We just talk about the good stuff

BRICS member nations are set to establish a new university rankings system, government officials have announced.

Education ministers representing the bloc of nations, which encompasses Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, committed at a meeting in July to “rethink and reimagine” global rankings for universities.

In a joint statement, the group accused established ranking systems of being “skewed towards valuing the priorities and context of universities of the Global North”.

Many universities saw a significant change in position in the latest QS rankings as the metrics were updated, leading some institutions to boycott the rankings altogether.

BRICS ministers said existing rankings impose “indefensible costs on developing countries” and detract from “norms emphasising cooperation, collaboration, sharing and solidarity”.

They said they would look to develop an alternative system that emphasises quality of research output over quantity, as well as integrating “cultural and indigenous knowledge” of each country.

It comes as BRICS expands beyond the founding members for the first time, with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina and Egypt all set to join the group.

“Since they first emerged in the early 2000s, global university rankings have privileged wealthier and better resourced universities and countries,” said Jelena Brankovik, a postdoctoral researcher focusing on rankings at Bielefeld University. “It is thus perfectly understandable that some governments wish to challenge the current system.”

“Global university rankings have privileged wealthier and better resourced universities”

“However, I am sceptical as to whether developing an ‘alternative’ global ranking is the answer to the problem,” she added, explaining that rankings increase competition and help “perpetuate exploitative economic arrangements”.

“The producers of rankings that currently dominate the global landscape are private companies from the Global North, whose interest in higher education is driven mainly, if not exclusively, by profit.

“To make profit, they extract ever-larger amounts of information and resources from the sector, which are then converted into data, analytics, and consulting services and sold back to universities, governments, and other interested parties.

“If the BRICS or any other group of countries wish to do something about global inequalities, they need to consider the implications of these economic arrangements as well.”

A timeline and further details of the new system have yet to be announced.

The post BRICS to launch new university rankings system appeared first on The PIE News.

International education professionals across Canada are considering how negative news headlines and recent announcements by government may be harming brand Canada.

Recently, the country’s new housing minister Sean Fraser suggested that Canada could consider a cap on international students as it battles a housing shortage, while the immigration minister has said that the “integrity of the system” is at risk due to fraud, as well as players “gaming the system”.

The news has been extensively covered in both national and international media.

Stakeholders largely consider a cap unlikely – universities in Québec have already said the proposals would do little to address the housing crunch, but would damage university research.

Immigration minister Marc Miller last week acknowledged that the housing crisis cannot be “pinned on any particular segment of the population”, with education professionals indicating the same.

Adel El Zaïm from the Université du Québec en Outaouais noted the lack of evidence showing that international students are contributing to the housing crisis, a problem several study destinations are facing.

“There is no data about the contribution of international students to the housing crisis,” he told The PIE, adding that accommodation is a top priority at several institutions.

“In Québec, there is a governmental program to subsidise affordable housing,” he said.

“Universities are eligible and some of them are already applying. At our university, our board approved a new residence project for about 150 rooms. We are a small university with only [around] 7,000 students.

“Another example is the willingness of our neighbourhood to make rooms available for hosting international students. We are located in a mainly residential area.”

Prime minister Justin Trideau has also noted that there are “a lot of different factors that go into this housing crisis”.

Other institutions have worked to ensure that undergraduate students have had guarantees of on-campus accommodation, other stakeholders have detailed.

The immigration minister also suggested that private colleges were those “gaming the system”, but he did not name which providers in particular. The comments are said to have irked some private providers.

A 2022 documentary named Alpha College as one provider that had deferred student start dates due to capacity constraints. Stakeholders at the time warned that Canadian colleges were being sold as migration pathways.

Students also lost their tuition fees after the closure of M College in Montreal, CDE College in Sherbrooke and CCSQ College in early 2022.

More recently, Ontario-based Northern College revoked over 500 acceptance letters it had sent to international students.

El Zaïm warned that the negative headlines “could harm the country reputation and may discourage some international students”.

“Some recruiters and HEIs have ‘abused’ the system, mainly at the college level, and especially by over recruiting young students with a promise of quick graduation and access to employment and permanent resident status,” he said, but added that there are “two sides to the medal”.

“One case is enough to make the headlines and to be recuperated by the political opposition,” he said, but maintained that the country’s higher education sector is strong and that interest will continue to grow.

