In a U-turn decision, the UK government is no longer planning to close the country’s 30 Confucius Institutes.

A spokesperson for UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said, “We are taking action to remove all government funding from Confucius Institutes in the UK, but currently judge that it would be disproportionate to ban them.”

“Like any international body operating in the UK, Confucius Institutes need to operate transparently and within the law, and with a full commitment to our values of openness and freedom of expression.

“We recognise concerns about overseas interference in our higher education sector, including through Confucius Institutes, and regularly assess the risks facing academia,” the spokesperson said.

The government funding in question goes towards Mandarin language teaching at schools channelled through university-based Confucius Institutes, according to the China Research Group, with at least £27m allocated from 2015 to 2024.

The latest government stance goes against Sunak’s previous decision, as it was confirmed in November 2022 that he was “looking to close” the UK’s Confucius Institutes, after pledging to do so in the Conservative party leadership campaign.

During campaigning, Sunak described China as “the biggest long-term threat to Britain”.

On May 17, Sunak’s predecessor Liz Truss urged him to act on his previous comments made during campaigning.

“He was right and we need to see those policies enacted urgently,” said Truss, while giving a speech in Taiwan – which a China embassy spokesperson described as “a dangerous political show”.

“Confucius Institutes should be closed down immediately,” said Truss.

“Instead, the service could be provided by organisations with the support of Hong Kong nationals and Taiwanese nationals who have come to the UK on a free basis,” she suggested.

Commentators have argued that closing the Confucius Institutes would be further driving a gap in knowledge at a time when China literacy is “needed more than ever”.

“What has rather got lost in the noise is how their removal would significantly reduce access to Mandarin lessons for hundreds of students,” said Conor Horsfall, consultant, Shearwater Global.

“With the UK already significantly lacking in Chinese-language capabilities, urgent investment is needed to fill this knowledge gap, especially if the institutes do close down.

“Their removal would significantly reduce access to Mandarin lessons”

“Establishing new collaboration with Taiwanese institutes has been put forward as a possible solution, although this will do little to help cool tensions with Beijing,” Horsfall warned.

Other initiatives of China abroad have also caused tension in recent months, with Sweden uncovering a culture of “loyalty pledges” among China Scholarship Council students.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders are calling for the end to university-based Confucius Institutes.

“There are huge variations among Confucius Institutes in how they operate but they are all ultimately superintended by the Chinese Communist Party and as such should not belong to any university campus,” Steve Tsang, Director, SOAS China Institute, told The PIE.

He added that if the UK government ultimately do close the country’s Confucius Institutes, it should provide alternative funding “to enable universities to have the capacity to teach Mandarin, and do so properly”.

“The pedagogy Confucius Institutes follow in teaching Mandarin is generally not well suited to teaching native English speakers in the digital era anyway. What we need is something that is well suited,” Tsang argued.

“Urgent investment is needed to fill this knowledge gap”

Despite governments in the US, the Netherlands and Germany discouraging institutions from renewing partnerships with Confucius Institutes, new ones have recently opened in the UK, including the world’s first online Confucius Institute.

“Our flexible, all-inclusive, and social approach to education enables us to reach and inspire learners at scale from all backgrounds and locations who might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn Chinese and to explore Chinese civilisation and cultures,” the Online Confucius Institute at the Open University said, in a recent statement celebrating its one year anniversary.

The news comes in the same week that the Office for Students wrote to 23 UK institutions to ask about their contingency plans in the event of a “sudden drop” in numbers of Chinese students.

The PIE contacted both Universities UK and several universities known to run Confucius Institutes for comment.

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A business school in Germany has committed to help women “fulfil their career aspirations” with the launch of its Female Leadership Accelerator. 

Mannheim Business School’s program, which runs as a part-time course over six months, will be tailored to those taking it, with classes on leadership and financial strategy, sustainability and digital transformation. 

“The structure of the classroom modules on four Fridays and Saturdays over a period of six months means there are only four working days for the course, which is convenient for managers with busy schedules,” said Jens Wüstemann, the school’s president.

