British Council – Written evidence
1 Summary
1.1 The UK has historically been a leading destination for international students looking to undertake taught courses and research in STEM subjects but with increased competition from both established destination countries and new entrants, it is timely to consider the UK’s position. The evidence suggests at a time when the pool of international students continues to grow, especially in India and South Asia, the UK’s share of key markets is in decline. There are complex reasons for the fall in the numbers choosing to come to the UK to take STEM courses but the ease and cost of securing a visa and perceptions of the host country’s attitudes to students are key factors when a student is considering whether to choose the UK or a competitor like Canada or the USA.
1.2 A significant fall in the numbers of international students coming to the UK will have implications for individual courses and the resources available to STEM departments. The impact beyond campuses could also be substantial - the UK’s economic success owes much to our world beating research and development base in STEM subjects.
1.3 This paper explores these issues and sets out the particular role of the British Council in the promotion of the UK as a study destination and supporter of the UK’s STEM departments.
2 The British Council
2.1 The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We are on the ground in six continents and over 100 countries bringing international opportunity to life, every day. Each year we work with millions of people, connecting them with the UK, sharing our cultures and the UK’s most attractive assets: English, the Arts, Education and our ways of living and organising society. We have 80 years’ experience of doing this.
3 The British Council and International Higher Education
3.1 The British Council supports the exchange and mobility of students, scholars and academics into and from the UK, and plays a leading role in promoting UK higher education institutions (HEIs) to international students. Through our international network in over 100 countries and digital resources like the Education UK web site we present the UK as an attractive destination to prospective students.
Education UK
3.2 The Education UK web site attracts 2.2 million unique visitors each year, making it the website of choice for international students and agents. It lists over 150,000 UK courses and 3,000 UK scholarships at 2,600 educational institutions. As well as the website, we also run global e-newsletters, and provide education marketing materials for use around the world. This year, one of our areas of focus is to show audiences worldwide that the UK is a leader in research, creativity and innovation. For this, we are gathering facts and statistics which demonstrate the UK’s strengths, and exciting stories which bring these statistics to life. These stories look at how UK universities and colleges are breaking new ground and making discoveries that are changing the world. You can see these stories in this area of the website: http://www.educationuk.org/global/sub/discover-create-innovate/
Education Exhibitions
3.3 Education exhibitions are the number one international recruitment tool that the HE sector uses to recruit students and to raise brand awareness. The British Council runs over 120 education exhibitions in more than 50 countries annually, attracting over 250,000 visitors a year. The British Council draws on GREAT campaign collateral at these exhibitions to highlight the breadth of the UK offer to potential students. It works with almost all UK universities and a growing number of FE colleges and schools. The numbers of exhibitions are growing and the British Council is expanding into new markets. We support UK education institutions to realise their international ambitions, providing services for international student recruitment, market intelligence and the development of working relationships with institutions in countries.
The GREAT Campaign
3.4 The GREAT campaign is making a major contribution to the promotion of the UK as a destination for tourism, study and as a place to do business. In 2014/15 The British Council will focus particularly on strengthening the UK’s attractiveness as a destination for study in the high volume markets of China, India and the US.
3.5 There are particular challenges in India. There has been a well-documented decline in student numbers over the last two years. In 2010/11 there were 40,890 Indian students in the UK but by 2012/13 that number had reduced to around 23,000. At the same time there have been increases in the number of Indians choosing to study in Australia, Germany and Canada. The British Council, working closely with the British High Commission, is aiming to reverse this trend through a major campaign including PR, digital, outreach and scholarships. The campaign is focusing particularly on the benefits of a UK education for career advancement.
4 The British Council and Science and Innovation
4.1 Scientific research is more international than ever before with collaborations between laboratories across continents critical to innovation. Frequently the UK’s links are driven by the personal relationships built up by visiting students and researchers. The trust and networks built up with the UK by international students are a critically important resource for the country that should not be underestimated.
4.2 The British Council plays a pivotal role in supporting the development of major bilateral and research platforms such as UKIERI and BIRAX and recently launched the innovative tri-lateral ‘Global Innovation Initiative’ (US-UK-Emerging Power). It convenes and provides on the ground support in country for initiatives such as the doctoral training centres launched recently in Indonesia (DIKTI).
4.3 The British Council plays a significant role in demonstrating the creativity and innovation of UK science to young people overseas, whether this is through STEM education initiatives, science communication activities, or science festivals and fairs. Examples include:
• Our science in schools programme in France, supported by the French Ministry of Education, which brings UK scientists into schools to deliver hands on workshops and demonstrations.