A cap is unlikely, he indicated.

“Political pressure, the role of provincial governments in managing higher education and education in general and the real contribution of international students to the research ecosystem, to the survival of some programs and their contribution to the regional economy will prevent the federal government from such an approach,” he suggested.

“I am optimistic that no cap will be imposed. I am also optimistic that the processing of visa and study permit will be accelerated by IRCC as promised by the former minister of immigration,” he said.

Another stakeholder told The PIE that the “benefits of studying in Canada have been overshadowed by the recent negative news”.

“Canada is well-known for its strong emphasis on co-op programs, especially at the university level,” they explained. “Empowered with relevant professional skills, students can integrate their academic learning with practical paid work experience.”

A recent Royal Bank of Canada report notes that international students in the country are a rich source of skilled global talent and are twice as likely as domestic students to study engineering.

They are more than 2.5 times as likely to study math and computer sciences – two of the top areas projected to face labor shortages, they highlighted.

El Zaïm also concluded that Canada and its higher education institutions should celebrate the expected increase in international student numbers. The immigration minister has said 900,000 are expected to be enrolled in institutions this year.

“I would love to see the number of Canadian university professors and researchers who came to Canada first as international students, and who are now living and working in Canada,” he said.

“In a few words, Canada could do better in terms of understanding and valorising the impacts of international students in the social, economic and scientific fabrics of the country.”

The post Negative headlines ‘harming’ Canada’s reputation appeared first on The PIE News.

The peak body for the ELICOS sector in Australia has hit a milestone of 40 years in the international education industry this year.

English Australia celebrated its 40th anniversary during the annual conference in Sydney from August 30 to September 1.

“The 40th anniversary marks a significant milestone for English Australia,” Brett Blacker, the association’s CEO said.

“The anniversary allows us to reflect on the significant impact and influence of the association on the ELICOS sector and international education landscape in Australia.”

In a report to mark four decades in the sector, the association detailed the development of the sector since Woods English Teaching Laboratory opened as Australia’s first English language school in 1965.

The paper pointed to the long history of English teaching in the country, including to migrants and refugees who arrived after World War Two, and then through the national Adult Migrant English Program from 1948. In the 1970s, AMEP was professionalised with federal government funding to “better deliver ELT to the huge influx of refugees from South-East Asia”, it added.

Nine colleges formed an informal group of ELICOS providers that became The ELICOS Association in 1983.

Sue Blundell, who retired as executive director of English Australia in 2015, spoke at the gathering in Sydney, highlighting the contribution of Christine Bundesen, who was the second convener of The ELICOS Association in 1988.

Christine passed away in September 2022.

“It somehow doesn’t seem right to have a major English Australia celebration without Christine Bundesen – we miss her – her memories, her history, her storytelling, her humour,” Blundell said.

Compared to now, the industry was the “Wild West before they gave sheriffs badges and guns”, she said, noting how the sector had overcome challenges such as the so-called China crisis.

The 40-year report noted the crisis as a “pivotal moment for the ELICOS sector and English Australia”, which eventually resulted in the establishment of the National ELICOS Accreditation Scheme.

“We were a role model that other associations looked to follow”

“I had my own personal experience of the boom then bust nature of the industry at this time – my school, the largest in Australia, closed, the owner heading overseas after declaring bankruptcy,” Blundell said.

“There were so many ways in which we were leaders and we were a role model that other associations looked to follow – in our professional development and support, in our lobbying and advocacy, in our collection and analysis of data, in our perpetual striving to constantly do things better and support our members more.”

Phil Honeywood, CEO of IEAA, agreed noting that English Australia has “proven to others how a professional peak body can operate”.

“Forty years ago they filled a need for effective representation,” he said. “They have also flourished through the dedication of volunteer directors and two outstanding CEOs in Sue Blundell and Brett Blacker.”

The post English Australia celebrates four decades appeared first on The PIE News.

Tamwood International College has been acquired by Canadian private education company ILAC. 

The deal, announced by Tamwood’s CEO on LinkedIn, confirmed months of speculation that the company would be selling to ILAC, which is the country’s biggest private education group.

Tamsin Plaxton wrote in the post that it was about finding “the perfect buyer” for Tamwood, having founded it in 1992. 

