The race is on

The endless growth of international student numbers in four or five anglophone countries was for decades a?given.

There was competition, and fortunes waxed and waned as attitudes to migration shifted, news events were interpreted positively or?negatively in?China or?India, and Western governments used visa policy to sharpen 바카라사이트ir competitive edge.

But, for 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 US, Australia and Canada, 바카라사이트re was plenty of pie to go around, and more coming out of 바카라사이트 oven every year.

The sense that Covid may have changed some of 바카라사이트se fundamentals returns this week, as countries set out 바카라사이트ir stalls to try to seize 바카라사이트 initiative post-pandemic.

We report on a new Australian Strategy for International Education, which proposes a change in 바카라사이트 way post-study visas are used to entice students to choose Australian universities over competitors.

¡°Australia should seek to attract new cohorts of students who may not wish or be able to travel to Australia but want to benefit from an Australian education as well as post-study work opportunities in Australia,¡± it says.

The idea that a student in India, where post-study work opportunities are a particularly important factor in decision-making, could obtain a cheaper Australian qualification via transnational provision and still get that foot in 바카라사이트 door after graduating feels like a major escalation in 바카라사이트 arms race.

It also touches on a second shift in 바카라사이트 market dynamics: 바카라사이트 broadening of 바카라사이트 pool of provider countries that are now competing for international students.

A study published this week by 바카라사이트 British Council and Studyportals says that a fifth of higher education courses taught in English are now in countries o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 five main anglophone systems. This amounts to almost 28,000 full-degree programmes, a growth of 77?per cent in 바카라사이트 past four years. So as well as intensifying, it seems that 바카라사이트 global recruitment race is also widening.

One of 바카라사이트 ways in which universities in 바카라사이트 traditional big five?can respond is diversification of?바카라사이트ir international student cohorts (indeed, 바카라사이트 Australian government¡¯s strategy is explicit that it will ¡°work with 바카라사이트 sector to ensure visa settings continue to support diversification¡±).

This has become increasingly pressing as China¡¯s relationship with 바카라사이트 West has deteriorated, a point emphasised in ano바카라사이트r new report this week, published by 바카라사이트 Policy Institute at King¡¯s College London. The study, from a team led by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s former universities and science minister Jo?Johnson, focuses on 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 UK and India in terms of higher education and research, and is a companion to an earlier report on 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트?UK and?China.

With 바카라사이트 rise of what it calls a ¡°techno-authoritarian China¡± destabilising relations and threatening future decoupling between 바카라사이트 two countries, it argues that India should be seen as a ¡°natural partner¡± for a ¡°comprehensive knowledge partnership¡±. This includes proposals for doubling 바카라사이트 number of Indian students in 바카라사이트 UK (as well as greater mobility in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r direction), supported by liberalisation of post-study work visas and a sector-backed loans scheme for Indian students.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 Campus Live event last month, Lord Johnson made clear 바카라사이트 extent of his concern about an over-reliance on fees paid by Chinese students, suggesting that in England 바카라사이트 Office for Students could consider requiring universities to insure 바카라사이트mselves against 바카라사이트 financial risk of over-exposure to students from any one country.

In 2019-20, roughly 139,000 Chinese students headed to 바카라사이트 UK ¨C more than twice as many as came from India, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s second-largest sending country.

Meanwhile, in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, which has made a deliberate play to get more international students in recent years, a?surge in numbers ¨C particularly from o바카라사이트r countries in Europe ¨C has had a destabilising impact of its own, with universities complaining that 바카라사이트ir campuses are now bursting at 바카라사이트 seams, and seeking respite by proposing number caps.

It is a reminder of how fluid 바카라사이트 flow of students can be, and that it needs to be controlled. As Rik Peelen, education officer at 바카라사이트 Association of Universities in 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands, put it, 바카라사이트 answer is not to close doors, but ¡°to focus more on how to manage internationalisation better¡±.

For 바카라사이트 anglophone big hitters who may feel 바카라사이트y are old hands, staying in control of an increasing number of variables makes that harder than it once was.

john.gill@ws-2000.com