Asia Careers Group SDN BHD

Sorry to say reporting UK #university redundancies is becoming a daily & unwelcome habit! If the truth be told & these cut backs had happened during the #pandemic, as was the case in #austalia the UK #highered sector may now be in a much more advantageous position to face the policy headwinds the government has in store! Swansea is just one of the #universities making cost savings, & the list is likely to get longer! The University of Aberdeen University of Brighton Coventry University University of East Anglia University of Essex The University of Huddersfield University of Kent Northumbria University Queen Mary University of London Sheffield Hallam University Staffordshire University University of Surrey & University of Winchester have all recently announced cost cutting &/or staff redundancies. Vivienne Stern, CEO of Universities UK, said there was “a very high risk of a manifesto from The Conservative Party that includes a commitment to removing the graduate route”. We have been saying this since the Tories Net Migration Briefing was leaked in May 2023. If the sector evidence now that inbound international #studentrecruitment is largely #immigration neutral, with by far the majority of #internationalstudents returning to their home countries & into successful #careers following their studies. MAC reports in the May, so if the sector commission Non EU #graduateoutcomes data in the Spring, they have a chance of submitting their findings before MAC reports, universities would have a Plan B & #psw could receive a stay of execution? “There are fears the Conservatives might pledge to scrap the UK’s graduate #visa route in their election manifesto, putting pressure on Labour, if a review of the route does not first lead to its abolition.” “Almost 200 jobs are being cut at Swansea University as a result of "financial challenges" in #highereducation. The cuts come as an academic called on the Welsh government to review higher education funding. Professor Dylan Jones-Evans OBE said there was an over-reliance on recruiting foreign students, who pay higher fees.” Student visa rules for international students came into force this year, which mean foreign students can no longer bring dependents to the UK, except in special circumstances. According to Universities UK International there was a 44% drop in international enrolments for postgraduate courses in January this year after a survey of 70 UK universities. Prof Jones-Evans is calling on the Welsh government to review the way Welsh higher education is funded.” See our article in University World News as to a possible university funding model that does not pass the buck to the UK taxpayer! “Students, cost or asset?” The sector must decide! Asia Careers Group SDN BHD AGCAS British Council BUILA Department for Business and Trade Department for Education Jisc Office for Students UCAS UKCISA Universities Scotland

Here's Nic Mitchell’s take on why data matters in #highered. But it will take more than words & will require investment! It is worth noting that there has been no Non-EU #graduateoutcomes data from HESA since 2019, & at that point knowing how critical this data would be to the sector Asia Careers Group SDN BHD stepped in to fill this data gap. The worse of all worlds, with the sector in such financial dire straits would be to duplicate efforts & have HESA charge the sector significant sums, for data of poor quality when robust, representative, benchmarked data already exists & is easily accessible at a far lower price! ACG has collected over 70,000 UK graduate’s #career journeys, for over 60 UK universities & has undertaken this work unfunded by government &/or sector bodies. This data is now readily available to all UK #universities committed to “investing in international #futures” & data can be collected retrospectively for institutions if needed. The annual institution subscription cost is £9,950. Alternatively a report on the entire data set 70,000 UK Non-EU graduates could be made available to government &/or sector bodies for £350,000, if there is in fact a appetite to invest on behalf of a UK #highereducation sector under significant financial pressure at the present time. This has been a significant financial undertaking & one #hesa has been unwilling to take on. Let us hope the UK sector is now truly committed to understanding Non-EU #graduateoutcomes & destinations back in major source countries. Nic writes “if we are to avoid repeating the policy dramas over foreign students and #immigration whipped up by an ever more desperate right-wing The Conservative Party as it fights for its continued life against the rising tide of The Labour Party & the Liberal Democrats on the left & Reform on the right. David Pilsbury makes some good points about creating a Data Group to harness private & public data sources, including opening up detailed information held by the secretive UK Home Office, together with HESA: Higher Education Statistics Agency & data developed by private sector providers like Asia Careers Group SDN BHD Enroly Studyportals & IDP Education Ltd. We need to convince the next British government that data should triumph over prejudice when it comes to the big calls over the UK’s international #highereducation & some of the recommendations here should help the cause!” Asia Careers Group SDN BHD - Investing in International Futures AGCAS British Council BUILA Department for Business and Trade Department for Education Higher Education Policy Institute Institute of Student Employers UCAS UKCISA Universities Scotland Universities UK Universities UK International Janet B. Ilieva Diana Beech Nicholas Hillman Dr Vicky Lewis Ruth Arnold Vivienne Stern Jamie Arrowsmith Andy Howells Rt Hon Chris Skidmore Cara Skikne Dr Cheryl Y. Susan 🇬🇧 Fang Dr Vangelis Tsiligiris SFHEA, FCMI George Abraham Dr Salim M Salim

