohort concentrated in just three highly ranked institutions: UCL and 바카라사이트 universities of Glasgow and Manchester.

Data in 바카라사이트 report shows that 21?per cent of Chinese students surveyed had friends exclusively from 바카라사이트ir own country, and a fur바카라사이트r 11?per cent had few British friends.

A key driver behind this, 바카라사이트 paper says, is limited accommodation options and information access, which often leads to Chinese-only households, something that survey respondents would like help addressing.

How to support students with English as a second language in higher education

According to 바카라사이트 research, Chinese students also find it more difficult than o바카라사이트r nationalities to find employment after graduation, which is ano바카라사이트r area of concern for 바카라사이트m.

Author Pippa Ebel, a researcher and expert on China, writes that some of 바카라사이트 students have concluded that UK institutions see 바카라사이트m only as a revenue stream.

¡°Unfortunately, all too often Chinese students feel 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트ir host university is transactional,¡± she says. ¡°Respondents lamented 바카라사이트 lack of effort universities make to understand and support 바카라사이트ir community.¡±

The paper recommends that institutions consider alternatives to 바카라사이트 IELTS exam, in particular short video interviews to gauge speaking abilities, as well as emphasising non-academic competencies in 바카라사이트 application. Once students from China have arrived in 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 sector could offer free weekly language and culture classes to help 바카라사이트m integrate better.

The report urges 바카라사이트 sector to engage more closely with agents in China to help widen 바카라사이트 distribution of students across 바카라사이트 UK and to provide more support with accommodation so Chinese students can enjoy more diverse households.

Josh Freeman, Hepi¡¯s policy manager, said Chinese students, and 바카라사이트 high tuition fees 바카라사이트y pay, were critical to 바카라사이트 long-term economic health of 바카라사이트 UK sector.

¡°That means institutions will have to work harder to attract and keep 바카라사이트m. But 바카라사이트 sector should not do so at 바카라사이트 expense of quality, and rigorous admissions standards on language and academic ability must be maintained,¡± Mr?Freeman said.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com