• Our presence at the Thailand Science and Technology Fair, which attracts 1.2 million people, many of whom are prospective students. For the past two years British Council has supported scientists from UK universities to exhibit their work in a hands-on and interactive way, to demonstrate the creativity and strength of UK science to the audience
• FameLab International, a global science communication competition, in partnership with Cheltenham Science Festival and national partners such as CERN. This is often televised and reaches an audience of millions, and acts to inspire and engage people in science (www.famelab.org).
• Cubed, our online webzine which highlights UK breakthroughs in science and technology (http://www.britishcouncil.org/cubed)
4.4 We also support early career researchers, including PhD students, through a number of activities:
• We manage the EuraxessUK website, on behalf of BIS, which provides information to international researchers wanting to come to the UK. This website also has a searchable funding database, so that researchers can find funding to come to the UK, and has information on visas (www.euraxess.org.uk).
• We deliver an early career researcher partnership programme which focuses on building research links and collaboration in science and innovation between the UK and the world: http://www.britishcouncil.org/society/science/researcher-links
• We also help to build the communication skills of international researchers through our Researcher Connect training.
5 Soft power
5.1 The UK’s higher education sector is one our strongest soft power assets. The reputation of the UK’s HEI, especially in STEM subjects, is a powerful attractor to potential students both in terms of the quality of the education on offer but also the cachet it brings to CVs. The UK benefits significantly from the fees and associated spend of students – BIS estimated that in 2011-12 the total value to the UK economy was £10.2bn in tuition fees and living expenses alone. However, although less obvious, it is important to also recognise that those who have studied in the UK are much more likely to be well disposed to the UK on their return home. Sometimes they become leaders in their chosen fields, perhaps even the leaders of their home nation like Bill Clinton and Manmohan Singh. A recent report by ExEdUk found that 13% of non-British Nobel Prize winners have been educated in the UK or had held a position at a British university, 32 of the world’s 177 central bankers had gone to UK universities, and 407 non-Britons listed in Who’s Who had been educated in the UK, the vast majority as undergraduates. Research by the British Council has previously found that there is a significant trust dividend from the UK from people engaging in cultural relations activities such as studying in UK universities. This means that on their return home, international students are more likely to trust people from the UK, to want to visit the UK and to want to do business with UK companies.
The impression that international students are welcome from initial enquiry through to the experiences they have while studying are therefore a crucial part of the equation in stabilising STEM applications.
6 The British Council’s position on student visas
6.1 The British Council fully supports the government’s declared intention to attract genuine students to the UK. We have been working in partnership with BIS, UKTI and the FCO and through the cross-government GREAT campaign to promote the UK as a destination of choice for international students.
6.2 The vast majority of international students coming to the UK return home at the end of their course or else after gaining an extra 6 – 18 months of professional experience. They are not long term migrants; they are temporary visitors, paying guests in the UK who bring significant benefits to the UK economy. We believe that students should be excluded from the net migration figures and that, subject to appropriate checks, institutions should be trusted to be the best judges of whether a student is genuine and eligible to come and study in the UK.
6.3 We support efforts to ensure that only genuine students are admitted to the UK. However, due care must be taken to ensure immigration measures do not discourage or prevent the students our HEIs need to thrive from coming to the UK. There is a risk that in seeking to reduce net migration that there will be an unintended impact on the recruitment of international students who make a significant contribution to the UK’s Higher Education sector and broader economy. The two aspects of the visa regulations that have the potential to do the most damage to the UK’s reputation, the economy and cost the most UK jobs are the restrictions to ‘pathway’ visas which enable the intensive study of English via a course in a further education or English language college in the UK prior to taking up a place on a higher education course, and the issue of post-study work visas. We would support a review of these policies.
6.4 The pace of change is also a problem. Students considering the UK as a destination can be confused and put off by the rapid changes in immigration processes and guidance with some left in doubt as to whether they can even complete their studies. A period of calm and stability in the visa system would be invaluable.
6.5 Too often, regardless of the efficacy and intention of Home Office measures themselves, the nature of the national political and media debate regarding immigration and visa policy, and particularly the coverage it receives abroad, can have an adverse impact on attitudes towards the UK as a study destination, creating an impression the UK is unwelcoming to international students. Given the enormous long term economic, soft power and myriad other benefits international students bring to the UK, we believe that there should be a much greater awareness of the impact of the domestic debate of immigration policy on international perceptions of the UK as a study destination.
