The UK is targeting the Middle East in its bid to attract more than 600,000 international students to study in the country after a report found its market share is “vulnerable”.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies revealed UK universities are facing up to £19 billion in losses due to the pandemic amid a drop in overseas student numbers.
Latest figures show the UK lost its market share in 16 of the top 21 countries and territories that sent students overseas between 2010 and 2018.
Despite an overall drop in applications from international students, the number of Middle East applicants applying to the UK are steadily rising.
Last year the number of UAE students accepted on to undergraduate courses increased by 16 per cent compared to 2019. Students from Oman rose by 18 per cent and students from Saudi Arabia increased by 29 per cent.
International Education Champion, Sir Steve Smith, says his immediate priorities are to target students in India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Nigeria.
Last year he visited Riyadh to talk to Saudi alumni about their experiences in the UK.
“My task is clear: to champion UK education overseas,” he said. “Despite these difficult times, I am absolutely convinced that there is huge potential for us to grow our international education activity.
“The UK remains in a competitive position on the world stage and an attractive option for international students.”
The UK is aiming to increase its global market share of international students by a third, from 450,000 to 600,000 by 2030 to ensure it consolidates it position as the second-ranked destination for international students behind the US.
Nick Hillman, the director of think-tank the Higher Education Policy Institute, believes the UK’s ties with the Middle East are something to build on as potential undergraduates see Britain as an attractive option.
“Early in the Covid-19 crisis people feared the numbers of students would fall off the cliff but that’s not happened,” he told The National.
“There has been a drop in EU numbers but others have remained healthy. Every crisis has shown that getting a degree is a good thing to do because after the crisis you are much more likely to get a job.
“In the UK there have been policy changes to allow international degree students to work afterwards, this has been very appealing.
“The UK has deep links with the Middle East and one would hope that those looking to study abroad will have the UK near the top of their list.”
UK is ranked second behind the US for overseas students
A recent report has found its position “vulnerable”, with third-place Australia increasing its intake by 16 per cent and Germany increasing its numbers by 20.4 per cent.
Universities UK International (UUKi), which represents UK higher education institutions globally, has commissioned a report looking to target Saudi Arabia and a number of other nations in a bid to boost the UK's future cohort.
It examines why the UK is underperforming in selected countries and how it can become a more attractive study destination for international students.
“International student recruitment is becoming increasingly competitive and although the UK was still ranked the second most popular study destination globally in 2018, its position has become vulnerable. The UK only has a small lead on Australia, which ranked third,” it says.
“The UK provides an attractive environment for international students and its offer is broadly comparable to other study destinations. However, the UK is comparatively more expensive in terms of tuition fees, student visa fees and health surcharge.”
Number of Saudi students choosing the UK has dropped 10%
Since 2010, the UK has lost 30 per cent of students from Nigeria, 18 per cent from Pakistan, 14 per cent from India, 10 per cent from Saudi Arabia and 6 per cent from Iran.
Last summer the UK launched its Graduate Route to attract more international students.
It will allow eligible students to stay in the UK to work, or look for work, for two years (three years if studying at PhD level) after they have completed a degree.
The UUKI’s report examined how the UK could attract more students from Saudi Arabia, with the UK only taking one sixth of the US’ market share of students between 2010 and 2018.
Interviews with Saudi students revealed the UK was attractive due to its geographical proximity and its flight connections, but the US has a “more favourable” exchange rate. US celebrity influences have also had an impact, it says.
“One interviewee explained that in addition to covering the tuition fees, government scholarships pay a monthly lump sum in Saudi Riyal – irrespective of the destination,” the report says.
“The exchange rate is more favourable in the US, which gives the student a greater disposable income. Another reason for the US’ greater attractiveness is a clear perception of what life is like in the US – in part because US celebrities and influencers are much more visible on social media and display ‘a lifestyle that seems more enjoyable than in Europe’.”
Another student said the UK has appeared unwelcoming and they did not realise its diverse society.
“I didn’t know before I went that Islam is widespread in the UK; there are lots of people from everywhere,” the student said.
“It would be helpful to know this before we come, this would make our decision easier!”
It has led the UUKi to recommend a social media campaign highlighting the UK’s diversity.
“The interviews demonstrate that, rather than policy barriers, there is a lack of awareness of the UK’s offer among Saudi national students,” it has concluded.
“The UK could increase its attractiveness through a targeted communication strategy emphasising the UK’s welcoming and multicultural population, regions and cities and demonstrating universities’ unique selling points.”
UCAS launches app to help international students
In a report examining the impact of Covid-19 on applications published on Thursday by the UK’s admissions service UCAS, Where next? The experience of international students connecting to UK higher education, it revealed that almost nine out of ten (88 per cent) international students interviewed see the UK as a positive place to study.
However, half of the students said they did not feel completely ready to start their course ahead of the current academic year, revealing a gap in knowledge and support during the crucial transition to studying in the UK.
UCAS has launched a free app, called Myriad, to help international students explore education opportunities in the UK.
“Students from around the world continue to hold the UK’s universities and colleges in incredibly high regard,” UCAS chief executive Clare Marchant told The National.
“From our world class academic offering to the opportunities to live and learn as part of a diverse society, the UK is clearly a destination of choice for students looking to study internationally. However, they are saying they need better support as they research their futures.
“As part of UCAS’ trusted and independent role, we want to provide the valued information students need to make truly informed decisions as we continue to emerge from the pandemic.
"Myriad by UCAS builds on our success of being the largest, single route for international students coming to the UK by providing accessible information on the topics that really matter when deciding to study in another country.”
Despite the continuing fallout from the pandemic, Sir Steve says the UK's institutions will remain world-class.
"The coronavirus pandemic has profoundly impacted how education across the world is delivered and experienced," he said.
"Many education providers temporarily closed or moved towards online delivery. Travel restrictions have impacted international students’ access to education, and potential reductions in exports risk significant financial implications for the UK’s education institutions.
"But the government has been clear, our world-leading universities, which thrive on being global institutions, will always be open to international students."
PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
More coverage from the Future Forum
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Messi at the Copa America
2007 – lost 3-0 to Brazil in the final
2011 – lost to Uruguay on penalties in the quarter-finals
2015 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
2016 – lost to Chile on penalties in the final
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
