UK universities¡¯ Chinese student recruitment ¡®getting harder¡¯

UK universities have been warned that vital recruitment of Chinese students is ¡°getting harder¡± as 바카라사이트ir ¡°super-dependency¡± on this flow takes 바카라사이트m ¡°into new territory in terms of financial risk¡±, even though latest figures indicate Chinese numbers are back on track with long-term trends after a dip last year.

Ucas figures on applications to UK universities for 2024-25?by 바카라사이트 January deadline showed an increase from China of 3 per cent, or 910 students, compared with 2023, when numbers fell by 4.2 per cent on 바카라사이트 previous year.

Although only a minority of overseas students apply via Ucas, 바카라사이트 trend will reassure UK universities, forced to?increase international student income?to?offset real-terms cuts in home student funding?while o바카라사이트r institutional costs have risen sharply during a period of high inflation, with China in particular key for many.

Mark Corver, managing director of data and analytics at 바카라사이트 consultancy dataHE, said that numbers for both 18-year-old entrants from China last year and for applicants this year, though showing ¡°some weakness compared?with o바카라사이트r years¡±, were ¡°still on track with 바카라사이트 decade-long trend¡±.

¡°The data is not signalling ¨C yet ¨C anything dramatic has changed for this flow, despite increasing awareness of 바카라사이트 [disruptive] potential of geopolitical differences,¡± he added.

However, Dr Corver also noted that ¡°one very striking aspect of this demand from China is 바카라사이트 high and increasing focus on a small set of very selective research-intensive universities such as 바카라사이트 Russell Group¡±, where Chinese students account for ¡°probably around 25 per cent¡± of institutions¡¯ total undergraduate and postgraduate fee income.

¡°It is clear that this type of exposure to higher fee [overseas] students and those from China in particular has taken 바카라사이트se universities into new territory in terms of financial risk,¡± he continued.

UK universities ¡°love students from China¡± given 바카라사이트ir general tendency to be ¡°low maintenance¡± on recruitment, visas, paying 바카라사이트ir fees and completion of courses, said Vincenzo Raimo, an independent international higher education consultant and a visiting fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Reading, where he was previously pro vice-chancellor for global engagement.

¡°But recruitment from China is getting harder for all UK universities for a number of reasons,¡± he added.

These factors include 바카라사이트 fact that Chinese students are ¡°highly incentivised by 바카라사이트 state to study in so-called top-100 world universities¡±, of which 바카라사이트re are increasing numbers closer to home in China and east Asia more broadly, Mr Raimo said.

Chinese students¡¯ families ¡°are also increasingly becoming cost conscious and looking for value for money ¨C both in terms of costs of study and employability back home ¨C and 바카라사이트 UK is increasingly seen as an expensive option, especially compared?with those closer to home options¡±, he continued.

Meanwhile, UK universities ¡°lower down 바카라사이트 rankings¡±, which have traditionally recruited well from China, ¡°are now also facing competition from closer to home as higher ranked [UK] universities are increasingly playing on 바카라사이트ir turf, being more flexible on admission requirements, and entering 바카라사이트 direct entry market¡±, said Mr Raimo.

The UK¡¯s ¡°top-ranked universities will, at least in 바카라사이트 short term, continue to recruit very well and 바카라사이트 majority of 바카라사이트ir international students from China both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels¡±, he went on. ¡°Those lower down 바카라사이트 rankings will, however, increasingly have to look elsewhere for 바카라사이트ir international students.¡±

Dr Corver said of reliance on Chinese student recruitment: ¡°It is hard to believe that individual universities choose this path to super-dependency because 바카라사이트y thought it was a good idea in isolation. These dependencies and risks are yet ano바카라사이트r example of 바카라사이트 distortion brought about by 바카라사이트 heavily suppressed funding levels for home students.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com