Category: UK

  • Why UK international student recruitment needs a British standard

    Why UK international student recruitment needs a British standard

    The time has come for there to be a formal auditing of the processes universities use to recruit international students. The pressure must come from the university sector, otherwise it is likely very little will change.

    Working with the BSI to implement the  BS EN ISO 9001 (Quality Management Systems) feels like the right place to focus efforts. BSI is the UK’s national standards body while also being one of the world’s largest certification bodies. BS EN ISO 9001 is a widely recognised management standard that has the heft and necessary independence to carry real credibility, across the globe.

    Why is this approach needed? In Vincenzo Raimo’s excellent article for The PIE News recently, he highlighted the results of a SAMS Global conference survey: More than seven in 10 institutions (72%) reported working with over 100 agents, while 16% said their university had relationships with more than 300.

    And that’s before we add aggregators to the mix, where a single partnership can potentially mean exposure to thousands of sub-agents, most of whom the university may never know or directly interact with and therefore not know what is being said about their institution to prospective students.

    As someone who has dealt first hand with a larger agency that wanted to buy leads from my small consultancy, I can provide the following qualitative perspective. We had very specific notes about all our prospective students; their interests, level of English competency etc, but there seemed no interest from the large agency in these notes, or indeed discussing individual needs, and this did not seem to come from any GDPR squeamishness…

    It may be that the agency would have carried out their own ‘deep dive’ research into these students but I was certainly not given this impression. I was also told I would not be allowed to follow up with any of these students at any point in the future, even though their initial relationship was with our company. On the basis of these interactions, no lead was ever handed on to a larger agent.

    However, why did I need to consider passing on these leads in the first place? The reality is that no university I approached wanted to provide an agent contract to a small organisation like mine, so there was no way of monetising the many hours of work spent advising these families without charging them to cover some costs.

    Under the heading ‘Increasing transparency and accountability’, the Agent Quality Framework (AQF) states: “Request transparency around the use of sub-agents. Be clear that an agent’s endorsement of the National Code of Ethical Practice and engagement with an appropriate UK Credited training programme also applies to any sub-agent partners working with the contracted agent.”

    The AQF guidelines are laudable – but from first-hand experience, and backed up by the SAMS survey, it appears that they are a long way from being implemented.

    Large agents do grow organically but most appear to grow substantively via ‘aggregating’ the leads from smaller agents. These smaller agents might be highly ethical but unless processes are in place to formally audit their actions there can be little transparency and accountability in the system. Basically, there is not a clear process that can be evaluated.

    BSI’s certification is process based. While this won’t necessarily weed out all bad practice on the ground, it would make both agents and universities responsible for having robust systems and processes that could be reasonably assessed by trained BSI auditors.

    Universities would implement BS EN ISO 9001 with regards to their international student recruitment management process. The quality management standard guides organisations as they review their principles and practices to ensure there is consistency and quality throughout the organisation and crucially within any third parties involved in the process. This is done via independent audits prior to achieving certification.

    Clearly a management standard related to international student recruitment can only be implemented if the practices of both the institution and the agents it contracts are working in harmony, following a clear and accountable process.

    Certification lasts for three years before formal recertification is required and typically there is a maintenance audit annually within this period.

    Why does this certification matter?

    At a micro level, everyone engaged in student recruitment should care about student wellbeing and students being matched with the institution that suits them best, not perhaps the one providing the highest level of commission.

    However, it also really matters at a macro level; even in an AI world, word of mouth marketing still really matters. Every international student that isn’t well cared for and whose agent does not offer transparency is a ‘black mark’ for the UK higher education sector.

    This is no longer a cozy world of the big four international recruiters; Australia, Canada, US and the UK. This is now a big 14 market

    This is no longer a cozy world of the big four international recruiters; Australia, Canada, US and the UK. This is now a big 14 market: South Korea already has 300,000 international students, France aims to enrol 500,000 international students by 2027 as part of its Bienvenue en France strategy. India reportedly has a goal of enrolling 500,000 foreign students by 2047, while Japan wants to host 400,000 by 2033.

