Published Research and Publications
The International Unit undertakes a limited amount of investigative and analytical work with its own resources, although the majority of our projects are commissioned from external consultants.
We aim to provide credible, timely and relevant analysis to those managers engaged in internationalisation across the UK HE sector, namely - heads of institutions, Pro-Vice Chancellors for research and international activities; heads of research/business development offices and international student recruitment & welfare officers.
The International Unit's most recently published research reports are held in the Secure Area of the website, accessible to UK university staff only.
All other reports and publications are available free to download.
International Higher Education in Facts and Figures
Published November 2011
International Higher Education in Facts and Figures (Winter 2011/12) updates the 2010 publication. It provides the latest data on staff and student mobility, trends in international market shares, and facts on country investment in higher education.It is available to download by clicking on the image above.
International Pricing Study: A snapshot of UK and key competitor country international student fees
Published July 2011
This study, published in later July 2011, demonstrates how higher education is priced for international students across the globe. It provides a market scan to identify the variation in tuition fees paid by international students for numerous course types and study levels at HE institutions in nine key destination countries. It also assesses the impact of currency fluctuations on the price of international study. This is the first time a report has presented comparative data on international student fees drawing on a broad range of institutions and courses in key competitor countries. This report is only available on the Secure Area of the website.
Consultant: i-graduate
A Guide to UK Higher Education and Partnerships for Overseas Universities
Published July 2011
This Guide serves as a starting point for overseas institutions interested in establishing collaborations with UK higher education institutions (HEIs). It is aimed at staff working in universities around the world where there is an interest and willingness to collaborate with the UK, as well as UK university staff looking to attract new partners. It offers a narrative on the history of UK higher education, the role of internationalisation, a summary of the different types of collaborative activity in which UK HEIs are engaged, and the key issues to consider such as visa and immigration laws and the legal regulation of partnerships. It is available in English Arabic and Chinese.
A Guide to Offshore Staffing Strategies for UK Universities
Published April 2011
Case Studies
A Guide to Offshore Staffing Strategies for UK Universities, authored by John Fielden of CHEMS Consulting with Erica Gillard, looks at the challenges arising in delivering high quality programmes offshore which match those offered at home. It draws on the experiences of nine universities, both in the UK and overseas, all of which have extensive experience delivering TNE.
Both the report and case studies are available to download by clicking on the images above.
The UK Higher Education International and Europe Unit
Published March 2011
This flyer introduces visitors to the UK HE International and Europe Unit, a central intelligence and policy coordination unit on higher education, internationalisation and European policy for UK higher education institutions.
It is available to download by clicking on the image above.
International and Europe Unit Annual Report 2009-2010
Published September
This report is for the year 01 August 2009 to 31 July 2010 and covers the activities of both the UK Higher Education International Unit and the UK Higher Education Europe Unit. This period signals the end of the International Unit’s initial three-year funding mandate and the final year of the Europe Unit’s second three-year funding mandate.
International Higher Education in Facts and Figures
Published August 2010
International Higher Education in Facts and Figures (Summer 2010) updates the 2008 publication, Global Opportunities for UK Higher Education. It provides the latest data on staff and student mobility, trends in international market shares, and facts on country investment in higher education. It includes new data on Transnational Education (TNE), reflecting the rapid rise in TNE activity among UK universities, with tables on patterns of student mobility by word regions and TNE education provided by UK higher education institutions.
It is available to download by clicking on the image above.
A UK Guide to Enhancing the International Student Experience
Published March 2010
This report, written by the International Graduate Insight Group Ltd. (i-graduate), is a practical manual for universities using data from i-graduate’s International Student Barometer (ISB). It combines this data with opinions from international students and practitioners in the field and offers recommendations to inform those at the heart of international education. The guide covers all aspects of the international student experience. It records what international students think is important, how satisfied they are with services provided, and juxtaposes these views against those of domestic UK students and an international index of students studying worldwide. This report is only available on the Secure Area of the website.
Consultant: i-graduate
The International Unit Annual Report
Published September 2009
Higher Education and Collaboration in Global Context: Building a Global Civil Society
Published July 2009
This report has been published by the UK/US Study Group, a group of senior scholars based in the United Kingdom and the United States. Commissioned by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Spring 2008, it advocates a leadership role for universities and colleges in fostering the development of a ‘global civil society.’ Click on the image above to download the report.
Offset Programmes: Opportunities for UK Universities
Published July 2009
This report, the first in the Technical Series, looks at the commercial opportunities for UK universities to partner companies with Offset obligations in overseas markets. This report is only available on the Secure Area of the website.
Consultant: Edengene
International Partnerships: A Legal Guide for UK Universities
Published July 2009
The International Unit commissioned Eversheds LLP to produce a legal guide to serve as a 'route map' for those establishing and running partnerships to avoid common pitfalls and to maximise the educational and business benefits of international partnerships. This Guide includes notes on features of jurisdictions where UK universities wishing to establish partnerships most commonly encounter legal issues, namely Australia, China, India, Malaysia, the Gulf and US. This report and the accompanying country profiles are only available on the Secure Area of the website.
Consultant: Eversheds LLP
UK Higher Education Engagement with Iraq
Published June 2009
The report, commissioned jointly with BUIC and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DIUS), investigates how UK universities can capitalise on reconstruction efforts as well as how Iraq can benefit from capacity-building expertise at British universities. It advises on the best match that can be made between higher education needs within Iraq and knowledge available within the United Kingdom. This report is only available by clicking on the image above.
Consultant: Illuminate Consulting Group
UK Universities and Europe: Competition and Internationalisation
Published April 2009
The report evaluates the forms and extent of competition from other European countries for international students. It provides the UK higher education sector with market information to inform their strategies and considers how the UK might augment its successes in HE internationalisation with collaborative models as more generally practiced in Europe. Click on the image above to download the report. The accompanying annex is available HERE.
Consultants: Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (OBHE) and Kingston University.
The International Unit Annual Report
Published September 2008
The International Unit's Annual Report, published in September, details the Unit's activities in 2007-08. It is available to download by clicking on the image above.
The UK's Competitive Advantage: The Market for International Research Students
Published July 2008
This provides a snapshot and analysis of the international market for research students, and a comparative picture of factors that determine where students choose to conduct research, as well as strategic options for UK universities to compete internationally. It is available to download by clicking on the image above.
Consultants: Will Archer, Colin Gilligan, Christine Humfrey, Neil Kemp (project leader).
Read the report summary in International Focus
International Research Collaboration: Opportunities for the UK Higher Education Sector
Published May 2008
This comparative study, co funded with Universities UK, analyses trends in international research collaboration. It investigates competitor country policies to support international research collaboration; UK universities strategic management of international research collaboration; and opportunities to support development of strategic management in UK universities. The report is available to download by clicking on the image above.
Consultant: Technopolis
Read the report summary in International Focus
The Practice of Internationalisation: Managing International Activities in UK Universities
Published April 2008
This study, by CHEMS Consulting, provides a survey of the various models and approaches employed by HEIs to manage 'internationalisation'. It reviews how UK universities manage their international activities in terms of processes and management structures; assesses the skills that are required; provides background of practices from the US, Canada and Australia; and makes recommendations to the UK sector. The report is available to download by clicking the image above.
Read the report summary in International Focus
Global opportunities for UK higher education
Published September 2007
This leaflet details the UK as a global leader in higher education provision but also highlights growing trends and challenges that will need to be addressed as the internationalisation of higher education continues and the UK needs to maintain its strong position against key competitors. The leaflet is available to download by clicking on the image above.
