The scale of UK higher education transnational education 2018-19: Welsh providers

This report uses data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) to provide trend analysis of UK transnational education (TNE) delivered by Welsh providers. 

This second edition of 'The scale of UK higher education transnational education: Welsh providers' provides a snapshot analysis of where, at what level and through what type of provision Welsh TNE students studied during the 2018−19 academic year. It also puts some of the figures into context, by providing a longitudinal overview of trends in TNE. 

Highlights of the report for Wales’ higher education TNE provision in 2018 –19 include:  

• 9 Welsh higher education providers reported students studying through TNE.  

• 55.5% of Welsh providers reported more than 1,000 TNE students each.  

• Welsh providers reported 30,265 students on TNE programmes, which is 9.0% of the total reported by UK providers.   

• Welsh TNE student numbers increased by 3,285 students (12.2%) from 2017−18.   

• Welsh TNE was reported in 138 countries and territories, more than ever before.  

• Welsh providers reported that 43.1% of TNE students were studying at undergraduate level and 56.9% at postgraduate level.  

• 40.8% of TNE students at Welsh providers were studying through collaborative provision, followed by 38.6% studying through distance, flexible and distributed learning, 12.8% registered at an overseas partner organisation, and 2.2% registered at an overseas campus. 

• The European Union hosted the largest contingent of TNE students reported by Welsh providers in 2018−19 (39.7%), followed by Asia (37.0%), the Middle East (11.2%), Africa (10.2%), North America (1.4%), non-EU Europe (0.2%), Australasia (0.2%) and South America (0.1%). 

 Read and download the report.