    One significant way UK higher education can rise to the top of the international pile is by showing it is serious about international student wellbeing and support. Having a BSI certification would also be a competitive advantage for each individual institution and a strong marketing message to present to prospective international students.

    This may well mean fewer, bigger agents who employ more, better trained staff rather than relying on ‘buying’ leads from smaller sub-agents. However, would this be such a bad thing? At least it would mean that big agents directly employ larger teams who should all be trained to understand their responsibilities to gain and then retain a British Standard.

    Many working in international recruitment currently argue that the Agent market they work with is too fragmented for them to properly manage; fewer, larger Agents should mean less bureaucracy and more importantly greater accountability.

    Source link

  • The international student levy risks undermining exchange, languages, and outward mobility unless universities speak up now

    The international student levy risks undermining exchange, languages, and outward mobility unless universities speak up now

    The UK government’s proposed international student levy is intended to be a simple mechanism: a flat £925 charge per international student per year, paid by English higher education providers and reinvested into the higher education and skills system. In principle, the policy objective is clear and defensible.

    However, as the technical consultation currently stands, there is a significant unintended consequence that risks undermining international student exchange, outward mobility for UK students, and already fragile subjects such as modern languages. Unless this is addressed now, the levy could inadvertently make reciprocal exchange financially unsustainable for many universities.

    Why exchange students matter and why they are different

    Incoming exchange and study-abroad students are not the same as full-degree international students:

    • they are typically fee-neutral, with tuition waived under reciprocal agreements
    • they are credit-bearing but not registered for a UK award
    • they are essential to maintaining balanced two-way mobility, which in turn enables UK students to study abroad
    • they underpin disciplines such as languages and area studies, where a year or semester abroad is integral to the curriculum

    In many cases, hosting an incoming exchange student already represents a net cost to the institution, absorbed in recognition of the wider academic and strategic benefits.

    Where the levy design creates a problem

    The technical consultation defines international students broadly and excludes only those on a short-term study visa, a route that is used almost exclusively for non-credit English language courses, whereas exchange and study-abroad students enter the UK on either a student visa (for full-year exchange), or a standard visitor visa or ETA (for one-semester study that is still credit-bearing).

    The result is stark: a university could be required to pay £925 to host an incoming exchange student who pays no tuition fees

    As drafted, this means that most incoming exchange students are likely to be counted for levy purposes, despite generating no additional tuition fee income. The result is stark: a university could be required to pay £925 to host an incoming exchange student who pays no tuition fees.

    The knock-on effect on outward mobility and languages

    Exchange is a two-way system. If hosting incoming students becomes a cash cost, universities will face difficult choices:

    • capping or reducing inbound exchange numbers
    • rebalancing or withdrawing from reciprocal partnerships
    • limiting outward mobility opportunities for their own students

    These pressures will be felt first, and hardest, in languages, where outward mobility is central to academic integrity and already under strain across the UK.

    The risk is that a levy designed to support opportunity and access ends up shrinking access to study abroad, particularly for students in less well-resourced disciplines or from less advantaged backgrounds, which would run counter to wider government ambitions around global engagement, skills, and social mobility.

    Almost certainly unintended and eminently fixable

    There is no indication in the consultation documents or impact analysis that these consequences have been explicitly considered. The levy has been modelled as a headcount-based charge, optimised for fee-paying diploma mobility, not for fee-neutral credit mobility.

    The good news is that this is eminently fixable without undermining the core policy objective. Options could include:

    • excluding students registered for credit only and not a UK award
    • excluding reciprocal exchange students where no additional UK tuition fee is charged
    • excluding students studying less than a full academic year, unless enrolled on a full degree

    Any of these would protect exchange and outward mobility while preserving the integrity of the levy.

    A call to action for universities

    The consultation on the international student levy is open until February 18 2026. This is the moment for universities to respond.

