More Uk Students Should Consider Studying Abroad Says Report
3 years ago

A report from a joint steering group on outward student mobility in higher education, for Universities Minister David Willetts, suggests that the concept of studying abroad should be promoted during secondary education.

It also suggests that higher education institutions outside the UK should be included in the ACAS system.

"There should," the report says, "be stronger promotion of international awareness prior to university at school level, to inspire and encourage interest before students enter higher education."

"There is an opportunity to exploit the opportunities provided by Britain's multicultural society through connection with its various communities.

"Employers are looking for students that can demonstrate a global mindset but are less concerned with the route through which it is achieved.''

Currently, according to the report, two major obstacles to outward mobility are affordability and ignorance of foreign languages, suggesting that more emphasis should be placed on languages throughout primary, secondary and tertiary education.

Another of the report's recommendations is the creation of a single UK agency to encourage British students to apply for overseas study opportunities.

The report itself, commissioned on the grounds that the UK ranks 25th in the world for the number of students studying abroad, is published amid uncertainty whether tuition fee increases will discourage outward mobility.

Mr Willetts says that higher education providers would still receive up to 40% of full fees from their students for the year they would be studying abroad, with the students themselves required to pay up to 15% themselves.

The rest would be covered by a grant worth 25% from the higher education funding council.

Previously, universities waived the fees of students who spent a year abroad under the EU’s Erasmus student exchange program.

 

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