The FINANCIAL — International students studying Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) are most attracted to the UK because of the quality of education, rather than their UK career prospects, a major new survey has found.
New research by the British Council concluded that undergraduate and postgraduate international STEM students assess the value of their career and research prospects, alongside the quality of the course and the transferable skills they will attain, when deciding on a higher education destination.
International STEM students: Focusing on skills for the future published today, features a survey and analysis of the factors affecting STEM international students’ choice of course and destination country, and the perceived benefits of studying in the UK, US, Australia and Canada.
UK international undergraduate STEM respondents chose the UK overwhelmingly because of its reputation for high-quality education (51%), excellent career prospects (29%), and the presence of friends or relatives (21%).
When the research asked why postgraduate STEM students chose their destination, it found that those studying in the UK chose the country mostly due to its reputation for high-quality education (40%), the fact that a UK qualification offers excellent career opportunities (28%) and that the UK is at forefront of innovation in their subject (23%).
Commenting on the findings, Gordon Slaven, British Council Head of Higher Education said “It’s great to see that the UK’s excellence in teaching and research in these areas is recognised by STEM students around the world. The fact that the UK continues to attract large numbers of STEM and humanities students means that the UK education experience is contributing to the development of countries around the world, and creating long term connections for the UK in the future.”
The survey also found that more than one third (39%) of postgraduate international STEM students indicated they would look for a job in their destination country after graduation, while others stated they would seek employment in their home countries (29%), continue to study a further degree upon graduation (17%) and seek a job with the intention to continue further study (11%). Fourteen per cent of respondents stated they wanted to stay in academia after graduating with their STEM postgraduate degree.
”What’s important about this research is that it compares international student perceptions of four study destinations. It is important to understand not only the motivations of these students, to be able to ensure they have the best chances to fulfil their professional goals, but to examine the drivers that influence their journey. Creating a young workforce with transferable, in-demand skills is what will drive the global economy forward” Slaven added.
When the surveyed students were asked which country offered the best career opportunities, Australia came out on top with 72 per cent of the international STEM students studying in-country concurring, followed by the US with 71 per cent of in-country postgraduates and 61 per cent of Canadian in-country postgraduates. Forty-two per cent of UK international STEM postgraduates said the UK was the best destination for career opportunities.
A higher percentage of both undergraduate and postgraduate students studied abroad to access jobs in their destination country after graduation, but a comparatively small percentage stated they wanted to migrate permanently, indicating many international STEM student aspire to work for the short-term, perhaps to gain experience or save money.
Zainab Malik, Research Director of the British Council’s Education Intelligence service and author of the report, said: “International STEM students seek high-quality education and enhanced career prospects, therefore the most attractive education systems will be those who are best integrated with the innovation economy. Also, our research shows that while many international students want to work overseas, either where they study or in other countries, in the beginning of their careers they are keen to maintain their link with and transfer their knowledge to their home countries in the long-term.”
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