Why universities need students with an international outlook

“This ability to collaborate with people from around the world is crucial for the next generation of innovators”

Leading universities are increasingly attracting ‘global students’ with international views and experiences, says Harry Hortyn, co-founder of Oxford Summer Courses. 

It’s a competitive world out there, and students aspiring to a successful career not only need the right qualifications, they should also be able to demonstrate they have what it takes to thrive in a global marketplace.

The research taking place in university laboratories, studios and libraries today will shape the way we live tomorrow. And to enable the brightest minds from across the world to collaborate effectively and share ideas, universities need their students to have an international outlook.

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How Singapore became an English-speaking country

“Few international students who come to Singapore to study fully understand the intricacies of its complex language history”

Singapore was under British colonial rule for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, but few people outside an educated elite spoke English. It was also a diverse country with three major ethnic groups – Chinese, Indians, and Malays. How did a country consisting of non-native English speakers become a major study abroad destination for students from around the world, many of whom come to Singapore to study English or to study in English?

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Universities losing EU academics in anticipation of Brexit

“Waiting to feel the full force of Brexit is not an option that many EU academics are willing to take”

Amidst a wave of ministerial resignations and speculations surrounding a vote of no confidence, talks over leaving the EU continues to be a mixture of apprehension and scepticism as the future of a Brexit Britain remain worryingly unclear. Waiting to feel the full force of Brexit is not an option that many EU academics are willing to take, with more than 2,300 already having resigned from British universities over the past year.

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How A Hard Brexit Could Affect The International Education Sector

“The future for overseas teachers currently based in the UK isn’t certain”

There are very few people in the sector who relish in the idea of a hard Brexit, but with increasingly tense negotiations it’s looking like a possibility. There are many Brexiteers trying to steer the UK into a hard Brexit because they feel like it’s the best way to deliver the will of the people. Though this might be the case in some respects, it also creates problems.

At the risk of a hard Brexit or no deal at all, it’s important to consider the future. One sector that needs to look into the outcome of hard Brexit is the international education sector.
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Will UK student visas have to change post-Brexit?

“When change finally does occur, what form is the new landscape for EU students likely to take?”

The recognition of education as an economic purpose by the founding fathers of the European Economic Community led to freedom of movement for students of EU and later EEA states plus Switzerland.

This has changed the face of higher education across the Continent, facilitating cross-fertilisation of ideas and consequent innovation across a mobile student and academic population. It is undoubtedly a shining achievement of post-WW2 European politics, and the UK’s great universities have been at the heart of many major developments in learning.
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How international students can adjust to life on a college campus

“As an international student, that first session is crucial to your academic success”

Whether you’ve sat in a world history class or travelled outside your home country, you probably know that cultures and customs vary greatly around the world. College culture is no exception. For international students going to the US to achieve their higher education goals, adjusting to a new lifestyle and culture can be a shock.

Luckily, there are several ways that international student can adjust to life on a college campus. Here are just a few to get you started so you can start your college experience on the right foot.
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Five Reasons Why Swedes are the World’s Best Non-Native English Speakers

“Swedes are eager to reach people outside of their country, and they benefit economically and linguistically from this”

As Sweden aims to internationalise its higher education sector and attract more foreign talent, one of its advantages is the country’s high English proficiency.

For the fourth time in the past eight years, Sweden ranks number one on the 2018 EF English Proficiency Index . The EF EPI is the largest global study of English skills based on test data from 1.3 million adults who took the EF Standard English Test  in 2017.

Since EF is a Swedish company, we asked 100 of our Swedish colleagues why they think Sweden has been so successful with English language education. Here’s what they told us:
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The UK must engage with businesses to increase the number of UK students studying abroad

“Doubling the number of students studying abroad in three years is an extremely ambitious target, but the UK sector is united in its determination to get there”

The recent Open Doors data revealed that in 2016-17, the number of US bachelor students studying abroad as part of their degree rose by 2.3% to 16%. For those of us in the UK higher education sector, these figures are both enviable and encouraging.

The UK’s Go International: Stand Out campaign to double the per cent of UK undergraduate students studying abroad to 13% is now entering its second year. This year the campaign will focus its efforts on engaging commercial and international partners – following in the footsteps of successful campaigns by the likes of the US and Japan.
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Top tips on how to recruit fully funded students

“If you know of organisations in your market that fund students then get in touch with them, but make sure you have something to offer”

Students who are fully funded by external organisations such as governments agencies or private companies are the gold dust that every international officer or student recruiter is looking for.

Funding overseas study is expensive; there is no question about it. Between tuition fees and living costs to study in the UK alone, the costs can vary between anything from £20,000 to £35,000 or more. Here are some tips on how to find that gold dust for your institution.
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The Changing face of Foundation courses

“Not only are new pathway providers entering the market, but major employers are also chipping away at the foundations of degree programs”

 

The Foundation course has long been an important bridge for international students wishing to enter the UK higher education system.

Traditionally, these foundation courses have been offered by international colleges that are often aligned to one university, indeed many of these international colleges are located on University campuses and there is a seamless link between completion of an international Year 1 or Foundation year and access to a degree program on the same campus.
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