Universities in the UK are set to be left out of the running when it comes to recruiting overseas students, a study by the British Council has revealed. The report is backed up by disappointing rankings in the world’s top 500 universities.Oxford came 9th, beaten by Harvard, a host of other American Universities, and Cambridge. Despite a predicted nine fold increase in the number of international students in British higher education over the next twenty years, competition from the US and Japan threatens to loosen the UK’s hold on the multibillion pound market. In a Mori poll three quarters of students from abroad described British higher education as expensive, only 3 percent deemed it best described as welcoming. The University’s International Officer told Cherwell, “We are aware of the growing competition from other countries and we wish to maintain our position as a leading destination for top-quality students.” The British Council’s report coincides with plans to increase the number of overseas students in British Universities following the concessions made in the Higher Education Bill.As many as 80,000 British students will be denied places as Universities are tempted by the increased revenue brought by many different international students.
Archive: 0th week HT 2004
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