“[We needed a buyer] who not only shares my unwavering vision for Tamwood but is also committed to preserving its innovative approach, high-quality programs, and exceptional customer service. 

“That buyer is none other than ILAC, under the dedicated and professional guidance of its main shareholder, ONCAP,” Plaxton wrote. 

She also shared that she would be becoming an investor in ILAC under the sale. 

Tamwood has been running for 30 years under a signature work-and-study model, with schools in marketing, technology and business across campuses Toronto and Vancouver, alongside offerings in English programs and junior camps, which were also offered in Montreal and select cities across the US.

It also has a hospitality school based in Whistler, a high-end ski resort in northern British Columbia that regularly plays host to celebrities, which opened in 2018.

In 2017, it launched a “start-up school” aimed at international entrepreneurship education. 

No official information on the sale has been released by ILAC as of September 4, including how much Tamwood was sold for and what will happen to the college in terms of staffing and facilities. 

In his own post on LinkedIn, co-founder and president of Tamwood Matt Collingwood said a “new chapter in the history of Tamwood” is being written through the sale. 

“I couldn’t be prouder of the process, the decisions and above all, the people who have accompanied me on this journey, and with whom we hope to create a new and magnificent story, transforming the lives of thousands of students through education,” Collingwood wrote. 

“Letting go of Tamwood is the right thing for the company”

“It’s all about the people. We are more than ready!” he added. 

Plaxton said in the post that she started Tamwood because she “experienced first hand” how international education can change people’s lives. 

“I am very proud to have worked with so many incredible people to realise our dream of helping people develop their talents, achieve their goals and realise their potential.

“Letting go of Tamwood is the right thing for the company and for me but it’s also bitter sweet as in my soul I have been Tamwood for 30 years. It’s been a great ride! Time for the next chapter,” she added. 

As of September 4, Tamwood still maintains all its offerings on its website.

The post Canada: Tamwood College sells to ILAC appeared first on The PIE News.

Japan is said to be exploring opening overseas campuses and courses, according to the country’s department of education. 

A representative from MEXT’s higher education bureau department told The PIE News that as part of the Council of the Creation of Future Education and the government’s efforts, the works were being put in motion.

“We have requested [some funds] in the next financial year’s budget for encouraging Japanese universities to open overseas campuses and courses,” the representative said.

It comes after Japan recently said it would have new measures in place for international vocational graduates to make finding work easier in the country, as part of the Council’s continuing work. 

The Japan News claimed that new proposed programs will allow national, public and private universities to set up campuses overseas and lecturers will be “dispatched from Japan” to give classes. 

“Although we still need a lot of discussion on what type of ‘overseas campuses’ we can have in the scope, and how to support universities,” the representative told The PIE. 

In terms of staffing, the representative said that the department hopes to “allocate subsidies for employing and training skilled staff”, as well as using funding to pay for rented offices and other elements. 

“Exchanging staff could be an element for the subsidy if it is part of staff training, but we need [to discuss this] with the Ministry of Finance,” the representative confirmed.

They did not disclose where might be targeted for the campuses or staff exchanges.

While talks are clearly still in preliminary stages, Davide Rossi, CEO at Go!Go! Nihon, an agency in Japan, said it was a “solid move” for internationalisation.

“It [should] make it easier for Japanese students to enrol in Japan and spend time abroad and vice versa. 

“It will ease some of the worries that Japanese students and their families have about studying abroad and also help find students willing to enrol to a Japanese university from abroad,” he claimed.

The Council of the Creation of Future Education did include some lines in its documentation in April following a March meeting to suggest that overseas campuses would be part of its future internationalisation plan. 

No concrete operational information for how this would be achieved was given.

“We still need a lot of discussion on what type of “overseas campuses” we can have”

While Rossi said that the Council’s current work is notable, more needs to be done to really internationalise Japan. 

“[We must] create more job opportunities for students and fresh foreign graduates – besides those working in factories and convenience stores, and also simplify the visa process for motivated students who are willing to live and study in Japan,” he explained.

India has notably most recently begun opening campuses outside the country, with IIT Madras opening a branch campus in Tanzania, the National Forensic Sciences University opening in Uganda, and a campus of the Centre of Excellence for Information Technology opening in Namibia in July.

