The UK government is working to ensure that existing visa processes are as flexible as possible as the number of Indian students studying in the UK has been going up. Janaka Pushpanathan, Director – South India, British Council explains why the visa issue rate for Indian students is 96%, which is well above the global average.
What are the main challenges for students aspiring to study in the UK?
British Council has been working closely with students, parents, agents and counsellors in India to understand their concerns and queries, since the outbreak of the pandemic. Students value, and aspire for, a higher education degree from coveted international universities, however, their concerns include visa application process, employability, and health and safety, given the current situation.
To understand student sentiment during the pandemic, we (British Council) conducted a survey to understand how students are adapting their study abroad plans. The survey responses gave a snapshot of Indian students’ current study abroad plans:
* 65% of Indian undergraduates and 59% of postgraduates who had planned to study in the UK in 2020/21 said they are “not at all likely” to cancel or delay their plans
* 80% of the selected Chevening scholars are preparing their paperwork to travel to the UK this autumn.
The UK government is working to ensure that existing visa processes are as flexible as possible and aims to process applications as quickly as possible. The number of Indian students studying in the UK has been going up, and Indians are among the fastest-growing nationalities of students in the UK. Moreover, the visa issue rate for Indian students is 96%, which is well above the global average.
To guide students and parents with concerns on visa applications, available scholarships and enrolment requirements for various UK universities, the British Council has taken its popular ‘Study UK’ fair online. The virtual fair will provide the most recent information with a range of topics that help students and their parents to decide the UK university of their choice.
Has the pandemic stopped the internationalisation of education which most universities were strategically planning?
The internationalisation of higher education between India and the UK is achieved through various meaningful engagements and bilateral collaborations. These include initiatives to further linkages between the two countries in research and innovation, student mobility and academic exchange.
Universities are taking positive strides towards internationalisation of education; in the current academic year, international students are learning at the same world-leading institutions, with quality teaching and excellent employment prospects. The UK universities are supporting students as they adapt to online and blended models of learning which is overseen by strict quality assurance guidelines, backed by the wealth of experience and international expertise that UK HE sector is known for. Students are getting access and exposure to world-leading academic experts, and a virtual international community to interact with.
Some key examples of internationalisation include
Last month, Governments of Telangana and Wales signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further bilateral research and education exchange between both the entities. The key areas of interest include promoting research, entrepreneurship, and innovation, university partnerships including areas of Science and Technology and improving employability and skills among students in Telangana.
Two universities in Scotland – St Andrews and Aberdeen have partnered with Ahmedabad University to investigate new approaches to the management of coastal wetland habitats in India following research funding from the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE). The fund is a new grant scheme funded by the Scottish Government for enhancing the existing international research partnerships between Scottish universities and partners in India, Japan and Pakistan.
UK-India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) is a unique programme funded by the governments of the UK and India, that aims to strengthen education and research collaboration between the two countries.
This year, because of the pandemic, many of the programmes are now being delivered online. This includes the UKIERI-DST (Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education) Partnership Development Workshops, which has researchers from both countries sharing trends, research and discussing relevant themes like Big Data, Renewable energy and Machine Learning among others. The Higher Education Leadership Development Programme for Administrators (HELDPA) also under UKIERI, began online in November 2020. The training will enhance the core knowledge and skills of middle and senior level administrative staff in Indian HEIs affiliated with University Grants Commission (UGC); in turn, supporting the advancement of Indian higher education institutions.
To support the universities, will the UK government announce changes in the visa policies and longer stay back options after completing the course for international students?
The UK government has confirmed that new international students starting their degree in the 2020-21 academic year will be able to begin their studies through distance learning and remain eligible for their Tier 4 student visa if they transition to face-to-face learning as soon as circumstances allow it. The ‘Graduate Route’ scheme allows two-year (up to three years for PhD students) post-study work visa to international graduates completing their studies at the UK universities, expanding opportunities for talented international students to build successful careers in the UK. In case students are required to either continue their current studies or commence a new course by distance or blended learning due to COVID-19, they will still be eligible to switch into the Graduate Route on a concessionary basis if they enter the UK before 6 April 2021 and complete the final semester of their studies in the UK.
What are the health safety measures which will be continuously offered to the international students?
The UK higher education sector is working relentlessly to ensure that international students’ physical and mental health is prioritised. Students can get in touch with their university directly to access any information on their health and safety. UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is accessible to both domestic and international students. No charges will apply to testing or treatment for Covid-19 provided to international students. International students can access treatment that clinicians consider is immediately needed or urgent at no upfront cost. Universities across the UK have adapted creating blended programmes of induction events and activities to ensure students are welcomed and to help ensure safe social interaction.
Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/times-study-abroad/europe/indian-students-are-not-likely-to-cancel-their-plans-to-study-in-the-uk/articleshow/79578762.cms