Not-So-Foreign^©
A Bulletin for International Education Professionals
Volume 8, Issue 15; April 29, 2009

1)  THE PLAYING FIELD – Australia's new drive
2)  ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - UK exports prestige, brings in revenue
3)  OVER THE COUNTER - Hong Kong families bringing children home
4)  GLOBE TIPPING – Magellan's World Wide Tipping Guide

1) THE PLAYING FIELD – Australia's new drive

Last month the Australian government launched a AUS $3.5 billion venture to raise Australia's reputation for quality higher education in the increasingly competitive global market. The initiative will be executed through the Australian Education International (AEI), the governmental body responsible for overseeing and promoting the country's international education industry.

The drive, aimed mainly at China, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, will, over the course of the next nine months, will work to raise Australia's profile as a safe and welcoming place to study. Instead of replacing AEI's existing marketing efforts, the new initiative will hone the skills and strategies already in place in an attempt to directly address the effects of the economic slowdown.

Of particular interest to international education marketers across the globe will be how the new initiative fulfills goal number three of the four it has outlined: Positioning Australia – allowing target audiences to get a first-hand understanding of why Australia is a leader in education, research and learning.

How AEI plans to accomplish this goal has yet to be reported on. Marketers should keep a close eye on how AEI facilitates first-hand experience of its education system amongst agents, targeted governments and prospective students.

For more information, visit AEI's website at aie.gov.au.

Source: “AEI Weekly Update,” 3 April 2009 and Australia's Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

2) ABROAD PERSPECTIVE - UK exports prestige, brings in revenue

Distance education courses and twinning agreements with foreign institutions offer thousands of international students the opportunity to obtain UK qualifications who would not otherwise have the means to relocate to the UK itself.

Last year, nearly 200,000 students from around the world accessed UK higher education through 112 universities and generated approximately £268m in fees.

Of those students, just over half are enrolled in distance education undergraduate and masters programs. Prof Craig Mahoney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (teaching and learning) at Northumbria insists that distance learning opportunities are not a money-making venture. Distance courses are offered at much lower tuition fees than those paid by students who study on site.

“We want to expand this work because it's more cost effective for students to stay in situ without the dislocation, expense and trauma of living in the UK,” he told the Guardian.

But offshore education remains an important UK export. The British Council estimated that, in 2003-2004, UK universities made £500 per student engaged in courses offered in twinning agreements vs. £2706 from programs offered at overseas campuses and £2040 for distance-learning programs.

Most of the remaining offshore students study at foreign institutions with with UK universities have twinning agreements. Only 7090 study at UK branch schools in international locations.

Source: “British degrees exported to overseas students,” The Guardian, 16 April 2009.

3) OVER THE COUNTER - Hong Kong families bringing children home

While many middle class Hong Kong families can afford to send their children abroad for higher education, some are having a hard time keeping them there.

Because of the economic crisis, some families can no longer afford international tuition fees and are being forced to cut their children's studies short.

Returning students will be coming home to tough competition for either jobs or spaces in Chinese tertiary institutions. Some returning students and their families are still bent on obtaining overseas training, but they are now seeking out universities in countries that charge lower international fees.

Secondary school-age children are also thinking twice about studies abroad after seeing many of their older contemporaries returning home. They are looking for scholarships and subsidies and taking a close look at their parents' financial status before taking the international leap.

4) GLOBE TIPPING - Magellan's World Wide Tipping Guide

Ever wondered exactly how much you should tip your server in Luxembourg? Or if you should tip your porter in Samoa?

Magellan's offers a spreadsheet of tipping advice from Argentina to Wales to keep you from insulting your host country by either tipping to much or giving too little.

Check out the guide at: www.magellans.com/store/article/367

Not-So-Foreign^© is a publication of Higher-Edge
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