The number of students taking UK courses abroad is set to reach 1 million within just three years and could surpass the figure for onshore international students in the UK next year, according to a new report.
?(UUKi) published on 9 October show that 653,570 students were studying with UK higher education providers overseas in 2023-24, across 173 institutions in 231 countries and territories.
This was a 7.8 per cent rise on 2022-23, and?an average annual growth rate of 9.6 per cent over the past five years. If this?growth were to continue, UK providers could reach 1 million transnational education (TNE) students by 2028-29.
Last year saw a 4.2 per cent fall in international student numbers in the UK, and UUKi estimated that TNE could overtake onshore recruitment next year if the same rates were reproduced.
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About half the UK TNE market is in Asia, which has also seen the highest growth in recent years, with the other half mainly spread across Europe (18 per cent), the Middle East (14 per cent) and Africa (11 per cent). There are more limited numbers in North America, South America and Australasia.
The fastest growth since 2019-20 has?been in Saudi Arabia (142 per cent), Sri Lanka (104 per cent), and the United Arab Emirates (88 per cent).
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Jamie Arrowsmith, director of UUKi, said the latest snapshot findings, which are part of a wider report to be published later this year, show the “extraordinary global reach of UK universities”.
“By making world-class education available to hundreds of thousands of students in their home countries, our universities are helping to meet a pressing global demand for higher education while strengthening the UK’s international reputation.”
The report also shows that?in-person TNE has grown 87.4 per cent over the past decade,?while?distance learning has grown by a third.
More than?40 per cent of UK TNE provision is offered by providers in London or south-east England, but the north-west and the south-west have seen the largest growth in student numbers in the past five years.
, sector agency Jisc says TNE growth is?heightening?a number of digital challenges – including connectivity and the availability of equipment.
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A survey of almost 5,000 students in more than 30 countries finds that digital infrastructure and access to equipment varies significantly across the world.
More than 90 per cent of respondents in Europe, North America and Oceania reported reliable access to electricity, compared?with just 63 per cent in the Middle East and 59 per cent in Africa.?
There was also significant variation within continents – with 83 per cent of students in Qatar having reliable internet and just 42 per cent in Oman.
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Jisc said that UK providers should account for these challenges within their TNE arrangements, highlighting the need for thorough due diligence at both country and site level when establishing new TNE partnerships.
The report also raised concerns around difficulties accessing digital resources and learning materials and cultural differences around teaching practices.
Dibyesh Anand, deputy vice-chancellor (global engagement and employability) at the University of Westminster, said the report is a “sobering reminder” that inequities prevent a uniform experience with TNE.
Elizabeth Newall, senior sector specialist, digital transformation at Jisc, said?TNE is becoming a strategic priority for UK providers facing unprecedented financial pressures?– but warned of the challenging nature of digital education.
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“It must be taken into account that the way learning is accessed, experienced and interpreted is not universal, to ensure equitable access to UK higher education.”
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