The accelerator is open to all applicants, both domestic and international, for a flat fee. Participants will also take workshops on team building, agility and change management, and negotiation. 

The ultimate aim is to support women re-entering the workforce and those wanting to “gain a foothold in the German labour market”. 

In the last six months, Germany’s government has said that international graduates are “key” to addressing the skills shortages currently plaguing the country’s workforce. 

The setup of the course also means that, while candidates will be able to continue with their jobs or caring for children, they will also be able to build a “personal network”. 

On Fridays and Saturdays, candidates will share accommodation in the same hotel. This, Mannheim claims, will promote “feelings of togetherness that can facilitate network building”. 

“There are only four working days for the course, which is convenient for managers”

European Women on Boards, which evaluates countries for their efforts to promote women to the top table, found in 2021 that 14% of executives at companies in Germany are women.

Whilst women in Germany make up 33% of board members, 3% of companies have a woman as their CEO.

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John Molony is pro-vice chancellor and vice president, international, of Deakin University. A young and progressive institution, it recently became the first in the world to set up an international teaching campus in India.

The opening of the India campus is “testament to the long-term vision Deakin has taken in India”, Molony tells The PIE – and the 2024 launch coincides with the university’s 50th anniversary.

The university was the first international institution to open an office in India in 1994 and Moloney says it is now “reaping the rewards” of such efforts, being approved to proceed with the campus and delivery of programs in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City – known as GIFT City.

“Because it’s within the free trade zone of GIFT City, things can move relatively quickly – so it’ll be no later than 2024. It’s possible all going well that we could even be up and running later this year.”

“The initial offering is modest. It is two master’s programs and we’re anticipating a commencement of about 60 into each program.

“For Deakin, that’s a great start. We have been the leading foreign university in India, and as India is going ahead with its ambitions around internationalisation of its own higher education sector… we’ve really wanted to engage with that, to assess it and connect.

“This is a first step and it puts us in the ecosystem. We’ll get to understand the operating environment, we’ll get to understand the regulatory environment and also build many contacts.”

The courses for students in India, Maloney says, will be exactly the same as their Australian counterparts at campuses in Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool.

Students will receive the same standard of higher education in GIFT City as in Australia, with academic standards based on Deakin’s standards frameworks and manuals aligned with Australia’s national accreditation body.

As for staff, it’s anticipated that 80% of the staff will be employed locally, and every 18 months they will have the opportunity to visit and spend time with colleagues at Australia campuses.

Meanwhile, for the past two years, at a slightly slower pace, the launch of an international branch campus in Indonesia has been in the works.

“We want to operate dual programs in partnership with Lancaster University in the capital of West Java, Bandung, which is beautiful city a couple of hours outside Jakarta,” Molony tells The PIE.

“It’s been a great process, but a lot slower because we’re actually in the Indonesian higher education regulatory environment.

“That’s progressing really well. We’ve got our application before the regulator now and we’re hoping to be approved to proceed into implementation soon.”

At home in Australia, Deakin has welcomed the return of international students post-pandemic, and Molony notes high numbers from India and wider Southeast Asia with the exception of China.

“So the Chinese students and parents, what we’re seeing is they’re very interested in Australia. The market sentiment for Australia is quite positive, but they’re taking their time to get themselves sorted so they’re not coming immediately.

“This is a first step and it puts us in the ecosystem”

“The sentiment is very strong and we can see it building, but it’s going to take a little while to play out – I think it’ll be in the next year to 18 months.”

Representative offices in locations such as Indonesia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka have allowed the university to stay connected to those markets.

“I think we’re in a really good position. We’re seeing the fruit of that in this first semester intake now, but we’re really well positioned for a strong recovery.”

As for the next 50 years, Molony says the university will focus on its ability to stay committed and connected to the idea of community, including global.

“Ultimately it’s about delivering to those communities abroad and very much at home to enable them to grow and thrive.”

For Molony, he predicts some “fundamental thinking” about what the future is going to look like for the sector.

