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EU Staff In UK Higher Education

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 15:17:01 GMT

CRAC undertook the institutional research strand in this project led by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) which investigated the roles and career trajectories of staff from EU countries who are currently working in UK universities. On behalf of the Department for Education, the study identified a range of dependencies that institutions have upon EU staff and how these are being mitigated. Report awaiting publication.

UK Students Studying Overseas

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 15:14:39 GMT

In this project for the Department for Education, supported by external consultants, CRAC has provided a current picture of the outward mobility of UK HE students. The UK is one of the top destinations for international students, but relatively little is known about UK students who undertake a whole degree programme abroad (‘diploma’ mobility) rather than studying in the UK. Study abroad (or ‘credit’ mobility, such as through Erasmus) within UK degree programmes is better understood, although proportionally fewer UK students take part compared with other nations. There is an aspiration to improve the level of participation.

In addition to analysis of existing administrative data on participation, we conducted two online surveys – one of students at UK universities who considered or spent time abroad within their degree and a parallel survey of UK nationals who are undertaking or recently undertook an entire degree programme abroad.

Through these surveys and a range of interviews we have mapped the extent and range of mobility undertaken and the populations that participate, across different subjects, levels of HE study and regions of the world. Detailed research explored why individuals participate and their decision-making (i.e. motivations, barriers, enabling factors, choices) as well as mobility experiences and impacts.

The project was completed in February 2019 and publication of the research report is awaited.

Student perspectives on going international (2015)

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 21:06:28 GMT

CRAC and a team of consultants designed and completed the research which resulted in this report published by the UK Higher Education International Unit's Go International programme and the British Council, on the benefits of and barriers to spending time abroad as part of a UK degree. The research sought to provide evidence for institutions and policy-makers developing and implementing initiatives to increase the number of UK students accessing international opportunities.

Key findings included:

Most students perceived a positive relationship between spending time abroad during their studies and increased employability, academic success and personal development.
Students perceived that very short mobility periods resulted in similar levels of impact to longer periods of mobility (i.e. a semester or full year).
The principal motivations to go abroad, whether studying, working or volunteering, were a desire for an enjoyable experience and to enhance employability and career prospects.
Key factors in the decision to go abroad were the availability of funding, personal safety and security, and perceived quality of host and location.
While students are motivated by the experiences and opinions of other students when making a decision, the encouragement of academic tutors was also very significant.

The Value of Transnational Education to the UK (BIS, 2014)

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 21:21:48 GMT

The UK is a leading provider of transnational education (TNE), with a diverse and complex range of modes of delivery involving many HE institutions, which have responded in enterprising ways to local needs. CRAC led a team of specialist partners/consultants to provide an improved understanding of the landscape of TNE operations by UK HE institutions. The project included a census of TNE activity by UK institutions, and case studies of TNE delivery modes for sample programmes, in order to develop national estimates of scale, income and value for key models of delivery.

From April 2014, additional research commenced with TNE alumni to identify potential and realised wider and indirect benefits to participants and also to UK HE institutions and the UK itself, for the main delivery TNE modes. This will enable comparison with findings of recent research by CRAC into the wider benefits of international HE in the UK.

The wider benefits of international HE to the UK (BIS, 2013)

Mon, 11 Jun 2018 21:23:09 GMT

The short-term benefit of international students studying within UK higher education are well understood, including substantial ‘education export' income (through their fees, and their other expenditure while studying here) and the way they enrich campus life and even maintain the numerical viability of some study disciplines.

CRAC led a project in 2012-13 to examine and evaluate the wider and longer-term benefits, both to the graduates and to the UK itself. These included economic, social, political, cultural and educational impacts, many relating to ‘soft power' - how international HE study supports Britain's place in the world. The results depict a highly positive view of the impact of HE study in the UK, through the lens of alumni.