Do alien students ruin UK degrees?

Jul 01, 2008

WITH a good number of Ugandan students seeking better education opportunities, many head to universities in the UK such as Warwick, Leeds and The London School of Economics. However, a report released last week in the UK by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) suggests that foreign students are respon

WITH a good number of Ugandan students seeking better education opportunities, many head to universities in the UK such as Warwick, Leeds and The London School of Economics. However, a report released last week in the UK by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) suggests that foreign students are responsible for pushing down the standards of the degrees.

The report highlighted how, in some institutions, particularly in London, overseas students account for up to 30% of undergraduates, while in one unnamed institution, the proportion was 40%.

QAA claims that the use of agents to recruit foreign students to study in the UK is leading to lower standards. The agency added: “There is a belief from some overseas students that if they pay their fees, they will be automatically awarded a degree. We have to make clear that does not operate here.”

However, Universities UK, a body which represents vice-chancellors, said: “Institutions are aware of the issue of the sustainability of international student numbers, particularly in an increasingly competitive environment. They are aware some international students may have specific needs in terms of language and understanding different styles of learning.

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