Constructing a national higher education brand for the UK: positional competition and promised capitals

an article by Sylvie Lomer (Northampton University, UK), Vassiliki Papatsiba (University of Sheffield, UK) and Rajani Naidoo (University of Bath, UK) published in Studies in Higher Education Volume 41 Issue 1 (January 2018)

Abstract

This article examines national branding of UK higher education, a strategic intent and action to collectively brand UK higher education with the aim to attract prospective international students, using a Bourdieusian approach to understanding promises of capitals.

We trace its development between 1999 and 2014 through a sociological study, one of the first of its kind, from the ‘Education UK’ and subsumed under the broader ‘Britain is GREAT’ campaign of the Coalition Government.

The findings reveal how a national higher education brand is construed by connecting particular representations of the nation with those of prospective international students and the higher education sector, which combine in the brand with promises of capitals to convert into positional advantage in a competitive environment.

The conceptual framework proposed here seeks to connect national higher education branding to the concept of the competitive state, branded as a nation and committed to the knowledge economy.

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Attracting and retaining student talent from around the world: The lived experience in university-industry collaboration

an article by Johanna Julia Vauterin, Karl-Erik Michelsen and Lassi Linnanen (Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland) published in Industry and Higher Education Volume 27 Number 3 (June 2013)

Abstract

To be prepared for changing student talent pools in emerging geographical markets, and to remain attractive to the coming waves of student mobility, the European higher education sector must improve its ability to absorb international student talent in greater numbers.

This paper presents an analysis of the nature and value of university-industry partnering as a means of attracting and retaining global student talent. The authors argue that global student talent recruitment lies at the heart of “knowledge transfer through people”. With this in mind, an inclusive picture of the university-industry partnering phenomenon is provided; and the role of collaborative experiencing and learning is examined.

It was found that even university-industry collaborative practice dealing with global issues remains local in terms of engagement. The paper demonstrates that, by using interpretive and participatory methods, new insights can be gained into the university-industry practice of partnering to promote the attraction and retention of global student talent.

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Postgraduate education: an independent enquiry by the Higher Education Commission

Key Messages from the report

1. A perfect storm is ahead
   Fees for postgraduate courses are increasing, whilst a credit crisis, with banks less willing to offer career development loans, continues. Employers and institutions are concerned that future student cohorts will be less willing to incur further debt to undertake postgraduate study, whilst changes in the immigration system could limit international demand for postgraduate study. We are concerned that the cumulative impact of these developments may inflict significant damage on the health of the postgraduate sector.
2. Postgraduates should be part of a holistic vision for our education system
   Postgraduates are key to Britain’s continued success in an increasingly competitive globalised world. Despite this they are almost entirely absent from the current policy debate. We need to take a holistic view of the English education system. Rather than sub-optimising on individual stages, our conceptual framework has to include postgraduates.
3. We need to improve access to postgraduate education
   Postgraduate education is “the new frontier of widening participation” – with prospective students currently barred from study if they cannot afford fees or access sufficient credit. There are a number of fields and professions where postgraduate qualifications are becoming a de facto requirement for employment. If action is not taken we could see the gains made from widening participation at undergraduate level diminished.
4. We need more home-domiciled students to undertake postgraduate education
   High numbers of international students cannot compensate for poor take-up of postgraduate education among home-domiciled students. An emphasis is needed on up-skilling of the UK population, ensuring that British students are able to compete in the global labour market. Britain has become the global capital of education outsourcing. A large number of students study in Britain and then return to their home countries, where they innovate and help build economic advantage. We need to encourage retention of international students by promoting opportunities for post-study work. Much of our postgraduate provision is unviable without international students. Care must be taken that changes in the immigration system do not adversely impact on our national capacity in key disciplines.
5. We need a sustainable system for funding postgraduate education
   There is a strong case for state-backed student loans to be introduced for segments of postgraduate provision where the financial markets have failed to provide competitive sources of finance. The government should immediately establish a taskforce to examine the feasibility of a postgraduate student loan scheme and develop policy options, reporting by December 2013.

Full report (PDF 88pp)

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