A new study from Warwick University reveals 53,000 international students are currently studying at UK colleges.  Topping the league are students from China (3,500) and India (3,300).

Julian Gravatt, Director of Funding and Development for Association of Colleges, that commissioned the report, said: “The growth for the world’s fastest growing economies is outstripping their ability to teach their workforces. UK colleges are actively responding to this need. They’re forming new partnerships in the world’s most important markets, taking our own expertise in skills training to areas of the world where it is most needed.”

Going Global? UK Vocational Education Opportunities in the International Market reveals China is currently seeking help from international partners to build its further education system and has already forged links with London colleges to form the London Beijing Colleges partnership in the run up to the Beijing Olympics. In India expenditure on education set to rise from 3 per cent to 6 per cent of gross domestic product.

Survey results reveal that fifty per cent of UK colleges see expansion into foreign markets as a key opportunity.

The survey found UK education has a good international reputation for offering a wide range of quality assured courses and qualifications which were said to reflect industry’s needs – although there was a call for UK qualifications to be made more transferable and widely accepted around the world.

Other plus points revealed by the survey report in favour of UK higher education are that all courses are taught in English, there is flexible course delivery, a strong emphasis on independent learning and it has a good track record in international activities.

In order for UK colleges to take advantage of the opening international market in education the survey recommends better marketing and promotion of UK colleges to foreign markets, including working with government to increase economies of scale and support expansion abroad.

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