Association of Colleges

02 May 2008

A new study published today shows that UK colleges are responding to the huge demand for further education from China, India and other booming economies.

53,000 international students study at UK colleges - with Chinese and Indian students topping the league.

The Warwick University Study shows that the majority of students taught by UK colleges are 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.”

UK colleges working around the globe:

• London Beijing Colleges partnership - London colleges providing skills training and curriculum development for the Beijing Olympics.
• Preston College providing knowledge exchange and staff training in Omsk, Russia
• Blackburn College developing expertise and skills training for the textile industry with South Delhi Polytechnic, India.

Report says:

• There is huge demand for education and training in India and China.
- China is seeking help internationally to expand and overhaul its further education system.
- Expenditure of GDP on education in India set to rise from three to six per cent.
• 50% of colleges see foreign expansion as a key future opportunity
• UK colleges’ key exports are English Language teaching, Business administration, Engineering and IT.
• UK education is most attractive for having a good international reputation, offering all teaching in English and being quality assured.
• UK Further Education’s strengths are; its qualifications - that reflect industry’s needs, innovative curricula, a wide range of courses, flexible course delivery, a strong emphasis on independent learning and a good track record in international activities

Key recommendations:

• There needs to be better marketing and promotion of UK colleges, skills training and qualifications in foreign markets.
• There needs to be better joined-up working between government and UK colleges, to increase economies of scale and support expansion abroad.
• The recommendations of the Foster and Leitch reviews should be implemented to give UK colleges parity with their EU counterparts.
• UK qualifications need to be made more transferable and more widely accepted around the world.

ends

Notes to Editors

Going Global? UK Vocational Education Opportunities in the International Market. Published today by Association of Colleges. Produced by Warwick Institute for Employment Research. Report available on request.

53,000 International students attending colleges in the UK. 3,500 China and 3,300 from India. Source: Learning and Skills Council 2006/07
 

Contacts:
Michael Williams
Press Officer
020 7034 9900
07500079210
michael_williams@aoc.co.uk

FE Facts and Figures

• Every year local colleges educate over 3 million people
• 120,000 14 to 16 year olds choose to study vocational courses at college
• 737,000 16 to 18 year olds choose to study in colleges (compared with 460,000 in all schools)
• Colleges provide 48% of entrants to higher education
• More than half of foundation degree students are taught in FE colleges
• Colleges deliver 86% of HNCs and 59% of HNDs
• Around 200,000 students study higher education in a college
• 272 colleges provide higher education
ng to the huge demand for further education from China, India and other booming economies.

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