Internationalisation in European and Asian universities #GEI 72
This week we explore the emerging growth in non-English speaking countries as international study destinations — particularly in Europe and Asia. While the growth is off a small base relative to established destinations, it is nonetheless a trend to watch. The German Academic Exchange Service reveals that 2015 international enrolments in Germany went up by 7% to 321,000 students, putting it on track to achieving its goal of hosting 350,000 international students by 2020. Meanwhile, EP-Nuffic — the organisation responsible for internationalisation in the Netherlands — unveils that while the country still has a relatively small international student body of 90,000 students, this represents an impressive 28% increase from previous year.
What makes these European countries attractive study destinations? Commonly cited factors include low or no tuition fees, post-study work (PSW) rights plus an English-taught curriculum. In particular, the ability to stay in country post-graduation seems like a major ‘pull’ factor — with 38% of those in the Netherlands and 44% in Finland still in the country five years after graduation. Interestingly, traditional Anglophone destinations are still more competitive in terms of their post-study visa policy settings. While both the Netherlands and Finland provide PSW visas of up to one year, in comparison Canada and Australia allow graduates to stay for up to three years and four years respectively. Non-English speaking countries may be emerging contenders, but as evident from this week’s infographic, established English-speaking destinations still capture most of the market.
Meanwhile greater numbers of students are also heading to Asia, two notable countries being Malaysia and China. However, not all countries are focused on internationalisation ambitions. According to ICEF Monitor, while Singapore may have previously sought to establish itself as a regional education hub, in recent times it has pulled back efforts to make more space for domestic students.
Finally, to round out this week’s edition, we present the Global Citizen Index, which looks at international students from China, India and South Korea in the US — revealing some interesting differences in their profiles and study choices.
Germany on track to meet 2020 international student targets
More than 321,000 foreign students enrolled at German higher education institutions in 2015, an increase of 7% or 20,000 students compared to the year before. This puts the country on track towards reaching its long-term goal of hosting 350,000 international students by 2020. While 44% of international students are from European countries, an above-average growth can be observed for students from Asia, with South Asia in particular registering a strong 23% growth rate from previous year. Factors such as low tuition rates and improved post-study work rights make Germany an attractive study destination. The report reveals that more than half of international students plan to stay in Germany after graduation, with predominant reasons being employment prospects and a high quality of life.
Five years on, one-third of international students remain in the Netherlands for work
38% of international students are still living in the Netherlands five years after graduation, which is higher than the global OECD average of 25%. Of this cohort, 71% are employed, a reflection of the country’s successful efforts to retain foreign talent in their labour market. More and more international students are choosing to study in the Netherlands — in 2014/15 alone, international student enrolments increased to 90,000 (up 28% from previous year), with the top source countries being Germany, China and Belgium. Much of this growth can be credited to EP-Nuffic, the organisation responsible for internationalisation efforts in education. Some of its measures include encouraging international students to take up the Dutch language, reducing red tape in the labour market and increasing the scale of student retention campaigns.
51% of international students remain in Finland one year after graduation
51% of international students in Finland stayed on one year after graduation to work, according to Finland’s Centre for International Mobility. Based on an analysis of 1,700 international students who graduated in the class of 2009, 51% were in jobs in 2010 and 44% were still employed five years later. According to the report, the retention of students after graduation can be attributed to Finland’s post-study work policy which allows non-EU students to apply for a one-year residence permit extension to find a job after graduation. While there is a general upward trend of international students in Finland — with more than 20,300 international students enrolled in 2015 — there is a possibility that this upward trajectory may be negatively affected with the implementation of tuition fees for non-EU students next year.
Malaysia aspiring to be a globally-connected higher education player
Malaysia’s commitment to being a world-class knowledge economy — and a regional education hub — received a boost with the launch of a new higher education strategy in 2015. The blueprint sets new targets for 2025, including its demonstrated commitment to increase the number of international students from 108,000 in 2014 to 250,000 students by 2025. Key initiatives to achieve these outcomes include: 1) Collaborating with other ministries to streamline immigration procedures to match international best practices (e.g. multiple year student visas), 2) Increasing the proportion of postgraduate international students and students from high priority markets such as ASEAN nations, and 3) Strengthening the promotion and marketing of Malaysia’s higher education system through targeted measures such as hosting major international education conferences and strengthening its alumni network.
A comparison of Chinese, Indian and South Korean students in the US
While 72% of Chinese students and 61% of Korean students typically study for a Bachelor’s degree in the US, an overwhelming 93% of Indian students pursue a graduate degree. This is according to a report which compares the profiles and economic impact of students from the top three sources of international students in the US — China, India and South Korea. While a majority of international students were found to be enrolled in business, computer or engineering programs, this trend is quite different for South Korean students — only 36% of respondents sought education in the mainstream fields, compared to 91% of Indian students and 51% of Chinese students who were enrolled in business and STEM degrees. The report also reveals that 68% of Chinese students cited a better education as the most or a very important factor in their decision to study abroad, while 64% of Indian students cited better career opportunities.
This Week’s Infographic
