Universities UK (UUK) welcomes the plans announced by
the Department for Education and the
Department for Trade for a new International Education Strategy,
including its targets to grow international student
numbers.
Professor Dame Janet Beer, President of Universities UK,
said:
“Over the last six months we have been in regular dialogue with
the Department for International Trade and the Department for
Education regarding this strategy, facilitating ‘soft’
consultation with the sector, and we are pleased to note the
cross-government approach announced today.
“The UK is at the forefront of global education with a strong and
well-deserved reputation for the quality of the education we
offer, with international students studying across the UK and our
main ‘competitor’ countries ranking us first for satisfaction
(research by iGraduate).
“I strongly welcome the publication of this strategy as a signal
of a change in direction. I particularly welcome the ambitious
target to grow the number of international students to 600,000 by
2030 which sends a strong message of welcome.
“International students contribute a huge amount to the UK, not
only economically but also by enriching the international
education environment in our universities for all students.
Whilst their presence in the UK is worth an estimated £26 billion
in direct and knock on effects, sustaining over 200,000 jobs in
all parts of the UK, they bring much wider benefit to our
academic and civic communities.
“We particularly welcome steps to improve the visa regime,
including the extension of opportunities for our graduates to
work in the UK once they graduate, to six months for
undergraduates and masters’ students, and a year for those
who undertake PhDs. We would like the government to go further
and extend this opportunity to at least two years and we will
continue to urge them on this point.”