The post Japan looks to expand overseas campuses appeared first on The PIE News.

Stakeholders in the UK’s educational travel and ELT sectors have predicted they will see a boost in the next year amid China restarting short-term tours to over 130 countries.

It was announced in August that China’s long-term ban on outbound tours, which included English language short-term courses, would be coming to an end for destinations including the UK, US, Japan, Australia, South Korea and India, as well as most countries in Europe.

This follows the lifting of bans on tours to Nepal, France, Portugal and Brazil in March, and Thailand, Russia, Cuba and Argentina in January.

The move has been praised by the British Council, as well as relevant government departments. A statement made by the British Council said it expects it to have a “positive impact”.

“The recent reinstatement of group travel from China will significantly contribute to the recovery of the UK ELT sector, and many English language schools can anticipate receiving their first groups of Chinese students in the summer of 2024,” the British Council’s statement read.

“I believe this will be an immediate boost for the sector in 2024,” Mark Henebury, English language & teacher training specialist at the Department for Business and Trade, agreed, speaking with The PIE.

“English UK and DBT are working together with the British Council and board on the StudyWorld China Roadshow 2023 from November 26 to December 1, taking out around 25 UK providers,” he explained.

New to doing business in China? Interested in connecting with study abroad agents and partners in Beijing and Shenzhen?

Join us in China at the end of November for the StudyWorld China Roadshow 2023 and receive support from @englishuk and our event delivery partner,… pic.twitter.com/XXS4vDHOc1

— StudyWorld (@studyworldfair) July 3, 2023

“This is the right time for us to be there, promoting the UK ELT sector in country at the beginning of the recruitment cycle,” Henebury added.

China has been a significant booster for the ELT sector in the UK historically, but Covid saw a complete decimation of numbers from the country due to travel restrictions. The UK foreign secretary has visited China this week, the first trip by a minister for five years.

General English language courses were beginning to see a slight resurgence for China after the easing of travel restrictions earlier this year, but short-term groups going to the UK were still out of the question at that time.

Executive director of BETA Emma English, told The PIE immediate miracles are not expected, citing visa applications and passport renewals. But a “strong rebound”, she agreed with Henebury, is predicted.

“China is one of the UK’s most valuable markets,” she noted.

“This is the right time for us to be there, promoting the UK ELT sector”

“From a tourism-linked perspective, VisitBritain forecasts a return to pre-Covid levels by 2026.

“[But] the UK must work hard to make sure that we remain attractive, welcoming and of course, competitive,” she insisted.

English also pointed out that the visitor visa costs would be increasing by 15%, a figure that won’t sit well in terms of the UK’s attractiveness.

Immigration health surcharges are also going up, which could further put off prospective international students.

BETA is also working with DBT to bring a delegation of Chinese buyers to its Youth and Student Travel Summit in October, hoping to supercharge the Chinese market.

“We need greater support from the UK government to raise the potential of this market,” she also added.

Henebury wanted to make clear that the challenges facing the sector in general are mainly around staffing and accommodation.

“These are not quick fixes, but I know that English UK and providers are working hard on this and DBT will support wherever we can,” he added.

The post UK buoyed by China short courses restart appeared first on The PIE News.

A German university has stopped accepting students funded by the Chinese government as the country grapples with its relationship with China. 

Germany’s Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU) has temporarily suspended researchers and students holding scholarships from the China Scholarship Council from joining the institution, reportedly due to concerns around espionage and academic freedom.  

It is understood that current scholarship-holders at the university are unaffected, as are recipients of a joint scholarship between the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD and the CSC. 

There were around 40,000 Chinese students in Germany in 2022, making up the country’s largest cohort of international students. It is unknown how many of these are funded by the Chinese government as this data isn’t shared publicly, but estimates suggest between 3,000 and 5,000.

China’s scholarship scheme has come under global scrutiny after a Swedish newspaper revealed the loyalty pledges recipients must make to the government.

This led some universities to end relations with the CSC, while other institutions across Europe are evaluating their relationships with China. In the Netherlands, the government promised to investigate the scholarship scheme after universities raised concerns.

A spokesperson from the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) said it supports FAU’s decision, “knowing that this decision was not taken lightly and that its consequences will be thoroughly discussed and continuously reassessed by the university”.