6.6 Restricting the flow of genuine students coming to the UK is not in the interests of the UK economy. Our university towns and cities also derive huge economic benefit from the additional spending and employment generated by these students. Our research base in our universities depends on the income from fees for taught postgraduate programmes and the skills and experience of international research students. A significant reduction in the numbers of international students coming to the UK to take STEM courses would severely impact the viability UK’s world-leading institutes of science and engineering damaging UK industries and businesses.
7 The Committee’s Questions
The importance of international STEM students to the UK
7.1 The UK higher education sector is one of the most internationalised in the world: 18% of our student-base is international, over 25% of faculty are non-EU, and more than 80% of UK institutions have international partnerships. BIS estimates that in 2011-12, overseas students studying at higher education institutions in the UK paid £3.9bn in tuition fees and £6.3bn in living expenses.
7.2 International STEM students are critical to the UK’s research base, they are underpinning the viability of pioneering research programmes in engineering, medicine and science that are essential to the UK’s success in the global economy. About 90 per cent of full-time postgraduate taught students in biotech and some engineering programmes are international. Any fall in the numbers of these students pose a threat to the UK’s long-term research base both in terms of reduced income from fees but also from the loss of innovative thinking, intellectual challenge and experience of different methodologies these students bring to academic departments.
7.3 The UK currently leads the world in research productivity (number of citations relative to Gross Expenditure on Research and Development; source: UUK, 2011 ‘Driving Economic Growth’). The UK punches above its weight as a research nation. While the UK represents just 0.9% of global population, 3.2% of R&D expenditure, and 4.1% of researchers, it accounts for 9.5% of downloads, 11.6% of citations and 15.9% of the world's most highly-cited articles. The UK needs to remain innovative to be globally competitive and that requires drawing on global rather than just national resources.
How have the numbers and demographics of international STEM students in the UK changed since the introduction of policy reforms on immigration in this Parliament?
How have the numbers of international STEM students in the UK changed since 2011
7.4 Changes to visa policies for international students came into effect in April 2011. Non EU domiciled students enrolling in UK based STEM programmes in HE institutions declined 3.5% in 2011-12 compared to 2010-11. It is important to set this in context and consider trends in international student numbers to the UK up to this point and changes to non-EU student numbers enrolled on UK programmes in other subject areas. International (non-EU domiciled) student numbers to the UK have increased year on year since the 1990s. Since 2002, growth in international STEM students has tended to match growth in overall international student numbers. In 2011, these figures appeared to decouple (see chart 1). The change from 2010/11 to 2011/12 shows a positive growth of 1.5% in overall international student numbers, but a decline of -3.5% international STEM students. Early statistical releases show that international numbers to the UK declined for the first time in 2012-13 (a drop of 1%). We do not yet have a greater drop breakdown of these figures by subject area and so cannot confirm whether the numbers taking STEM subjects shows any variation from the general fall. However, on the basis of anecdotal evidence, our expectation is that STEM subjects will show a larger drop.
Chart 1
(Source: British Council analysis of HESA data)
7.5 The decline in STEM students has been experienced predominantly at the post graduate taught level of study, with all STEM subject areas showing a decline apart from mathematical sciences. Other levels of study (postgraduate research and undergraduate) increased in number from 2010/11 to 2011/12 (3.8% and 3.5% respectively).
Where do STEM students come from, and how has this changed?
7.6 Table 1 shows a decline in 2011-12 in STEM students to the UK from 8 of the top 20 sending countries. The largest decline (in absolute terms) was from India – in 2010/11 India was the largest sender of STEM students, but a decline of 27.4% (5,435 students) now puts India behind China.
7.7 For all 8 of the countries which experienced a decline in STEM students, this decline was greater than the decline in overall student numbers from that country – i.e. the drop in STEM student numbers was disproportionate to the overall change.
7.8 However, the picture is not uniform with 7 of the top 20 STEM countries had a growth in STEM numbers which was greater than the growth in overall student numbers.
Table 1
Note that the countries in this table are the top 20 STEM sending non-EU countries in 2011-12
What is the evidence currently available of an adverse effect of the changes to immigration rules on prospective international STEM students choosing to study in the UK?
7.9 The choices made by prospective international students can be influenced in many ways and are based on a variety of factors. Looking at the numbers choosing the UK is a crude guide, for example the drop in the number of Indian students coming to the UK will reflect the deprecation of the Rupee on currency markets as well as the widely publicised tightening of the UK visa regime. However, by comparing international trends we can draw some correlations on the impact of visa changes on the UK’s competitiveness in the STEM market.
