UK suffers bigger fall in international postgraduate students than the US

{"text":[[{"start":6.667,"text":"The number of new international postgraduate students enrolling in British universities slumped by nearly a fifth this autumn, a larger fall than seen by international rivals, in a further sign of the troubles facing the UK higher education sector."}],[{"start":20.48,"text":"A poll of administrators at 437 universities worldwide by consultancy Studyportals reported a 19 per cent reduction in foreign postgraduates coming to the UK for the current academic year. There was also a 2 per cent fall in undergraduates from abroad,"}],[{"start":37.655,"text":"In contrast, postgraduate places in the US fell 13 per cent and in Canada by 3 per cent. Numbers were up slightly in continental Europe and Asia from a low base."}],[{"start":48.067,"text":"The UK reduction, which the universities attribute primarily to tougher immigration controls, sparked a fresh appeal by their representative body to the government over concerns about arbitrary decision-making when granting visas to foreign students."}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":61.52,"text":"Vivienne Stern, head of Universities UK, said she had written on Wednesday to the Independent Commissioner for Borders and Immigration."}],[{"start":69.869,"text":"“We are asking the Home Office to look at the quality of decision-making. Some reasons seem to us spurious,” she said."}],[{"start":77.44,"text":"Of the 41 UK institutions surveyed, 79 per cent said their international postgraduate numbers had fallen this year, and 43 per cent reported a decline in undergraduate intakes from abroad."}],[{"start":88,"text":"Studyportals, which conducted the survey with the NAFSA educators association and Oxford Test of English language proficiency tester, estimated that the reduction would cost the sector up to £7bn in annual tuition fees and other revenues."}],[{"start":103.016,"text":"Edwin van Rest, Studyportals chief executive, said: “This doesn’t come at a good time for the UK university sector or the UK economy in general. It’s a big problem on top of the already dire financial situation universities have.”"}],[{"start":116.8,"text":"Official statistics on current international student numbers are expected before the end of the year. Studyportals’ survey is largely consistent with other recent indicators, including a reduction in granted student visa applications and levels of student interest in applications."}],[{"start":132.49,"text":"In recent months, the UK has introduced restrictions on families accompanying international students, a reduction in the time they can remain to work after completing their studies and will impose a levy on international students. New Home Office rules also threaten to remove universities’ rights to sponsor students’ visas if more than 5 per cent are rejected when they apply."}],[{"start":153.2,"text":"Stern said the drop in numbers tallied with information she was receiving from her members."}],[{"start":158.08,"text":"“It’s been really, really tough. The frustration that this is self-inflicted by the UK,” she added. “Government is really hurting us. Given we have a system which is financially quite fragile, this is a major problem.”"}],[{"start":170,"text":"Earlier this week, a separate survey by the Chartered Association of Business Schools of 59 of its UK members — which contribute significant fees to their universities’ revenues — showed 69 per cent reported lower international enrolments this academic year."}],[{"start":186.64,"text":"A recent government study estimated that the cost of university tuition for most courses was above the £9,790 annual cap currently which is funded by student loans, forcing institutions to rely on international students charged higher fees to subsidise domestic tuition and research."}],[{"start":204.72,"text":"The current funding squeeze has already sparked thousands of job losses in the sector and triggered university mergers."}],[{"start":215.84,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1794456459_5427.mp3"}