    Institutions with: language provision, exchange-reliant programmes, and or strong commitments to outward mobility, should make their voices heard, clearly and constructively, highlighting this risk as an unintended consequence, not an argument against the levy itself.

    If the sector does not raise this now, the danger is that a technically simple policy quietly erodes one of the most valuable, and vulnerable, parts of the UK’s international education ecosystem.

    Respond to the UK government’s proposed international student levy here.

    Vincenzo Raimo will be speaking about the potential impact of the international student levy at The PIE Live Europe in London on March 25. Book your ticket here.

    Source link

  • What does the new IES strategy mean for the sector?

    What does the new IES strategy mean for the sector?

    The post What does the new IES strategy mean for the sector? appeared first on The PIE News.

    Source link

  • 10 talking points on the UK’s new international education strategy

    10 talking points on the UK’s new international education strategy

    1. Growth is the target, but not from student recruitment
    The international education strategy sets out a bold ambition for the UK’s thriving education sector: to collectively grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, but the plan makes it clear that will need to come from the broader education ecosystem including transnational education (TNE), ELT, skills and edtech.

    2. The government’s love affair with TNE continues
    The UK’s TNE boom – seen most evidently in India, with a slew of UK branch campuses opening over the next year or so – shows no sign of slowing down. The IES sets out an intention to grow the government’s leadership in TNE, as well as using the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) to look out for partnership opportunities and educating providers on the technical risks of operating overseas.

    3. Soft power and diplomacy is an explicit focus
    The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has joined the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) as authors of the strategy and as a result soft power is a core feature. The strategy talks about ‘rolling out a new diplomacy‐led approach’, by appointing heads of missions to act as local education champions in priority countries. The upcoming HMG Soft Power Strategy will also dictate what global partnerships are a priority for the country.

    4. The ESAG will deliver action plans
    This reformed ministerially chaired forum will bring together industry, government, and representative bodies from across the education sector to tackle key concerns and identify opportunities for partnerships. Each representative will lead on an action plan, published within the first 100 days of appointment to ESAG, outlining how their members will support delivery of the three ambitions of this strategy. But who is ESAG? We’ve broken it down for you here.

    5. Sir Steve Smith continues his work with priority countries as international education champion
    Priority countries named in the strategy are still India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, as per the 2019 IES and the work of Sir Steve Smith. Emerging economies such as Brazil, Mexico and Pakistan are mooted as wider opportunities without any further details given. Pakistan is an outlier given the recent problems with high asylum applications and visa delays.

    6. The levy and tough immigration policy is reaffirmed
    The publication of the strategy was delayed in response to the government’s immigration whitepaper and the Autumn Budget, which announced the international student levy. It remains to be seen how this will be applied to students – however, the strategy doubles down on reaffirming this policy and how the IES will adhere to wider government immigration policy.

    7. Cross-government collaboration welcome, but will bureaucracy slow delivery down?
    There is a clear effort to include all stakeholders in the process and direction, including the government’s vast overseas networks – but will many more stakeholders prevent the UK from being agile? Global competition is ramping up again as Australia has undertaken its own strategy review and the big four study destinations expand to the big 10. Read our analysis here.

    8. No new policy levers, tactics or funding included
    Despite the obvious challenges, there appear to be no new tactics being presented in the strategy to meet the growth target. Instead, the report reiterates the strength of existing scholarships and campaigning by The British Council. The UK’s return to Erasmus is a welcome feature mentioned in the document and a new development after the previous IES – but that was technically announced by the government at the end of 2025. TNE and innovation are expensive and at present there is no government support offered to kick-start activity.

    9. Sustainable recruitment is the name of the game, but are the Home Office official stakeholders?
    The need for sustainable international recruitment is a theme mentioned repeatedly in the latest IES, with a focus on attracting “high-quality” talent from overseas. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the government’s aim of controlling immigration to the UK, the aim seems to be to maintain the UK’s stellar reputation as a study destination without seeing the same post-pandemic surge in numbers. The Home Office is implicitly involved as guardians of the new BCA metrics to which sponsors must adhere, but it remains to be seen if the previous disconnect between the UKVI and the national education exports strategy has been resolved.

