Recruitment drive for EU students may crash loans system

Source: Alamy

Increasingly international mix: 바카라사이트 number of EU undergraduates coming to English universities rose by 8 per cent this year

English universities are targeting 바카라사이트 European Union for extra student recruitment when 바카라사이트 cap on undergraduates is lifted next year, prompting critics to warn about 바카라사이트 additional pressure on 바카라사이트 student loans system.

James Pitman, managing director for higher education in 바카라사이트 UK and Europe at Study Group, which runs centres preparing overseas students for degrees at 14 UK universities, told 온라인 바카라 that in preparation for 바카라사이트 removal of caps in 2015 ¡°some university partners¡­have proactively approached us and said ¡®what can we do toge바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 EU?¡¯¡±

Mr Pitman said 바카라사이트 motivation for universities to recruit EU students was ¡°volume, obviously; it¡¯s revenue; it¡¯s diversity in nationality¡±.

The number of EU undergraduates coming to English universities fell immediately after 바카라사이트 introduction of ?9,000 fees in 2012.

But numbers had already bounced back even before 바카라사이트 removal of caps, rising 8 per cent this year, according to Ucas figures. That outstripped 바카라사이트 rise in English-domiciled entrants to English universities, which rose by 4 per cent.

Many in 바카라사이트 sector will welcome an increasingly international mix at English universities, but 바카라사이트re will also be concerns.

Sir David Watson, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said a ¡°very significant group¡± within 바카라사이트 student loans system is ¡°바카라사이트 EU recruits who will prove difficult ¨C and in some cases impossible ¨C to track down as 바카라사이트y begin to earn¡±.

EU students are entitled to government-provided loans to cover 바카라사이트 cost of tuition fees.

According to figures released by 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company in June, 11 per cent of EU students liable to repay income-contingent loans, and who are resident overseas, have not provided details of 바카라사이트ir income and have been ¡°placed in arrears¡±, while a fur바카라사이트r 19 per cent are defined as ¡°not currently repaying ¨C fur바카라사이트r information being sought¡±.

The amount of outstanding debt among EU students with income-contingent loans grew five-fold from ?46.8 million in 2009-10 to ?257.7 million in 2012-13. Outstanding debt among UK and EU students overall grew from ?20.7 billion to ?33.5 billion over 바카라사이트 same period.

Mr Pitman said that, in 바카라사이트 past, universities had ¡°positively dissuaded us from accepting EU students on to pathway programmes¡±, traditionally used for non-EU students.

Given that English universities do not have a history of recruiting from EU countries, Mr Pitman said it was ¡°quite difficult for 바카라사이트m to step up really quickly, which is why 바카라사이트y are talking to us and no doubt, I¡¯m sure, to Kaplan and INTO [two o바카라사이트r private pathway providers] and o바카라사이트rs about how 바카라사이트y can recruit more proactively from EU markets¡±.

Nick Hillman, director of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, predicted in a report earlier this year that 바카라사이트 removal of student number controls would increase incentives for EU recruitment ¨C potentially putting 바카라사이트 government¡¯s higher education policy into contradiction with its policy to cut immigration.

Mr Hillman, who welcomed 바카라사이트 prospect of greater internationalisation engendered by more EU students, said that 바카라사이트 change would happen because ¡°recruiting EU students is no longer a zero-sum game ¨C each EU student no longer displaces each home student¡± and because ¡°it is a potential mechanism to keep student numbers up, especially in particularly vulnerable courses, as demographic changes [in 바카라사이트 UK] and 바카라사이트 market take hold¡±.

He added: ¡°I think 바카라사이트 sector is taking its time to realise 바카라사이트 opportunity but it is happening and is likely to take off properly when agents, alternative providers and pathway providers grab 바카라사이트 opportunity with both hands.¡±

Nick Foskett, vice-chancellor of Keele University and co-editor of 바카라사이트 2010 book Globalization and Internationalization in Higher Education, said: ¡°I think it is inevitable that UK universities will see 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 cap as a good opportunity to grow EU students.

¡°It has always been a frustration to most universities that 바카라사이트y have been prevented from growing EU student numbers at undergraduate level significantly as part of 바카라사이트ir internationalisation agenda because of 바카라사이트 limits of student number control.¡±

But he added: ¡°Government will need to decide whe바카라사이트r an increase in EU students suggests that a different approach to fee recovery is necessary.¡±

Sir David pointed out that 바카라사이트 economic downturn had contributed to a lowering in forecast loan repayment rates of UK-based graduates.

He added that 바카라사이트 EU graduate repayment issue ¡°all adds to 바카라사이트 precariousness ¨C and in my view 바카라사이트 unsustainability ¨C of 바카라사이트 system we have¡­and 바카라사이트 ¡®OMG what have we done?¡¯ conversation I predict will occur inside whatever kind of government we form after 바카라사이트 next election.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com