7.10 Data from UNESCO Institute for statistics shows international STEM enrolments for many host countries up to 2010. The experience of the UK to that point was not isolated as increases were observed in all host countries except Hungary and Norway. By way of contrast, since 2011, alternative study destinations have not experienced the same decline in STEM student enrolments that the UK has seen.
Australia
7.11 Overall international student enrolments in Australia suffered a decline from 2010 onwards. However, despite this drop, international post graduate research students in STEM subjects continued to rise to 2012 (https://aei.gov.au/research/Research-Snapshots/Documents/STEM_2012.pdf)
7.12 Latest figures (up to December 2013) show that overall international enrolment numbers are increasing again, including increases in numbers from countries which are declining in number to the UK (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Iran).
USA
7.13 International enrolments to the USA continue to grow with the current figure standing at 819,644 (2012/13). Around 301,000 of these study STEM. STEM students have increased each year since 2004/05.
7.14 Looking at 2011/12 (for comparison with latest available UK figures), the number of Indian students choosing the USA did decline - by 3.5%. Even though over 100,000 Indian students were enrolled in US institutions, in absolute terms the decline was smaller than the decline to the UK. Around 36% of Indian students in the US are enrolled in engineering programmes.
China
7.15 Data from China National Bureau of Statistics shows that new (domestic) enrolments in STEM in China have grown steadily year on year since 2008.
Which UK immigration policies are affecting international STEM students and what issues are they causing?
The right to work, costs and bureaucracy
7.16 The British Council runs a survey of prospective international students – The Student Insight Survey.
Respondents to the survey in 2012 who stated an interest in studying STEM programme outside of their home country were asked a series of questions about their perceptions of different study destinations.
7.17 About 8% of respondents believed that the UK was ‘worse than last year (2011)’ with regard to their perceptions of the country being ‘A friendly and welcoming study destination’, 28% believed it to be ‘Better than last year’. About 10% believed the USA to be worse than last year and 21% better than last year. 86% of STEM students interested in studying in the UK agreed or strongly agreed that the UK has an energetic and creative youth culture and offers an innovative study experience, but 36% agreed or strongly agreed that it was difficult to apply for courses at UK institutions.
7.18 However, the perceptions of Australia and Canada contrast with attitudes towards the UK. There has been a marked improvement in the image of these study destinations – only 0.5% had the view that Australia was now worse than last year, and 0.3% had a negative view of Canada with 34% holding the view that their perception of Canada as a friendly and welcoming study destination had improved since 2011.
7.19 The survey data shows that a major motivation for prospective students to seek an international education is to enhance their career prospects. Of 3,172 respondents who stated an interest in taking a STEM course outside their home country, 949 (30%) believed they would enhance their employability most through working whilst studying, and 861 (27%) believed they would enhance their employability most by working in their study country upon graduation.
7.20 Parents of prospective international students from China tell us that they are really keen for their children to be able to stay and gain work experience after their studies. Whilst it is not entirely impossible to stay on in the UK after graduation, there is no direct guarantee – which partially explains the popularity of rivals like Australia, Canada and the USA that offer more easily accessible options for post-study work.
7.21 The issue of changes in immigration to the UK, particularly the bond issue was debated heavily on Nigerian radio for many weeks. The underlying messages behind this were that UK was closing its doors. We subsequently saw a significant dip in the number of prospective students visiting Education UK fairs across the country. When we visited several other fairs organised by other agencies, UK exhibitors’ stands had reduced numbers of visitors with prospective students heading straight for Canadian and US universities. The perception that it is now difficult to secure post study work visas after graduation makes Canada a more attractive destination to Nigerian students. Our offices in Nigeria have also observed that a number of visible new players are entering the local market offering cheaper and easier visa destinations - Ghana, Turkey and the Ukraine are all actively pursuing Nigerian students.
7.22 A recent study of prospective students in India reported that ‘high cost’ was the greatest deterrent to study overseas for most (followed by lack of scholarships, then difficulties getting a visa, and not being able to work). The perceived removal of the right to work also impacted negatively on prospective students from India. However, also important is the perception that there are now more opportunities for Indian students to advance their careers at home rather than in the UK.
7.23 International student numbers to Australia declined for 3 years from 2010 following a tightening of student visa requirements. However, when Australia subsequently streamlined their visa system, reduced the financial requirements on prospective students and offered post-study work visa options to graduates applications immediately showed a sharp upturn. Professionals involved in international recruitment in Australia have shared the view that a joined up system which provides opportunities for post-study work “is obviously crucial”.