    10. Qualifications are a valuable export for the UK
    In keeping with a renewed government focus on skills after the publication of the post-16 education and skills paper last year, the IES hones in on the value of UK qualifications abroad. It also wants to open up new markets overseas by benchmarking international credentials against UK standards.

    Source link

  • UK unveils new international education strategy

    UK unveils new international education strategy

    • Government aims to grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, growth to come from TNE, ELT, skills and edtech
    • New strategy removes targets on international student numbers with focus on sustainable recruitment
    • Ministerial group known as the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) to work with sector to deliver action plans tackling key concerns and identifying partnership opportunities

    The long-awaited document marks the first new UK international education strategy (IES) since 2019, which at the time revealed goals to grow international student numbers by 30% by 2030. Education is already one of the UK’s most important exports, bolstering the economy by £32bn per year, with the IES building on 2019’s stated ambition to grow its export value to £35 bn.

    However, after a post-pandemic boom, with international student numbers in the UK reaching 732,285 in 2023/24, the government has moved away from targetting increased enrolments, instead making clear that growth should come from areas such as English language training (ELT), transnational education (TNE) and edtech sectors – worth some £560m, £3bn and £3.89bn in exports respectively.

    The revamped IES outlines three main priorities for UK international education; to grow education exports to a collective $40bn per year, oversee sustainable overseas student recruitment and amplify the UK’s international standing through education – including a focus on cutting red tape for TNE partnerships abroad.

    Elsewhere, the government is drawing on expertise from the international education sector through a reformed ministerial group known as the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) – a collective tasked with tackling key concerns and identifying partnership opportunities, as well as smoothing the path towards international alliances.

    Each representative will develop an action plan drawing on how its members will support the IES’s three main goals to be published within the first 100 days of their accession to ESAG. As yet it is unclear who will be included in the group.

    Meanwhile, Sir Steve Smith will stay on as the UK’s international education champion, with a remit to “remove barriers to education partnerships” by continuing to engage with India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Sir Steve is also looking into opportunities in “emerging economies” such as Brazil, Mexico, and Pakistan, the IES said.

    By expanding overseas, our universities, colleges and education providers can diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and give millions more access to a world-class UK education on their doorstep, all whilst boosting growth at home
    Bridget Phillipson, education secretary

    The document also signals the publication of more specific strategy documents in the future, including a Soft Power Strategy outlining plans to grow the UK’s global influence through its education, sports, science, governance, development and tech sectors.

    Expanding the UK’s soft power abroad is a key part of the IES, which recognises the power in education as a way to position the country as “a place of learning, openness, research and innovation – building life‐long alliances and deepening trust in the UK”.

    Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said that supporting international partnerships would help institutions to “diversity and strengthen their business models”.

    “By expanding overseas, our universities, colleges and education providers can diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and give millions more access to a world-class UK education on their doorstep, all whilst boosting growth at home,” she added.

    Minister for Trade Chris Bryant branded education exports as a “major UK success story”.

    “We’re on track grow the sector to £40 billion by 2030, powered by world leading providers driving digital learning, AI enabled innovation and future skills development,” he said. 

    Malcolm Press, president of Universities UK welcomed the new document, saying it “signals a renewed commitment to fostering the global reach, reputation and impact of our universities”.

    This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates on this emerging story…

    Source link

  • The European international education stories you should know from 2025

    The European international education stories you should know from 2025

    1. Denmark tightens restrictions on international students

    In late September, news broke that Denmark – a growing educational destination – was taking steps to make it harder for international applicants to study at Danish universities. The policy would impose stricter academic entry requirements, restrictions on spouses, national reviews of forged documents, and shorter post-study work permits for third-country students in response to rising concerns over fears education is being used as a back door into the Danish labour market. This was The PIE News’s most-read story of the year, showing rising interest in Denmark as a study destination.

