International students: not the 'cash cows' you have in mind
About The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education
The Observatory is an independent, global strategic services organisation that conducts high level research and disseminates emerging trends, best practices, policy frameworks, and assessment and quality assurance information relevant to cross-border higher education programme delivery across the globe. Originally a collaborative initiative between the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and Universities UK, The Observatory joined the International Graduate Insight Group (i-graduate) in August 2010. The Observatory’s membership is currently comprised of 150+ organisational members across more than 25 countries. Read more...
International students: not the 'cash cows' you have in mind, The Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, 9 August 2013.
It is a recurring trend across higher education circles to complain that international students are treated by universities as 'cash cows'. As it happens with trends, it comes and goes every once in a while, depending on the prevailing mood across the industry. This time it is research conducted by The Complete University Guide that has sparked once again a debate over international students.
The data suggest that in some cases international undergraduate students pay almost one-third more than UK and EU undergraduates students, while international postgraduates pay nearly double the fees charged to UK and EU students. Not surprisingly, these numbers have been followed by headlines about international students being treated as 'cash cows'. Download International students: not the 'cash cows' you have in mind.




