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Read the digital May 2013 issue of
Study Travel Magazine here

Contents - May 2013

Special Report
Ticket to university: academic preparation
Although on-campus academic preparation programmes for international students are not a new trend, much has changed in the university ESL landscape over the last couple of decades, with joint-venture operations between universities and private operators mushrooming throughout the world. Gillian Evans looks at the changing face of on-campus ESL provision.

Agency survey
Mexican spice
Canada continues as lead destination for Mexican agencies. Meanwhile, there was more variety in terms of programme requests.

Teritary focus
MBAs in the UK
Students commencing a Master of Business Administration programme have strong academic credentials, and, in most cases, have clearly defined career objectives. This programme continues to be the xgold standardx for many international students looking for a business career, as Nicola Hancox finds out.

Sectorwide Focus
Qualification Framework
Qualifications Worldwide Compared
With national education systems varying in terms of structure and content, it is often hard to gauge how qualifications from different countries measure. The International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) assists with this, and we have listed classifications from some of the countries with large education export sectors.

Secondary Focus
ESL support in US schools
With many secondary schools in the USA stepping up their international recruitment activities, providing adequate ESL support for students either previous to or during their studies is vital. Bethan Norris finds out more.

Secondary Focus
Home Comfort
Host families in North America give international secondary students a deeper insight into the culture and an extra level of support, as Claire Twyman discovers..

Destination
Vive la France!
A country of sophisticated tastes, France has long been popular with international students for its café terraces, world-class architecture and iconic landmarks. Claire Twyman finds out more.

City Focus
Cape Town’s surprises
As an international student destination, Cape Town, on the southern-most tip of South Africa, is steadily growing in popularity – and with good reason, as Jane Vernon Smith discovers.

Direction
Destination paradise: Fiji
As one of the lesser known English language teaching destinations, Fiji offers international students the chance to study, at varying levels, in a Pacific island paradise. Nicola Hancox explores the region and talks to education providers about the growth in international applications.

Market Analysis
Ireland's strength
Ireland’s English language schools attracted a wide variety of nationalities onto their courses in 2012, according to STM’s Status survey of EFL schools in the country. Although traditional Western European student markets remain the mainstay of the sector, reports Bethan Norris.

Spotlight
Business in Japan
With Japanese companies keen to recruit more overseas employees, business Japanese is a growing area of provision in the language sector, as Matthew Knott discovers.


Opinion
What’s new out there?

News
Enrolments down, but revenue up in New Zealand
EAC junior brand ceases trading
New French-language university pathway launched
Bell launches new centre
Belta presents survey at Alphe Brazil 2013
Scottish school group launched at BBSW
Chaney report to boost Australian exports

News Round Up
 Into signs deal with University of Gloucestershire
Eurocentres moves to new London school
Agency survey tracks Swiss outbound trends
Piccola Università Italiana opens new school
New UK internship programme unveiled
News in brief
Travel Update

Inside The Industry
On the move
Q&A Educator association: Feltom
Industry issues- agents speak out
Q&A Advisor Association: Ialca
Agency of the month

Course Guide
Courses for 50+
A number of language schools worldwide offer specially tailored programmes for clients over the age of 50, with a range of interesting activities offered alongside language tuition.

Grapevine


Opinion
What’s new out there?

by Nicola Hancox, Editor

It’s always exciting to analyse new study abroad destinations and this month we profile the island nation of Fiji (see page 48). While it might not be the first ELT destination students think of when planning a study abroad vacation, articles like this showcase more modest destinations with a view to broadening student and agent horizons.

Perhaps given its remote location in the South Pacific a majority of institutions report that study travel agents have become a firm part of their recruitment strategy – one provider documented a particularly fruitful relationship with an agency in Mongolia – and it is interesting to note such variety on campus (Korean, Japanese, French, Indian and Dutch students amongst them). An extremely generous visa exemption list means many nationalities need only hold a valid passport and proof of their outbound journey to guarantee a tourist/visitor visa, which enables them to stay and study for up to four months. There are no visa fees for those that wish to stay and study on a one-to-two week course. While the market is still relatively small, such straightforward visa processes will surely help boost numbers going forward, and while not quite a serious rival for the Australasia big guns, Fiji could find itself a nice foothold among other more established Asian English language teaching destinations.

Responding to a 0.2 per cent decline in overseas students, the Japan Association of National Universities unveiled ambitious plans to double international admissions by 2020 (well, it wouldn’t be headline grabbing if it were any less!) It also plans to grow the number of degree courses taught in English (page 8).

Cognisant of the acceleration of the Asian market, many UK universities have gradually expanded their operations in Asia or have formed partnerships with institutions there. Those that have look to be reaping the rewards with the number of international students studying towards a UK degree overseas up 13 per cent, with Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan, China and Hong Kong each enrolling over 30,000 students in English taught degree provision (page 8).

This issue we report some of the key findings of an agent survey of 2012 trends by Belta (page 7). There were a few surprises on the list of new destinations: Singapore, India, Japan, Korea and China. Meanwhile, the number of students sent abroad in 2012 increased by five per cent over 2010 figures. Oh how times have changed. Cast your mind back 10 years ago when agents experienced a 26 per cent negative growth rate, citing the devaluation of the Real, high value of the US dollar, and an unstable Brazilian economy (see LTM, June 2003, page 12).

Follow the team @BethanNorrisSTM, @NicolaHancoxSTM, @MatthewKnottSTM, @ClaireTwymanSTM!


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