    2. The UK’s education secretary issues a warm welcome to international students

    After years of increasingly restrictive polices affecting the international education sector, many stakeholders welcomed a new Labour government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, that seemed to be rolling out the welcome mat for international students. Education secretary Bridget Phillipson released a video message addressing students thinking of choosing the UK as their study destination, reassuring them that the country is “a wonderful and safe place to study”.

    3. The UK ushers in a levy on international student fees

    Under the immigration white paper, a road map outlining the UK’s plans to control immigration, the Starmer government laid out plans to introduce a tax on international student fees. An announcement in the Autumn budget released more details; a £925-per-international-student flat fee for institutions in England with more than 220 overseas students. While it’s widely understood that the controversial policy was designed to help the higher education sector prove the value of international education – with the cash raised from the levy set to go towards domestic maintenance grants – critics have aired concerns that overseas students could be put off from studying in the UK if the levy is passed on in higher fees.

    4. UK Graduate Route condensed by six months

    In another major development for the UK sector in 2025, the international white paper introduced plans to shorten the Graduate Route – originally set at two years – to just 18 months. The condensed post-graduate work stream will come into effect in January 2027.

    5. Capping student numbers would lose the Netherlands serious money

    The Netherlands has long been a popular destination for international students – offering value for money and many programs taught in English. But the international education sector in the country is facing its fair share of headwinds, including right-wing politicians’ attempts to curb overseas enrolments. But research shows that capping international students at just five of the Netherlands’ universities could cause countrywide losses of up to €5bn – an eye-watering number that should leave policymakers thinking twice.

    6. Germany’s international students return eightfold investment

    Another major European study destination, Germany has been steadily rising in popularity over the past few years. But while students are flocking to the country, local communities can expect benefits in return. Research from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) shows that international students in Germany contribute eight times more to public budgets than the amount the government spends on them.

    7. Rising international student numbers in Malta

    A rising ELT hub, Malta is also attracting its fair share of international students in higher education due to its friendly locals, proximity to mainland Europe, balmy climate and attractive post-graduate opportunities. This is showing up in the growing number of higher education international enrolments, with this number shooting up by more than a quarter in just one year between 2022/23 and 2023/24, according to data from the country’s National Statistics Office.

    8. French institutions cash in on US policy turmoil

    With the US – traditionally the most sought-after study destination in the world – facing significant challenges with Donald Trump back in the White House, other countries are seeing an influx of students looking for alternative places to study. Some, like France, are actively positioning themselves as an attractive alternative. The country has also introduced a new fellowship for American students, launched in anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence.

    9. International students flock to Ireland as Celtic Tiger roars

    Ireland is fast becoming a regional hub for international education, as the largest English-speaking country still in the EU following Brexit. International students are flocking to the country in their droves, leading the the inaugural PIE Live Ireland being held in Dublin this October – at which Ireland’s higher education minister gave a video address welcoming international students.

    Source link

  • Who’s helping UK unis open their Indian campuses?

    Who’s helping UK unis open their Indian campuses?

    India is becoming the next transnational education (TNE) hotspot, with nine top UK universities having announced plans to open overseas branch campuses out there. Earlier this year, the University of Southampton became the first of this new tranche of campuses to open its doors, with several others close behind.

    As the TNE boom continues, several universities have revealed the independent providers that are helping them set up their campuses in India. Meanwhile, other providers have expressed an interest in this space.

    Here’s our list of who’s working with who.

    Who’s opening a campus in India?

    Nine UK universities have confirmed they are joining the TNE scramble in India. They are:

    1. The University of Southampton
    2. The University of Liverpool
    3. The University of York
    4. The University of Aberdeen
    5. The University of Bristol
    6. Coventry University
    7. The University of Surrey
    8. Lancaster University
    9. Queen’s University Belfast

    Who are they working with?

    Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) – Southampton has confirmed it worked with OIEG in setting up its campus in Gurugram, which opened earlier this year. OIEG provided the financial backing and the professional services needed to set up the campus

    India Business Group – Another provider assisting Southampton on the ground, India Business Group is providing the university with strategic support.

