Europe

Educators and agents have praised the networking opportunities at English UK’s latest fair in Panama, which also provided intelligence on the Latin American market

At least half of the international undergraduate applications made to UK universities each year through UCAS originate within the UK, according to a new report. This recruitment stream is highly valuable to universities and much larger than previously thought, it adds. “Many universities are missing out on recruiting international students who are on their doorstep,” said the report's author.

Cambridge Education Group (CEG), the UK pathways player, has paved the way for a new stage of growth with a major capital injection from its owners, the private equity group Palamon Equity Partners. Palamon will provide £23 million in financing through Royal Bank of Scotland to support CEG, which has seen revenues triple in five years.

Former UK prime minister Tony Blair has stressed the importance of international education to the British economy in a recent interview sponsored by LSBF. “The truth is that we’re up there now with the best in the world at attracting students from all over the world," said Blair.

Plymouth University in the UK has undergone a substantial rebranding process and claims that its new image – which reflects its creative, connected, empowering ethos – is already impacting on application figures for the 2012/2013 academic year.

Launched this month, British Council Services for International Education Marketing (BCSIEM) replaces the Education UK Partnership, providing support in seven core areas: including briefings with British Council staff in-country; direct marketing and alumni services; and training for agents. Countries covered rises from 18 to 37 with new pay-as-you-go model.

A new three-star hotel for students, complete with all the hotel amenities, a restaurant and gym, has been opened in the heart of Barcelona by Don Quijote. Hotel dQ is offering students a higher-end accommodation option while studying in the Catalan city.

A new magazine about Ireland as a study destination has been launched aimed at those studying, or thinking of studying on the country. Its publishers said it could help agents promote Ireland, which is seeking to double its international numbers by 2015.

Stricter immigration rules for foreign students and new UKBA rules have caused the number of businesses going bust in the education sector to soar by 44%, according to research from a British accountancy firm. 169 educational institutions became insolvent in 2011, up from 117 in 2010. Corporate insolvencies as a whole rose by just 3% in the same period.

The PIE News has learnt that Malta plans to make it illegal for English language schools to operate without government accreditation - currently operators only need to be licensed. The measure is designed to boost the country's ELT sector which faces growing international competition and pressures from the recession in Europe.

Universities and Science minister David Willetts has said that British universities are only “scratching the surface” in exploiting the opportunities available in offshore delivery and encouraged them to engage further with “business and foreign markets”. The comments were made in a speech yesterday in which the minister addressed the funding reforms affecting UK HE.

A group of MPs has warned that the British Council risks losing its “soft power” abroad and becoming predominantly an “international language school”, due to government cuts forcing the organisation to boost its commercial activity. Subject to the 2010 Spending Review, the Council's FCO funding will fall from £185 million to £154 million by 2014-15, a 26% reduction.

The UK Home Affairs Select Committee has produced its third report of the year into the work of UKBA and there was more criticism of UKBA operations. MPs called on UKBA to recognise the term Bogus Colleges and ensure that inspections to Tier 4 sponsors (education establishments) must be unannounced.

Russian agency association, Association of Russian Educational Advisors (AREA), which comprises 20 members from across Russia, is giving its members access to specialist CRM software to manage their work in a deal with AMS...

A recent study has shown that international students studying at the University of Exeter contribute over £88 million a year to Exeter’s economy and support 2,880 jobs; 2.8% of all employment in the city...