Rethinking International Student Recruitment: Key Insights from Penna’s Education Advisory Board

Every quarter, we host our Education Advisory Board (EAB) meeting. This is where Research Strategists, Media Publishers and Heads of Marketing at British universities come together to discuss the higher education sector. And there was a lot to talk about. How do prospective international students feel about studying abroad given recent policy changes and political events? How can universities diversify their international student in-take? Is the UK really losing its appeal? We explored these questions and discussed what it currently means to be an accessible and attractive option, given how challenging this year has been for the sector.

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the world's largest global higher education network, kicked off the conversation by showcasing their recent findings from their 2024 Country Perception Survey. Unsurprisingly, different markets have responded in disparate ways to recent visa policy changes and the general anti-immigrant rhetoric that is taking hold. Overall international students are now 24% less likely to consider the UK as an option. However, the UK sector is highly resilient. When the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) review concluded, there was a notable increase in popularity across the UK compared to Australia and Canada. While the UK’s approach to restricting visa options for international students hasn’t been as ruthless as its competitors, some damage has still been done. The importance of tailoring messaging to each individual market was talked through, with it becoming clear that a one-size-fits-all approach will no longer suffice. This is due to the landscape within the UK, but also the economic turmoil that many countries now face. Universities need to diversify their international portfolio. Students from China and India are considering different options, with Chinese students now 50% less likely to consider the UK.

So, what are some more reliable markets that could be considered? Penna’s Senior Research strategist, Kornelia Korol, discussed Türkiye and the changing landscape in that part of the world. In the last five years, the UK has seen a +132% increase in undergraduate (UG) accepted applicants from Türkiye. Not only this, but nearly half of Türkiye’s population is under the age of 30. It has large potential as a market. Motivations for Turkish students include not being able to access specialised programmes and advanced research facilities at home, as well as current economic challenges and political uncertainties in Türkiye. Kornelia also covered relevant messaging against this market, as well as popular subjects and media habits and consumption. It’s an incredibly buoyant and fascinating market.

The EAB meeting also covered the appeal of Europe and how this is affecting international student numbers in the UK. Not only does Europe have better coffee and a more diverse range of patisseries (no shade to Greggs), but there is now more choice than ever for English Taught programmes. Ireland, Germany, and The Netherlands offering 2,000 on-campus English-taught degree programmes, while France, Italy, and Spain offering over 1,000 English Taught Programmes (some of which are at the best universities in the world). The narrative that governing higher education bodies in France and Germany are putting out to the world vastly differ in tone when compared to the Big Four as well. The

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are proposing new policies that will help international students to find work, while République Français (Campus France) announced it will make the application process easier for international students.

A complicated sequence of events is impacting international and domestic student recruitment. Some of these factors are intrinsically tied to the pandemic, the cost-of-living crisis, and changes in visa policies, while others are more nuanced and depend on the political climate of certain countries. A funny meme on TikTok could make a university look more approachable, but it won’t fix issues around making students feel welcome and safe. Marketing needs to be smarter. Our Education Advisory Board meetings provide an open and transparent place to discuss these significant issues and themes. If you would like to know more about what was discussed, or if you’re interested in joining these meetings going forward, please get in touch with our Director of Education, Jane Johns at jane.johns@penna.com.