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Public sector cuts, averaging 25 per cent, and a new immigration cap could well change the face of the UK’s tertiary sector warn peers.
The new coalition government announced at the end of May that it would look to cut UK£200 million (US$300 million) from this year’s higher education budget (part of the public sector), drastically reducing the number of extra student places available this autumn. “Coalition ministers need to explain precisely how they expect universities and students to absorb these cuts without risking the social mobility which they say they support and a hike in student fees,” said Professor Les Ebdon, Vice-Chancellor of Bedfordshire University. “We face the alarming prospect that the only way this equation will add up is if the numbers of people going to university are cut.”
Meanwhile, new moves to curb overseas student numbers have been met with opposition from within the coalition government itself. Both the Education Secretary, Michael Gove and Universities Secretary, David Willetts, were said to have privately warned that too rigid a cap could deter international students from studying at tertiary level in the UK, damaging both the UK’s reputation and competitiveness.
The UK welcomed 273,610 overseas students last year, a third more than in 2008, and if targeted the government risks jeopardising the UK£12 billion (US$18 billion) they pump into the UK economy via tuition fees each year. Universities UK (UUK), the higher education action group, stressed the very infrastructure of UK universities could also be affected. According to data released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (Hesa), over 10 per cent of all academic staff are reputed to be non-EU nationals. “We need talented people with highly specified skills to work in the sector and we’re competing for them with the USA, Australia, Canada, and the rest of the EU,” explained Nicola Dandridge, UUK Chief Executive.
She added, “The success of the UK’s higher education sector depends on our ability to attract the most highly talented people to work and study here. Anything that diminishes our ability to do this will undermine the quality of what we do and our ability to compete internationally.”
IB to offer online courses
IB DIPLOMA courses are now available online after a long-term agreement between the International Baccalaureate (IB) and UK-based education company, Pamoja Education, was signed.
Using the latest web technologies, the partnership hopes to deliver a minimum of 27 online courses by 2015, increasing to 70 or more by the year 2020.
Initial enrolment for eight two-year courses commenced in March this year and subjects on offer include economics, business and management and information technology, with the IB providing curriculum and development support throughout.
IB Director General, Jeffrey Beard, noted that the new venture would significantly enhance curriculum options for existing IB World Schools and indeed the thousands of students that opt to enrol on an IB programme. “We’re pleased that this collaboration agreement with Pamoja Education will result in the creation of challenging courses that meet our high standards of quality.”
Founder of Pamoja Education, John McCall MacBain, added that online learning forms a necessary part of student development. “Regardless of where or what they go on to study, or which career they pursue, students will find it essential to have strong skills in online learning and collaboration.”
Green light from Ucas for Cambridge exam
Leading language assessment provider, Cambridge Esol, has gained accreditation from the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) in the UK to include its exam models in the Ucas tariff benchmarking system.
The Ucas tariff allocates points for qualifications used for entry into higher education and will now award points for the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency (CPE) – the examining boards most advanced exam – and the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE).
It is hoped the new admissions ruling will open doors for thousands more international students keen to come to the UK for tertiary education. Dr Mike Milanovic from Cambridge Esol said that the move was universally beneficial. “This is an excellent move which will benefit overseas students, their peers and the university sector as a whole,” he said. “Each year thousands of overseas students bring a wealth of cultural experience to UK universities, but it’s essential they have the necessary language skills to cope with the demands of academic life. By awarding points to linguistically competent students who have already proved a high level of English ability, admissions officers will have access to a pool of even more exceptionally talented individuals.”
The company now provides over three million English language assessments per year in more than 130 countries and Dr Milanovic added that a growing number of tertiary providers now rely on Cambridge Esol certificates as proof of English language proficiency. “More and more universities are recognising the importance of language ability as an essential skill. Last year over 30 higher education institutions in the UK supported the inclusion of Cambridge Esol exams in the Ucas tariff points system, and I think this news is very encouraging,” he said.
News in brief
Best US high schools revealed
A poll by US weekly, Newsweek, has published its annual list of top US high schools. The survey, based on how hard school staff work to challenge students with advanced-placement college-level courses and tests, included eight top 20 schools that offered Advanced Placement programmes and International Baccalaureate exams. Just over 1,600 schools – six per cent of all public schools in the USA – made the final cut with the state of Florida dominating the top 20 with five schools, followed by Texas with four, California with three and Washington with two.
Taiwanese visa numbers down
According to the latest Ministry of Education figures, the number of Taiwanese students granted a student visa to study abroad fell by 10 per cent last year. A total of 33,339 Taiwanese obtained student visas in 2009, down on the 37,800 recorded in 2008. “Though the USA still remains the top choice for Taiwanese students, the number getting visas to study there dropped the most last year, from 19,402 in 2008 to 15,594 in 2009,” said Liang Li-ling, a section chief at the ministry. “I think this shift was mainly caused by the economic recession last year,” she added. Conversely, the number of students applying for a visa to study in Australia jumped by 76 per cent to 4,176.
New college campus for Navitas
Having established the Queensland Institute of Business and Technology (QIBT) at Griffith University’s Mount Gravatt campus, global education services provider, Navitas, has announced it will open a second site on the university’s Gold Coast campus. Located in a new AUS$28 million (US$24) building, the college will work in collaboration with the English Language Institute offering language training and university preparation courses.
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