    Emeritus and Daskalos – The University of York has confirmed it is working with the edtech platform Emeritus to set up its Mumbai campus. Working alongside Emeritius is Daskalos – a new venture from Atul Khosla, the founder and vice-chancellor of Shoolini University, as confirmed by Khosla in a LinkedIn post. Khosla has said Emeritus and Daskalos’s partners include “three Russell Group Universities, one of the oldest universities of the world, a top tier US university and a leading Australian university”.

    Khosla has also confirmed on LinkedIn that Daskalos and Emeritus are working with the University of Liverpool on its Bengaluru campus, as well as the University of Bristol on its Mumbai campus. Meanwhile, it appears that the University of Aberdeen may be another institution working with the duo, with a job posting advertising an Emeritus job at the university.

    Study World – The education infrastructure company Study World is working with Coventry on its GIFT City campus, according to local news reports. The company’s group chief operating officer Kate Gerrard is quoted as saying: “Study World has over two decades of experience in delivering a wide range of educational services in partnership with leading international universities around the world. This association with Coventry University in India will be highly beneficial for students in India and the wider region.”

    GUS Global Services – The University of Surrey has confirmed it it is working with GUS Global Services, with GUS leading on strategic support services such as Indian student enrolment support, advice on the local market and campus and operational management.

    For their part, Lancaster University and Queens University Belfast have remained tight lipped on which providers – if any – they are working with as they explore setting up campuses in India.

    Which other providers could be eyeing up opportunities?

    GEDU Global Education – the UK-headquartered company has already invested in several campuses in GIFT City, making it a prime provider to step in and help institutions set up overseas branches in India.

    UniQuad – an arm of ECA, which has previously partnered with UK universities to run overseas campuses and other TNE projects, UniQuad is a new division with a specific goal of introducing university partners to India’s evolving educational landscape, meaning it’s well placed to help in this area.

    Amity – the private Indian provider is already working with major British institutions – such as Queen Mary University of London – on program articulation arrangements in India, as well as having MoUs with others on things like joint research and dual degrees. Could it be looking to expand into new ventures?

    British Council – while the British Council isn’t a private provider, it is a key strategic enabler for institutions looking to set up in India. It can help with policy dialogue and advocacy, support through the UK Universities in India Alliance, as well as providing market intelligence, helping institutions decide which partners are right for them.

    Source link

  • Westminster x The Academy – who will win?

    Westminster x The Academy – who will win?

    Hear from Emma Cayley, head of School of Languages at the University of Leeds and chair of the University Council of Modern Languages, and Darren Paffey, MP and chair of the Modern Languages APPG, about why they think their side will win the contest.

    Sign up for the challenge here.

    Source link

  • Is North America’s scramble for TNE over?

    Is North America’s scramble for TNE over?

    Jason E. Lane is one of the founders of the Cross-Border Education Research Team, which has been monitoring the transnational education (TNE) sector since 2010. According to its data, the United States is the top player – it has 97 overseas campuses. In comparison, Canada fields just eight.

    Opening a satellite location is not for the faint of heart. TNE often requires significant financial investments, which can evaporate if the school fails to attract students or runs into political trouble in the host country.

    “There are a range of challenges,” Lane said. “These include maintaining the quality of teaching and offering the types of educational experiences that are available on the main campus.”

    Some top American schools, including Harvard and Princeton, have declined to pursue the TNE model, instead relying on partnerships to build their international profiles.

    While America remains the leader, Australia, with a population of just 27 million people, punches far above its weight, with 24 satellite campuses.

    “Australia has a long history of being internationally engaged,” Lane said. “They looked at their own slowly growing population base and decided to expand overseas. It’s part of a longer term strategy of internationalisation.”

