Promoting UK higher education

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan heads to India this week in a bid to help raise the profile of UK higher education.

He joins a major delegation, led by the UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills Sajid Javid MP and the Minister for Universities and Science Jo Johnson MP, designed to celebrate existing links and promote the UK as a study destination for international students.

India provides more international students to the UK than almost any other country – second only to China – with 19,750 students from India studying at all levels.

Some 300 students from India study at Cardiff University each year.

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Exeter and Chair of Universities UK’s International Policy Network, said: “This is a significant delegation and will provide an opportunity to highlight the growth potential for UK-India university links.

“It will be a chance for us to repeat the government’s commitment to growing the numbers of international students coming to the UK. It will be an opportunity also for us to remind students and academics from India that they are welcome in the UK and that there remain opportunities for qualified international graduates to stay in the UK to work for a period after graduating.

“Indian students and academics make an enormous contribution to higher education and to the UK, academically, culturally and economically. The UK remains one of the most attractive destinations in the world for international students and is well positioned to benefit from the expected growth in international higher education.”

Vivienne Stern, Director of the UK Higher Education International Unit (IU) and part of the UK ministerial delegation to India, said: “UK universities and qualifications have an enviable global reputation for quality, with a 91% student satisfaction rate among international students. This is higher than for many other major, English-speaking countries.

“This is why so many international students, including those from India, choose to study in the UK. Research published by the IU today, comparing international students’ perceptions of study in the UK with those who chose to study elsewhere, demonstrates that this reputation is richly deserved. On almost every measure, we outperform the main alternative countries in terms of student satisfaction and the quality of teaching and learning.”

The Vice-Chancellors travelling as part of the delegation are:

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor, University of Exeter and Chair of Universities UK International Policy Network

Professor Colin Riordan, Vice-Chancellor, Cardiff University and Chair of the UK Higher Education International Unit

Professor Paul Boyle, Vice-Chancellor, University of Leicester

Peter Horrocks, Vice-Chancellor, Open University

Professor Calie Pistorius, Vice-Chancellor, University of Hull    

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Manchester

Professor John Vinney, Vice-Chancellor, Bournemouth University

Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor, Northumbria University       

Professor Stuart Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor, Arts University Bournemouth