Not sure that universities are ready to be relegated to dinosaurs status YET! But worth a read for anyone working in #highereducation. Mark Farrell, asks, are universities heading towards extinction? “The notion of students as consumers, demanding value for their investment, is gaining traction. This shift in perspective forces universities to reconsider their value propositions. If a student can acquire the necessary #skills & #credentials online at a fraction of the cost, the justification for expensive, on-#campus #education diminishes. Universities must adapt by enhancing the #studentexperience, offering personalised & flexible learning options, & ensuring their credentials remain valuable in the #job market. Another significant barrier to change is financial. Traditional universities rely heavily on #tuition fees & government funding, both of which are under threat. As alternative #tertiaryeducation models become more popular, traditional universities may find their financial models unsustainable. Moreover, many institutions have invested heavily in physical infrastructure, which becomes a financial burden if student preferences shift towards #onlinelearning. #Universities are notoriously slow to change. Bureaucratic inertia makes many institutions cling to outdated models & resist #innovation. This resistance is about preserving the status quo & reflects a deep-seated institutional culture. Professors & administrators often see themselves as the gatekeepers of knowledge & resist any model that undermines their authority or reduces the need for their expertise. The #future of #highered is not a question of if it will change but how & when. Universities must ask themselves some hard questions: • Will they prioritise student needs? • Are they willing #innovate? • Can they adapt quickly enough? The path forward is fraught with challenges but also opportunities. Universities can survive & thrive in this new landscape by embracing #technological advancements, fostering a culture of innovation, & rethinking their business models. However, those who cling to tradition & resist change may find themselves relegated to history, much like the industries before them that failed to adapt.” Asia Careers Group SDN BHD - Investing in International Futures AUIDF British Council BUILA Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Innovative Research Universities (IRU) University Innovation Alliance (UIA) University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) Regional Universities Network The Group of Eight UCAS UKCISA Universities Australia Universities Canada Universities UK Universities UK International

We asked this question almost a year ago now - Too big to fail? Commentating on the state of UK #internationaleducation since 2019 resembles something akin to a slow-motion car crash as #poststudywork visas, hailed as essential for the sustained growth of international #studentrecruitment, have become the sector’s de facto crutch in the absence of a strategy to support international graduates’ transition to successful #careers back in their home countries. This would not only have placated government & the opposition fighting for the high ground when it comes to immigration, it would have provided much needed support to thousands of #internationalgraduates transitioning to the workforce. A 2024 Universities UK International report stated just 3% of students said their university #careersservice helped them find a job. This up from 2% in 2019. Why did the sector not act to support their #internationalstudent employability, when the data & tools were there to do so from Asia Careers Group SDN BHD? https://loom.ly/Hwt_mLs The 2024 Institute of Student Employers Student Development survey reported that less than half of the 139 organisations polled thought their graduates were ‘#careerready’—the lowest number to date. “This suggests that there are significant gaps between #tertiaryeducation & workplace requirements in today’s rapidly changing world.” https://lnkd.in/esU9KNfW The sector as a whole has been caught asleep at the wheel & is now suffering the consequences. John Morgan asks “What would happen if a UK #university went bankrupt? No British public university has ever had to close its doors, but funding pressures are leading to vast numbers of redundancies & fuelling dire warnings that some institutions are close to the edge. So what would a collapse actually mean for students, staff & wider economies? “I think what we’ve got to accept is that some #universities may well go bust,” the Conservative MP and former home secretary Suella Braverman told the BBC’s Panorama. “They may well close. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.” The Conservatives underlined their indifference to universities’ financial plight by announcing last week that, if re-elected, they would pass a law permitting the Office for Students to close “rip-off” courses with high dropout rates, low job progression and low earnings potential. The Labour Party described the plan as “laughable”, but the party has made no announcements on university funding &, on the ground in the sector, & especially in England, there is a growing fear that Braverman & her ilk could get their wish regardless of the #election result. The sense of crisis around university finances is growing as the impact of the long-running freeze in the fee cap is exacerbated by high #inflation & signs of falling international studentrecruitment amid tightened visa policy.” Asia Careers Group SDN BHD AGCAS British Council BUILA Department for Education Jisc UCAS UKCISA Universities UK

