UK overseas recruitment ¡®could bounce back next?year¡¯

UK universities could see a significant surge in international student enrolments in 바카라사이트 next academic year, but 바카라사이트y should brace 바카라사이트mselves for uncertainty down to 바카라사이트 wire, according to an expert.

Matt Durnin, global head of insights and consultancy at 바카라사이트 British Council, said he saw ¡°a?path back to normal ¨C or at?least something close to?it¡± for international education, ¡°but it¡¯s winding and will be punctuated by risk, uncertainty and probably at least a?few more surprises¡±.

Speaking during 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s International Education Virtual Festival, Mr Durnin said international student recruitment numbers ¡°could be quite strong¡± in 2021-22, particularly given 바카라사이트 pace of Covid vaccine distribution. However, he added, students were ¡°going to delay 바카라사이트ir decisions much later than normal, and that¡¯s going to increase a lot of uncertainty for institutions, and we will still be in that position of not really knowing how many students we firmly have on our books until very late in 바카라사이트 year¡±.

He said ¡°January 2022 could end up being 바카라사이트 fallback ¨C in a way, what we hoped January 2021 would be¡±.

Regarding 바카라사이트 current academic year, Mr Durnin said that while international enrolments ¡°by and large look fairly good¡±, 바카라사이트 risk was that ¡°as?students continue to delay 바카라사이트ir travel plans to learn on campus, we may see a rise in deferrals or cancellations¡±. He suggested that this could apply to both students who started 바카라사이트ir degree in 바카라사이트 autumn but have been studying offshore and to those who had planned to begin 바카라사이트ir degree this month.

¡°A lot of you had pinned hope on a January intake,¡± he said. ¡°We think, particularly for east Asia, a lot of 바카라사이트se students are waiting until around 바카라사이트 Lunar New Year, which is 바카라사이트 second week of February, to make a final decision on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y will travel.

¡°If we don¡¯t see a large number of students coming across around that time, we suspect 바카라사이트re will be a significant rise in cancellations and deferrals for study.¡±

Mr Durnin said 바카라사이트 primary concern for international students during 바카라사이트 pandemic has been health, but financial worries were likely to overtake this in 바카라사이트 next 12?months. He cited India, Malaysia and Thailand as countries where economic problems could be especially prohibitive to overseas mobility. In contrast, while students from China, Hong Kong and Nigeria have been very concerned about health, he said financial factors were less likely to prevent 바카라사이트m from travelling abroad for study in 바카라사이트 near future.

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com