This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/feb/15/surge-in-students-studying-for-uk-degrees-abroad
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Surge in students studying for UK degrees abroad | Surge in students studying for UK degrees abroad |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The number of students studying for UK degrees in overseas countries increased 13% last year, as universities focused their energies on international recruitment. | The number of students studying for UK degrees in overseas countries increased 13% last year, as universities focused their energies on international recruitment. |
| International offshoots of UK universities, partnerships with foreign institutions and online study mean there are now more students on UK university courses abroad than there are international and EU students coming to the UK to study. | International offshoots of UK universities, partnerships with foreign institutions and online study mean there are now more students on UK university courses abroad than there are international and EU students coming to the UK to study. |
| Some 571,000 students studied abroad in 2011-12, a third more than in 2009-10, with universities enrolling most students in Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan. | Some 571,000 students studied abroad in 2011-12, a third more than in 2009-10, with universities enrolling most students in Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan. |
| Oxford Brookes, which offers students training with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (Acca) the option to also study for a degree in applied accounting, recruited by far the most students overseas (251,990 or 44% of those studying UK degrees abroad). It was followed by the University of London (45,680), the Open University (42,685) and the University of Wales (16,250). | Oxford Brookes, which offers students training with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (Acca) the option to also study for a degree in applied accounting, recruited by far the most students overseas (251,990 or 44% of those studying UK degrees abroad). It was followed by the University of London (45,680), the Open University (42,685) and the University of Wales (16,250). |
| The rise in UK transnational educational – where students are located in a country different from the one where their awarding university is based – comes as the number of students from India and Pakistan studying in Britain fell for the first time last year. University leaders fear that new visa rules and negative rhetoric from government prompted the slump in enrolments. | The rise in UK transnational educational – where students are located in a country different from the one where their awarding university is based – comes as the number of students from India and Pakistan studying in Britain fell for the first time last year. University leaders fear that new visa rules and negative rhetoric from government prompted the slump in enrolments. |
| By running courses overseas, UK universities can take their education to students who cannot make the trip to the UK, says Joanna Newman, director of the UK Higher Education International Unit. | By running courses overseas, UK universities can take their education to students who cannot make the trip to the UK, says Joanna Newman, director of the UK Higher Education International Unit. |
| "There will continue to be demand from students who want to study in the UK. Despite this year's fall in applications from some countries, overall numbers are holding up. But if you look at the demographics of countries like Brazil and Indonesia, it's always a very small proportion of their population that would make the trip to the UK. | "There will continue to be demand from students who want to study in the UK. Despite this year's fall in applications from some countries, overall numbers are holding up. But if you look at the demographics of countries like Brazil and Indonesia, it's always a very small proportion of their population that would make the trip to the UK. |
| "Most of their students need to be catered for in their own country – UK universities can do this by offering joint degrees and co-regulating." | "Most of their students need to be catered for in their own country – UK universities can do this by offering joint degrees and co-regulating." |
| Such arrangements help universities boost their brand abroad, says Alex Bols, executive director of the 1994 Group, which represents smaller research-intensive universities. | Such arrangements help universities boost their brand abroad, says Alex Bols, executive director of the 1994 Group, which represents smaller research-intensive universities. |
| "Opening an international campus is a way of developing a strong physical presence in other countries and attracting students to the UK. | "Opening an international campus is a way of developing a strong physical presence in other countries and attracting students to the UK. |
| "However," he warns, "there are also major reputational risks if it goes wrong – both for the institution involved and for the sector more generally." | "However," he warns, "there are also major reputational risks if it goes wrong – both for the institution involved and for the sector more generally." |
| Where universities are one step removed from the teaching offered, it is much harder for them to monitor student experience, adds Bols. | Where universities are one step removed from the teaching offered, it is much harder for them to monitor student experience, adds Bols. |
| News that universities such as UCL are opening branches as far afield as Qatar has attracted headlines over recent years, but it reality, international campuses account for very few (6.7%) transnational students. | News that universities such as UCL are opening branches as far afield as Qatar has attracted headlines over recent years, but it reality, international campuses account for very few (6.7%) transnational students. |
| Most are studying on distance learning (51.2%) courses or collaborative programmes (42%), run in conjunction with local partners. | Most are studying on distance learning (51.2%) courses or collaborative programmes (42%), run in conjunction with local partners. |
| One way universities collaborate is using a validation model, where the UK university validates the degree and has a joint say in the course curriculum but the local partner oversees recruitment, teaching and marketing. | One way universities collaborate is using a validation model, where the UK university validates the degree and has a joint say in the course curriculum but the local partner oversees recruitment, teaching and marketing. |
| An alternative is franchising, which gives the UK university greater control of teaching and assessment. Courses are usually very similar to those in the UK. | An alternative is franchising, which gives the UK university greater control of teaching and assessment. Courses are usually very similar to those in the UK. |
| Bols has reason to warn of the dangers as universities scramble to find a foothold in a lucrative overseas market. The University of Wales's overseas collaborations ran into problems with the Quality Assurance Agency, the body that regulates UK higher education, over standards on courses run by partner institutions. | Bols has reason to warn of the dangers as universities scramble to find a foothold in a lucrative overseas market. The University of Wales's overseas collaborations ran into problems with the Quality Assurance Agency, the body that regulates UK higher education, over standards on courses run by partner institutions. |
| Courses accredited or taught by UK institutions abroad should be as academically rigorous as those taught at home, says Newman, though she admits that the sudden surge in transnational provison is a challenge and the QAA "is stretched". | Courses accredited or taught by UK institutions abroad should be as academically rigorous as those taught at home, says Newman, though she admits that the sudden surge in transnational provison is a challenge and the QAA "is stretched". |
| The QAA has already changed the way it regulates universities' overseas partnerships, says a spokesperson for its international team, Carolyn Campbell: "When we began reviewing overseas provision, we were looking only at very small samples abroad. Now we talk directly to students and publish review reports and case studies highlighting what works and what could work better." | |
| Which universities have the most students enrolled overseas? | Which universities have the most students enrolled overseas? |
| Table shows the number of students studying wholly overseas by institution for the academic year 2011-12. Source: Hesa | Table shows the number of students studying wholly overseas by institution for the academic year 2011-12. Source: Hesa |