7.24 The USA has specific programmes in place to offer international STEM graduates the chance to stay in the country for an additional 17 months after graduation, offering graduates the opportunity to gain the work experience many consider vital to success when they return home.
7.25 Canada offers work visas for international graduates and their spouse/common law partner, and highlight the fact that this will be viewed as a step to potential immigration to Canada. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/publications/study.asp#other
How are the impacts of immigration policies on STEM students monitored, both by organisations and nationally? Is there sufficient collection and analysis of data to enable links between cause and effect to be understood?
7.26 Our global network, international work in higher education and research on the international higher education landscape, issues and trends provides a unique evidence base for sharing insights on challenges facing UK institutions looking to recruit STEM students in the global market. Our work monitoring perceptions of the UK can be particularly informative to HEIs and the four Governments of the UK.
7.27 We believe a more evidenced based approach to student visas should be adopted. More could be done to evaluate the impact of policy, preferably before further changes to the visa regime. There are valuable lessons to be learned from the experience of our international competitors, particularly other Anglophone countries. Detailed consideration of the experience of Australia would likely be especially informative to UK policy makers. We would also like to see a much better understanding of the impact the domestic debate in the UK has in our key international markets.
Do reforms to immigration policy since 2010 limit the competitiveness of UK higher education institutions in attracting international STEM students?
7.28 National policy decisions are rarely simple, they are a balancing act between often competing interests. The public are understandably concerned about the effects of immigration on the local services on which they rely, on the employment prospects of young people up and down the country and on social integration. The critical point is to strike the right balance that allows the UK’s HE sector to continue to attract international students while protecting against abuses of the visa system.
7.29 Globally the number of internationally mobile students continues to grow and other major hosts of international students have observed increases in their international enrolment figures. New entrants to the international student market are offering attractive options for prospective international students, in recognition of the significant economic and soft power benefits they bring. Our research predicts that internationally mobile student numbers will continue to increase to 2020 and beyond (although at a slower rate than in the last decade).
7.30 Yet the UK’s share of the international student community has shrunk. In some cases, like India, the fall in STEM students is in dramatic contrast with the experience of our international competitors. Although there are a number of factors impacting on this and the visa changes are only one part of the picture, it is true to say the changes are having a significant impact on the UK HE sector’s ability to compete and are restricting the growth of what could be a fast growing UK export.
Do HE institutions and the government have effective mechanisms in place for communicating the rules arising from immigration policy to prospective international students?
7.31 The British Council works closely with the UK Border Agency, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Home Office, UKCISA, HEI and other sponsors and partners to ensure that visa and entry arrangements are more user-friendly for international students and to make their stay in the UK a positive experience. Around the world, we work closely with UKVI on the ground to communicate the message that the UK is open for business to manage negative comments and perceptions of the UK. The British Council manages the ‘Education is GREAT’ strand of the GREAT campaign. This programme aims to deliver measurable economic benefits in terms of student recruitment, whilst also supporting the UK’s long-term interests and enhancing UK influence within target markets. In the coming year the British Council will focus particularly on the high volume markets of China, India and the US.
7.32 Through our global network and online resources we provide prospective students with guidance on preparing their visa application, preparing for coming to the UK and settling in safely once they arrive. The Education UK website provides practical advice to prospective students, covering a host of issues like pre-departure briefings, visas, scholarships, accommodation, travel and other critical concerns. Advice such as our Entry Clearance and Immigration brochure (http://www.britishcouncil.org/entry-clearance-and-immigration.pdf) helps signpost prospective students through the visa system. The British Council supports UK education providers with their international marketing work, through market intelligence, direct marketing services, delivering Education UK exhibitions and offering consultancy. Our extensive network of international education agents and the training we provide for these agents also support the international marketing efforts of UK institutions.
7.33 For more detailed advice on visas, we direct visitors to the Education UK website and other portals to UKVI’s visa services pages. Our anecdotal evidence is that the language used on these pages is not necessarily viewed as warm and welcoming by prospective students, especially those with English as a second language. Improving the user experience of the UKVI website for prospective students would be a small but useful step in countering perceptions that the UK is unwelcoming.
7.34 Of course more could be done, a 2012 British Council survey of education agents marketing the UK as a study destination found that the majority of agents considered it difficult to understand the UK’s visa system and that they wanted more information. Although some HEIs are increasingly circumspect about the use of agents, their role remains important and the perception of frequent changes to the visa system adds a further level of complexity to their work in trying to sell UK higher education opportunities to potential STEM students.
