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UPDATED: September 3, 2010 NO. 36 SEPTEMBER 9, 2010
Studying in the United Kingdom
The UK alumni in China are the bedrock of our relationship with China
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The UK administration announced a cut on fiscal expenditure for higher education. Will the new policy exert negative influence on the UK's higher learning system and its international projects?

The UK Government is conducting a review of university funding and the results of this report won't be announced until later this year. It remains to be seen to what extent cuts will affect institutions and what affect that will in turn have on tuition fees charged by UK universities for international students in the next year.

Budget cuts aim to reduce universities' reliance on state funding and aim to increase the relevance of study courses, research and of UK education as a whole, by working closely with other professional organizations and promoting funding structures that are sustainable. The budget change will have a different impact on different universities. Universities will apply different strategies to manage the change.

The United Kingdom values its relationship and partnership with China and is committed to remaining a strong, long-term and strategic education partner for China, which brings mutual benefit to both countries. UK education is held in high regard in China by both government and the wider education sector. China and the United Kingdom have had a Framework Agreement on Educational Cooperation since 2000. This has been augmented by annual education summits.

We will continue to explore new partnership opportunities through various government-to-government as well as institution-to-institution initiatives. High quality and sustainable partnerships in research, academic and student exchanges, curriculum and program developments as well as internationalization will continue to be key priorities for all UK institutions.

In early 2009, the United Kingdom adopted a new point-based system to assess applicants for student visas. Has the system made it easier or more difficult to get student visas?

The Point Based System, which was rolled out on March 31, 2009 streamlines the student visa application process and makes it more transparent and efficient.

Under the new system, Chinese students need to prove that they have been accepted onto a course run by an educational institution, which is licensed by the UK Border Agency. They also need to prove that they have the means to support themselves and supply their biometric details at their local visa application center.

The system is simple, with clear and objective criteria. A faster process will facilitate easier entry for genuine applicants. In 2009, success rate for student visas was over 80 percent and the United Kingdom issued over 35,000 new student visas to Chinese mainland students.

How is the British Embassy working to encourage Chinese students to conduct further studies in the United Kingdom? And what is your draw?

UK education has a tradition of innovation. It is respected globally for its quality. UK graduates are respected for having strong theoretical knowledge that is directly applicable in a working environment. They also have practical skills that are up-to-date and of relevance in an increasingly fast-moving and globalized community.

Our role is to ensure that Chinese students make rationale decisions about study opportunities in the United Kingdom and that they are able to obtain the most up-to-date, accurate and reliable information about UK education opportunities. We work closely with licensed agents to ensure information is disseminated and available to students, to develop capacity and to build trust as well as professionalism amongst the agents. We run regular presentations, pre-departure briefing, exhibitions as well as public events to engage with Chinese students and parents to ensure they have a thorough understanding of UK education. In addition, support is provided to graduates through the Alumni UK Online Network. These include career development workshops as well as various professional and social networking events to engage and support these graduates on their return from the United Kingdom.

Our objective in the promotion of UK education is first and foremost to engage and to build relationships with students from all over the world and to promote the advancement of the individual through education. The spirit of education in the UK is what makes it so highly respected and demanded by students and employers globally. We hope that international students will graduate and carry with them these characteristics that made them so unique—innovative, individual and inspirational. These three qualities best sum up what education in the UK and our work are all about.

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