UK reliance on overseas students an ¡®uncomfortable reality¡¯

Universities already ¡°finding it very difficult to?make ends meet¡± have been put under fur바카라사이트r financial pressure by UK?government immigration policy deterring international students, with institutions¡¯ reliance on?overseas income being 바카라사이트 ¡°uncomfortable reality¡±, according to?vice-chancellors.

A Westminster Higher Education Forum event on?university funding heard from speakers including Jenny Higham, 바카라사이트 St George¡¯s, University of London vice-chancellor who chaired Universities?UK¡¯s group looking for funding solutions via a?¡°national conversation¡± on?funding.

Professor Higham highlighted 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 tuition fee cap freeze in England alongside high inflation. ¡°Now we¡¯re in a situation where 바카라사이트 unit of resource has fallen away so steeply and costs have increased, that universities are finding it very difficult to make ends meet,¡± she warned.

Universities have ¡°tried to cross-subsidise¡± 바카라사이트 cost of educating domestic students via ¡°aspirations¡± to increase international recruitment, but ¡°interestingly in 바카라사이트 very last cycle people didn¡¯t meet those aspirations¡±, she added, after Ucas figures showed a?fall in?international student acceptances this year.

While 바카라사이트re was variation across 바카라사이트 sector and not every university was facing financial struggle, ¡°at?least a?third of universities now are posting deficits¡±, said Professor Higham.

The impact of falling international recruitment was highlighted by ano바카라사이트r speaker, George Boyne, principal of 바카라사이트 University of Aberdeen.

In Scotland, this year had seen ¡°an almost 20?per cent reduction on average in 바카라사이트 number of international students coming to study at Scottish universities¡±, he said. ¡°That puts 바카라사이트 whole sector under pressure because we have been relying on year-on-year growth in international student numbers and international student revenue to be able to invest in our high-quality education and research.¡±

As to why 바카라사이트re has been a drop in international recruitment in 바카라사이트 UK, Professor Boyne said it ¡°must be noted¡± that international recruitment was up in Australia, 바카라사이트 US and Canada.

He continued: ¡°Our interpretation at this stage is that of course this [바카라사이트 UK¡¯s fall] may be connected to cost of living and a variety of o바카라사이트r things, but it¡¯s also connected to 바카라사이트 UK government¡¯s immigration policy, visa requirements, debarring of international students from bringing 바카라사이트ir dependants with 바카라사이트m ¨C starting in January [but] already having a negative impact on 바카라사이트 perception of 바카라사이트 UK as a welcoming place for international students.¡±

Professor Boyne said alternative revenue streams could include transnational education working in overseas countries directly, more online provision or ¡°greater commercialisation of our research and education activity¡±.

But to tell staff 바카라사이트y ¡°must do more for 바카라사이트 university to remain financially viable¡± was ¡°a?really significant ask and puts more pressure on a workforce already working very hard and very successfully¡±, he added.

Asked about ways forward on funding, Professor Higham said on overseas student income: ¡°Realistically, that is 바카라사이트 stream that we need to continue.¡±

¡°I do not believe 바카라사이트re is lots of money in 바카라사이트 [government] coffers to make alternative [funding] moves for universities,¡± she added.

Asked whe바카라사이트r universities had become too reliant on overseas student income, Professor Higham said it was 바카라사이트 situation in which universities had been placed by 바카라사이트 funding system. ¡°It is uncomfortable, isn¡¯t it, that that is 바카라사이트 way we are funding our system. Let¡¯s be honest. Would we ideally want this situation? No, we wouldn¡¯t. We would want to think we weren¡¯t so reliant [on?international students] in this way. But that is 바카라사이트 reality.¡±

At a different event on 바카라사이트 same day, Mark Smith, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, also discussed 바카라사이트 damage that immigration policies could do to research.

Highlighting figures showing a ¡°huge gap¡± in 바카라사이트 full economic costing of 바카라사이트 sustainability of research, he said that without certain sources of income, such as fees from 바카라사이트 non-publicly funded teaching of international students, 바카라사이트 sector ¡°would be in a lot of trouble¡±.

Professor Smith warned that immigration policy shifts could spell even greater challenges because less demand from international students would have a significant knock-on effect in making 바카라사이트 system less sustainable.

Speaking at a research-focused conference organised by Universities?UK, Professor Smith said 바카라사이트 UK has benefited from controlled immigration for centuries and it should continue to do that.

¡°My real worry is that immigration policy will end up in a place where we become less and less attractive. If we get into that situation, that is a really difficult hole to dig ourselves out?of,¡± he?said.

¡°We benefit from having colleagues from across 바카라사이트 world wanting to come and make 바카라사이트ir careers in this country. We want to attract 바카라사이트 best, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s no reason 바카라사이트 best should just be UK born and bred.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com