“We’re in strange and difficult geopolitical times. So what does what sovereign economy and sovereign independence look like as we move forward?

“Of course, universities need to have a really important role in helping shape and deliver that.”

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International students at schools in Canada are reporting unprecedented levels of social anxiety and other mental health concerns as they have returned to face-to-face classes in the wake of the pandemic.

Several presenters at the Canadian Association of Public Schools – International conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 14-16 urged programs to be proactive in supporting student wellness.

“We need to be teaching friendship skills and social strategies,” said Yingling Elaine Lou of the Calgary Board of Education.

“We must connect shy students to peers and encourage students to get involved in extra-curricular activities. This should be a nudge – not a push,” Lou urged.

During the pandemic, many international students experienced increased loneliness as classes were shifted online and opportunities for social activities were reduced.

When students were finally allowed back in classrooms, they lacked social skills. As a result, the rate of anxiety and depression increased.

“One good thing that came out of the pandemic was the recognition of the need to improve supports for international students,” StudyInsured counsellor Katarzyna Kucia said.

International students already face challenges in leaving their families behind, coming to a country with a different culture and having to make new friends.

In the higher education sector, it was found earlier in 2023 that international students were not getting the right mental health support, as news surfaced of some even dying of overdoses.

In her presentation, Samantha Morneau of Student VIP Insurance focused on the needs of K-12 students with “neurodivergent” needs, such as autism, ADHD and learning challenges.

“This should be a nudge – not a push”

Often, international students with such conditions are not diagnosed prior to arrival in Canada – educators may not be prepared to assist them, Morneau said, in achieving academic success.

“If possible, include homestay families with experience with neurodivergent youth in your homestay network so that you are able to place students in supportive homes,” she recommended.

Morneau urged international programs to offer training and support for host families in dealing with these students.

One of the key challenges facing K-12 programs in Canada is a shortage of homestay hosts. Last year, a number of school districts were forced to cap enrolments because they could not provide housing to everyone who applied.

While the situation has eased this year, the vast majority of programs are still reporting that they can’t find enough hosts.

Rhonda Teramura of the Campbell River School District in British Columbia urged attendees to review their host compensation to make sure that families can cover their food costs – which have jumped more than 20% in the last two years.

In addition, Teramura said that schools need to dedicate both time and money to host recruitment. Her district hired a social media marketing company to develop a campaign to advertise on Facebook to garner more host applications.

Campbell River also uses radio ads and word of mouth to recruit hosts.

“Our social media campaign has resulted in double the number of host applications and the money invested has been well worth it,” she told the audience.

“Include homestay families with experience with neurodivergent youth”

Lenka Kubasova of BONARD also emphasised the need for more high-quality homestays if Canadian school districts want to achieve their recruitment targets.

Conference delegates were reminded of the importance of personal connections, even when programs have dozens or even hundreds of students.

Alexandra Humphries of the St. James-Assiniboia School District in Manitoba told the story of a student whose flight from Japan was delayed by seven hours and who began to worry that no one would meet her at the Winnipeg airport.

Humphries was there to greet her – even though she had to wait hours for the student. Said the student: “Your smile made me feel so relieved when I arrived.”

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Stakeholders have called for a review by the UK government into how international students fare after graduation to better understand the student experience.

It comes as new research conducted by UUKi, HEPI and Kaplan showed that international students contribute £42bn to the UK economy during their time in the country.

At an event showcasing the research, vice principal for international at the University of Dundee, Wendy Alexander, made the comments on a discussion panel.

“This research only looks at the value of students to the UK during the time they’re studying, but does not look at their longer term financial contribution back in their home country or in the UK,” she said.

“We are currently in the realm of guesswork around where people’s careers take them, and I think in all honesty it is more vital than ever, because it is clear that students from EU-sending countries do want to avail themselves on the graduate route – more so than some of their predecessors did in the past,” Alexander continued.

Also speaking on the panel, economist Alan Manning pointed out that the current graduate route has “altered the balance between work and study”.

“We will have students who will be prepared to pay even if the qualifications are totally worthless,” he said.

