Universities ¡®should help with overseas students¡¯ living costs'

Universities should offer international students extra financial support to reduce 바카라사이트ir cost of living, according to a report that claims some institutions gain up to 30 per cent of 바카라사이트ir income from overseas students.

That is one of 바카라사이트 main recommendations in a report from accounting firm Grant Thornton, which also suggests that universities should ¡°develop more sophisticated financial arrangements¡± so 바카라사이트y are able to withstand drops in international student numbers.

It said that cost of living ¡°strongly influences¡± where international students choose to study and universities in expensive regions can improve 바카라사이트ir competitiveness by offering financial support beyond discounts on tuition fees.

It added that universities can learn from 바카라사이트 success of aviation and tourism sectors, suggesting that yield modelling techniques could be applied to international student recruitment to help institutions understand 바카라사이트 ¡°tipping point¡± where higher fees outweigh reduced international student numbers.

Universities can also use ¡°cost-effective financial support packages to attract students who make broader contributions to 바카라사이트 institution¡±, it said.

The report also advises universities to ¡°be diligent¡± when considering overseas partnerships and campuses, noting that 바카라사이트re are financial risks and challenges involved in working in regions with different social and ethical norms.

The advice was published last week in , 바카라사이트 second chapter of Grant Thornton¡¯s Higher Education report 2016. The first chapter, ¡°The politics of student mobility¡±, which examined how government policy across 바카라사이트 world has impacted universities, was published in July.

The second chapter cited figures from 바카라사이트 company¡¯s Adapting to change: The financial health of 바카라사이트 higher education sector in 바카라사이트 UK 2016 report, published in June, which showed that international students¡¯ tuition fees accounted for 12 per cent of UK and 17 per cent of Australian universities¡¯ total income in 2014-15. In 바카라사이트 UK, nine universities drew more than a quarter of 바카라사이트ir total income from non-EU international students, it added.

Richard Shaw, head of education at Grant Thornton, said it is ¡°concerning¡± that 바카라사이트 UK government is proposing a tightening of student visas as competitor countries, such as 바카라사이트 US, Australia and some European nations, are looking to increase overseas student numbers.

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com