They added that German universities have been realigning their cooperation with China “for some time now”.

“In general, the sensitivity for security-related aspects in academic cooperation has increased considerably in recent years,” the spokesperson said.

“Nevertheless, the situation itself as well as the assessment of the situation on the part of the responsible actors varies from location to location.

“As HRK, we emphasise that decisions need to be taken on a case-by-case basis, there are no one-size-fits-all solutions.”

Earlier this year, the German government unveiled its first China strategy, which takes a sceptical but pragmatic approach to relations with the superpower, labelling China as a “partner, competitor and systemic rival”. 

“China has changed,” the strategy states. “As a result of this and China’s political decisions, we need to change our approach to China.”

The government emphasises the importance of exchange between China and Germany and supports student mobility and collaborations between universities and research institutes. But the strategy also warns institutions to take a cautious approach.

“We need to change our approach to China”

“Risks for the freedom of research and teaching, illegitimate interference and unilateral knowledge and technology transfers must be minimised in this regard,” it reads. 

“We will strengthen the dialogue with universities and research institutions to this end.”

HRK said the strategy “reaffirms the guiding principles that have already been applied to academic cooperation with China in recent years”.

DAAD has recently reviewed its processes for awarding joint scholarships with China, agreeing on a split application process which sees both countries interviewing applicants separately to limit risks while maintaining cooperation. 

The German government has also increased investment in DAAD’s KIWi program, which provides guidance to German universities on international academic collaborations. 

A spokesperson from DAAD said the organisation was offering more counselling services through KIWi in response “to the increased demand for advice from German universities and scientific institutions in times of growing uncertainty in international scientific cooperation”. 

They received over 1,000 enquiries about the service last year.  

“By expanding the KIWi, the DAAD is contributing to the implementation of the federal government’s current China Strategy, which emphasises the great need for independent China expertise and the associated advisory services,” the spokesperson added.

FAU did not respond to requests for comment.

The post German university suspends China-funded scholars appeared first on The PIE News.

A small number of UK universities are offering an early winter intake that will enable international students to avoid the impact of visa changes that will prevent dependants from joining them from January 2024.

While some universities having been offering November starts for a number of years, others have created a new intake specifically for 2023.

Traditionally, the UK opens a ‘second’ postgraduate intake in the month of January to create additional places for applicants on some of the most popular taught courses including business, management or computer science degrees.

This off-track intake has been a powerful enabler of growth in international recruitment, especially for students coming from the Southern Hemisphere or who failed to secure a visa in time for an autumn start.

January 2024 and beyond however, will now be affected by the UK government ruling to prevent applicants from bringing family members with them as dependants.

The University of Law has now introduced a new December intake for some postgraduate courses starting in 2023.

Students will be required to take an additional generic module on academic study skills to bridge the gap to the January intake and the course-specific content.

The UoL website states “students can join this course in December 2023 to benefit from an extra module on academic and professional practice to help prepare you for postgraduate study and enhance professional skills”.

Ravensbourne University London, a specialist in digital media and design which outsourced their international admissions processing to Oxford International Education Group, is another university offering widespread November course starts.

Teesside University’s London campus based in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford also offers a limited number of courses starting in November, although the website chatbot informs prospective international students that they will “need to apply using an agent in your country”.

The University of Bedfordshire has been offering a November intake since 2016 and a website course finder returns 45 postgraduate courses with a November start including masters degrees in law, business, computing, engineering, economics and tourism.

The University of Bedfordshire says there has been no significant change in applicant behaviour in relation to November demand.

In July, The PIE News reported on Nigerian students rushing to secure places before dependants ban, with Jamie Hastings, director of My International Office describing students as ‘scrambling’ to secure places in September.

It remains to be seen if this demand will now shift to the smaller number of November and December start dates being offered in the market.

Flexibility on course start dates is seen as an attractive proposition for international students and is being increasingly adopted by modern institutions.

Private universities such as BPP and UA92 operate rolling-admissions systems that allows students to join every few months.

According to HESA data, BPP featured as the third biggest recruiter from markets associated with a higher number of dependants connected to student visas. In 2021/22, the university recruited 5,400 students from across Nigeria, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

In the summer of 2020, Coventry University famously created a July intake to allow students from the European Union to enrol ahead of drastic changes to their fee status. Due to the impact from Brexit students were due to transition from Home fee status to full international fees in the following September.

