Harry Anderson, Deputy Director, Policy and Global Engagement, University UK International and Rachel MacSween, Director of Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, UK and Europe, IDP Connect, set the scene ahead of the ISR2024 conference with a jointly authored blog painting the picture of the current landscape.
The blog highlights the benefits of a holistic approach to international education, stressing the need for collaboration between the government and universities to rebuild the UK's reputation as an attractive destination for international students.
As the dust settles on the General Election campaign, many will be looking for early signs as to what Keir Starmer’s victory means for universities. Those working in international recruitment will be hoping that a change in government brings with it a change in approach to international students.
With the election being called amidst a period of huge uncertainty over the previous government’s approach to international students, and following significant changes in visa policy, international student recruitment ahead of the autumn is looking challenging.
Although we are still too far out to know what the final picture will look like, feedback from across UK universities suggests that applications remain down.
So, what does the sector need from a new Labour government to help rebuild our reputation and appeal to international students, and what does the sector need to do in return for that support?
Labour have already made clear that they recognise the enormous contribution which international students make to the UK, but a new government offers the opportunity to go further than a simple restatement of the facts.
Instead, what is needed is a clear, strategic, and joined-up approach to international education. One which moves away from looking at international students solely through the lens of education exports, and recognises the academic, social, cultural, and skills contribution of international students to the UK, and our partners overseas. This approach would recognise that a stable, compelling and competitive offer for international staff and students is vital to the UK’s ability to compete for talent in the global marketplace and will require a more honest dialogue about the trade-offs. Whilst Labour has been clear that more investment in domestic skills is needed, part of the skills component of a UK growth strategy must come from high-skilled migration. In this context, universities will have to be clear on our role within a skills and growth plan and willing to engage with more evidence-based policy making.
This more holistic approach will require work on both sides, but the value would be enormous for all. It would send a clear signal to students around the world that we are open, welcoming, and that we have a long-term vision.
We have a real opportunity to secure stability. On the steps of Downing Street, Keir Starmer spoke of the need for a stable policy environment providing universities, and more importantly international students, with the clarity and certainty they need and expect.
No more back and forth over the Graduate visa, and instead a clear offer which international students can believe and trust.
After all, we should not forget the impact we can have when this comes together and the sector and government work in partnership. We saw it in the development of the previous International Education Strategy, we saw it in the pandemic when we worked to ensure international students could come to study here safely, and we can see it now when looking at other countries too.
Take the USA, for example. In 2023, international education was added to the national export strategy for the first time. This is seen by many in the sector as hugely significant. The strategy acknowledged the significant contributions to US innovation made by international students.
Alongside this, there is a group of prominent education stakeholders who form the ‘U.S. for Success Coalition’ (largely being driven by NAFSA) which hopes to work with government to address the country’s lack of international education strategy.
The Coalition identified goals including:
Additionally, the American International Recruitment Council has given recommendations to address USA's "diminished position" when facing the competition's offerings. They have said that the USA needs an updated understanding of international student mobility and recommends – amongst other things - promoting the diverse US educational entry points to expand access to international student mobility.
IDP recently conducted a Sector Survey on a National Strategy for International Education in the US in collaboration with 11 associations and policy-advising organizations. The results revealed consensus on the need for modernization of work pathways, visa policies, and opportunities for residency post-graduation; with expanded federal support and dual intent for F-1 students.
The USA is often referred to as the ‘sleeping giant’ of international education – is the sleeping giant waking up?
In return, we need to recognise that it is no longer sufficient for the sector to just ‘make the case’ for international students.
We need to respond to – and be seen to respond to – the legitimate concerns amongst the public when it comes to the impact that international students have on their local communities.
That means we need to ensure growth in international students is managed and based on a collaborative approach involving local partners to ensure capacity is aligned with demand – mitigating the impact on housing, GPs, and other local services.
We can’t rely on making the case for post study work rights primarily through the role in HE exports growth.
Our offer to international students must also focus on our capacity to provide a first-rate student experience and support, particularly when it comes to employability, alongside world-class teaching and research.
IDP’s Emerging Futures 5 survey, which polled 13,000 students on their perceptions of the major English-speaking study destinations, showed that the number one reason for international students choosing a country as their first choice destination is the high quality of education, closely followed by the need for good employment opportunities after graduation. An interesting observation from this insight is that when asked, students said ‘high quality’ for them meant availability of graduate schemes, ahead of rankings and reputation. The same survey, however, suggests international students are least satisfied by the UK experience when compared to the experiences of students in the USA, Canada and Australia. It’s clear that the UK has work to do to reposition itself as first choice for international students.
Colleagues across UUKi member institutions are invited to join the discussion on this topic and more at the International Student Recruitment Conference 2024. This event will provide a platform to explore the latest insights and challenges in international student recruitment, offering a timely opportunity for attendees to unite and develop strategies to support the recruitment of talented international students.