Are international STEM graduates finding it difficult to pursue employment in the UK after completing their studies at HEIs?
7.35 Our anecdotal evidence is that some graduates are finding it difficult to pursue employment for the crucial 6 – 18 month period post study. For example, our teams in Nigeria and India have reported that prospective students consider the employment options available both in other study destinations but also at home are now better than those afforded by the UK and as a result are reconsidering the UK as a study destination.
7.36 The vast majority of graduates that want to work post-study only wish to do so for a short time to gain experience that they can take home with them. The work they do while in the UK and the long term links they forge are a significant contribution to the UK’s research base and should be recognised as such. We would welcome further consideration of whether the current post-study provisions are an appropriate response in the face of that offered by our competitors.
Are immigration policies and rules jeopardising the provision of particular STEM taught masters or other postgraduate courses?
7.37 In 2011/12, students from outside the EU outnumbered UK students enrolled full time on postgraduate STEM courses. Non-EU students constituted 48% of all full time students with UK students forming 40% and other EU students 12% of the student body. For engineering 65% of students were from outside the EU. In computer science the figure was 67% and even for maths courses the proportion of non EU students was 58%. The students taking some individual programmes in engineering and biotech for example are 90% international in origin. If the international students who are filling these programmes choose instead to study in Australia or Canada the continuing viability of some courses will of course be put under pressure, with those most dependent on international students the most vulnerable. A reduction in the numbers of international students taking taught courses in STEM will affect the diversity and plurality of the UK’s academic offer, reducing the attractiveness of the sector and potentially creating a cycle of decline. Any reduction in the range of courses on offer also restricts the choices on offer to UK students with potential implications to the skills base for the UK economy in key industrial sectors.
7.38 However, arguably more important to the continuing economic success of the UK than the implications for individual courses is the reliance of UK HEIs on their postgraduate taught programmes to support their research programmes. The income from these courses are in many cases what keeps a STEM department as a whole viable, if that income falls significantly a department will simply not be able to sustain the same number of academic staff, research students and postdoctoral researchers. The UK’s research and development base in these crucially important sectors will be undermined with far wider implications for the UK economy than the billions that international students already inject into the UK economy through fees and associated spend.
8 Conclusion
8.1 The UK is a leading destination internationally for STEM students. Our universities and research institutes depend on the flow of income and ideas these students bring. Some programmes would simply not exist were it not for the international students that choose the UK. Were the reduction in the numbers of STEM students the UK experienced last year to turn into a declining trend there would be serious ramifications for the UK’s research and development base in crucial sectors of the national economy.
8.2 That the number of international students choosing the UK to take STEM courses has fallen when the pool of students has continued to grow and our competitors have experienced an upturn in applications suggests the UK has become a comparatively less attractive destination. The UK’s world leading institutes and research centres should be showing the same strong growth in student numbers as our competitors with all the positive implications for the economic success of the country that entails. We should not being seeing signs of stagnation or even of decline. The numbers of international students is growing, and the area where we are seeing the most growth is in students from India and South Asia, precisely where we are experiencing the biggest drops. While issues like the depreciation in the value of the Rupee are significant, the reality and perceptions of policy on visas are also key factors influencing the decisions international students are making in deciding whether to pursue their STEM courses in the UK or to choose one of our competitors. The changes made to visa requirements, the pace of change and the nature of the national debate on immigration have all impacted on the UK’s attractiveness as a destination. We believe useful parallels can and should be drawn with the approach of our competitors, both old and new. Competition for students is growing, especially for the most ambitious students and the market will only become more challenging for the UK as our competitors offer simpler, more attractive and cheaper visa choices for students. The Australian experience, including the quick recovery in student numbers following the refinements the Australian Government made to policy in the face of falling applications, is of particular relevance to the UK.
8.3 Through the GREAT campaign and resources like the Education UK website, and by working with partners like UKVI and UKTI and our IHEs, the British Council is working hard to promote the UK in our key overseas markets for STEM students. Countering the negative international press coverage of the London Metropolitan issues in India, Nigeria and other target countries is a real challenge but we have enjoyed some success in countries like China and have challenging targets for the Indian market. We will continue this important work to support the UK’s HEIs. The UK’s world-leading position in STEM is a critical asset both to the national economy and to the UK’s soft power and the British Council will do all it can to ensure it continues to thrive.
20 February 2014