Student World Fair being held for UK studentsThe shortage of university places and rise of tuition fees is leading to an increasing number of undergraduates to consider leaving the UK to study abroad.
Increasingly students are looking to study abroad with many international universities keen to attract UK students. A major new exhibition - The Student World Fair thestudentworld.com – being held in London on Saturday 8thOctober has attracted more than 40 universities from overseas and is expecting to sell out. Research by leading student website, The Student Room, has revealed that 70 per cent of students are unaware of the alternatives to going to university in the UK. It found that 78 per cent of undergraduates would consider studying at an overseas university but 85 per cent feel they are ill-informed about the option of studying overseas. The study also found that 47 per cent of students do not know how to apply to foreign universities and 17 per cent wrongly believe they can apply directly through UCAS. And 38 per cent would reconsider whether to study at a UK university since the rise in fees. The Student World Fair will be holding interactive seminars throughout the day covering various topics to address the concerns. Jamie O’Connell, of The Student Room, said: “The figures in our research were quite clear that more and more students are contemplating studying abroad. “There is no question that people are taking more time and consideration when deciding which degree to do and where to do it, and that has brought international universities much more into consideration than before. “But hand in hand with that, was a very clear message that they also don’t really know where to look for information and that it is not as readily available as it is for domestic universities. That’s why we’re involved in this fair as we host thousands of discussions a day about where to go to university and what to study. “Anecdotally we are seeing more and more discussion about the possibility of studying abroad and it is now a viable option, when it wasn’t for most a few years ago.” The Student World Fair, organised by MJD Consultancy and held at the Emirates Stadium, is the first in the UK to focus purely on studying abroad and aims to give students all the information they need and provide a platform for international universities. Jemma Davies, of MJD Consultancy, said: “A combination of factors has come together to make the prospect of studying abroad that much more attractive. “The rise in fees and squeeze on places has obviously been a major factor and has made students consider wider options. Increasing globalisation, lower cost of study and the chance to experience a different culture have all added to that draw. “At the same time, foreign universities have been alerted to the prospect of attracting UK students, and are looking to actively market to them. “This is the first time a show like this has been held in the UK and we thought, as a new venture, it would be a hard sell but we have been delighted at the response which in itself shows how the trend is changing.” The Student Room research was carried out over four weeks, March to April this year and surveyed 1,035 young people. The Student Room (www.thestudentroom.co.uk) Other key findings included: ·The most important factors when choosing to study abroad are the academic reputation of the university (79 per cent said very important) and how UK employers would perceive the qualification (76 per cent said very important), indicating they would want to return home to work. · North America topped the list of the best place for a high-quality degree, for the student experience and for future employability, whilst Southern Asia and South America were regarded as the most affordable options, a factor that may figure highly in a world of increased tuition fees. A Department for Business Innovation and Skills report late last year estimated that around 20,000 UK students are studying abroad, with the US hosting the largest number (8,568), followed by France (2,570), Germany (1,949), Denmark (1,584) and Australia (1,545). Media enquiries: Alison McConkey Advent Communications 2 Edison Building Electric Wharf Sandy Lane Coventry CV1 4JA Tel: 024 7663 3636 http://www.advent- # # # Advent Communications is a well-established public relations consultancy based in Coventry. In ten years it has built a reputation as a practical provider of news driven PR to a range of industry sectors. End
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