No fee, no #degree! “Hundreds of students at the University of Sussex have been warned they may be unable to graduate or re-register for the next #academic year if they fail to pay outstanding debts. Those affected include students from #Nigeria & #Iran who have been struggling to pay their fees after the value of their currencies crashed. Other #internationalstudents, as well as UK students, are also among those in debt. The university said that no students would be removed from their courses due to unpaid debts. It also reassured students they would not be removed from university accommodation this academic year due to debt. The developments at Sussex emerged after #Nigerian students at Teesside University described last week how they were thrown off their course and ordered to leave the UK when they fell behind on payments. The university withdrew students who missed their fee instalments & informed the UK Home Office after some students’ savings were wiped out when the value of Nigeria’s currency crashed. The university said it had “no choice” as failure to pay was a breach of #visa #sponsorship rules. It said it had made every effort to help the affected students, including bespoke payment plans … The University of Sussex students’ union said an earlier email from the university said debts must be cleared by the end of May & warned affected students the university might otherwise have to take action to “withdraw” them from the university. Prof Kate O’Riordan, a pro-vice-chancellor at the #university, said the current level of unpaid fees was at least five times bigger than the university has previously seen & she said the problem was affecting other institutions in the UK. She said: “What we are calling the #costoflivingcrisis for home students & a kind of global financial crisis in other countries is coming together at the same time in a way that has not been seen before.” Asia Careers Group SDN BHD - Investing in International Futures AGCAS British Council BUILA Department for Business and Trade Department for Education Higher Education Policy Institute Institute of Student Employers UCAS UKCISA Universities Scotland Universities UK Universities UK International

IDP & other commercial education companies with a focus on English Language & international #studentrecruitment are facing a perfect storm! There is increased competition in the #EnglishLanguage space with new entrants most notably Duolingo, now the new “darling” of #edtech. Stiffer competition, combined with a tightening of immigration policy & commitment to increases #agent #regulation will see market conditions get worse before they get better & this will have a direct impact university’s abilities to recruit #internationalstudents. We anticipate the larger agency players such as IDP will weather the storm, while many smaller players will fall by the wayside. We also predict a torrid time for agent #aggregators. From what seemed such an unassailable position of strength during the pandemic, how the mighty have fallen & there is further to fall yet! “Job losses at IDP Education Ltd of around 6% of the global workforce are being blamed on a reduction in the size of the #internationalstudent market due to restrictive policy environments in key destination countries. In a Regulatory & Market Update to its investors today, IDP also predicts that the #internationaleducation market will decline by 20-25% over the next twelve months. In the Update, IDP also reports that student placement & IELTS Official testing volumes have been negatively impacted during H2 FY24, due to government policy changes in IDP’s key destination markets of #Australia #UK & #Canada. Overall, for FY24, #IDP expects a 15-20% increase in student placement volumes & a 15-20% decline in #IELTS volumes versus FY23. This would mean that student placement revenues will be larger than English language testing revenues for the second year running. Even if there are no further changes in #immigration & #visa policy settings, IDP expects a contraction in the size of the international education market over the next twelve months “due to supply side constraints”. However, IDP reassures investors that it “remains well positioned to take advantage of the increasing industry focus on quality to further strengthen its leadership position”. Asia Careers Group SDN BHD - Investing in International Futures AUIDF British Council BUILA Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Innovative Research Universities (IRU) University Innovation Alliance (UIA) University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) Independent Tertiary Education NZ (ITENZ) Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) Regional Universities Network The Group of Eight UCAS UKCISA Universities Australia Universities Canada Universities New Zealand Universities UK Universities UK International