    There are a range of challenges… These include maintaining the quality of teaching and offering the types of educational experiences that are available on the main campus
    Jason E. Lane, Cross-Border Research Team

    Recently, some universities have backtracked on their commitment to foreign campuses. Last year, Texas A&M University announced that it was closing its 20-year-old campus in Qatar to focus on its core work in the United States. Board chair Bill Mahomes said the school “did not necessarily need a campus infrastructure 8,000 miles away to support education and research collaboration”.

    In August, the University of Calgary shuttered its Qatar site after providing training to local learners there for many years. It provided no reason for the decision and did not respond to a request for more information.

    For David Robinson, the executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, the answer is clear: “In the end, as Calgary’s experience shows, I think branch campuses have largely turned out to be a failed business model.”

    Robinson said the association had “for many years” raised concerns about institutions setting up campuses in parts of the world where academic freedom might not be upheld or respected in the same way as it would in Canada.

    Academic freedom worries are also prevalent in the US, Lane told The PIE News. “A lot of US campuses have gotten into establishing foreign campuses while wanting guarantees of academic freedom. But those countries may have different definitions of academic freedom.”

    Overseas campuses serve a wide range of students. In some cases, especially in the Middle East, satellites enrol only local or regional learners.

    Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, has had a site at a castle in England for 30 years; many of the students attending are on a semester or year abroad from the Canadian campus.

    Others leverage their overseas satellites to attract attendees from across the globe. Webster University, based in St. Louis, Missouri, has operations in several locations, including Geneva.

    It offers a seamless transition between taking courses there and at the US campus. The Swiss school draws students from many countries; diverse classes prepare students to work with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

    New campuses are now reflecting shifts in the global geopolitical alignment, Lane says. After Hungary tilted to the right and fell into the Russia-China orbit, Fudan University of Shanghai opened a satellite in that country.

    With its growing population and improving economic development, Africa is increasingly viewed as a potential market. Currently, universities from the United States, United Kingdom, France and Netherlands have satellites on the African continent.

    The post Is North America’s scramble for TNE over? appeared first on The PIE News.

    Source link

  • Wales stands firm against international fee levy, minister says

    Wales stands firm against international fee levy, minister says

    During a a visit to the University of South Wales’s (USW) Pontypridd campus, Wales’s minister for further an higher education Vikki Howells reaffirmed that the country will not introduce the levy – details of which were set out in last week’s Autumn Budget.

    Instead, Howells reiterated that international students coming to Wales would find a warm welcome. “We want to send a clear message that Wales is open, inclusive, and committed to providing an outstanding student experience,” she said after the visit.

    “International students are an integral part of our higher education community. They not only boost our economy but also bring cultural diversity and global outlooks that benefit all of us. Wales is proud to be a place where students from around the world feel welcome and supported,” said Howells.

    We want to send a clear message that Wales is open, inclusive, and committed to providing an outstanding student experience
    Vikki Howells, member of the Senedd

    Louise Bright, USW’s pro vice-chancellor for enterprise engagement and partnership, added: “Our international students contribute enormously to the life of our universities and of Wales. Their skills, insights and experiences help us create a stronger, more outward-looking and connected nation.”

    Universities Wales said the move underscored the Welsh government’s commitment to supporting international education in Wales.

    It comes just a weeks after Howells recorded a video for international students assuring them that they would find “a place where you’ll truly belong” if they chose Wales as a study destination. The country has been positioning itself as a regional hub for international education – with interest in studying in Wales rising most sharply in Indian and American students.

    According to HESA data, Wales was home to some 27,795 international students in the 2023/24 academic year, with most of those coming from non-EU countries.

    The University of South Wales had the most, with 6,635 international students, followed by Cardiff University with 6,480 and Swansea University with 4,780.

    The international student levy – which will come into force in England in 2028 – has been controversial, with stakeholders warning that it could severely impact international enrolments.

    Large metropolitan universities stand to lose the most money from the policy, which will see a £925-per-student flat fee for all institutions in England with more than 220 international students. The cash raised will be used to fund domestic maintenance grants.

    According to the latest available HESA data, University College London would have to pay the most money – over £25 million – followed by the University of Manchester and the University of Hertfordshire.

    Source link