“For example, you can do a one year master’s for £15,000, with another £3,000 in visa charges. Even just the minimum wage, you’re going to be able to make £50,000 over the course of your study year plus the graduate visa – more than double that if you had a dependant.

“What that means is that the graduate route just becomes an attractive economic proposition,” Manning claimed.

However, Manning also criticised government “flip-flopping” on issues surrounding dependants and migration figures, calling on them to “make a decision and stick to it”.

Alexander agreed that there had been a shift in the balance on the graduate route, but that the UK is “alongside every single major anglophone country in the world of trying to meet that demand with the soft power benefits of it,” she said.

“We will have students who will be prepared to pay even if the qualifications are totally worthless”

“It would be a mistake to step off the bus again,” Alexander insisted.

Government indecision was also called out by international student Sara Korzáková, who is a co-chair of UKCISA’s advisory group.

“The UK was trying to increase the number of international students, which we all know has been achieved and has been a huge success – way ahead of deadlines,” Korzáková said.

“I don’t think we should be recruiting more if we can’t solve issues for students”

“But now all I’m reading in the media is , ‘so what do we do now with this many students? Are we even able to accommodate that?’ So that also just doesn’t really add up.

“I don’t feel comfortable that the UK doesn’t know what they want,” she added.

EU students were found to bring a net economic impact of £125,000 per student, compared to £96,000 from non-EU students. Korzáková stressed that EU students still want to be in the UK.

“There are so many issues that European students who are already here in the UK face, that HEIs are just not working to address. So I don’t think we should be recruiting more if we can’t solve issues for students who are already in the country.

“Don’t forget that we are such a diverse group of people… see us and hear us; even if we come from the same country, each one of us has a completely different story, a completely different skill set – and we enriched this country way beyond just the money,” she said.

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Egyptian universities are in talks to enrol some of the 5,000 Nigerian students who have fled fighting in Sudan in its own institutions.

The Nigerian Embassy in Cairo says that has communicated with Egypt’s Central Administration for Foreign Students Affairs, also called WAFEDEN, with the aim of admitting hundreds of stranded students after requests from learners and parents.

Coming just weeks after the students fled the war from different universities across Sudan, the embassy said that it was working with the Study in Egypt organisation to ensure that all those willing enrol in Egyptian institutions are admitted.

Those planning to enrol are expected to indicate their interest to the embassy before the end of June, so that they could join the universities’ September 2023 intake.

“Nigerian students from Sudanese universities who are interested in transferring to Egyptian universities are expected to send their full names, faculties required, academic level or year completed, and transcripts of the academic years completed,” the embassy said in a statement it issued on Sunday.

“They should also send passport data pages and contact details – phone number and email – to enable the embassy and the WAFEDEN to start working on them before the portal for international transfers opens,” the statement added.

The mission further shared a link for a form which those transferring must fill out and attach the relevant documents to, including academic transcripts.

“They should also send passport data pages and contact details”

The embassy, however, made clear that those who apply would not be eligible for Egyptian government scholarships, but were invited to apply as self-sponsored

Their previous status in Sudanese universities would not be taken into consideration, it added.

The Nigerians will also most likely be joining non-state universities, along with Egyptian students who have returned home from conflict-hit Ukraine and Sudan.

Those from Egypt have been asked by authorities to apply for places in private institutions.

This latest move complements earlier efforts led by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to ensure that some of the returnees continue their studies in universities at home.

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Nottingham Trent University’s Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies will expand into London in September with a new campus, dedicated to the entertainment industries.

The expansion increases the CAS limited for NTU, with a range of new undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

They will all be validated directly by NTU and share the same admissions and student support services, including recruitment support from the central international development office.

Darius Khwaja, campus director for Confetti London, told The PIE News of his excitement at welcoming international students to campus.

“The Confetti model is inspirational. Its forward-looking and employment-focused curriculum will drive graduate outcomes and contribute to the UK’s vital creative economy.

“I believe the best educational opportunities must be open to people from all backgrounds and so we are delighted to now be able to open our doors to students from all over the world,” continued Khwaja..