Students who were able to enrol at Coventry two months ahead of time avoided this significant price hike. They were required to take an online module that bridged the gap to when they were due on campus in the autumn.

The move was widely seen as a success although in cases, certain EU nationalities did not receive their high school examination results or leaving certificates in time to be enrolled so early in the summer.

At the time some stakeholders questioned the legality of such a move, although it is unclear if the Office for Students were required to sanction new intakes.

“This is part our long-term strategy and reinforces our drive to provide as much choice and flexibility as possible”

Similar questions may be raised with any university introducing a new winter intake at this late stage.

The PIE News understands that several institutions have been considering introducing a November 2023 intake while monitoring applications to see if there is a shortfall related to dependant visa changes.

Buoyant numbers for the January intake however, have dissuade many from this course of action, although it remains to be seen if students are completely aware of the rule changes on the ground in key source markets.

A spokesperson for Teesside University London said: “Teesside University London has implemented an innovative new delivery model and we will have three intakes of students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, from September, November and January. This is part our long-term strategy and reinforces our drive to provide as much choice and flexibility as possible for all of our students across a diverse range of programs.”

The post Winter intake offers final entry before UK dependant visa changes appeared first on The PIE News.

A new EnglishUSA report – the first of its kind – confirms Japan has cemented itself as the number one source country for English language programs in the US, among other findings.

The report “complementing” IIE’s Open Doors reports on English language programs in the US has been released the country’s ELT association. 

It also reports that the global numbers as of 2022 had “recovered 65% to 70%” of 2019 levels. 

This inaugural data, according to EnglishUSA executive director Cheryl Delk-Le-Good, aims to “benchmark its global market share” in the English language programs industry against other destinations popular with students, including the UK and Australia.

“We are confident that our Annual Reports will not only help individual programs in data-driven decision-making, but the data will also assist the industry in its advocacy efforts,” she said upon the report’s release.

“We strive to capture the breadth and depth of student enrolments and demonstrate to stakeholders and policymakers how our industry contributes to the American economy and the internationalisation of our communities and campuses,” she added.

The report identified over 750 active English language programs in the US, with 289 responding to the survey.

In the US, Japan saw 12% of the student share, with 8,694 students from the country studying at schools across the US in 2022. 

However, when splitting students by provider, Japan topped the community college-governed providers and university-governed providers – but was only second in the fastest growing cohort – private providers. 

Some 5,911 students from France, second overall in the US, went to private providers, superseding Japan’s 4,977 students.

Speaking with The PIE, former president of EnglishUSA and head of member school ILI Massachussetts Caroline Gear said she was quite surprised at Japan’s fixation on the US for languages. 

“Honestly, I had no idea that Japan was the top source country in the US.

“Right now only 8% of our students are from Japan. We have always had a very diverse group of students and have never been able to pinpoint top source countries,” she noted. 

It’s not only France that’s gaining traction in the top 10 countries for private providers, but also other European nations, with Italy taking 8% of the share with 3,499 students and both Germany and Switzerland having 6% of the market share. 

Despite the seemingly large share of private providers in the market that is reported – 66% of students were at private providers – IIE has previously said trends were “shifting” in regards to Intensive English Programs, with all providers seeing an increase post-Covid.

“It’s possible that Europeans are looking for more flexible programs rather than a specific academic path,” Gear posited. 

“For example, the last few years we have been working with a minor league ice hockey team who brings hockey players to study in our Intensive English Program while they improve their skills in ice hockey,” she explained. 

Massachusetts, the state where ILI is located, was the fourth most popular destination on the list. New York, California and Florida were the top three, with New York seeing 16,636 students study ELPs at various providers in the state. 

In terms of the spread of English language programs in the US, Californian providers run the most, accounting for 16%. Florida provides 11%, New York 9% and Texas 6% – California had over 120 programs according to the research.

Visa refusals is the number one challenge that responding programs face, the report concluded. Some 67% deemed it an issue, while 50% also noted visa processing times a pressing problem. 

“It’s possible that Europeans are looking for more flexible programs”

“Most certainly, visa denials for language programs continue to be a challenge for our industry,” noted Gear.

