UK recruitment falters as Asian students enrol closer to home

The number of students enrolling in British universities from parts of Asia is declining as more choose to study closer to home, according to a new report from the British Council.

Researchers found that between 2013 and 2020, the mobility of students within east Asia grew faster than that of students from the region to major English-speaking destination countries. 

Now, nations including Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand send more students to China than to any English-speaking destinations, as Asian countries continue to invest in attracting international students. 

The British Council report, published on 13 August, warns that this trend could “depress” demand for UK education. 

A significant shift in mobility from the region emerged around eight years ago, when the number of students from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand enrolled in British institutions began to decline. 

While the global growth in outbound mobility from east Asia accelerated in the latter half of the 2010s, between 2015 and 2019, UK enrolments from South-east Asia began to fall.  

The number of students from north-east Asia, excluding China, has also “plateaued” since 2015, as students increasingly choose to study in non-English-speaking destinations. 

While overall outbound mobility from east Asia to the UK did grow during this period, this was largely driven by a “meteoric” rise from China, the report says. 

Researchers attribute this shift in part to new education policies in many east Asian countries focused on developing higher education hubs, internationalising universities and offering scholarships to entice international students.

Many governments in the region have set ambitious international student targets in recent years, with mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Hong Kong emerging as the top host regions. 

East Asian countries also benefit from competitive fees and a lower cost of living than traditional English-speaking destinations, researchers say. 

“Continued investment” in east Asia is key to upholding the UK’s reputation in the region, they advise. 

“While the growth in intra-regional mobility in east Asia could depress student mobility to the UK, the UK stands to benefit from increased demand for transnational education in the region,” authors of the report write. 

“New and innovative partnerships could attract these students to the UK part way through their studies or in the next phase of their studies, complementing their education in the region and contributing to the formation of truly global citizens.”

Jazreel Goh, Malaysia director at the British Council, said the study showed “there is work to be done to uphold UK higher education’s position as a preferred destination for east Asia students”. 

Charley Robinson, head of global mobility policy at Universities UK International, added: “Whilst the UK and other English-speaking destinations remain popular among South-east Asian students and families, this report details the growing interest in regional alternatives, and signals the need to clearly demonstrate the quality, diversity and strong return on investment of a UK education, as well as ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all international students. As a leader in transnational education, the UK has an opportunity to harness some demand for regional study through our high quality and innovative TNE partnerships.”

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com