Confetti has only recently been given the green light by the UK Visa and Immigration Office to start recruiting international students to its Nottingham and London campuses.

While the Confetti brand is new to the international education community, it hopes that its cemented reputation in UK further and higher education will aid its trajectory.

The Nottingham campus is home to a wide range of studios and industry-connected tutors supporting over 2000 students.

These include Metronome, a music and events complex designed by renowned audio architects White Mark Ltd and Confetti’s latest venture, Confetti X, a £5 million cross-media venue specialising in esports production and emerging technologies.

The 14,000 square-foot space plays host to amateur and professional esports tournaments, due to partnerships with NUEL, the British Esports Federation and the Global Esports Federation.  

In 2022, they supported the first-ever Commonwealth Esports Championships. 

“The best educational opportunities must be open to people from all backgrounds”

The London campus is based in the east of the city, close to the popular destinations of Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market – and also sports a 600-capacity venue that will host live music, entertainment and esports events. 

Confetti has delivered creative industry education since 1994, and  holds contacts across production technologies and performance within live events, TV, film, music, games and esports.

Creative industries are one of the UK’s key export industries alongside the international education strategy, under the stewardship of the Department for International Trade.

They are expected to play a crucial part of the educational partnerships with Commonwealth countries like Nigeria, who have a rapidly growing digital economy and entertainment industry.

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Education agents are a “key vulnerability” to Canada, Global Affairs Canada has said, as talks begin on the next version of the country’s international education strategy.

New discussion papers suggest that agent regulation could be a priority for the refreshed strategy, which is set to launch in April 2024. 

“The unethical practices of some education agents used by certain Canadian education institutions pose a direct risk to Canada’s reputation as a provider of high-quality education services,” the papers read. 

“The issue has risen to prominence recently and is regarded as a key vulnerability to Canada’s international education sector,” they continue. 

A TV documentary that aired in Canada in October 2022 showed education agents in India promising students they could easily obtain permanent residency after graduation. 

In its discussions with institutions and education organisations, GAC will ask whether agents can be self-regulated by the sector or whether a body such as the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants of Canada should be given responsibility for doing so. 

It will also look into the role of aggregators, considering whether they should be held accountable for the actions of the sub-agents they work with.

“The issue has risen to prominence recently”

Graham Barber, assistant director, international relations at Universities Canada, said agents are “important” part of the international education landscape, providing “valuable services” but that “there are bad actors and disreputable agencies that can threaten the integrity of Canada’s system”.

“We welcome closer consultation with Global Affairs Canada to help protect international students from fraudulent agents, while still allowing licensed, professional agencies to provide valuable overseas representation,” Barber said. 

Alain Roy, vice president of international partnerships at Colleges and Institutes Canada, said the organisation would work with GAC to “champion solutions that increase equity and quality of educational experiences for international students and create well-defined and transparent pathways to employment and permanent residence to support Canada’s immigration objectives”.

“We are exploring how colleges can strengthen recruitment practices while also enhancing the integrity of Canada’s immigration processes through better sharing of information and more targeted promotional efforts in new markets,” Roy added. 

Diversification is also set to be an important theme in Canada’s next international education strategy, including diversification of programs, destinations within Canada, study levels and regional diversification within source countries.

GAC said that increasing the range of study locations within Canada will “spread the burden on services… while spreading the economic benefits of international students more equitably”. 

Over half (411,985) of all international students in Canada held permits linked to Ontario institutions in 2022. 

The strategy will also focus on widening source countries as students from India and China continue to make up the bulk of Canada’s international student population. 

“The high reliance on international student enrolments from India, particularly in the Ontario college sector, poses the risks of significant revenue fluctuations if external or geopolitical factors cause a decline from this source country,” GAC wrote, adding that cohorts have become less diverse since 2015. 

However, it said there were “enormous” opportunities to diversify within India, as most students currently come from the northern region. 

“The unethical practices of some education agents used by certain institutions pose a direct risk to Canada’s reputation”

Diversification was a priority in Canada’s previous international education strategy but the department said it had “limited success”, in part due to the pandemic which prevented institutions from attempting to reach new markets. 