The large majority of students are on F-1 visas – 62% – with 25% not requiring one due to being ESTA recipients, citizens, residents or asylum seekers.

The most affected student cohort with visa issues are typically Africans, with difficulties in terms of getting visa interviews and high visa denial rates, especially across higher education.

More encouraging finding are the economic impact of language students, reaching almost $800m among those responding to the research. The report projected that the number including programs that did not report to the survey would be over $1bn.

A question on preferred recruitment channels for the US saw 45% saying direct to provider recruitment was their number one method – agencies and aggregators were the preferred channel for a quarter of respondents. 

EnglishUSA also conducted research on the future interest markets in South America, due to the “region’s growing potential as a source of English language students”. 

On a score-based ranking, Brazil was first, with 1,696 points. Colombia, which has become increasingly important for Australia’s ELICOS sector, followed closely with 1,541, and Chile dropped slightly on points in third place with 1,055.

“Visa denials for language programs continue to be a challenge”

A 2019 EnglishUSA trade mission to Brazil and Colombia identified a potential market for US players, Gear explained.

“Students and agents were very interested in the diverse offerings of EnglishUSA members from private language schools to university based programs. 

“We hope to return to Brazil and Colombia as we all know it’s about building relationships,” Gear added.. 

Whether Brazilians will continue to choose the US over other popular destinations for them, such as Ireland, remains to be seen. Colombia, was fourth in the overall source country list, with Brazil close behind – they took 6% and 5% of the market share respectively.  

“I imagine that many Brazilians are choosing Ireland as they are allowed to work while studying, which is not the case in the US,” Gear added.

The post US English sector recovers 65-70% on 2019; Japan top source appeared first on The PIE News.

UK graduates unable to find work are actively seeking out opportunities teaching English abroad, according to a new survey.

According to the survey conducted by The TEFL Academy, over 30% of UK respondents had chosen to teach English abroad as a direct result of challenges in finding employment in their field of study.

“Finding out your degree is not worth the paper it’s printed on is hugely disappointing. After such a big investment of time and money, the reality of not being able to find a job in their field is forcing graduates to seek work elsewhere,” said Rhyan O’Sullivan, managing director at The TEFL Academy.

“But you don’t need to start from scratch,” he advised graduates.

“Teaching English abroad gives you the opportunity to live in a foreign culture, earn money and travel the world. If you do it for a few months, a few years, or forever, it’s a no-brainer.”

The survey of 1,292 teachers showed that 70% of the respondents were satisfied with this decision to teach English abroad – many citing flexible working hours, less stress and overall a better work-life balance as the benefits of doing so.

Popular countries for UK TEFL teachers include Spain, China, South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

“With over 400 million English language learners in China alone, the sheer scale of employment opportunities for those with a TEFL qualification is difficult to comprehend,” O’Sullivan told The PIE.

“UK graduates are finding that the employment market is saturated with graduates with non-industry specific degrees with no obvious career paths. These graduates are using TEFL as a way to get value out of their degrees.”

Earlier this year, the UK’s prime minister Rishi Sunak vowed to “crack-down” on “rip-off” degrees, although the stance was widely criticised by the international education sector.

“Too many students are being sold a university education that won’t get them a decent job at the end of it,” said Sunak in a tweet in July 2023.

According to The TEFL Academy, it is not only fresh UK graduates seeking out teaching careers abroad, with the opportunity proving popular with the country’s experienced teachers too. According to O’Sullivan, approximately 40% of The TEFL Academy’s UK graduates have taught in the UK.

“We shouldn’t be surprised that they are choosing to teach abroad instead”

“We shouldn’t be surprised that they are choosing to teach abroad instead,” said O’Sullivan.

“Teaching contracts abroad offer generous salaries coupled with lower-stress working schedules, especially in Middle Eastern countries. Many offer packages including flights and accommodation, making the high salaries even more valuable.”

TEFL-certified teachers with UK Qualified Teacher Status are able to ask for even higher salaries than other TEFL teachers, up to £40,000 a year, The PIE learned.

“With the insatiable demand for TEFL teachers worldwide we expect the numbers of UK graduates taking TEFL courses and seeking employment opportunities abroad to drastically increase,” said O’Sullivan.

The post UK grads seek opportunities in TEFL abroad appeared first on The PIE News.