Regulation or transparency when it comes to agents? With governments in #Australia #canada & the #UK prioritising increased #agent regulation within international education what’s the best solution … As of now the majority of #universities recruiting significant numbers of #internationalstudents have no clear understanding of their actual cost of acquisition. Without total transparency particularly when it comes to agency commission, no #university knows the cost of recruiting a #student from #Brazil versus #China, or the comparative costs for recruiting students to different faculties, at different levels & on specific courses. For agents, the most reputable #agents want to work with the best universities, so if they are referring students to #highered institutions with higher than average dropout rates, this too is a red flag in terms of them referring future students to specific institutions with the lowest completion rates. From the student’s perspective no international student is in fact aware if they are engaging with a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ agent, as they have no idea of students #degree completion rates for each agency, plus if the agent concerned has a financial motivation for recommending one university over another due to a higher rate of commission. In truth all parties are in the dark! The issue with regulation is that it would probably sit under the Office for Students, & we all know how well that usually turns out! Plus, anything that says regulation screams government & red tape, not the best course of action if you are looking to reassure the public & inform international students. Regulation would add further cost & administrative burden to universities, which in fact have access to agent contracts, finance data, student number completion rates at their fingertips. So why regulate when compelling transparency is in fact the best course of action? In truth this whole industry has been in the shadows for too long. While the majority of agents are reputable actors, as in any field of business there are examples of bad practice. Transparent, annually reported data should be accessible from all institutions & agencies, allowing universities to understand their true cost of international student acquisition, agents to evaluate the best universities with which to work & prospective international students to identify agents & #highereducation institutions, who have their best interests at heart. Asia Careers Group SDN BHD - Investing in International Futures AUIDF British Council BUILA Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) Regional Universities Network The Group of Eight UCAS UKCISA Universities Australia Universities Canada Universities New Zealand Universities UK Universities UK International

Mark Scott, Vice-Chancellor, University of Sydney, asks policy makers to “wait before making rash decisions on foreign students.” “Universities are being asked to fix a housing problem they did not create, & the government’s haste will massively disrupt thousands of students’ lives. For the past 20 years, #universities have grown #highereducation into the nation’s largest services export sector. Australian higher education is a global powerhouse. We are a destination of choice for students across the world & #Australian universities are the cornerstone of our national innovation ecosystems … As South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said last week, Australia has a housing problem, not a migration problem … International students make up only 4% of the Australian rental market … Yet, somehow, universities are being told to provide solutions for problems they are not creating. Policies that come at real risk – to the economy, to research & development, and to the reputation of a key export industry … As #graduates, our students are a vital source of #softpower & public diplomacy across the region, moving to roles of influence across an array of sectors, with a rich understanding of, & friendship with, #Australia. There is talk of proposed caps helping to redistribute international students to regions & rural areas. There has already been a range of courses on offer outside our cities, often at lower prices but, overwhelmingly, #internationalstudents want to come to big international universities, with the strongest global reputations. To suggest they can be directed elsewhere is like telling international tourists they can’t see the Opera House and Sydney Harbour, the Australian Open & the F1 – they will only be allowed into Australia if they don’t go to Sydney or Melbourne … Every #university understands we need managed growth in #internationalstudent numbers. We need to be able to work closely with government at a measured pace to develop solutions which can be influenced & are addressed by policy. But we need a proper consultation period to determine genuine & evidence-based solutions. We cannot be cavalier or indifferent to the vital success story we have built over the past 20 years.” Asia Careers Group SDN BHD - Investing in International Futures AUIDF British Council l BUILA Education New Zealand | Manapou ki te Ao International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) Innovative Research Universities (IRU) University Innovation Alliance (UIA) University Industry Innovation Network (UIIN) Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia National Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) Regional Universities Network The Group of Eight UCAS UKCISA Universities Australia Universities Canada Universities UK Universities UK International