Universities Canada’s current focus countries include Vietnam, the Philippines, Colombia, Senegal, Morocco, Ghana and Kenya. 

Over the next year, the government will consult with stakeholder organisations and provincial governments. These discussions will also cover topics including digital marketing, scholarships, alumni relations, sustainability and indigenous partnerships. 

Barber said, “We welcome the opportunity to provide feedback on the new IES and hope that together our institutions and Global Affairs Canada can build a Team Canada approach to international education.”

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Times Higher Education has announced a new digital platform in collaboration with UCAS, UCL, Unifrog and Huron University that will be focused on supporting international school counsellors.

Patrick Hayes, chief development officer for THE, revealed the plans during a prestigious gala dinner as part of the BMI global international schools forum and workshop taking place in London.

Some 100 school counsellors had been flown in from around the world to take part.

The platform – entitled THE Counsellor – will launch later in 2023 and focus entirely on content made to support the career and university guidance profession within a school setting.

Private agents will not be invited to participate.

The content will be directly linked to THE counsellor accreditation programme and the international schools advisory board to ensure content is made by counsellors, for counsellors.

Hayes, speaking exclusively to The PIE News, said, “this will be a dedicated platform on Times Higher Education with the counsellors at its centre. It will be a space for them to come to the THE site and to share advice and guidance.

“We think that [school] counsellors have been overlooked for too long and we want to address that and we want to make them the superstars here.

“There are countries [around the world] where this profession are seen as rock stars and I feel like councillors should be put on that kind of pedestal and given a platform,” he explained.

The platform will be open access and encourage professionals working in the schools counselling sector to undertake the free training and become accredited entire online.

That training element is being delivered by learning partners Common Purpose, with the first cohort of THE accredited counsellors set to graduate this week.

The aim is to create an evolving, learning community amongst peers seeking professional development and contributing to the knowledge exchange. These user generated insights will be backed up by best practice content from partners like UCAS and Unifrog.

“They [the counselling network] will be writing the articles and advisory pieces for other counsellors,” continued Hayes.

“They’ll be sharing resources, lesson plans and tips and advice ranging from where to go for the best career options, to how best to manage parents, which is certainly one of the topics that counsellors repeatedly say is one of the things that keeps them awake at night,” he added.

Christine McDade, high school college counselling for Lincoln Community School in Ghana, is part of the BMI advisory board, IACAC and the international schools counselling association – she explained the need for the new platform and training.

“We think that [school] counsellors have been overlooked for too long”

“I feel like counsellors have been working in silos so it is great to come together and have really deep conversations about how do we best help our students.

“[However], you also want credibility for the work that you do, and it helps us advocate better for the resources that we need for our students and also continue our learning as well,” McDade told The PIE.

Chris Kirk, director of UCAS International, explained its role in the platform: “the role of a counsellor is pivotal in ensuring internationally mobile students and their parents can navigate the choice and complexity of options across the globe, as the market continues to grow each year, more and more new counsellors will be required.”

Kirk stressed its involvement will help keep the UK as a “primary destination of choice, and that new and existing counsellors have the confidence, tools and content to help students make informed decisions”. 

UCAS and Unifrog together support a combined 2.3m undergraduate applicants each year, with the growing complexity of international school applicants selecting multiple university choices across multiple countries.

“As the market continues to grow more and more new counsellors will be required”

Over the last decade UCAS has identified a trend from international school applicants to the UK adhering to the same timeline as domestic applicants, as global teachers and counsellors become more informed about the process of applying to British universities.

A 2023 report from Contrive Datum Insights predicts significant growth in the global K-12 international schools market, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% up to 2029.

However, there is great disparity in the role of college counselling around the world, with some schools investing heavily in professional teams for career guidance while others continue to perform the role in addition to teaching or holistic support work.

Do you work in an international school? Do you feel like career and university guidance counselling is valued as a profession? Let us know your views by commenting below or emailing editorial@thepienews.com 

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