Importance of Education .

The impact of the rapid growth of international education is felt at institutional, national and international levels, and these are inter-related. For example, universities need quality international students to grow their reputation; research students are necessary at the national level to contribute to the country’s research and innovation and English language schools and colleges have key roles in preparing these same students for their future studies.

Similarly teaching and other international institutional links can provide vital access to new ideas. These, in turn, lead to qualitative improvements in curricular, teaching and learning across colleges and universities delivering E & T internationally. Frequently such collaboration is a first step towards joint delivery of programmes and the award of qualifications. How might an education institution, university or college maximise the impact of its international activities to ensure that both domestic and international objectives are achieved? What might comprise an integrated strategy for an institution?

The private sector is becoming a significant player in both domestic and international education provision. There are a number of countries, particularly in the developing world, where already the numbers of students enrolled in non-government post-secondary education institutions exceeds those on government provided programmes. Corporate universities are growing and a wide variety of public-private and public-public partnerships are evolving to meet the fast growing demand. Another development is where public sector institutions from one country trade in another country as a private sector organisation – normally to deliver their programmes through some form of distance delivery. In the UK the English language sector has a long history of successful private ownership and theses institutions frequently offer programmes associated in some way with the public sector. The trend is to even greater variety.

Increasingly national governments are becoming directly involved in defining strategies for international education. National policies are being formulated across all continents; countries now closely involved in developing national policies include the UK, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada, South Africa, China, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, Germany and the USA. The sector does have a very high value and its growth has been strong and consistent. However in addition to the potential economic return to a country, international education will increasingly be closely linked to policies associated with immigration and the labour market, national research requirements, domestic education, trade and other areas of national development. It is also of significant importance in foreign relations, both bilateral and international, and is seen as a means of building longer term relationships for mutual political influence.

International trade in education is under increasing scrutiny. The likely impact of GATS is keenly debated. The new structures to higher education evolving through the Bologna process are closely negotiated. The emergence of regional trade and other international agreements ensures that international education is high on the agenda of national politicians and international organisations.

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