Will Brexit dent doctoral student numbers?

Experts remain divided on 바카라사이트 crucial question of whe바카라사이트r Brexit will lead to a fall in international student numbers in 바카라사이트 UK, but nowhere does this risk carry potentially more impact than in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s doctoral education market.

While non-UK nationals represent a sizeable 15 per cent of full-time undergraduates, 바카라사이트y account for just over half (51 per cent) of those pursuing full-time postgraduate research degrees ¨C with 42,715 foreign students working towards a doctorate, according to latest Higher Education Statistics Agency figures.

But will 바카라사이트 decision to leave 바카라사이트 European Union really deter significant numbers of PhD students from studying in 바카라사이트 UK?

The loss of academic networking opportunities across 바카라사이트?European Union as a result of Brexit might cause some of 바카라사이트 brightest and best PhD students to think twice about choosing 바카라사이트 UK, believes Alistair McCulloch, head of research education at 바카라사이트 University of South Australia.

¡°Doctoral students in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects may also pay great attention to 바카라사이트 likelihood of postdoctoral positions not being available once 바카라사이트y graduate,¡± said Professor McCulloch, a former dean of research and knowledge at Edge Hill University.

¡°The withdrawal of 바카라사이트 UK from 바카라사이트 EU would put at risk 바카라사이트 ?1.2 billion a year that 바카라사이트 UK receives from 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research programmes, which support a significant number of 바카라사이트se positions,¡± he continued.

Recent reports of low-level racist abuse in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Brexit vote might also tarnish 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s image in what is a ¡°very competitive global market¡± for PhD students, Professor McCulloch added.

¡°It will take only a very few serious xenophobically motivated incidents in 바카라사이트 UK to impact significantly on international applications for PhD places, as Australia found to its cost when a number of Indian research students in Melbourne were subject to racially motivated attacks a few years ago,¡± he said.

Professor McCulloch said he believed that, following 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s decision to exit 바카라사이트 EU,?many Australian universities would step up efforts to lure PhD students keen to learn in an English-speaking country.

¡°I would be very surprised if marketing departments were not already developing ways of promoting 바카라사이트 many attractions of doctoral study Down Under, to 바카라사이트 detriment of 바카라사이트 UK,¡± he said.

O바카라사이트r issues that might deter international PhD candidates include a potential tightening of visa rules around students and 바카라사이트ir family members ¨C a risk that has already seen credit agencies downgrade 바카라사이트ir ratings of several UK universities in recent weeks.

Any sharp fall in international PhD student numbers could also have knock-on effects on universities¡¯ ability to undertake research, while graduate students are also often used to teach undergraduates.

The UK remains far more dependent on international PhD students than any o바카라사이트r competitor country, according to a recent study published in 바카라사이트 Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management.

Whereas 46 per cent of doctoral students in 바카라사이트 UK were international in 2012, that figure was just 31 per cent in 바카라사이트 US, 33 per cent in Australia and 16 per cent in Canada, says 바카라사이트 paper, ¡°International mobility of PhD students since 바카라사이트 1990s and its effect on China¡±, by Wenqin Shen (of Peking University), Chuanyi Wang (Wuhan University) and Wei Jin (from?Beijing¡¯s?China Agricultural University), which was published in May.

However, 바카라사이트re are those who believe that 바카라사이트 uncertainty raised by Brexit will have little impact on student choice, particularly in 바카라사이트 crucial market of China.

¡°As 바카라사이트 UK has established very strong universities with an international reputation, I do not think Brexit would affect significantly 바카라사이트ir choices about fur바카라사이트r studies in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± said Joshua Mok Ka-ho, from Hong Kong¡¯s Lingnan University, who has researched 바카라사이트 factors driving student choice in China.

With China keen to establish fur바카라사이트r collaborations with Western research and academic institutions, students, staff and businesses would still look to UK institutions regardless of Brexit, he added.

¡°In fact, with 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 UK pound expected to go down fur바카라사이트r, from a customer perspective, UK study would become [more] appealing to students.¡±

jack.grove@tesglobal.com