Building a sustainable future: Rethinking international student recruitment in the UK

This HEPI blog has been kindly written by Vincenzo Raimo, international higher education consultant and visiting researcher at the University of Reading, and Janet Ilieva, founder and director of Education Insight.

Many UK higher education institutions are facing a financial crisis. University leaders say declining international student enrollment is a major reason. However, this explanation oversimplifies the problem and shifts responsibility away from institutional decision-making. The current financial difficulties are not purely the result of a decline in the number of international students, but are also the result of overly optimistic expectations about continued growth in international student enrollments resulting from the temporary post-COVID-19 boom.

International student boom in the post-corona era

New international student enrollments at UK universities increased significantly in the 2022/23 academic year, reaching 459,170 compared to 273,340 in 2018/19. This despite a 56% decline in student numbers from EU countries over this period. Much of this growth is due to the demand for one-year master's degrees as students seek short-term, cost-effective options. Meanwhile, first-year enrollments fell from a peak of 109,730 in 2020/21 to 94,105 the following year before recovering slightly to 103,845 in 2022/23.

Source: HESA Student Records

Several external factors have contributed to this rapid increase, many of which are beyond the direct control of UK institutions. Competing countries such as the United States and Australia have taken a long time to open their borders to international students. As a result, the UK has become a more attractive option for students who want to start or continue their studies without delay. This environment, combined with the reintroduction of the graduate route visa, which allows international students to remain in the UK for up to two years after graduation to pursue employment, has further increased demand.

Myopic adjustments to growth forecasts

Despite the unprecedented nature of this boom, many UK universities have adjusted their future targets based on these inflated figures, rather than viewing the surge as a temporary anomaly. Historically, international student enrollment has grown steadily but gradually. Few institutions could reasonably have predicted a doubling of non-EU student numbers in their five-year plans prior to COVID-19. However, in the wake of COVID-19, some universities have revised their goals and reset their financial expectations to achieve continued rapid growth. In some extreme examples, universities increased new international student intakes by more than 200% between 2018/19 and 2022/23, and in one example below by more than 500%. This means there were 5,775 more new international students admitted in 2022/23. than 2018/19.

Source: HESA Student Records

Although this growth in some universities reflects success stories, its sustainability in the medium term is questionable. With this rapid growth, are these institutions setting themselves up for future disappointment? Rather than stem the windfall from increased enrollment and strengthen reserves, many have become dependent on unsustainable levels of international enrollment. The financial pressures of stagnant domestic tuition and inflationary costs have made this an attractive prospect for many institutions. The importation of international students, who pay significantly higher fees than domestic students, was seen as a much-needed solution to bridge the gap caused by government funding cuts and real reductions in UK student fees.

However, the decision to change baseline expectations and target sustained growth was, in retrospect, overly optimistic. It also ignores the reality that international student demand will eventually plateau once competing countries reopen their borders and global mobility returns to normal.

slow growth trajectory or decline

Reports of falling international student enrollments have left many universities scrambling to account for the financial gap they now face, made worse by the value of domestic student tuition revenue falling by more than a third since its introduction in 2012.

In the years before the pandemic, international enrollments had grown steadily, albeit at a slower pace. A return to the pre-COVID-19 growth trajectory should have been expected. The past three years of remarkable growth have been an outlier rather than a new norm for international student demand.

What is not quite clear at the moment is whether we are witnessing a market correction returning to more sustainable growth rates after a period of unprecedented expansion. Or the emergence of a new trend where more and more students are staying in their hometowns. Given Canada's restrictions on new international students and similar measures expected to affect Australia early next year, global demand for UK higher education should expand rapidly. However, the number of major applicants issued student visas from January to June 2024 decreased by 23% (82,367 applicants) compared to the same period last year.

The reasons for the decline in international student demand are complex and vary from country to country. While some countries have been affected by worsening economic conditions and currency depreciation (Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, etc.), others, such as China, have had poor labor market performance with graduates taking longer to join the labor market. I was affected. A weakening economy, regional conflict, and increasing instability appear to be determining the direction in which international students travel. But one thing is clear. The number of international students choosing to study in the UK is decreasing.

Winners and losers of the international student race

As always, there will be winners and losers in the global higher education market. Some UK universities have seen significant declines in foreign enrollments this year, while others continue to grow, attracting students from key markets such as China and India. Institutions that have invested in a long-term international strategy, established strong international partnerships, and established strong support networks for international students are better positioned to navigate this situation.

Conversely, universities that rely too heavily on international student income without diversifying their revenue sources or focusing on quantity over quality face greater financial challenges. Now these organizations are grappling with the impact of short-term planning and unrealistic expectations.

The way forward: a more sustainable approach to international recruitment.

UK universities must recalibrate their international recruitment strategies by embracing a more sustainable approach that acknowledges changing global dynamics. Globally, weak economic performance and reduced disposable income are forcing students to stay closer to home, favoring intra-regional mobility. In some cases, concerns about the financial sustainability of UK higher education institutions, amplified by international media coverage, may deter students who currently view the UK as a high-risk destination and fear potential university closures.

Beyond immediate recruitment efforts, higher education institutions must invest in long-term, sustainable models that are not solely profit-driven. This includes forming partnerships and expanding transnational education (TNE) programs to give students greater flexibility in how and where they choose to study. By aligning short-term recruitment goals with a long-term internationalization agenda, UK universities can avoid the perception of being an extractive industry by building a resilient framework that prioritizes collaboration and student choice.

The narrative surrounding international students must change. Concern about their economic contribution must be balanced with recognition of the wider social impact they bring not only during their studies, but also as future ambassadors of global cooperation.

The future of UK higher education depends on its ability to balance short-term financial pressures with the pursuit of long-term, sustainable global engagement strategies.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos