60 second interview: Professor Joy Carter
Chair of the Higher Education Advisory Group for the Prime
Minister's Initiative for International Education
Professor Joy Carter is Vice Chancellor of the University of
Winchester and also the chair of the Higher Education Advisory
Group for the Prime Minister's Initiative for International
Education (PMI2). PMI2 is the second of two initiatives to attract
international students to study in the UK. PMI1 was highly
successful having met its target of 75,000 additional international
higher and further education students ahead of schedule. PMI2 was
launched in April 2006 with a more ambitious target of adding
100,000 extra HE and FE students over a five year period. In this
interview we have asked Joy to talk through the work that PMI2 is
doing and what impact the change of government might have.
for those who might not be aware of the PMI2, what is its
strategy and why is it so important to the Higher Education
sector?
PMI2 is a five year strategy which aims to secure the UK’s
position as a leader in international education and sustain the
growth of UK international education delivered in the UK and
overseas.
International student recruitment to the UK is an important
element within the strategy, but it is also about the contribution
we make globally and the strength of the partnerships we build.
There are four interconnected strands:
- UK positioning: marketing and communications
- ensuring the quality of the student experience
- strategic alliances and partnerships
- market diversification and consolidation.
All of these strands are highly important to the HE sector.
now that you are more than half way through the PMI2 project,
has it been as successful as the first PMI? What have been the
highlights so far and what challenges do you still face in
realising the PMI2 goals?
The wider, more holistic focus of PMI2 has meant that it has
been even more successful than PMI1. The highlights include the
many and varied international partnerships which have emerged, the
growing number of international students and a variety of
interesting projects. Challenges include the growth in competition,
as more and more countries seek to attract overseas students.
what impact do you think the change of government will have on
PMI2? Have you had any indication of the new government's policy in
this area?
It is early days yet, but I do believe that the new government
recognises the importance of the internationalisation agenda and
the value added by PMI2.
what do you think are the key factors which have made UK
institutions successful in this area and what should institutions
which are late adopters prioritise in order to make themselves
attractive to overseas students?
The quality of UK HE is well known overseas and most UK
institutions have built a good number of long-term partnerships
with overseas providers with the help of PMI2. Institutions which
have only recently prioritised internationalisation would be well
advised to establish such strategic partnerships.
how can PMI2 help institutions who want to increase their
international reach?
PMI2 helps institutions on two levels: sector-wide (UK)
activities such as branding are important as well as very practical
institution-specific initiatives, such as offering money for
partnership development and student experience projects.
what are the key threats to the UK's ability to attract
international students and what is the PMI2 strategic response? Is
there anything individual HEIs should be doing to counteract these
risks?
There’s no doubt that the market place is becoming more crowded
and more intense: all four PMI2 interconnected strands are
important elements of the sector’s strategic response. Individual
HEIs need to prioritise internationalisation, including partnership
development, to counteract the risks.
are there any challenges or issues that would deter HEIs from
attempting to increase their overseas student population and, if
so, what is PMI2's approach to these concerns?
There are several potential hazards. The first hazard is
increasing numbers of overseas students too quickly without an
equivalent speed of response in other areas of the institution, for
example in support services. The second potential trap is failing
to recognise that overseas students often want, and expect, to be
taught with home students, rather than with large numbers of their
fellow-countrymen and women.
There have also been issues recently with changes to the visa
system: PMI2 has been proactive in monitoring the situation and has
been in discussion with The Borders Agency.
Finally, overseas students’ styles of learning are often very
diverse and different from home students. An excellent PMI2 funded
project is currently addressing the issue of Teaching International
Students.
what do you see as the future for internationalisation in
education in the UK and how do you expect the work of PMI2 to be
continued at the end of the five year plan?
Internationalisation will continue to be very important for UK
HE, both in terms of internationalising the curriculum, developing
global research and knowledge exchange partnerships, and in
attracting overseas students to the UK. PMI2 has been highly
effective in helping institutions to move towards achieving their
internationalisation potential. There’s no doubt in my mind that it
is excellent value for money and my hope is that PMI3 is on the
horizon.
If you would like any further information regarding this article
please contact Emma Drew at
emma.drew@bllaw.co.uk
or T: 023 8085 7436
